As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on September 28 , 2018
File Nos. 333-159484 and 811-22298


 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C.  20549
FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER SECURITIES ACT OF 1933
 ☒
Pre-Effective Amendment No.            
 ☐
Post-Effective Amendment No.      305     
 ☒
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940
 ☒
Amendment No.     309 
 ☒
(Check appropriate box or boxes)
Starboard Investment Trust
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
116 South Franklin Street, P. O. Box 69, Rocky Mount, NC  27802
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
252-972-9922
(Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code)


Paracorp Inc.
2140 South Dupont Hwy., Camden, DE  19934
(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering:
As soon as practicable after the effective
 
date of this Registration Statement
It is proposed that this filing will become effective: (check appropriate box)

[   ] immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)
[ X ] on  October 1, 2018  pursuant to paragraph (b)
[   ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)
[   ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)
[   ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485



If appropriate, check the following box:

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

STARBOARD INVESTMENT TRUST

CONTENTS OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT


This registration statement consists of the following papers and documents:

Cover Sheet
Contents of Registration Statement
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
Part A – Prospectus
Part B – Statement of Additional Information
Part C – Other Information and Signature Page
Exhibit Index
Exhibits


 
Institutional Class Shares – Ticker ARSAX


Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund

A series of the
Starboard Investment Trust



PROSPECTUS


October 1, 2018

This prospectus contains information about the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund that you should know before investing. You should read this prospectus carefully before you invest or send money and keep it for future reference. For questions or for Shareholder Services, please call 1-800-773-3863.




Investment Advisor
ARS Investment Management, LLC
629 Highland Avenue, Suite 200
Needham, MA  02494


The securities offered by this prospectus have not been approved or disapproved by the Securities and Exchange Commission, nor has the Securities and Exchange Commission passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus.  Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Page
Summary
2
Additional Information about the Fund's Investment Objective,
Principal Investment Strategies, and Risks

11
Investment Objective
11
Principal Investment Strateg ies
11
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
1 2
Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings
18
Temporary Defensive Positions
18
Management of the Fund
19
Investment Advisor
19
Distributor
19
Additional Information on Expenses
19
Investing in the Fund
21
Purchase and Redemption Price
21
Buying or Selling Shares Through a Financial Intermediary
22
Purchasing Shares
22
Redeeming Shares
24
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions
27
Other Important Information
29
Dividends, Distributions and Taxes
29
Financial Highlights
29
Additional Information
Back Cover


SUMMARY
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund (the "Fund") seeks to achieve total return through a combination of capital appreciation and current income
FEES AND EXPENSES OF THE FUND
These tables describe the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.
Shareholder Fees
 
(fees paid directly from your investment)
 
   
Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed o n Purchases
(as a % of offering price)

None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load)
(as a % of the lesser of amount purchased or redeemed)

None
Redemption Fee
(as a % of amount redeemed)

None
Exchange Fee
None

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
 
   
Management Fees
1.10%
Distribution and/or Service (12b‑1) Fees
None
Other Expenses
6.21%
   Interest and Dividends on Securities Sold Short 1
0.34%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 2
0.14%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
7.79%
Less Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement 3 , 4
(4.81)%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After
Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement

2.98%
1     " Interest and Dividends on Securities Sold Short" reflects interest expense and dividends paid on borrowed securities. Interest expense results from the Fund's use of prime brokerage arrangements to execute short sales. Dividends paid on borrowed securities are an expense of short sales. Such expenses are required to be treated as a Fund expense for accounting purposes and are not payable to the Fund or the Advisor. Any interest expense amount or dividends paid on securities sold short will vary based on the Fund's use of those investments.
2 "Acquired Fund" means any investment company in which the Fund invests or has invested during the previous fiscal year.  The "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" and "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement" will not match the Fund's gross and net expense ratios reported in the Financial Highlights from the Fund's financial statements , which reflect the operating expenses of the Fund and do not include Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.
3   The Fund's investment a dvisor , ARS Investment Management, LLC (the "Advisor"), has entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement with the Fund under which it has agreed to waive or reduce its fees and to assume other expenses of the Fund, if necessary, in an amount that limits the Fund's annual operating expenses (exclusive of (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including, for example, option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Advisor)) to not more than 2.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund. Net annual operating expenses for the Fund may exceed these limits to the extent that it incurs expenses enumerated above as exclusions. The Expense Limitation Agreement runs through September 30, 20 19 , and may be terminated by the Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees") at any time.  Any fees or expenses waived or reimbursed by the Advisor are subject to repayment by the Fund within three years following the date on which the Fund accrues a liability or recognizes a contingent liability with respect to such amounts waived or reimbursed by the Advisor if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the lesser of its current Maximum Operating Expense Limit and the Maximum Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the initial waiver and/or reimbursement.
4 Restated to reflect the current contractual expense limitation.

2

Example. This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds.
This example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem (or you hold) all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and the Fund's operating expenses remain the same.  Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
$301
$1,846
$3,307
$6,616

Portfolio Turnover.   The Fund may pay transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio).  A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund's performance.  For the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018 , the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 368.35% of the average value of its portfolio. 
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
The Advisor seeks to achieve the Fund's investment objective of total return by investing in no-load, institutional, mutual, exchange-traded, and/or closed end funds that are registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 , as amended (the "1940 Act") ("Portfolio Funds") ,   or by making direct investments in portfolio securities based upon institutional research, recommendations, and trading signals from investment model managers (third - party strategists whose advice the Advisor has discretion to implement) or other third-party research providers.  The Fund will utilize sector rotation strategies that attempt to capitalize on changes in business cycle. Business cycle refers to the regular alternation between periods of expansion and contraction that occur in an industry or economy. The investments of the Fund and Portfolio Funds will be comprised of exchange-traded funds ("ETFs") and/ or equity securities (common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, and warrants) and fixed income securities (bonds, corporate debt securities, convertible securities, and government securities).
3

The Fund will utilize sector rotation strategies based on its quantitative asset allocation model that attempt to capitalize on changes in the business cycle. The Fund and Portfolio Funds will not be limited in their investments by market capitalization or sector criteria, and may invest in foreign securities, including foreign securities in emerging markets.  The Fund and Portfolio Funds may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity and any in default, and unrated bonds. The Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests may have an investment objective similar to the Fund's or will otherwise hold permitted investments under the Fund's investment policies.  Although the Fund principally invests in Portfolio Funds with no sales related expenses or very low sales related expenses, the Fund is not precluded from investing in Portfolio Funds with sales-related expenses, redemption fees, and/or service fees.
The Advisor determines the tactical allocation of the Fund's assets based on asset risk and return profiles derived from a combination of fundamental, quantitative , and macroeconomic inputs. The Advisor will sell a Portfolio Fund based on the Fund's quantitative asset allocation models or if the Fund's portfolio needs to be rebalanced.  The Advisor also may sell a Portfolio Fund if there has been a change in management or unexplained deviation in strategy.  Decisions by the Advisor to sell other portfolio securities will be based upon the research, recommendations, and trading signals received from investment model managers, or may be based upon a decision by the Advisor to no longer utilize a particular investment model manager due to the Advisor's assessment of the integrity of the research.  As a result of the Fund's tactical strategy, it may engage in active and frequent trading and have a relatively high level of portfolio turnover compared to other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making investment decisions.
The Advisor may use derivative investments to hedge the Fund's and Portfolio Funds' investments in equity securities, based on the Advisor's views of market conditions.  These investments can be made as a substitute for taking a direct position in the underlying asset or as part of a strategy that is intended to reduce the exposure of the Fund to various risks.  To the extent that the Fund invests in options, futures contracts, and swaps, it will segregate assets or otherwise "cover" its positions in a manner that limits the Fund's risk of loss. In addition, the Fund may engage in short selling, and the Portfolio Funds may engage in short selling and invest in derivative instruments (principally consisting of options, futures contracts, and swaps), including those that derive their value from commodities, currencies, and real estate, and utilize leverage to acquire their underlying investments.
4

PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
Risk is inherent in all investing. The loss of your money is a principal risk of investing in the Fund.  Investments in the Fund are subject to investment risks, including the possible loss of some or the entire principal amount invested.  There can be no assurance that the Fund will be successful in meeting its investment objective. Your investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency. Accordingly, you may lose money by investing in the Fund. The Fund is subject to the following principal risks:
Common Stock Risk.  Investments by the Fund and Portfolio Funds in shares of common stock may fluctuate in value in response to many factors, including the activities of the individual issuers whose securities the Fund or Portfolio Funds own, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  The rights of common stockholders are subordinate to all other claims on a company's assets, including debt holders and preferred stockholders. Such price fluctuations subject the Fund to potential losses.  During temporary or extended bear markets, the value of common stocks will decline, which could also result in losses for the Fund.
Control of Portfolio Funds Risk.   The Portfolio Funds each have their own unique investment objective, strategies, and risks.  There is no guarantee that the Portfolio Funds will achieve their investment objectives and the Fund has exposure to the investment risks of the Portfolio Funds in direct proportion to the allocation of assets among the funds.  The investment policies of the Portfolio Funds may differ from the Fund's policies.
Although the Fund and the Advisor will evaluate regularly each Portfolio Fund to determine whether its investment program is consistent with the Fund's investment objective, the Advisor will not have any control over the investments made by a Portfolio Fund.  The investment advisor to each Portfolio Fund may change aspects of its investment strategies at any time.  The Advisor will not have the ability to control or otherwise influence the composition of the investment portfolio of a Portfolio Fund.
Cybersecurity Risk. As part of its business, the Advisor processes, stores , and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Advisor and the Fund are therefore susceptible to cybersecurity risk. Cybersecurity failures or breaches of the Fund or its service providers have the ability to cause disruptions and impact business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses, the inability of Fund shareholders to transact business, violations of applicable privacy and other laws, regulatory fines, penalties , and/or reputational damage. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Derivatives Risk. The Fund and the Portfolio Funds held by the Fund may use derivative instruments, which derive their value from the value of an underlying security, currency, or index.  Derivative instruments involve risks different from direct investments in the underlying assets, including: imperfect correlation between the value of the derivative instrument and the underlying assets; risks of default by the other party to the derivative instrument; risks that the transactions may result in losses of all or in excess of any gain in the portfolio positions; and risks that the transactions may not be liquid.
Equity Securities Risk.  The value of equity securities may fluctuate in response to many factors, including the activities of the issuer, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Also, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all equity securities, which could also result in losses for the Fund.
5

ETF Risk. ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF's shares may trade above or below its NAV; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; (iii) trading of an underlying ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange's officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market wide "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally; or (iv) the ETF may fail to achieve close correlation with the index that it tracks due to a variety of factors, such as rounding of prices and changes to the index and/or regulatory policies, resulting in the deviation of the ETF's returns from that of its corresponding index. Some ETFs may be thinly traded, and the resulting higher costs associated with respect to purchasing and selling the ETFs will be borne by the Fund.
Fixed Income Risk.   Investments by the Fund and Portfolio Funds in fixed income securities will subject the Fund to the risks associated with such investments.  The prices of these securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual issuers.  Fixed income securities tend to decrease in value if interest rates rise and vice versa, and the volatility of lower-rated securities is even greater than that of higher-rated securities.  Also, longer-term securities are more volatile, so the average maturity or duration of these securities affects risk.  Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer will fail to make timely payments of interest or principal or go bankrupt.  The lower the rating of a debt security, the greater its risks.   Debt instruments rated below investment grade or debt instruments that are unrated and determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality are predominantly speculative. These instruments, commonly known as "junk bonds," have a higher degree of default risk and may be less liquid than higher-rated bonds. These instruments may be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as specific corporate developments, interest rate sensitivity, negative perceptions of high yield investments generally, and less secondary market liquidity.
Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk.   The Fund and Portfolio Funds may have significant investments in foreign securities, which have investment risks different from those associated with domestic securities.  The value of foreign investments may be affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar, changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws, changes in governmental economic or monetary policy, or changed circumstances in dealings between nations.  There may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information about issuers of foreign securities.  In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees, and other costs of investing in foreign securities are often higher than in the United States.  Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations.  In addition to the risks of foreign securities in general, countries in emerging markets are more volatile and can have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of issues which could reduce liquidity.
6

Fund of Funds Risk.  The Fund may operate as a "fund of funds."  The term "fund of funds" is typically used to describe investment companies, such as the Fund, whose principal investment strategy involves investing in other investment companies, such as ETFs. Investments in other investment companies subject the Fund to additional operating and management fees and expenses.  Investors in the Fund will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the funds in which the Fund invests, in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. The Fund's performance depends in part upon the performance of the investment advisor to each Portfolio Fund, the strategies and instruments used by the Portfolio Funds, and the Advisor's ability to select Portfolio Funds and effectively allocate fund assets among them .
General Market Risk. The net asset value ("NAV") and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in the value of its portfolio securities. Security prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to market or economic news and conditions, and securities markets also tend to move in cycles. If there is a general decline in the securities markets, it is possible your investment may lose value regardless of the individual results of the companies in which the Fund invests. Certain securities held by the Fund may be worth less than the price originally paid for them, or less than they were worth at an earlier time. During periods of high volatility, the Fund may experience high levels of shareholder redemptions and may have to sell securities at times when the Fund would otherwise not do so, potentially at unfavorable prices.
Investment Advisor Risk.  The Advisor's ability to choose suitable investments has a significant impact on the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.
Leverage Risk.  The use of leverage may exaggerate changes in a Portfolio Fund's share price and the return on its investments.  Accordingly, the value of the Fund's investments in Portfolio Funds may be more volatile and all other risks, including the risk of loss of an investment, tend to be compounded or magnified.  Borrowing also leads to additional interest expense and other fees that increase the Portfolio Fund's expenses.
Management Risk.  Different types of securities tend to shift into and out of favor with investors depending on market and economic conditions.  The returns from the types of Portfolio Funds and other securities purchased by the Fund (growth, value, etc.) may at times be better or worse than the returns from other types of funds.  Thus, the performance of the Fund may be better or worse than the performance of funds that focus on other types of investments, or that have a broader investment style.
Portfolio Turnover Risk.   The Advisor will sell Portfolio Funds and other securities when it is in the interests of the Fund and its shareholders to do so without regard to the length of time they have been held. Portfolio turnover generally involves a number of direct and indirect costs and expenses to the Fund, including, for example, brokerage commissions, dealer mark-ups and bid/asked spreads, and transaction costs on the sale of securities and reinvestment in other securities. Any distributions resulting from such gains will be considered ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.
7

Quantitative Model Risk.  Securities selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as a whole. There can be no assurance that these methodologies will enable the Fund to achieve its objective.
Short Selling Risk. If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. The Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons.
PERFORMANCE INFORMATION
The following bar chart and tables provide an indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year to year and by showing how the average annual total returns compare to that of a broad-based securities market index. Performance information prior to August 1, 2016 is attributed to prior investment advisors for the Fund.  The Fund's past performance is not necessarily an indication of how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated information on the Fund's results can be obtained by visiting  http://www.ncfunds.com/fundpages/857.htm.
 
Institutional Class
Calendar Year Returns

 

During the periods show in the bar chart above, the Fund's highest quarterly return was 4.58% (quarter ended September 30, 2017) and the Fund's lowest quarterly return was -8.58% (quarter ended June 30, 2017). The Fund's year-to-date return as of June 30, 2018, was 2.33%.
8




Average Annual Total Returns
Periods Ended December 31, 201 7
Past 1
Year
Past 5
Years
Since
Inception*
Institutional Class Shares
Before taxes
After taxes on distributions
After taxes on distributions and sale of shares
-3.38%
-3.38%
-1.91%

-0.44%
-0.66%
-0.47%
-0.53%
-0.75%
-0.54%
S&P Target Risk Moderate Index
    (reflects no deductions for fees and expenses)
11.93%

6.19%
6.00%
*The Institutional Class Shares began operating on September 20, 2012.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes.  Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown and are not applicable to investors who hold Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account (IRA).

MANAGEMENT
Investment Advisor. ARS Investment Management, LLC ("ARS") , serves as the Fund's investment advisor.
Portfolio Managers.   The Fund's portfolio is managed on a day-to-day basis by Timothy Dolan who has served as a portfolio manager of the Fund since August 2016 .  Mr. Dolan is the f ounder, m anaging p artner , and c hairman of the i nvestment c ommittee for ARS Investment Management, LLC. 

PURCHASE AND SALE OF FUND SHARES
The minimum initial investment is $1,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $50, although the minimums may be waived or reduced in some cases.

You can redeem Fund shares directly from the Fund by mail, facsimile, telephone, and bank wire on any business day .

Redemption orders by mail should be sent to the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund, c/o Nottingham Shareholder Services, Post Office Box 4365, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365.  Redemption orders by facsimile should be transmitted to 919-882-9281.  Please call the Fund at 1-800-773-3863 to conduct telephone transactions or to receive wire instructions for bank wire orders.  The Fund has also authorized certain broker-dealers to accept purchase and redemption orders on its behalf.  Investors who wish to purchase or redeem Fund shares through a broker-dealer should contact the broker-dealer directly.

TAX INFORMATION
The Fund's distributions will generally be taxed to you as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Distributions on investments made through tax deferred vehicles, such as 401(k) plans or IRAs, may be taxed later upon withdrawal of assets from those accounts.
9

FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY COMPENSATION
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank) , the Fund may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment.  Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.
10


ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE FUND'S INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE, PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES, AND RISKS
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE
The Fund   seek s to achieve total return through a combination of capital appreciation and current income. This investment objective is not a fundamental policy and can be changed without shareholder approval by a vote of the Board of Trustees.  Shareholders will receive 60- days' prior written notice before a change to an investment objective takes effect.  There is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment objective.
PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEG IES
The Fund's Advisor seeks to achieve the Fund's investment objective of total return by investing in no-load, institutional, mutual, exchange-traded, and/or closed end funds that are registered under the 1940 Act   or by making direct investments in portfolio securities based upon institutional research, recommendations, and trading signals from investment model managers (third - party strategists whose advice the Advisor has discretion to implement) or other third-party research providers.  The Fund will utilize sector rotation strategies that attempt to capitalize on changes in business cycle. Business cycle refers to the regular alternation between periods of expansion and contraction that occur in an industry or economy. The investments of the Fund and Portfolio Funds will be comprised of ETFs and/ or equity securities (common stock, preferred stock, convertible preferred stock, convertible bonds, and warrants) and fixed income securities (bonds, corporate debt securities, convertible securities, and government securities).
The Fund will utilize sector rotation strategies based on its quantitative asset allocation model that attempt to capitalize on changes in the business cycle. The Fund and Portfolio Funds will not be limited in their investments by market capitalization or sector criteria, and may invest in foreign securities, including foreign securities in emerging markets.  The Fund and Portfolio Funds may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity and any credit rating, including high risk bonds (commonly known as junk bonds), bonds of issuers in default, and unrated bonds. The Portfolio Funds in which the Fund invests may have an investment objective similar to the Fund's or will otherwise hold permitted investments under the Fund's investment policies.  Although the Fund principally invests in Portfolio Funds with no sales related expenses or very low sales related expenses, the Fund is not precluded from investing in Portfolio Funds with sales-related expenses, redemption fees, and/or service fees.
The Advisor determines the tactical allocation of the Fund's assets based on asset risk and return profiles derived from a combination of fundamental, quantitative and macroeconomic inputs. The Advisor will sell a Portfolio Fund based on the Fund's quantitative asset allocation models or if the Fund's portfolio needs to be rebalanced.  The Advisor also may sell a Portfolio Fund if there has been a change in management or unexplained deviation in strategy. Decisions by the Advisor to sell other portfolio securities will be based upon the research, recommendations, and trading signals received from investment model managers, or may be based upon a decision by the Advisor to no longer utilize a particular investment model manager due to the Advisor's assessment of the integrity of the research.  As a result of the Fund's tactical strategy, it may engage in active and frequent trading and have a relatively high level of portfolio turnover compared to other mutual funds. Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making investment decisions.
11

The Fund and Portfolio Funds will not be limited in their investments by market capitalization or sector criteria, and may invest in foreign securities, including foreign securities in emerging markets.  The Advisor deems an issuer to be foreign if it is an issuer of securities for which a U.S. market is not the principal trading market.  The Fund and Portfolio Funds may invest in fixed income securities of any maturity and any credit rating, including junk bonds, bonds of issuers in default, and unrated bonds.
The Fund may invest in options, futures contracts, and swaps for both speculative and hedging purposes.  The Fund does not expect to invest in swaps to a significant extent. The Advisor may use derivative investments to hedge the Fund's and Portfolio Funds' investments in equity securities, based on the Advisor's views of market conditions.  These investments can be made as a substitute for taking a direct position in the underlying asset or as part of a strategy that is intended to reduce the exposure of the Fund to various risks.  In general, the Fund will not purchase or sell futures contracts or related options unless either (i) the futures contracts or options thereon are purchased for "bona fide hedging" purposes (as defined under regulations promulgated by the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC")); or (ii) if purchased for other purposes, (A) the sum of the amounts of initial margin deposits on the Fund's existing futures and premiums required to establish non-hedging positions, less the amount by which any such options positions are "in-the-money"   (as defined under CFTC regulations) would not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund's total assets, or (B) the aggregate net notional value of commodity futures, commodity options contracts, or swaps positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, does not exceed 100 % of the liquidation value of the of the Fund's total assets. To the extent that the Fund invests in options, futures contracts, and swaps, it will comply with the 1940 Act, including Section 18 and relevant interpretive positions of the staff of the SEC, that require the Fund to segregate assets or otherwise "cover" its positions in a manner that limits the Fund's risk of loss. In addition, the Fund may engage in short selling, the Portfolio Funds may engage in short selling and invest in derivative instruments (principally consisting of options, futures contracts, and swaps) and utilize leverage to acquire their underlying investments.
Other Information Regarding Principal Investment Strategies
All percentage limitations and requirements as to investments will apply only at the time of an investment to which the limitation or requirement is applicable and shall not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of such investment. Accordingly, any later increase or decrease resulting from a change in values, net assets , or other circumstances will not be considered in determining whether any investment complies with the Fund's limitation or requirement.
PRINCIPAL RISKS OF INVESTING IN THE FUND
It is possible to lose money on an investment in the Fund. Risk is the chance that you will lose money on your investment or that it will not earn as much as you expect. When you sell your shares of the Fund, they could be worth more or less than what you paid for them.
12

Your investment in the Fund may be subject (in varying degrees) to the following risks discussed below. The Fund may be more susceptible to some of the risks than others. Generally, the Fund will be subject to the following principal risks:

Common Stock Risk.  Investments by the Fund and Portfolio Funds in shares of common stock may fluctuate in value response to many factors, including the activities of the individual issuers whose securities the Fund or Portfolio Fund owns, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Such price fluctuations subject the Fund to potential losses.  In addition, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all equity securities, which could also result in losses for the Fund.  Market declines may continue for an indefinite period of time, and investors should understand that during temporary or extended bear markets, the value of common stocks will decline.
Control of Portfolio Funds Risk.  The Portfolio Funds each have their own unique investment objective, strategies, and risks.  There is no guarantee that the Portfolio Funds will achieve their investment objectives and the Fund has exposure to the investment risks of the Portfolio Funds in direct proportion to the allocation of assets among the funds.  The investment policies of the Portfolio Funds may differ from the Fund's policies.
Although the Fund and the Advisor will evaluate regularly each Portfolio Fund to determine whether its investment program is consistent with the Fund's investment objective, the Advisor will not have any control over the investments made by a Portfolio Fund.  Even though each Portfolio Fund is subject to certain constraints, the investment advisor of each Portfolio Fund may change aspects of its investment strategies at any time.  The Advisor will not have the ability to control or otherwise influence the composition of the investment portfolio of a Portfolio Fund.
Cybersecurity Risk. As part of its business, the Advisor processes, stores , and transmits large amounts of electronic information, including information relating to the transactions of the Fund. The Advisor and the Fund are therefore susceptible to cybersecurity risk. Cyber-attacks include, among other behaviors, stealing or corrupting data maintained online or digitally, denial of service attacks on websites, the unauthorized release of confidential information , and causing operational disruption. Successful cyber-attacks against, or security breakdowns of, the Fund or its advisor, custodians, fund accountant, fund administrator, transfer agent, pricing vendors , and/or other third - party service providers may adversely impact the Fund and its shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of shareholder transactions, impact the Fund's ability to calculate its NAV, cause the release of private shareholder information or confidential Fund information, impede trading, cause reputational damage, and subject the Fund to regulatory fines, penalties or financial losses, reimbursement or other compensation costs, and/or additional compliance costs. The Fund also may incur substantial costs for cybersecurity risk management in order to guard against any cyber incidents in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.
Derivatives Risk. The Fund and the Portfolio Funds held by the Fund may use derivative instruments, which derive their value from the value of an underlying security, currency, or index. The Fund's and the Portfolio Funds' use of derivatives may involve risks different from, or greater than, the risks associated with investing in more traditional investments, such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives can be highly complex and may perform in ways unanticipated by the Advisor or the Portfolio Funds' investment advisor and may not be available at the time or price desired. The Fund's and the Portfolio Funds' use of derivatives involves the risk that the other party to the derivative contract will fail to make required payments or otherwise to comply with the terms of the contract. In the event the counterparty to a derivative instrument becomes insolvent, the Fund or the Portfolio Fund potentially could lose all or a large portion of its investment in the derivative instrument. Derivatives transactions can create investment leverage and may be highly volatile, and the Fund or the Portfolio Fund could lose more than the amount it invests. In addition, derivatives transactions can increase the Fund's or the Portfolio Fund's transaction costs. Derivatives may be difficult to value and highly illiquid, and the Fund or Portfolio Fund may not be able to close out or sell a derivative position at a particular time or at an anticipated price. Derivative positions may also be improperly executed or constructed. Use of derivatives may affect the amount the timing and the character of distributions to shareholders and, therefore, may increase the amount of taxes payable by shareholders.
13

 
When the Fund or a Portfolio Fund enters into a derivatives transaction as a substitute for or alternative to a direct cash investment, the Fund or the Portfolio Fund is exposed to the risk that the derivative transaction may not provide a return that corresponds precisely or at all with that of the underlying investment. When the Fund uses a derivative for hedging purposes, it is possible that the derivative will not in fact provide the anticipated protection, and the Fund could lose money on both the derivative transaction and the exposure the Fund sought to hedge. Because most derivatives involve contractual arrangements with a counterparty, no assurance can be given that a particular type of derivative contract can be completed or terminated when desired by the Advisor. While hedging strategies involving derivatives can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other Fund investments. Certain derivatives may create a risk of loss greater than the amount invested.
The regulation of the derivatives markets has increased over the past several years, and additional future regulation of the derivatives markets may make derivatives costlier , may limit the availability or liquidity of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives. Any such adverse developments could impair the effectiveness of the Fund's derivatives transactions and cause the Fund to lose value. For instance, in December 2015, the SEC proposed a new rule that would change the regulation of the use of derivatives by registered investment companies, such as the Fund. If adopted as proposed, these regulations could significantly limit or impact the Fund's ability to invest in derivatives and other instruments, limit the Fund's ability to employ certain strategies that use derivatives, and adversely affect the Fund's performance, efficiency in implementing its strategy, liquidity , and ability to pursue its investment objective.
Equity Securities Risk.  The value of these equity securities may fluctuate in response to many factors, including the activities of the issuer, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Also, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all equity securities, which could also result in losses for the Fund. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments or a dividend preference until the security matures, is redeemed, or the conversion feature is exercised.  As a result of the conversion feature, the interest rate or dividend preference is less than if the securities were non-convertible.  Warrants entitle the holder to purchase equity securities at specific prices for a certain period of time. The prices do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying securities and the warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
 
14

ETF Risk. ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the market price of an ETF's shares may trade above or below its NAV; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained; (iii) trading of an underlying ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange's officials deem such action appropriate, the shares are delisted from the exchange, or the activation of market wide "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices) halts stock trading generally; or (iv) the ETF may fail to achieve close correlation with the index that it tracks due to a variety of factors, such as rounding of prices and changes to the index and/or regulatory policies, resulting in the deviation of the ETF's returns from that of its corresponding index. Some ETFs may be thinly traded, and the resulting higher costs associated with respect to purchasing and selling the ETFs will be borne by the Fund.
 
Fixed Income Risk.   Investments by the Fund and Portfolio Funds in fixed income securities will subject the Fund to the risks associated with such investments.  The prices of these securities respond to economic developments, particularly interest rate changes, as well as to perceptions about the creditworthiness of individual issuers.  Fixed income securities tend to decrease in value if interest rates rise and vice versa, and the volatility of lower-rated securities is even greater than that of higher-rated securities.  Also, longer-term securities are more volatile, so the average maturity or duration of these securities affects risk.  Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer will fail to make timely payments of interest or principal or go bankrupt.  The lower the rating of a debt security, the greater its risks.   Debt instruments rated below investment grade or debt instruments that are unrated and determined by the Advisor to be of comparable quality are predominantly speculative. These instruments, commonly known as "junk bonds," have a higher degree of default risk and may be less liquid than higher-rated bonds. These instruments may be subject to greater price volatility due to such factors as specific corporate developments, interest rate sensitivity, negative perceptions of high yield investments generally, and less secondary market liquidity.

In addition, the market value of a fixed-income security may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates , or adverse investor sentiment generally. The fixed-income securities market can be susceptible to increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity. Liquidity can decline unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Increases in volatility and decreases in liquidity may be caused by a rise in interest rates (or the expectation of a rise in interest rates), which are at or near historic lows in the United States and in other countries. An unexpected increase in fund redemption requests, including requests from shareholders who may own a significant percentage of the Fund's shares, which may be triggered by market turmoil or an increase in interest rates, could cause the Fund to sell its holdings at a loss or at undesirable prices and adversely affect the Fund's share price and increase the Fund's liquidity risk, fund expenses , and/or taxable distributions.

15

Foreign Securities and Emerging Markets Risk. The Fund and Portfolio Funds may have significant investments in foreign securities.  Foreign securities have investment risks different from those associated with domestic securities. Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund or a Portfolio Fund with significant investments in foreign securities than another fund that invests exclusively in domestic securities.  The value of foreign currency denominated securities or foreign currency contracts is affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar. There may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information about issuers of foreign securities. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad), or changed circumstances in dealings between nations. In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees, and other costs of investing in foreign securities are often higher than in the United States.  Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations.
The Fund and Portfolio Funds may also invest in emerging markets, which are markets of countries in the initial stages of industrialization and have low per capital income.  In addition to the risks of foreign securities in general, countries in emerging markets are more volatile and can have relatively unstable governments, social and legal systems that do not protect shareholders, economies based on only a few industries, and securities markets that trade a small number of issues which could reduce liquidity.
Fund of Funds Risk.  The Fund is a "fund of funds."  The term "fund of funds" is typically used to describe investment companies, such as the Fund, whose principal investment strategy involves investing in other investment companies, including  ETFs. Investments in other investment companies subject the Fund to additional operating and management fees and expenses.  Investors in the Fund will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the funds in which the Fund invests, in addition to the Fund's direct fees and expenses. As a result, the cost of investing in the Fund will be higher than the cost of investing directly in the Portfolio Funds and also may be higher than other funds that invest directly in securities.  The Fund's performance depends in part upon the performance of the investment advisor to each Portfolio Fund, the strategies and instruments used by the Portfolio Funds, and the Advisor's ability to select Portfolio Funds and effectively allocate fund assets among them.  Furthermore, the use of a fund of funds structure could affect the timing, amount, and character of distributions and therefore may increase the amount of taxes payable by you.
General Market Risk. The NAV and investment return will fluctuate based upon changes in the value of its portfolio securities. Security prices may fluctuate widely over short or extended periods in response to market or economic news and conditions, and securities markets also tend to move in cycles. If there is a general decline in the securities markets, it is possible your investment may lose value regardless of the individual results of the companies in which the Fund invests. Certain securities held by the Fund may be worth less than the price originally paid for them, or less than they were worth at an earlier time. During periods of high volatility, the Fund may experience high levels of shareholders redemptions, and may have to sell securities at times when the Fund would otherwise not do so, and potentially at unfavorable prices.
16

Investment Advisor Risk.  The Advisor's ability to choose suitable investments has a significant impact on the ability of the Fund to achieve its investment objectives.
Leverage Risk.  The use of leverage may exaggerate changes in a Portfolio Fund's share price and the return on its investments.  Accordingly, the value of the Fund's investments in Portfolio Funds may be more volatile and all other risks, including the risk of loss of an investment, tend to be compounded or magnified.  Any losses suffered by a Portfolio Fund as a result of the use of leverage could adversely affect the Fund's net asset value and an investor could incur a loss in their investment in the Fund.  Borrowing also leads to additional interest expense and other fees that increase the Portfolio Fund's expenses.
Management Risk. There can be no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Advisor's judgments about the attractiveness, value , and potential appreciation of particular asset classes, sectors, securities, or other investments may prove to be incorrect and may not anticipate actual market movements or the impact of economic conditions generally. No matter how well a portfolio manager evaluates market conditions, the investments a portfolio manager chooses may fail to produce the intended result, and you could lose money on your investment in the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover Risk. The Fund may sell Portfolio Funds and its securities, regardless of the length of time that they have been held, if the Advisor determines that it would be in the Fund's best interest to do so. These transactions will increase the Fund's "portfolio turnover" and the Fund may experience a high portfolio turnover rate as a result. High turnover rates generally result in higher brokerage costs, may have adverse tax consequences and therefore may reduce the Fund's returns. The Fund and its shareholders will also share in the costs and tax effects of portfolio turnover in any underlying funds in which the Fund invests.
Quantitative Model Risk. Securities selected using quantitative methods may perform differently from the market as a whole for many reasons, including the factors used in building the quantitative analytical framework, the weights placed on each factor, and changing sources of market returns, among others.  There can be no assurance that these methodologies will enable the Fund to achieve its objective.
Short Sales Risk.  If a security sold short increases in price, the Fund may have to cover its short position at a higher price than the short sale price, resulting in a loss. The Fund may have substantial short security positions and must borrow those securities to make delivery to the buyer. The Fund may not be able to borrow a security that it needs to deliver, or it may not be able to close out a short position at an acceptable price and may have to sell related long positions before it had intended to do so. Thus, the Fund may not be able to successfully implement its short sale strategy due to limited availability of desired securities or for other reasons.
17

The Fund also may be required to pay a commission and other transaction costs, which would increase the cost of the security sold short. The amount of any gain will be decreased, and the amount of any loss increased, by the amount of the commission, dividends, interest or expenses the Fund may be required to pay in connection with the short sale.
Until the Fund replaces a borrowed security, it is required to maintain a segregated account of cash or liquid assets with a broker or custodian to cover the Fund's short position. Generally, securities held in a segregated account cannot be sold unless they are replaced with other liquid assets. The Fund's ability to access the pledged collateral may also be impaired in the event the broker fails to comply with the terms of the contract. In such instances the Fund may not be able to substitute or sell the pledged collateral. Additionally, the Fund must maintain sufficient liquid assets (less any additional collateral pledged to the broker), marked-to-market daily, to cover the short sale obligations. This may limit the Fund's investment flexibility, as well as its ability to meet redemption requests or other current obligations.
Because losses on short sales arise from increases in the value of the security sold short, such losses are theoretically unlimited. By contrast, a loss on a long position arises from decreases in the value of the security and is limited by the fact that a security's value cannot go below zero.
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
A full description of the Fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the Fund's portfolio securities is available in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information, which is available from the Fund or on the SEC's website, www.sec.gov.
TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE POSITIONS
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions.  During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in bonds, cash or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
18


MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND
INVESTMENT ADVISOR
The Fund's investment advisor is ARS Investment Management, LLC , of 629 Highland Avenue, Suite 200, Needham, Massachusetts 02494. The Advisor was established in 2015 and is registered as an investment advisor with the SEC under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940. Subject to the authority of the Trustees and pursuant to the i nvestment a dvisory a greement with the Trust the Advisor provides the Fund with a program of continuous supervision of its assets, including developing the composition of its portfolio, and furnishes advice and recommendations with respect to investments, investment policies, and the purchase and sale of securities. As of May 31, 2018 , ARS Investment Management, LLC , had approximately $ 11 million assets under management.
Portfolio Manager .   The Fund's portfolio is managed on a day-to-day basis by Timothy Dolan.
Mr. Dolan has been the f ounder, m anaging p artner , and c hairman of the i nvestment c ommittee for ARS Investment Management, LLC , since its inception in 2015 .  He has been the Managing Principal of the Dolan Capital Group since 2009. 
The Fund's Statement of Additional Information provides information about the portfolio manager 's compensation, other accounts managed by the portfolio manager, and the portfolio manager 's ownership of shares of the Fund.
Advisor Compensation.   As full compensation for the investment advisory services provided to the Fund, the Advisor receives monthly compensation based on the Fund's average daily net assets at the annual rate of 1.10%. For the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018, the Advisor earned no advisory fees after waivers and reimbursements.
Disclosure Regarding Approval of Investment Advisory Contract.   A discussion regarding the Trustees' basis for approving the Investment Advisory Agreement for the Fund is available in the Fund's annual report to shareholders for the year ended May 31, 201 8 . You may obtain a copy of the annual and semi-annual reports , free of charge, upon request to the Fund.
DISTRIBUTOR
Capital Investment Group, Inc. ("Distributor") , is the principal underwriter and distributor of the Fund's shares and serves as the Fund's exclusive agent for the distribution of Fund shares.  The Distributor may sell the Fund's shares to or through qualified securities dealers or others.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON EXPENSES
Expense Limitation Agreement.  In the interest of limiting expenses of the Fund,   the Advisor has entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement with the Trust, pursuant to which the Advisor has agreed to waive or limit its fees and to assume other expenses so that the total annual operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of : (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions; (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses : (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including, for example, option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes ; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Advisor))) is limited to 2.50 % through September 30, 201 9 and may be terminated by the Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees") at any time.  Any fees or expenses waived or reimbursed by the Advisor are subject to repayment by the Fund within three years following the date on which the Fund accrues a liability or recognizes a contingent liability with respect to such amounts waived or reimbursed by the Advisor if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the lesser of its current Maximum Operating Expense Limit and the Maximum Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the initial waiver and/or reimbursement .
19

Other Expenses.   The Fund is obligated to pay brokerage fees and commissions, taxes, borrowing costs (such as interest or dividend expenses on securities sold short), and acquired fund fees and expenses. The Fund will be separately responsible for any indemnification payments, damages awarded in litigation or settlements made, or extraordinary expenses.  All general Trust expenses are allocated among and charged to the assets of each separate series of the Trust (if any), on a basis that the Trustees deem fair and equitable, which may be on the basis of relative net assets of each series or the nature of the services performed and relative applicability to each series .
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.   In the summary section of the prospectus entitled "Fees and Expenses of the Fund," the "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" are expenses incurred indirectly by the Fund through its ownership of shares in other investment companies. "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses" do not affect the Fund's actual operating costs and, therefore, are not included in the Fund's financial statements, which provide a clearer picture of the Fund's actual operating costs. The "Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses" and "Net Annual Fund Operating Expenses" under "Fees and Expenses of the Fund" will not match the Fund's gross and net expense ratios reported in the Financial Highlights from the Fund's financial statements. The ratios reported in the Financial Highlights reflect the operating expenses of the Fund without "Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses."

20


INVESTING IN THE FUND
PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION PRICE
Determining the Fund's Net Asset Value.   The price at which you purchase or redeem shares is based on the next calculation of NAV after an order is received by the Fund or its designated agent in good form. An order is considered to be in good form if it includes all necessary information and documentation related to a purchase or redemption request and, if applicable, payment in full of the purchase amount.  The Fund's NAV per share is calculated by dividing the value of the Fund's total assets less liabilities (including Fund expenses, which are accrued daily) by the total number of outstanding shares of the Fund. To the extent that the Fund holds portfolio securities that are listed on foreign exchanges that trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price shares, the NAV of the Fund's shares may change on days when shareholders will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund's shares. The NAV per share is normally determined at 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund does not calculate NAV on business holidays when the New York Stock Exchange is closed.
The pricing and valuation of portfolio securities is determined in good faith in accordance with procedures established by, and under the direction of, the Board. In determining the value of the Fund's total assets, portfolio securities are generally calculated at market value by quotations from the primary market in which they are traded.  Instruments with maturities of 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value. The Fund normally uses third - party pricing services to obtain market quotations. Securities and assets for which representative market quotations are not readily available or which cannot be accurately valued using the Fund's normal pricing procedures are valued at fair value in good faith by either a valuation committee or the Advisor in accordance with procedures established by, and under the supervision of, the Board. Fair value pricing may be used in situations where (i) an exchange-traded portfolio security is so thinly traded that there have been no transactions for that security over an extended period of time or the validity of a market quotation received is questionable; (ii) the exchange on which the portfolio security is principally traded closes early; or (iii) trading of the portfolio security is halted during the day and does not resume prior to the Fund's NAV calculation.
Pursuant to policies adopted by the Board, the Advisor consults with the Fund's administrator on a regular basis regarding the need for fair value pricing.  The Advisor is responsible for notifying the Board (or the Fund's valuation committee) when it believes that fair value pricing is required for a particular security. The Fund's policies regarding fair value pricing are intended to result in a calculation of the Fund's NAV that fairly reflects portfolio security values as of the time of pricing. A portfolio security's "fair value" price may differ from the price next available for that portfolio security using the Fund's normal pricing procedures and the fair value price may differ from the price at which the security may ultimately be traded or sold.  If such fair value price differs from the price that would have been determined using the Fund's normal pricing procedures, a shareholder may receive more or less proceeds or shares from redemptions or purchases of Fund shares, respectively, than a shareholder would have otherwise received if the security were priced using the Fund's normal pricing procedures.  The performance of the Fund may also be affected if a portfolio security's fair value price were to differ from the security's price using the Fund's normal pricing procedures. To the extent the Fund invests in other open-end investment companies that are registered under the 1940 Act, the Fund's NAV calculations are based upon the NAV reported by such registered open-end investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which they will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
21

A foreign (non-U.S.) equity security traded on a foreign exchange or on more than one exchange is typically valued using pricing information from the exchange considered by the Advisor to be the primary exchange. A foreign (non-U.S.) equity security will be valued as of the close of trading on the foreign exchange, or the NYSE close, if the NYSE close occurs before the end of trading on the foreign exchange. If a foreign (non-U.S.) equity security's value has materially changed after the close of the security's primary exchange or principal market but before the NYSE close, the security may be valued at fair value based on procedures established and approved by the Board of Trustees. Foreign (non-U.S.) equity securities that do not trade when the NYSE is open are also valued at fair value. With respect to foreign (non-U.S.) equity securities, the Fund may determine the fair value of investments based on information provided by Pricing Services and other third-party vendors, which may recommend fair value or adjustments with reference to other securities, indices or assets. In considering whether fair valuation is required and in determining fair values, the Fund may, among other things, consider significant events (which may be considered to include changes in the value of U.S. securities or securities indices) that occur after the close of the relevant market and before the NYSE close. A Fund may utilize modeling tools provided by third-party vendors to determine fair values of non-U.S. securities. Foreign (non-U.S.) exchanges may permit trading in foreign (non U.S.) equity securities on days when the Trust is not open for business, which may result in the Fund's portfolio investments being affected when you are unable to buy or sell shares.
Other Matters.  Purchases and redemptions of shares by the same shareholder on the same day will be netted for the Fund.
BUYING OR SELLING SHARES
THROUGH A FINANCIAL INTERMEDIARY
Certain financial intermediaries have agreements with the Fund that allow them to enter purchase or redemption orders on behalf of clients and customers. These orders will be priced at the NAV next computed after the orders are received by the financial intermediary, subject to the order being in good form. Orders received in good form by the financial intermediary before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time will receive a share price based on that day's NAV and orders received after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time will receive a price based on the next day's NAV. You should look to the financial intermediary through whom you wish to invest for specific instructions on how to purchase or redeem shares of the Fund.
PURCHASING SHARES
Purchases can be made from the Fund by mail , facsimile, telephone, or bank wire. In addition, brokers that are authorized designees of the Fund may receive purchase and redemption orders on behalf of the Fund. These designated brokers are also authorized to designate other financial intermediaries to receive orders on behalf of the Fund. Such orders will be deemed to have been received by the Fund when an authorized designee, or broker-authorized designee, receives the order, subject to the order being in good form. The orders will be priced at the NAV next computed after the orders are received by the Fund, authorized broker, or broker-authorized designee. Orders received in good form before 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time will receive a share price based on that day's NAV and orders received after 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time will receive a price based on the next day's NAV.  Investors may also be charged a fee by a broker or agent if shares are purchased through a broker or agent.
22

The Fund reserves the right to (i) refuse any request to purchase shares for any reason and (ii) suspend the offering of shares at any time.  An investor that has placed a purchase order will be notified as soon as possible in such circumstances.
Regular Mail Orders.  Payment for shares by mail must be made by check from a U.S. financial institution and payable in U.S. dollars. Cash, money orders, and traveler's checks will not be accepted by the Fund. If checks are returned due to insufficient funds or other reasons, your purchase will be canceled. You will also be responsible for any losses or expenses incurred by the Fund and its administrator and transfer agent. The Fund will charge a $35 fee and may redeem shares of the Fund owned by the purchaser or another identically registered account in another series of the Trust to recover any such losses.  For regular mail orders, please complete the Fund Shares Application and mail it, along with your check made payable to the Fund , to:
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
c/o Nottingham Shareholder Services
116 South Franklin Street
Post Office Box 4365
Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365
The application must contain your Social Security Number or Taxpayer Identification Number.  If you have applied for a number prior to completing your account application but you have not received your number, please indicate this on the application and include a copy of the form applying for your number. Taxes are not withheld from distributions to U.S. investors if certain requirements of the Internal Revenue Service are met regarding the Social Security Number and Taxpayer Identification Number.
Bank Wire Purchases.   Purchases may also be made through bank wire orders. To establish a new account or add to an existing account by wire, please call the Fund at 1-800-773-3863 for wire instructions and to advise the Fund of the investment, dollar amount, and the account identification number.
Additional Investments.  You may also add to your account by mail or wire at any time by purchasing shares at the then-current NAV . The minimum additional investment is $50.  Before adding funds by bank wire, please call the Fund at 1-800-773-3863 for wire instructions and to advise the Fund of the investment, dollar amount, and the account identification number.  Mail orders should include, if possible, the "Invest by Mail" stub that is attached to your confirmation statement.  Otherwise, please identify your account in a letter accompanying your purchase payment.
Automatic Investment Plan.  The automatic investment plan enables shareholders to make regular monthly or quarterly investments in shares through automatic charges to their checking account.  With shareholder authorization and bank approval, the Fund will automatically charge the shareholder's checking account for the amount specified ($50 minimum), which will be automatically invested in shares at the public offering price on or about the 21st day of the month. The shareholder may change the amount of the investment or discontinue the plan at any time by writing the Fund.
23

Share Certificates.  The Fund normally does not issue share certificates. Evidence of ownership of shares is provided through entry in the Fund's share registry.  Investors will receive periodic account statements (and, where applicable, purchase confirmations) that will show the number of shares owned.
Important Information about Procedures for Opening a New Account.   Under the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (USA PATRIOT Act of 2001), the Fund is required to obtain, verify, and record information to enable the Fund to form a reasonable belief as to the identity of each customer who opens an account. Consequently, when an investor opens an account, the Fund will ask for the investor's name, street address, date of birth (for an individual), social security or other tax identification number (or proof that the investor has filed for such a number), and other information that will allow the Fund to identify the investor. The Fund may also ask to see the driver's license or other identifying documents of the investor. An investor's account application will not be considered "complete" and, therefore, an account will not be open and the investor's money will not be invested until the Fund receives this required information.  In addition, if after opening the investor's account the Fund is unable to verify the investor's identity after reasonable efforts, as determined by the Fund in its sole discretion, the Fund may (i) restrict further investments until the investor's identity is verified; and (ii) close the investor's account without notice and return the investor's redemption proceeds to the investor. If the Fund closes an investor's account because the Fund could not verify the investor's identity, the Fund will value the account in accordance with the next NAV calculated after the investor's account is closed.   In that case, the investor's redemption proceeds may be worth more or less than the investor's original investment. The Fund will not be responsible for any losses incurred due to the Fund's inability to verify the identity of any investor opening an account.  
REDEEMING SHARES
The Fund typically expects that it will take up to 7 days following the receipt of your redemption request to pay out redemption proceeds; however, the Fund typically expects that the payment of redemption proceeds will be initiated the next business day following the receipt of your redemption request regardless of the method of payment. The Fund may delay forwarding a redemption check for recently purchased shares while the Fund determines whether the purchase payment will be honored.  Such delay (which may take up to 15 days from the date of purchase) may be reduced or avoided if the purchase is made by certified check or wire transfer. In all cases, the NAV next determined after receipt of the request for redemption will be used in processing the redemption request. The Fund expects to pay redemptions from cash, cash equivalents, proceeds from the sale of additional Fund shares, and then from the sale of portfolio securities or in kind. These redemption payment methods will be used in regular and stressed market conditions. The Fund may also suspend redemptions, if permitted by the 1940 Act, for any period during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed, trading is restricted by the SEC, or the SEC declares that an emergency exists.  Redemptions may be suspended during other periods permitted by the SEC for the protection of the Fund's shareholders. During drastic economic and market changes, telephone redemption privileges may be difficult to implement.

24

Regular Mail Redemptions.   Regular mail redemption requests should be addressed to:
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
Institutional Class Shares or Class C Shares
c/o Nottingham Shareholder Services
116 South Franklin Street
Post Office Box 4365
Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365
Regular mail redemption requests should include the following:
(1)
Your letter of instruction specifying the account number, class of shares, and number of shares (or the dollar amount) to be redeemed.  This request must be signed by all registered shareholders in the exact names in which they are registered;
(2)
Any required signature guarantees (see "Signature Guarantees" below); and
(3)
Other supporting legal documents, if required in the case of estates, trusts, guardianships, custodianships, corporations, partnerships, pension or profit , sharing plans, and other entities.
Telephone and Bank Wire Redemptions.   Unless you decline the telephone transaction privileges on your account application, you may redeem shares of the Fund by telephone.  You may also redeem shares by bank wire under certain limited conditions.  The Fund will redeem shares in this manner when so requested by the shareholder only if the shareholder confirms redemption instructions in writing.
The Fund may rely upon confirmation of redemption requests transmitted via facsimile (FAX# 919-882-9281).  The confirmation instructions must include the following:
(1)
Name of Fund and class of shares;
(2)
Shareholder name and account number;
(3)
Number of shares or dollar amount to be redeemed;
(4)
Instructions for transmittal of redemption proceeds to the shareholder; and
(5)
Shareholder signature as it appears on the application on file with the Fund.
Redemption proceeds will not be distributed until written confirmation of the redemption request is received, per the instructions above. You can choose to have redemption proceeds mailed to you at your address of record, your financial institution, or to any other authorized person, or you can have the proceeds sent by wire transfer to your financial institution ($5,000 minimum). Redemption proceeds cannot be wired on days in which your financial institution is not open for business. You can change your redemption instructions anytime you wish by sending a letter with your new redemption instructions to the Fund.  See "Signature Guarantees" below.
25

The Fund, in its discretion, may choose to pass through to redeeming shareholders any charges imposed by the Fund's custodian for wire redemptions. If this cost is passed through to redeeming shareholders by the Fund, the charge will be deducted automatically from your account by redemption of shares in your account. Your bank or brokerage firm may also impose a charge for processing the wire.  If wire transfer of funds is impossible or impractical, the redemption proceeds will be sent by regular mail to the designated account.
You may redeem shares, subject to the procedures outlined above, by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863. Redemption proceeds will only be sent to the financial institution account or person named in your Fund Shares Application currently on file with the Fund.   Telephone redemption privileges authorize the Fund to act on telephone instructions from any person representing him or herself to be the investor and reasonably believed by the Fund to be genuine.  The Fund will employ reasonable procedures, which may include requiring a form of personal identification, to confirm that instructions are genuine. The Fund will not be liable for any losses due to fraudulent or unauthorized instructions. The Fund will also not be liable for following telephone instructions reasonably believed to be genuine.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan.   A shareholder who owns Fund shares valued at $5,000 or more at the current offering price may establish a systematic withdrawal plan ("Systematic Withdrawal Plan") to receive a monthly or quarterly check in a stated amount (not less than $50). Each month or quarter, as specified, the Fund will automatically redeem sufficient shares from your account to meet the specified withdrawal amount. The shareholder may establish this service whether dividends and distributions are reinvested in shares of the Fund or paid in cash.  Call or write the Funds for an application form.
Minimum Account Size.  The Trustees reserve the right to redeem involuntarily any account having a NAV of less than $250 (due to redemptions, exchanges, or transfers, and not due to market action) upon 30-days' prior written notice.  If the shareholder brings his account NAV up to at least $250 during the notice period, the account will not be redeemed. Redemptions from retirement accounts may be subject to federal income tax.  Shareholders may also be charged a fee by their broker or agent if shares are redeemed or transferred through their broker or agent.
Redemptions in Kind.  The Fund does not intend, under normal circumstances, to redeem shares by payment in kind. It is possible, however, that conditions may arise in the future which would, in the opinion of the Trustees, make it undesirable for the Fund to pay for all redemptions in cash. In such cases, the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund.  The securities will be chosen by the Fund, may be either a pro rata payment of each of the securities held by the Fund or a representative sample of securities, and will be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the Fund's NAV per share. Shareholders receiving them bear the market risks associated with the securities until they have been converted into cash , as well as taxable capital gains when the securities are converted to cash, and may incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold. An irrevocable election has been filed under Rule 18f-1 of the 1940 Act, wherein the Fund must pay redemptions in cash, rather than in kind, to any shareholder of record of the Fund who redeems during any 90-day period, the lesser of (i) $250,000 or (ii) 1% of the Fund's NAV at the beginning of such period. Redemption requests in excess of this limit may be satisfied in cash or in kind at the Fund's election.
26

Signature Guarantees.   To protect your account and the Fund from fraud, signature guarantees may be required to be sure that you are the person who has authorized a change in registration or standing instructions for your account.  Signature guarantees are generally required for : (i) change of registration requests; (ii) requests to establish or to change exchange privileges or telephone and bank wire redemption service other than through your initial account application; (iii) transactions where proceeds from redemptions, dividends, or distributions are sent to a financial institution; and (iv) redemption requests in excess of $50,000. Signature guarantees are acceptable from a member bank of the Federal Reserve System, a savings and loan institution, credit union (if authorized under state law), registered broker-dealer, securities exchange, or association clearing agency and must appear on the written request for change of registration, establishment or change in exchange privileges, or redemption request.
FREQUENT PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS
Frequent purchases and redemptions of Fund shares by a shareholder, known as frequent trading, present a number of risks to the Fund's other shareholders. These risks include dilution in the value of Fund shares held by long-term shareholders, interference with the efficient management of the Fund's portfolio holdings, and increased brokerage and administration costs. Due to the potential of a thin market for some of the portfolio securities, as well as overall adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions that may affect the sale price of portfolio securities, the Fund could face untimely losses as a result of having to sell portfolio securities prematurely to meet redemptions. Frequent trading may also increase portfolio turnover, which may in turn result in increased capital gains taxes for shareholders.
The Board has adopted a policy that is intended to discourage frequent trading by shareholders.  The Fund does not accommodate frequent trading. Under the adopted policy, the Fund's transfer agent provides a daily record of shareholder trades to the Advisor. The Fund's transfer agent also monitors and tests shareholder purchase and redemption orders for frequent trading. The Advisor has the discretion to limit investments, by refusing further purchase and exchange orders, from a shareholder that the Advisor believes has a pattern of trades not in the best interests of the other shareholders. In addition to this discretionary policy, the Fund will also limit investments from any shareholder account that, on two or more occasions during a 60 - calendar day period, purchases and redeems shares over a period of less than 10 days having a redemption amount within 10% of the purchase amount and greater than $10,000.  In the event such a purchase and redemption pattern occurs, the shareholder account and any other account with the same taxpayer identification number will be precluded from investing in the Fund for at least 30 calendar days after the second redemption transaction.
The Fund and Advisor intend to apply this policy uniformly, except that the Fund may not be able to identify or determine that a specific purchase or redemption is part of a pattern of frequent trading or that a specific shareholder is engaged in frequent trading, particularly with respect to transactions made through omnibus accounts or accounts opened through financial intermediaries such as broker-dealers and banks. Omnibus account arrangements permit multiple investors to aggregate their respective share ownership and to purchase, redeem, and exchange Fund shares without the identity of the individual shareholders being immediately known to the Fund. Like omnibus accounts, accounts opened through financial intermediaries normally permit shareholders to purchase, redeem, and exchange Fund shares without the identity of the shareholder being immediately known to the Fund. Consequently, the ability of the Fund to monitor and detect frequent trading through omnibus and intermediary accounts is limited, and there is no guarantee that the Fund can identify shareholders who might be engaging in frequent trading through these accounts or curtail such trading.
27

In addition, this policy will not apply if the Advisor determines that a purchase and redemption pattern does not constitute frequent trading, such as inadvertent errors that result in frequent purchases and redemptions. Inadvertent errors shall include purchases and/or redemptions made unintentionally or by mistake (e.g., where a shareholder unintentionally or mistakenly invests in the Fund and redeems immediately after recognizing the error). The shareholder shall have the burden of proving to the sole satisfaction of the Advisor that a purchase and redemption pattern was the result of an inadvertent error.  In such a case, the Advisor may choose to allow further purchase and exchange orders from such shareholder.


28

OTHER IMPORTANT INFORMATION
DIVIDENDS, DISTRIBUTIONS, AND TAXES
The following information is meant as a general summary for U.S. taxpayers.  Additional tax information appears in the Fund's Statement of Additional Information.  Shareholders should rely on their own tax advisors for advice about the particular federal, state, and local tax consequences to them of investing in the Fund.
The Fund will distribute most of its income and realized gains to its shareholders every year.  Income dividends paid by the Fund derived from net investment income, if any, and capital gains distributions, if any, will generally be paid annually. Shareholders may elect to take dividends from net investment income or capital gains distributions, if any, in cash or reinvest them in additional Fund shares. Although the Fund will not be taxed on amounts it distribute s , shareholders will generally be taxed on distributions paid by the Fund, regardless of whether distributions are received in cash or are reinvested in additional Fund shares. Distributions may be subject to state and local taxes, as well as federal taxes.
In general, a shareholder who sells or redeems shares will realize a capital gain or loss, which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the Fund shares.  An exchange of shares may be treated as a sale and any gain may be subject to tax.
As with all mutual funds, the Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of taxable dividends of gross proceeds realized upon sale paid to shareholders who: (i) have failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number in the manner required; (ii) are subject to back-up withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to include properly on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends; or (iii) have failed to certify to the Fund that they are not subject to backup withholding when required to do so. Back-up withholding is not an additional tax.  Any amounts withheld from payments to you may be refunded or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.

Shareholders should consult with their own tax advisors to ensure that distributions and sale of Fund shares are treated appropriately on their income tax returns.
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
The F inancial H ighlights table is intended to help you understand the financial performance of the Fund for the past 5 years . Certain information reflects financial results for a single Fund share. The total returns in the table represent the rate that an investor would have earned or lost on an investment in the Fund (assuming reinvestment of all dividends and distributions). The financial data in the table has  been audited by BBD, LLP, an independent registered accounting firm, whose report , along with the Fund's financial statements, is incorporated by reference into the Statement of Additional Information and are included in the annual report which are available upon request. Further information about the performance of the Fund is contained in the Annual Report of the Funds, copies of which may also be obtained at no charge by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863.
29

ALPHA RISK TACTICAL ROTATION FUND
Institutional Class Shares
(For a Share Outstanding Throughout the Period)
 
 
Year
Ended
May 31,
201 8
 
Year
Ended
May 31,
201 7
 
Year
Ended
May 31,
201 6
 
Year
Ended
May 31,
201 5
 
Period
Ended
May 31,
201 4
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Year
$8.84
$9.47
$9.78
$9.99
$9.99
Income (Loss) from Investment
O perations
Net investment income (loss) (a)
Net realized and unrealized gain ( loss ) on
investments
Total from Investment Operations

(0.07)
0.88
0.81

0.01
(0.64)
(0.63)

(0.09)
(0.19)
(0.28)

0.07
(0.08)
(0.01)

0.09
(0.04)
0.05
Less Distributions From:
   Net investment income
   Net realized gains
    Total Distributions

--
  --  
--

--
  --  
--

(0.03)
  --  
(0.03)

(0.11)
(0.09)
(0.20)

--
(0.05)
(0.05)
Net Asset Value, End of Year
$9.65
$8.84
$9.47
$9.78
$9.99
Total Return   ( b)
9.16%
(6.65)%
(2.86)%
(0.11)%
0.50%
Net Assets, End of Year (in thousands)
$9,605
$1,843
$5,325
$22,804
$8,840
Ratios of:
nterest /Dividend Expenses to Average
Net Assets
Gross Expenses to Average Net Assets   ( c )
Net Expenses to Average Net Assets
(including interest/dividend expenses (c))
Net Expenses to Average Net Assets (c)(g)
Net Investment Income (Loss) to Average Net Assets( c)(d)

0.34%
7.65%
1.99%
1.65%
(0.75)%

0.09%
5.01%
1.97%
1.88%
0.12%

--
 
2.62%
1.35%(f)
1.35%(f)
(0.90)%(f)

--
 
1.79%
0.99%(e)
0.99%(e)
0.70%(e)

--
 
0.70%
0.70%
0.70%
0.91%
Portfolio Turnover Rate
368.35%
151.88%
270.15%
62.34%
80.57%
( a) Calculated using the average shares method.
(b) Includes adjustments in accordance with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America and, consequently, the net asset value for financial reporting purposes and the returns based upon those net asset values may differ from the net asset values and returns for shareholder transactions.
( c ) Does not include expenses of the investment companies in which the Fund invests.
( d ) Recognition of net investment income by the Fund is affected by the timing of the declaration of dividends by the underlying investment companies in which the Fund invests.
( e ) Includes reimbursement of acquired fund fees.
( f ) Includes reimbursement of acquired fund fees and expenses for the period from June 1, 2015 , through December 17, 2015.  Expense limitation agreement was updated to exclude acquired fund fees and expenses from the waiver effective December 18, 2015.
( g ) Excludes interest and dividend expense.

30

 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION


Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund



More information about the Fund can be found in the Statement of Additional Information, which is incorporated by reference into this prospectus. Additional information about the Fund's investments is available in the annual and semi-annual reports to shareholders.  The annual reports include a discussion of market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.
The Fund's Statement of Additional Information and the annual and semi-annual reports are available, free of charge, on the website listed below and upon request by contacting the Fund (you may also request other information about the Fund or make shareholder inquiries) as follows:
 
By telephone:
1-800-773-3863
 
 
By mail:
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
c/o Nottingham Shareholder Services
116 South Franklin Street
Post Office Box 4365
Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365
 
 
By e-mail:
shareholders@ncfunds.com
 
 
On the Internet:
www.ncfunds.com
 
Information about the Fund (including the Statement of Additional Information) can also be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C.  Inquiries on the operations of the public reference room may be made by calling the SEC at 1-202-551-8090.  Reports and other information about the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC's Internet site at http://www.sec.gov, and copies of this information may be obtained, upon payment of a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, D.C. 20549-1520.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22298
 

 
STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund


Institutional Class Shares – Ticker ARSAX


October 1, 2018

A series of the
Starboard Investment Trust
116 South Franklin Street
Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804
Telephone 1-800-773-3863
TABLE OF CONTENTS

GENERAL INFORMATION
1
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT POLICIES
1
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
18
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
19
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
20
MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
21
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
29
SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
30
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
32
NET ASSET VALUE
34
ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION
34
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
37
APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
38
APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICIES
42

This Statement of Additional Information is meant to be read in conjunction with the prospectus for the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund, dated October 1, 2018, and is incorporated by reference in its entirety into the prospectus.  Because this Statement of Additional Information is not itself a prospectus, no investment in shares of the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund should be made solely upon the information contained herein.  Copies of the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund's prospectus, annual report, and/or semi-annual report may be obtained at no charge by writing or calling the Fund at the address or phone number shown above.  Capitalized terms used but not defined herein have the same meanings as in the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund prospectus.

GENERAL INFORMATION
Starboard Investment Trust ("Trust") was organized on May 13, 2009, as a Delaware statutory trust and is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") as an open-end management investment company.  The Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund ("Fund") is a separate, diversified series of the Trust.  The Fund's investment advisor is ARS Investment Management, LLC (the "Advisor").
Effective June 30, 2017, Alpha Risk Hedged Dividend Equity Fund changed its named to Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund. Effective August 1, 2016, the Fund had changed its name from Cavalier Hedged Equity Fund to Alpha Risk Hedged Dividend Equity Fund.
Since August 1, 2016, the Fund's investment advisor has been ARS Investment Management, LLC.  From August 20, 2015 to July 31, 2016, the Fund's investment advisor was Cavalier Investments, LLC ("Cavalier Investments"). In addition, from August 1, 2015 to August 19, 2015, the Fund's investment advisor was Compass Capital Corporation ("Compass Capital"). Prior to August 1, 2015, the Fund's investment advisor was FolioMetrix, LLC.
This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") describes the financial history, management and operation of the Fund, as well as the Fund's investment objective and policies. It should be read in conjunction with the Fund's current prospectus, dated the same date as this SAI, as supplemented from time to time (the "Prospectus").
Investments in the Fund are not:

·
Deposits or obligations of any bank;
·
Guaranteed or endorsed by any bank; or
·
Federally insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Federal Reserve Board or any other federal agency.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT INVESTMENT POLICIES
The Prospectus describes the Fund's investment objective and principal investment strategy, as well as the principal investment risks of the Fund.  All investments in securities and other financial instruments involve a risk of financial loss.  No assurance can be given that the Fund's investment program will be successful.  Investors should carefully review the descriptions of the Fund's investments and their risks described in the Fund's Prospectus and this SAI.
The following descriptions and policies supplement those descriptions, and also include descriptions of certain types of investments that may be made by the Fund but are not principal investment strategies of the Fund. Attached to this SAI is Appendix A, which contains descriptions of the rating symbols used by nationally recognized statistical rating organizations for securities in which the Fund may invest.  Appendix B contains a copy of the Advisor's Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.
Unless a strategy, instrument, or policy described below is specifically prohibited by the investment restrictions listed in the Fund's Prospectus, under "Investment Restrictions" in this SAI, or by applicable law, the Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the investment practices described below.
Common Stocks.  The equity portion of the Fund's portfolio will include common stocks traded on domestic securities exchanges.  Prices of common stocks in which the Fund invests may fluctuate in response to many factors, including, but not limited to, the activities of the individual companies whose securities the Fund owns, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Such price fluctuations subject the Fund to potential losses.  In addition, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all common stocks, which could also result in losses for the Fund.  Market declines may continue for an indefinite period of time, and investors should understand that during temporary or extended bear markets, the value of common stocks will decline.
Derivative Instruments.   W hen the Fund, or other investment companies in which the Fund invests, enter into short sales, options, futures, and other forms of financial derivatives specifically described below, the investments involve risks different from direct investments in the underlying securities While transactions in derivatives may reduce certain risks, these transactions themselves entail certain other risks.  Unanticipated changes in interest rates, securities prices, or currency exchange rates may result in a poorer overall performance of the Fund than if it had not entered into any derivatives transactions.  Derivatives may magnify the Fund's gains or losses, causing it to make or lose substantially more than it invested.
1

The Fund may invest in derivative instruments for both speculative and hedging purposes.  These investments can be made as a substitute for taking a direct position in the underlying asset or as part of a strategy that is intended to reduce the exposure of the Fund to various risks.  To the extent that the Fund invests directly in financial derivatives, the Fund will comply with the applicable requirements of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "1940 Act") and the guidance of no-action letters issued by the SEC, including SEC Release 10666 that require the Fund to segregate assets or otherwise "cover" its positions in a manner that limits the Fund's risk of loss.
When used for hedging purposes, increases in the value of the securities the Fund holds or intends to acquire should offset any losses incurred with a derivative.  Purchasing derivatives for purposes other than hedging could expose the Fund to greater risks.
The Fund's ability to hedge securities through derivatives depends on the degree to which price movements in the underlying index or instrument correlate with price movements in the relevant securities.  In the case of poor correlation, the price of the securities the Fund is hedging may not move in the same amount, or even in the same direction as the hedging instrument.  The Advisor will try to minimize this risk by investing only in those contracts whose behavior it expects to resemble with the portfolio securities it is trying to hedge.  However, if the Fund's prediction of interest and currency rates, market value, volatility, or other economic factors is incorrect, the Fund may lose money, or may not make as much money as it expected.
Derivative prices can diverge from the prices of their underlying instruments, even if the characteristics of the underlying instruments are very similar to the derivative.  Listed below are some of the factors that may cause such a divergence:
·
current and anticipated short-term interest rates, changes in volatility of the underlying instrument, and the time remaining until expiration of the contract;
·
a difference between the derivatives and securities markets, including different levels of demand, how the instruments are traded, the imposition of daily price fluctuation limits or trading of an instrument stops; and
·
differences between the derivatives, including different margin requirements, different liquidity of such markets, and the participation of speculators in such markets.
Derivatives based upon a narrow index of securities may present greater risk than derivatives based on a broad index. Since narrower indices are made up of a smaller number of securities, they are more susceptible to rapid and extreme price fluctuations because of changes in the value of those securities.
While currency futures and options values are expected to correlate with exchange rates, they may not reflect other factors that affect the value of the investments of the Fund.  A currency hedge should protect a yen-denominated security from a decline in the yen, but will not protect the Fund against a price decline resulting from deterioration in the issuer's creditworthiness.  Because the value of the Fund's foreign-denominated investments changes in response to many factors other than exchange rates, it may not be possible to match the amount of currency options and futures to the value of the Fund's investments precisely over time.
Before a futures contract or option is exercised or expires, the Fund can terminate it only by entering into a closing purchase or sale transaction.  Moreover, the Fund may close out a futures contract only on the exchange the contract was initially traded.  Although the Fund intends to purchase options and futures only where there appears to be an active market, there is no guarantee that such a liquid market will exist.  If there is no secondary market for the contract, or the market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to close out a position.  In an illiquid market, the Fund may:
·
have to sell securities to meet its daily margin requirements at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so;
·
have to purchase or sell the instrument underlying the contract;
·
not be able to hedge its investments; and
·
not be able to realize profits or limit its losses.
2

Derivatives may become illiquid (i.e., difficult to sell at a desired time and price) under a variety of market conditions:
·
an exchange may suspend or limit trading in a particular derivative instrument, an entire category of derivatives, or all derivatives, which sometimes occurs because of increased market volatility;
·
unusual or unforeseen circumstances may interrupt normal operations of an exchange;
·
the facilities of the exchange may not be adequate to handle current trading volume;
·
equipment failures, government intervention, insolvency of a brokerage firm or clearing house, or other occurrences may disrupt normal trading activity; or
·
investors may lose interest in a particular derivative or category of derivatives.
If the Advisor incorrectly predicts securities market and interest rate trends, the Fund may lose money by investing in derivatives. If the Fund were to write a call option based on the Advisor's expectation that the price of the underlying security would fall, but the price were to rise instead, the Fund could be required to sell the security upon exercise at a price below the current market price. Similarly, if the Fund were to write a put option based on the Advisor's expectation that the price of the underlying security would rise, but the price were to fall instead, the Fund could be required to purchase the security upon exercise at a price higher than the current market price.
Because of the low margin deposits required upon the opening of a derivative position, such transactions involve an extremely high degree of leverage.  Consequently, a relatively small price movement in a derivative may result in an immediate and substantial loss (as well as gain) to the Fund and they may lose more than it originally invested in the derivative.
If the price of a futures contract changes adversely, the Fund may have to sell securities at a time when it is disadvantageous to do so to meet its minimum daily margin requirement.  The Fund may lose margin deposits if a broker with whom they have an open futures contract or related option becomes insolvent or declares bankruptcy.
The prices of derivatives are volatile (i.e., they may change rapidly, substantially, and unpredictably) and are influenced by a variety of factors, including:
·
actual and anticipated changes in interest rates;
·
fiscal and monetary policies; and
·
national and international political events.
Most exchanges limit the amount by which the price of a derivative can change during a single trading day.  Daily trading limits establish the maximum amount that the price of a derivative may vary from the settlement price of that derivative at the end of trading on the previous day.  Once the price of a derivative reaches this value, the Fund may not trade that derivative at a price beyond that limit.  The daily limit governs only price movements during a given day and does not limit potential gains or losses.  Derivative prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days, preventing prompt liquidation of the derivative.
Government Regulation of Derivatives. It is possible that government regulation of various types of derivative instruments, including futures and swap agreements, may limit or prevent the Fund from using such instruments as a part of its investment strategy, and could ultimately prevent the Fund from being able to achieve its investment objective. It is impossible to predict fully the effects of legislation and regulation in this area, but the effects could be substantial and adverse.
The futures markets are subject to comprehensive statutes, regulations, and margin requirements. The SEC, the Commodities Futures Trading Commission ("CFTC"), and the exchanges are authorized to take extraordinary actions in the event of a market emergency, including, for example, the implementation or reduction of speculative position limits, the implementation of higher margin requirements, the establishment of daily price limits and the suspension of trading.
The regulation of swaps and futures transactions in the U.S., the European Union, and other jurisdictions is a rapidly changing area of law and is subject to modification by government and judicial action. There is a possibility of future regulatory changes altering, perhaps to a material extent, the nature of an investment in the Fund or the ability of the Fund to continue to implement its investment strategies.
3

Under recently adopted rules and regulations, transactions in some types of swaps (including interest rate swaps and credit default swaps on North American and European indices) are required to be centrally cleared, and additional types of swaps may be required to be centrally cleared in the future. In a transaction involving those swaps ("cleared derivatives"), the Fund's counterparty is a clearing house, rather than a bank or broker. Since the Fund is not a member of clearing houses and only clearing members can participate directly in the clearing house, the Fund will hold cleared derivatives through accounts at clearing members. In cleared derivatives transactions, the Fund will make payments (including margin payments) to and receive payments from a clearing house through its accounts at clearing members. Clearing members guarantee performance of their clients' obligations to the clearing house.
In addition, U.S. regulators, the European Union, and certain other jurisdictions have adopted minimum margin and capital requirements for uncleared over-the-counter ("OTC") derivatives transactions. It is expected that these regulations will have a material impact on the Fund's use of uncleared derivatives. These rules will impose minimum margin requirements on derivatives transactions between the Fund and its swap counterparties and may increase the amount of margin the Fund is required to provide. They will impose regulatory requirements on the timing of transferring margin, which may accelerate the Fund's current margin process. They will also effectively require changes to typical derivatives margin documentation. It is expected that the Fund will become subject to variation margin requirements under such rules in 2017 and initial margin requirements under such rules in 2020. Such requirements could increase the amount of margin the Fund needs to provide in connection with uncleared derivatives transactions and, therefore, make such transactions more expensive.
The SEC has also issued a proposed rule under the 1940 Act providing for the regulation of registered investment companies' use of derivatives and certain related instruments. The ultimate impact, if any, of possible regulation remains unclear, but the proposed rule, if adopted, could, among other things, restrict the Fund's ability to engage in derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions such that the Fund may be unable to implement its investment strategy. These and other new rules and regulations could, among other things, further restrict the Fund's ability to engage in, or increase the cost to the Fund of, derivatives transactions, for example, by making some types of derivatives no longer available to the Fund, increasing margin or capital requirements, or otherwise limiting liquidity or increasing transaction costs. The implementation of the clearing requirement has increased the costs of derivatives transactions for the Fund, since the Fund has to pay fees to its clearing members and is typically required to post more margin for cleared derivatives than it has historically posted for bilateral derivatives. The costs of derivatives transactions are expected to increase further as clearing members raise their fees to cover the costs of additional capital requirements and other regulatory changes applicable to the clearing members. These regulations are new and evolving, and their potential impact on the Fund and the financial system are not yet known.
Equity Securities.  The Fund and the other investment companies in which the Fund invests may invest in equity securities as a principal investment strategy. The equity portion of the Fund's portfolio may be comprised of common stocks traded on domestic securities exchanges or on the OTC market.  In addition to common stocks, the equity portion of the Fund's portfolio may also include preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, convertible bonds and warrants.  Prices of equity securities in which the Fund invests may fluctuate in response to many factors, including the activities of the individual companies issuing the equity securities, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Such price fluctuations subject the Fund to potential losses.  In addition, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all equity securities, which could also result in losses for the Fund.  Market declines may continue for an indefinite period of time and investors should understand that during temporary or extended bear markets, the value of equity securities will decline.
Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments or a dividend preference until the security matures or is redeemed, or the conversion privilege is exercised. As a result of the conversion feature, the interest rate or dividend preference on a convertible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in non-convertible form. Warrants entitle the holder to purchase equity securities at specific prices for a certain period of time. The prices do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying securities and the warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Foreign Investment Risk.   The Fund and the other investment companies in which the Fund invests may invest in foreign securities as a principal investment strategy.  Foreign securities and foreign currency contracts involve investment risks different from those associated with domestic securities.  Changes in foreign economies and political climates are more likely to affect the Fund than a mutual fund that invests exclusively in domestic securities. The value of foreign currency denominated securities or foreign currency contracts is affected by the value of the local currency relative to the U.S. dollar.  There may be less government supervision of foreign markets, resulting in non-uniform accounting practices and less publicly available information about issuers of foreign currency denominated securities. The value of foreign investments may be affected by changes in exchange control regulations, application of foreign tax laws (including withholding tax), changes in governmental administration or economic or monetary policy (in this country or abroad), or changed circumstances in dealings between nations.  In addition, foreign brokerage commissions, custody fees, and other costs of investing in foreign securities are often higher than in the United States.  Investments in foreign issues could be affected by other factors not present in the United States, including expropriation, armed conflict, confiscatory taxation, and potential difficulties in enforcing contractual obligations.
4

Uncertainties surrounding the sovereign debt of a number of European Union (EU) countries and the viability of the EU have disrupted and may in the future disrupt markets in the United States and around the world. If one or more countries leave the EU or the EU dissolves, the world's securities markets likely will be significantly disrupted. In June 2016, the United Kingdom approved a referendum to leave the EU, commonly referred to as "Brexit." There is significant market uncertainty regarding Brexit's ramifications, and the range and potential implications of possible political, regulatory, economic, and market outcomes are difficult to predict. Political and military events, including the military crises in Ukraine and the Middle East, and nationalist unrest in Europe, also may cause market disruptions.
Fixed-Income Securities.  The Fund and the other investment companies in which the Fund invests may invest in fixed-income securities as a principal investment strategy, including government and corporate bonds, money market instruments, junk bonds, and zero-coupon bonds.  Zero-coupon bonds are purchased at a discount from their face values and accrue interest at the applicable coupon rate over a period of time. Fixed-income securities purchased by the Fund or other investment companies in which the Fund invests may consist of obligations of any rating. Fixed-income securities in the lowest investment grade categories have speculative characteristics, with changes in the economy or other circumstances more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the bonds to make principal and interest payments than would occur with bonds rated in higher categories.  High yield bonds are typically rated below "Baa" by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), or below "BBB" by S&P Global Ratings ("S&P"), or below investment grade by other recognized rating agencies.  The Fund may invest directly in unrated securities or indirectly through other investment companies that invest in unrated securities.  Such bonds are subject to greater market fluctuations and risk of loss of income and principal than higher rated bonds for a variety of reasons, including:
Sensitivity to Interest Rate and Economic Change.   The economy and interest rates affect high yield securities differently than other securities.  The prices of high yield bonds have been found to be less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher-rated investments, but more sensitive to adverse economic changes or individual corporate developments.  Also, during an economic downturn or substantial period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers may experience financial stress which would adversely affect their ability to service their principal and interest obligations, to meet projected business goals, and to obtain additional financing.  If the issuer of a bond defaults, an underlying mutual fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery.  In addition, periods of economic uncertainty and changes can be expected to result in increased volatility of market prices of high yield bonds and the Fund's asset values.
Payment Expectations.   High yield bonds present certain risks based on payment expectations.  For example, high yield bonds may contain redemption and call provisions.  If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests, as applicable, would have to replace the security with a lower yielding security, resulting in a decreased return for investors.  Conversely, a high yield bond's value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of the other investment companies' assets.  If the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests, as applicable, experiences unexpected net redemptions, it may be forced to sell its high yield bonds without regard to their investment merits, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which expenses can be spread and possibly reducing the rate of return.
Liquidity and Valuation.   To the extent that there is no established retail secondary market, there may be thin trading of high yield bonds, and this may impact the ability of the Fund or the investment companies in which the Fund invests to accurately value high yield bonds and may hinder their ability to dispose of the bonds.  Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of high yield bonds, especially in a thinly traded market.
5

Credit Ratings.   Credit ratings evaluate the safety of principal and interest payments, not the market value risk of high yield bonds.  Also, because credit rating agencies may fail to timely change the credit ratings to reflect subsequent events, the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests must monitor the issuers of high yield bonds in their portfolios to determine if the issuers will have sufficient cash flow and profits to meet required principal and interest payments, and to assure the bonds' liquidity so the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests, as applicable, can meet redemption requests.
High-yield securities are deemed speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest and repay principal over a long period of time. Special tax considerations are associated with investing in high-yield securities structured as zero coupon or "pay-in-kind" securities. The Fund or the investment companies in which the Fund invest will report the interest on these securities as income even though it receives no cash interest until the security's maturity or payment date. The payment of principal and interest on most fixed-income securities purchased by the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests will depend upon the ability of the issuers to meet their obligations. An issuer's obligations under its fixed-income securities are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, including the Federal Bankruptcy Code, and laws, if any, which may be enacted by federal or state legislatures extending the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or imposing other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations.  The power or ability of an issuer to meet its obligations for the payment of interest on, and principal of, its fixed-income securities may be materially adversely affected by litigation or other conditions.
The ratings of S&P, Moody's and other nationally recognized rating agencies represent their opinions as to the quality of fixed-income securities.  It should be emphasized, however, that ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality, and fixed-income securities with the same maturity, interest rate, and rating may have different yields while fixed-income securities of the same maturity and interest rate with different ratings may have the same yield. For a more detailed description of ratings, please see Appendix A.
Exchange Traded Fund.  The Fund and the other investment companies may invest in ETFs. An ETF is an investment company that holds a portfolio of common stock or bonds designed to track the performance of a securities index or sector of an index. ETFs are traded on a securities exchange based on their market value.  An investment in an ETF generally presents the same primary risks as an investment in a conventional registered investment company (i.e., one that is not exchange traded).  In addition, all ETFs will have costs and expenses that will be passed on to the Fund and these costs and expenses will in turn increase the Fund's expenses.  ETFs are also subject to the following risks that often do not apply to conventional investment companies: (i) the market price of the ETF's shares may trade at a discount to the ETF's NAV, and as a result, ETFs may experience more price volatility than other types of portfolio investments and such volatility could negatively impact the Fund's NAVs; (ii) an active trading market for an ETF's shares may not develop or be maintained at a sufficient volume; (iii) trading of an ETF's shares may be halted if the listing exchange deems such action appropriate; and (iv) ETF shares may be delisted from the exchange on which they trade, or "circuit breakers" (which are tied to large decreases in stock prices used by the exchange) may temporarily halt trading in the ETF's stock.  ETFs are also subject to the risks of the underlying securities or sectors that the ETF is designed to track. Finally, there may be legal limitations and other conditions imposed by rules of the SEC on the amount of the ETF shares that the Fund may acquire.
General Investment Risks.   All investments in securities and other financial instruments involve a risk of financial loss.  No assurance can be given that the Fund's investment program will be successful.  Investors should carefully review the descriptions of the Fund's investments and their risks described in the Fund's Prospectus and this SAI.
Investment Companies.   The Fund will invest in securities of other investment companies, including, without limitation, money market funds and exchange traded funds ("ETFs").  The Fund's investments in such securities involve certain additional expenses and certain tax results, which would not be present in a direct investment in the underlying fund. Due to legal limitations, the Fund will be prevented from: 1) purchasing more than 3% of an investment company's (including ETFs) outstanding shares; 2) investing more than 5% of the Fund's assets in any single such investment company; and 3) investing more than 10% of the Fund's assets in investment companies overall;  unless: (i) the underlying investment company and/or the Fund has received an order for exemptive relief from such limitations from the SEC; and (ii) the underlying investment company and the Fund take appropriate steps to comply with any conditions in such order.  In the alternative, the Fund may rely on Rule 12d1-3, which allows unaffiliated mutual funds to exceed the 5% limitation and the 10% limitation, provided the aggregate sales loads any investor pays (i.e., the combined distribution expenses of both the acquiring fund and the acquired fund) does not exceed the limits on sales loads established by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. ("FINRA") for funds of funds. In addition to ETFs, the Fund may invest in other investment companies, including open-end mutual funds or exchange-traded closed-end funds, within the limitations described above. Investments by the Fund in other investment companies entail a number of risks unique to the fund of fund structure. These risks include the following:
6

Multiple Layers of Fees.   By investing in other investment companies indirectly through the Fund, prospective investors will directly bear the fees and expenses of the Fund's Advisor and indirectly bear the fees and expenses of other investment companies and other investment companies' managers as well.  As such, this multiple or duplicative layer of fees will increase the cost of investments in the Fund.
Lack of Transparency.   The Advisor will not be able to monitor the investment activities of the other investment companies on a continuous basis and the other investment companies may use investment strategies that differ from its past practices and are not fully disclosed to the Advisor and that involve risks that are not anticipated by the Advisor.  The Fund has no control over the risks taken by the underlying investment companies in which it invests.
Valuation of Investment Companies.   Although the Advisor will attempt to review the valuation procedures used by other investment companies' managers, the Advisor will have little or no means of independently verifying valuations of the Fund's investments in investment companies and valuations of the underlying securities held by other investment companies. As such, the Advisor will rely significantly on valuations of other investment companies and the securities underlying other investment companies that are reported by other investment companies' managers.  In the event that such valuations prove to be inaccurate, the net asset value ("NAV") of the Fund could be adversely impacted and an investor could incur a loss of investment in the Fund.
Illiquidity of Investments by and In Other Investment Companies.   Other investment companies may invest in securities that are not registered, are subject to legal or other restrictions on transfer, or for which no liquid market exists.  The market prices, if any, for such securities tend to be volatile and restricted securities may sell at prices that are lower than similar securities that are not subject to legal restrictions on resale.  Further, the Fund may not be able to redeem their interests in other investment companies' securities that it has purchased in a timely manner.  If adverse market conditions were to develop during any period in which the Fund is unable to redeem interests in other investment companies, the Fund may suffer losses as a result of this illiquidity.  As such, the lack of liquidity and volatility of restricted securities held by other investment companies could adversely affect the value of the other investment companies.  Any such losses could adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments and an investor could incur a loss of investment in the Fund.
Lack of Control.   Although the Fund and the Advisor will evaluate regularly each Portfolio Fund to determine whether such Portfolio Fund's investment program is consistent with the Fund's investment objective, the Advisor will not have any control over the investments made by a Portfolio Fund.  Even though each Portfolio Fund is subject to certain constraints, the investment advisor to each such Portfolio Fund may change aspects of their investment strategies at any time.  The Advisor will not have the ability to control or influence the composition of the investment portfolio of any Portfolio Fund.
Lack of Diversification.   There is no requirement that the underlying investments held by other investment companies be diversified.  As such, other investment companies' managers may target or concentrate other investment companies' investments in specific markets, sectors, or types of securities.  As a result, investments made by other investment companies are subject to greater volatility as a result of this concentration than if the other investment companies had non-concentrated and diversified portfolios of investments.  Thus, the Fund's portfolios (and by extension the value of an investment in the Fund) may therefore be subject to greater risk than the portfolio of a similar fund with investments in diversified investment companies.
Use of Leverage.   The other investment companies may utilize leverage (i.e., borrowing) to acquire their underlying portfolio investments.  When other investment companies borrow money or otherwise leverage their portfolio of investments, doing so may exaggerate changes in the NAV shares of the other investment companies and in the return on the other investment companies' investments.  Borrowing will also cost other investment companies interest expense and other fees.  As such, the value of the Fund's investments in other investment companies may be more volatile and all other risks (including the risk of loss of an investment in other investment companies) tend to be compounded or magnified.  As a result, any losses suffered by other investment companies as a result of their use of leverage could adversely affect the value of the Fund's investments and an investor could incur a loss of investment in the Fund.
7

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities.   The Fund and the other investment companies in which the Fund invests may invest in mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities as a principal investment strategy.  Mortgage-backed securities are mortgage related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities, or issued by nongovernment entities. Mortgage-related securities represent ownership in pools of mortgage loans assembled for sale to investors by various government agencies and government-related organizations, as well as by nongovernment issuers such as commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, and private mortgage insurance companies. Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not so secured. These securities differ from conventional bonds in that the principal is paid back to the investor as payments are made on the underlying mortgages in the pool.  Accordingly, the Fund or investment companies in which the Fund invests, as applicable, will receive scheduled payments of principal and interest along with any unscheduled principal prepayments on the underlying mortgages. Because these scheduled and unscheduled principal payments must be reinvested at prevailing interest rates, mortgage-backed securities do not provide an effective means of locking in long-term interest rates for the investor.
Asset-backed securities are structured like mortgage-backed securities, but instead of mortgage loans or interests in mortgage loans, the underlying assets may include such items as motor vehicle installment sales contracts or installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from credit card agreements and from sales of personal property.  Regular payments received on asset-backed securities include both interest and principal.  Asset-backed securities typically have no U.S. Government backing, though they are usually guaranteed up to a certain amount and time period by a letter of credit issued by a financial institution.  If the letter of credit is exhausted and the full amounts due on the underlying loans are not received because of unanticipated costs, depreciation, damage, or loss of the collateral securing the contracts, or other factors, certificate holders may experience delays in payment or losses on asset-backed securities. Additionally, the ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets may be limited.
If the Fund or an investment company in which the Fund invests purchases a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security at a premium, the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments in the underlying collateral.  As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates.  Although the value of a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages and loans underlying the securities are prone to prepayment, thereby shortening the average life of the security and shortening the period of time over which income at the higher rate is received.  When the interest rates are rising, the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the period of time over which income at the lower rate is received.  For these and other reasons, a mortgage-backed or other asset-backed security's average maturity may be shortened or lengthened as a result of interest rate fluctuations and, therefore it is not possible to predict accurately the security's return.  In addition, while the trading market for short-term mortgages and asset-backed securities is ordinarily quite liquid, in times of financial stress the trading market for these securities may become restricted.
Mortgage-backed securities that are issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies, or instrumentalities, are not subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions because securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or any of its agencies or instrumentalities are excluded from the restriction.  Privately-issued mortgage-backed securities are, however, subject to the Fund's industry concentration restrictions.
Portfolio Turnover.   Portfolio turnover is a ratio that indicates how often the securities in a mutual fund's portfolio change during a year's time.  Higher numbers indicate a greater number of changes, and lower numbers indicate a smaller number of changes.  The Fund may sell portfolio securities without regard to the length of time they have been held in order to take advantage of new investment opportunities or changing market conditions.  Since portfolio turnover may involve paying brokerage commissions and other transaction costs, there could be additional expenses for the Fund.  High rates of portfolio turnover could lower performance of the Fund due to increased costs and may also result in the realization of capital gains.  If the Fund realizes capital gains when they sell portfolio investments, they must generally distribute those gains to shareholders, increasing their taxable distributions.
8

Short Sales.   While the Fund will not short securities as a principal investment strategy, the Fund will indirectly be subject to short sales risk to the extent an investment company held by the Fund shorts securities.  A short sale is a transaction in which a party sells a security it does not own or have the right to acquire (or that it owns but does not wish to deliver) in anticipation that the market price of that security will decline. When a party makes a short sale, the broker-dealer through which the short sale is made must borrow the security sold short and deliver it to the party purchasing the security.  The party is required to make a margin deposit in connection with such short sales; the party may have to pay a fee to borrow particular securities and will often be obligated to pay over any dividends and accrued interest on borrowed securities.  If the price of the security sold short increases between the time of the short sale and the time the party covers the short position, the party will incur a loss; conversely, if the price declines, the party will realize a capital gain.  Any gain will be decreased, and any loss increased, by the transaction costs described above.
Borrowing.   The Fund may borrow money for investment purposes, which is a form of leveraging.  Leveraging investments, by purchasing securities with borrowed money, is a speculative technique that increases investment risk while increasing investment opportunity.  Such borrowing may make the Fund's NAV more volatile than fund that do not borrow for investment purposes because leverage magnifies changes in the Fund's NAV and on the Fund's investments.  Although the principal of borrowings will be fixed, the Fund's assets may change in value during the time the borrowing is outstanding.  Leverage also creates interest expenses for the Fund.  To the extent the income derived from securities purchased with borrowed fund exceeds the interest the Fund will have to pay, the Fund's net income will be greater than it would be if leverage were not used. Conversely, if the income from the assets obtained with borrowed fund is not sufficient to cover the cost of leveraging, the net income of the Fund will be less than it would be if leverage were not used, and therefore the amount available for distribution to shareholders as dividends will be reduced.  The use of derivatives in connection with leverage creates the potential for significant loss. The Fund does not intend to use leverage in excess of 5% of total assets and will not make additional investments when outstanding borrowings exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets. Any leveraging will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and the guidance of no-action letters issued by the SEC, including Investment Company Act Release No. 10666 (Apr. 18, 1979).
The Fund may also borrow money to meet redemptions or for other emergency purposes.  Such borrowings may be on a secured or unsecured basis at fixed or variable rates of interest.  The 1940 Act requires the Fund to maintain continuous asset coverage of not less than 300% with respect to all borrowings. If such asset coverage should decline to less than 300% due to market fluctuations or other reasons, the Fund may be required to dispose of some portfolio holdings within three days in order to reduce the Fund's debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to dispose of assets at that time.  The Fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with such borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit.  Either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.
Debentures.   A debenture is long-term, unsecured debt instrument backed only by the integrity of the borrower, not by collateral, and documented by an indenture.  Governments often issue debentures, in part because they generally cannot guarantee debt with assets (government assets are public property). The primary risk with this type of investment is that the issuer will default or go into bankruptcy. As an unsecured creditor, in the event of default or bankruptcy, the holder of a debenture does not have a claim against any specific assets of the issuing firm, so the investor will only be paid from the issuer's assets after the secured creditors have been paid.  The Fund may invest in all types of debentures, including corporate and government debentures.
Forward Commitment and When-Issued Securities.   The investment companies in which the Fund invests may purchase securities on a when-issued basis or for settlement at a future date if they hold sufficient assets to meet the purchase price.  In such purchase transactions, the investment company will not accrue interest on the purchased security until the actual settlement.  Similarly, if a security is sold for a forward date, the investment company will accrue the interest until the settlement of the sale.  When-issued security purchases and forward commitments have a higher degree of risk of price movement before settlement due to the extended time period between the execution and settlement of the purchase or sale. As a result, the exposure to the counterparty of the purchase or sale is increased.  Although investors generally purchase securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis with the intention of taking delivery, they may sell such a security prior to the settlement date if such action is believed to be appropriate.  In such a case, an investor could incur a short-term gain or loss.
9

Futures Contracts.  The Fund may enter into futures contracts.  A futures contract is a bilateral agreement   to buy or sell a security (or deliver a cash settlement price, in the case of a contract relating to an index or otherwise not calling for physical delivery at the end of trading in the contracts) for a set price in the future.  Futures contracts are designated by boards of trade that have been designated "contracts markets" by the CFTC.  No purchase price is paid or received when the contract is entered into.  Instead, the Fund, upon entering into a futures contract (and to maintain the Fund's open positions in futures contracts), would be required to deposit with its custodian in a segregated account in the name of the futures broker an amount of cash, U.S. government securities, suitable money market instruments, or liquid, high-grade debt securities, known as "initial margin."  The margin required for a particular futures contract is set by the exchange on which the contract is traded and may be significantly modified from time to time by the exchange during the term of the contract.  Futures contracts are customarily purchased and sold on margin that may range upward from less than 5% of the value of the contract being traded.  By using futures contracts as a risk management technique, given the greater liquidity in the futures market than in the cash market, it may be possible to accomplish certain results more quickly and with lower transaction costs.
If the price of an open futures contract changes (by increase in the case of a sale or by decrease in the case of a purchase) so that the loss on the futures contract reaches a point at which the margin on deposit does not satisfy margin requirements, the broker will require an increase in the margin.  However, if the value of a position increases because of favorable price changes in the futures contract so that the margin deposit exceeds the required margin, the broker will pay the excess to the Fund.  These subsequent payments, called "variation margin," to and from the futures broker, are made on a daily basis as the price of the underlying assets fluctuates, making the long and short positions in the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as "marking to the market."  The Fund is expected to earn interest income on initial and variation margin deposits.
The Fund will incur brokerage fees when it purchases and sells futures contracts.  Positions taken in the futures markets are not normally held until delivery or cash settlement is required but are instead liquidated through offsetting transactions that may result in a gain or a loss.  While futures positions taken by the Fund will usually be liquidated in this manner, the Fund may instead make or take delivery of underlying securities whenever it appears economically advantageous for the Fund to do so.  A clearing organization associated with the exchange on which futures are traded assumes responsibility for closing out transactions and guarantees that as between the clearing members of an exchange, the sale and purchase obligations will be performed with regard to all positions that remain open at the termination of the contract.
In addition to the margin restrictions discussed above, transactions in futures contracts may involve the segregation of fund pursuant to requirements imposed by the SEC.  Under those requirements, where the Fund has a long position in a futures contract, it may be required to establish a segregated account (not with a futures commission merchant or broker) containing cash or certain liquid assets equal to the purchase price of the contract (less any margin on deposit).  However, segregation of assets is not required if the Fund "covers" a long position. For a short position in futures or forward contracts held by the Fund, those requirements may mandate the establishment of a segregated account (not with a futures commission merchant or broker) with cash or certain liquid assets that, when added to the amounts deposited as margin, equal the market value of the instruments underlying the futures contracts (but are not less than the price at which the short positions were established).
Illiquid Investments.   The Fund may invest up to 15% of net assets in illiquid securities, which are investments that cannot be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business within seven days at approximately the prices at which they are valued.  This restriction is not limited to the time of purchase.  Under the supervision of the Board of Trustees of the Trust (the "Board" or "Trustees"), the Advisor determines the liquidity of the Fund's investments, and through reports from the Advisor, the Trustees monitor investments in illiquid instruments.  In determining the liquidity of the Fund's investments, the Advisor may consider various factors including: (i) the frequency of trades and quotations; (ii) the number of dealers and prospective purchasers in the marketplace; (iii) dealer undertakings to make a market; (iv) the nature of the security (including any demand or tender features); and (v) the nature of the marketplace for trades (including the ability to assign or offset the Fund's rights and obligations relating to the investment).  If through a change in values, net assets, or other circumstances, the Fund were in a position where more than 15% of its net assets were invested in illiquid securities, the Fund will take steps to reduce, in an orderly disposition, its holdings of illiquid securities and may dispose of some securities even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint at that time. However, the Fund will not dispose of illiquid securities if the Advisor determines that doing so would not be in the best interests of the Fund.  Investment in illiquid securities poses risks of potential delays in resale and uncertainty in valuation. Limitations on resale may have an adverse effect on the marketability of portfolio securities and the Fund may be unable to dispose of illiquid securities promptly or at reasonable prices.
10

Lending of Portfolio Securities.   In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities in an amount up to 33% of total Fund assets to broker-dealers, major banks, or other recognized domestic institutional borrowers of securities which the Advisor has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Board. In determining whether the Fund will lend securities, the Advisor will consider all relevant facts and circumstances. The Fund may not lend securities to any company affiliated with the Advisor.  Each loan of securities will be collateralized by cash, U.S. government securities, or standby letters of credit not issued by the Fund's bank lending agent. The Fund might experience a loss if the borrower defaults on the loan.
The borrower at all times during the loan must maintain with the Fund cash or cash equivalent collateral.  While the loan is outstanding, the borrower will pay the Fund any interest paid on the loaned securities, and the Fund may invest the cash collateral to earn additional income.  Alternatively, the Fund may receive an agreed-upon amount of interest income from the borrower who has delivered equivalent collateral.  It is anticipated that the Fund may share with the borrower some of the income received on the collateral for the loan or the Fund will be paid a premium for the loan.  Voting rights for loaned securities will typically pass to the borrower, but the Fund will retain the right to call any security in anticipation of a vote that the Advisor deems material to the security on loan. Loans are subject to termination at the option of the Fund or the borrower at any time. The Fund may pay reasonable administrative and custodial fees in connection with a loan and may pay a negotiated portion of the income earned on the cash to the borrower or placing broker.  As with other extensions of credit, there are risks of delay in recovery or even loss of rights in the collateral should the borrower fail financially.
Securities lending involves counterparty risk, including the risk that the loaned securities may not be returned or returned in a timely manner and/or a loss of rights in the collateral if the borrower or the lending agent defaults or fails financially. This risk will be increased if a continuation of the current downturn in the economic conditions in the United States and around the world, particularly the recent failures of several major financial services firms, causes further declines in the securities markets and/or causes further financial instability in the borrowers or lending agents.  This risk is increased when the Fund's loans are concentrated with a single or limited number of borrowers.  There are no limits on the number of borrowers the Fund may use, and the Fund may lend securities to only one or a small group of borrowers.  Mutual fund participating in securities lending bear the risk of loss in connection with investments of the cash collateral received from the borrowers, which do not trigger additional collateral requirements from the borrower.
Liquidity Impact of Margin and Segregation Requirements.  Although the Fund will segregate cash and liquid assets in an amount sufficient to cover its open obligations with respect to written options, short sales, and other derivative instruments as applicable, the segregated assets will be available to the Fund immediately upon closing out the positions, while settlement of securities transactions could take several days. However, because the Fund's cash that may otherwise be invested would be held uninvested or invested in other liquid assets so long as the position remains open, the Fund's return could be diminished due to the opportunity losses of foregoing other potential investments.
Money Market Instruments.   The Fund may invest in money market instruments including U.S. Government obligations or corporate debt obligations (including those subject to repurchase agreements) provided that they are eligible for purchase by the Fund. Money market instruments also may include Banker's Acceptances and Certificates of Deposit of domestic branches of U.S. banks, Commercial Paper, and Variable Amount Demand Master Notes ("Master Notes").  Banker's Acceptances are time drafts drawn on and "accepted" by a bank.  When a bank "accepts" such a time draft, it assumes liability for its payment. When the Fund acquires a Banker's Acceptance, the bank that "accepted" the time draft is liable for payment of interest and principal when due.  The Banker's Acceptance carries the full faith and credit of such bank.  A Certificate of Deposit ("CD") is an unsecured, interest bearing debt obligation of a bank.  Commercial Paper is an unsecured, short-term debt obligation of a bank, corporation, or other borrower.  Commercial Paper maturity generally ranges from two to 270 days and is usually sold on a discounted basis rather than as an interest-bearing instrument. The Fund will invest in Commercial Paper only if it is rated in one of the top two rating categories by Moody's Investors Service, Inc., S&P, or Fitch Investors Service, Inc., or if not rated, of equivalent quality in the Advisor's opinion.  Commercial Paper may include Master Notes of the same quality.  Master Notes are unsecured obligations that are redeemable upon demand of the holder and that permit the investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest. Master Notes will be acquired by the Fund only through the Master Note program of the Fund's custodian bank, acting as administrator thereof.  The Advisor will monitor, on a continuous basis, the earnings power, cash flow, and other liquidity ratios of the issuer of a Master Note held by the Fund.
11

Municipal Securities. Municipal securities share the attributes of debt obligations in general, but are generally issued by states, municipalities and other political subdivisions, agencies, authorities, and instrumentalities of states and multi-state agencies or authorities. The municipal securities include general obligation bonds and limited obligation bonds (or revenue bonds), including industrial development bonds formerly issued pursuant to federal tax law. General obligation bonds are obligations involving the credit of an issuer possessing taxing power and are payable from such issuer's general revenues and not from any particular source. Limited obligation bonds are payable only from the revenues derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise or other specific revenue source. Tax-exempt private activity bonds and industrial development bonds generally are also revenue bonds and thus are not payable from the issuer's general revenues. The credit and quality of private activity bonds and industrial development bonds are usually related to the credit of the user of the facilities. Payment of interest on and repayment of principal of such bonds is the responsibility of the user (and/or any guarantor).
Municipal securities are subject to credit and market risk. Prices of higher quality issues tend to fluctuate less with changes in market interest rates than prices of lower quality issues, and prices of longer maturity issues tend to fluctuate more than prices of shorter maturity issues. Prices and yields on municipal bonds are dependent on a variety of factors, including general money-market conditions, the financial condition of the issuer, general conditions of the municipal bond market, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation, and the rating of the issue. A number of these factors, including the ratings of particular issues, are subject to change from time to time. Information about the financial condition of an issuer of municipal bonds may not be as extensive as that which is made available by corporations whose securities are publicly traded. Obligations of issuers of municipal bonds are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency and other laws, including the Federal Bankruptcy Reform Act of 1978, affecting the rights and remedies of creditors. Congress or state legislatures may seek to extend the time for payment of principal or interest, or both, or to impose other constraints upon enforcement of such obligations. There is also the possibility that as a result of litigation or other conditions, the power or ability of issuers to meet their obligations for the payment of interest and principal on their municipal bonds may be materially affected, or their obligations may be found to be invalid or unenforceable.
Options.   The Fund may purchase and write call and put options on securities.  The purchase and writing of options involves certain risks.  During the option period, a call writer that holds the underlying security has, in return for the premium on the option, given up the opportunity to profit from a price increase in the underlying securities above the exercise price, but, as long as its obligation as a writer continues, has retained the risk of loss should the price of the underlying security decline.  The writer of an option has no control over the time when it may be required to fulfill its obligation as a writer of the option.  Once an option writer has received an exercise notice, it cannot effect a closing purchase transaction in order to terminate its obligation under the option and must deliver the underlying securities at the exercise price.  If a put or call option purchased by the Fund is not sold when it has remaining value, and if the market price of the underlying security, in the case of a put, remains equal to or greater than the exercise price or, in the case of a call, remains less than or equal to the exercise price, the Fund will lose its entire investment in the option.  The potential losses from writing call options are theoretically unlimited because the underlying security's price may appreciate indefinitely.  Also, where a put or call option on a particular security is purchased to hedge against price movements in a related security, the price of the put or call option may move more or less than the price of the related security.  There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund seeks to close out an option position.  Furthermore, if trading restrictions or suspensions are imposed on the options market, the Fund may be unable to close out a position.
When the Fund invests in options, the Fund will comply with the applicable requirements of the 1940 Act and the guidance of no-action letters issued by the SEC, including Investment Company Act Release No. 10666 (Apr. 18, 1979), that require the Fund to segregate assets or otherwise "cover" its positions in a manner that limits the Fund's risk of loss.  The Fund may write a call or put option only if the option is "covered" by holding a position in the underlying securities or by other means which would permit immediate satisfaction of the Fund's obligation as writer of the option.  A written call option creates a potential obligation to sell the underlying security.  In order to make sure that this obligation can be met, the Fund could (i) hold the security underlying the written option; (ii) hold an offsetting call option (one with a strike price that is the same or lower than the strike price of the written option); or (iii) segregate cash and liquid securities (which can be cash, U.S. Government securities, and other liquid debt or equity securities) that when added to collateral on deposit equals the market value of the underlying security.  A written put option creates a potential obligation to buy the underlying security.  In order to make sure that this obligation can be met, the Fund could: (i) sell short the underlying security at the same or higher price than the strike price of the written put option; (ii) hold an offsetting put option (one with a strike price that is the same or higher than the strike price of the written option); or (iii) segregate cash and liquid securities that when added to collateral on deposit equals the strike price of the option.
12

Options offer large amounts of leverage, which will result in the Fund's net asset value being more sensitive to changes in the value of the related instrument. The Fund may purchase or write both exchange-traded and OTC options. Exchange-traded options in the United States are issued by a clearing organization affiliated with the exchange on which the option is listed that, in effect, guarantees completion of every exchange-traded option transaction. In contrast, OTC options are contracts between the Fund and its counterparty (usually a securities dealer or a bank) with no clearing organization guarantee. Thus, when the Fund purchases an OTC option, it relies on the counterparty from whom it purchased the option to make or take delivery of the underlying investment upon exercise of the option. Failure by the counterparty to do so would result in the loss of any premium paid by the Fund as well as the loss of any expected benefit of the transaction.
The Fund's ability to establish and close out positions in exchange-listed options depends on the existence of a liquid market. However, there can be no assurance that such a market will exist at any particular time. Closing transactions can be made for OTC options only by negotiating directly with the counterparty, or by a transaction in the secondary market if any such market exists. There can be no assurance that the Fund will in fact be able to close out an OTC option position at a favorable price prior to expiration. In the event of insolvency of the counterparty, the Fund might be unable to close out an OTC option position at any time prior to its expiration, if at all.
If the Fund were unable to effect a closing transaction for an option it had purchased, due to the absence of a counterparty or secondary market, the imposition of price limits or otherwise, it would have to exercise the option to realize any profit. The inability to enter into a closing purchase transaction for a covered call option written by the Fund could cause material losses because the Fund would be unable to sell the investment used as cover for the written option until the option expires or is exercised.
Options have varying expiration dates. The exercise price of the options may be below, equal to or above the current market value of the underlying security or instrument. Options purchased by the Fund that expire unexercised have no value, and the Fund will realize a loss in the amount of the premium paid and any transaction costs. If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. Transaction costs must be included in these calculations.
Private Investment Fund.  From time to time, the Fund may invest a portion of its assets in one or more pooled investment vehicles that are not registered as an investment company under the 1940 Act, and where the securities of such vehicles are offered pursuant to one or more exemptions from the Securities Act of 1933 (each a "Private Investment Fund" and collectively, the "Private Investment Fund").  The Fund may invest in a wide range of Private Investment Fund, including Private Investment Fund organized and operated outside of the United States and those that hold themselves out or otherwise operate as hedge fund.  The investment objective and strategy of any Private Investment Fund in which the Fund invests will be consistent with the investment objective and permitted investments of the Fund, as determined by the Advisor.
Private Investment Fund typically accept investments on a continuous basis, have quarterly repurchases, and do not have a defined termination date.  The Private Investment Fund may utilize leverage, pursuant to their operative documents, as a way to seek or enhance returns. Dependent upon the investment strategy, geographic focus and/or other economic or property specific factors, each Private Investment Fund will have differing limitations on the utilization of leverage.  Such limitations are Private Investment Fund specific and may apply to an overall portfolio limitation as well as an investment specific limitation.
13

Lack of Control Over Private Investment Fund.   Although the Fund and the Advisor will evaluate regularly each Private Investment Fund and its manager to determine whether their investment programs are consistent with the Fund's investment objectives and whether the investment performance is satisfactory, the Advisor will not have any control over the investments made by any Private Investment Fund.  Even though Private Investment Fund are subject to certain constraints, the managers may change aspects of their investment strategies.  The managers may do so at any time (for example, such change may occur immediately after providing the Advisor with the quarterly unaudited financial information for the Private Investment Fund). The Advisor may reallocate the Fund's investments among the Private Investment Fund, but the Advisor's ability to do so may be constrained by the withdrawal limitations imposed by the Private Investment Fund. The Fund's investments in certain Private Investment Fund may be subject to lock-up periods, during which the Fund may not withdraw its investment.  These withdrawal limitations may prevent the Fund from reacting rapidly to market changes should a Private Investment Fund fail to effect portfolio changes consistent with such market changes and the demands of the Advisor. Such withdrawal limitations may also restrict the Advisor's ability to terminate investments in Private Investment Fund that are poorly performing or have otherwise had adverse changes. The Advisor will engage in the necessary due diligence to ensure that the Fund's assets are invested in Private Investment Fund 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 operations and activities of the Private Investment Fund.  The Advisor will be dependent on information provided by the Private Investment Fund, including quarterly unaudited financial statements, which if inaccurate could adversely affect the Advisor's ability to manage the Fund's investment portfolio in accordance with its investment objectives. To the extent the Fund holds non-voting securities of, or contractually foregoes the right to vote in respect of, any Private Investment Fund (which it intends to do in order to avoid being considered an "affiliate" of any Private Investment Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act), it will not be able to vote on matters that require the approval of the investors of the Private Investment Fund, including a matter that could adversely affect the Fund's investment, including changes to the Private Investment Fund's investment objectives or policies or the termination of the Investment Fund.
Multiple Layers of Expenses.   By investing in the Private Investment Fund indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder bears two layers of asset- based fees and expenses—at the Fund level and the Private Investment Fund level. In the aggregate, these fees might exceed the fees that would typically be incurred by a direct investment with a single Private Investment Fund. The Fund may also invest in Private Investment Fund that invest in other investment vehicles, thereby subjecting the Fund, and Fund shareholders, to an additional level of fees.  In the aggregate, these fees and expenses could be substantial and adversely affect the value of any investment in the Fund.
Purchases of Non-Voting Securities.    In all or substantially all instances, the Fund expects to purchase a class of non-voting securities or enter into a contract, typically before the initial purchase, to relinquish the right to vote in respect of its investments in Private Investment Fund.  For any Private Investment Fund where the Fund would be unable to do either of the foregoing (and the Fund does not anticipate that it would not be able to do so), it intends to limit its holdings of the relevant Private Investment Fund to less than 10% of the Private Investment Fund's voting securities.  Where a separate non-voting security class is not otherwise available, the Fund would seek to create by contract the same result as owning a non-voting security class: namely, a security that affords the Fund, and each subsequent holder, no legal right to vote. This result would be accomplished through a written agreement between the Fund and the Private Investment Fund where the Fund irrevocably foregoes the right to vote, and does so in a manner that legally binds both the Fund and all subsequent holders. The agreement would grant the Private Investment Fund the right to enjoin any holder from voting. The agreement also will include a statement of the parties' intention that the agreement should be interpreted broadly to effect the parties' desire that the Fund's interest be identical to that of a separate non-voting class. In each instance, the Advisor will determine if the Fund will waive the Fund's voting rights. When it does so, the Advisor will consider only the interests of the Fund and not the interests of the Advisor or those of the Advisor's other clients. The waiver arrangement should benefit the Fund, as it will enable the Fund to invest in more interests of a Private Investment Fund that the Advisor believes is desirable, than the Fund would be able to if it were deemed to be an "affiliate" of the Private Investment Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Advisor believes that the use of this waiver arrangement will not affect the ability of other clients of the Advisor to invest in the same Private Investment Fund.
14

Private Investment Fund Will Neither Be Subject to the 1940 Act Nor Will They Be Publicly Traded.   The Private Investment Fund will not be registered as investment companies under the 1940 Act and, therefore, the Fund will not be able to avail itself of the protections of the 1940 Act with respect to the Private Investment Fund, including certain corporate governance protections, such as the requirement of having a majority or 50% of the directors serving on a board as independent directors, statutory protections against self-dealings by the managers of the Private Investment Fund, and leverage limitations. Furthermore, some of the managers of the Private Investment Fund may not be registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940.
Valuation of Investments in Private Investment Fund.  The NAVs received by the Fund from any Private Investment Fund typically are only estimates.  In addition, certain securities and properties in which a Private Investment Fund may invest may not have a readily ascertainable market price. Such securities and properties will be valued by the managers or administrators of such Private Investment Fund, which valuation will be conclusive with respect to the Fund, even though such managers may face a conflict of interest in valuing such securities because the value thereof will affect their compensation.  The Fund may rely on estimates of the value of these investments when calculating its NAV. The Fund may suspend the calculation of its NAV under certain conditions.
While the valuations of the Fund's publicly-traded securities are more readily ascertainable, the Fund's ownership interest in any Private Investment Fund is not publicly traded and the Fund may depend on the manager to a Private Investment Fund to provide a valuation of the Fund's investment. Moreover, the valuation of the Fund's investment in a Private Investment Fund, as provided by the manager of any such fund as of a specific date, may vary from the fair value of the investment that may be obtained if such investment were sold to a third party. Shareholders should recognize that valuations of illiquid assets, including interests in a Private Investment Fund, 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 in Private Investment Fund, may vary from the amount the Fund would realize on the withdrawal of its investments from the Private Investment Fund. This could adversely affect shareholders. The Advisor will attempt to resolve any conflicts between valuations assigned by a manager to a Private Investment Fund and fair value as determined by the Advisor by seeking information from the manager of such Private Investment Fund and reviewing all relevant available information. Such review may result in a determination to change the fair value of the Fund's investment.
The managers of the Private Investment Fund in which the Fund may invest may use proprietary investment strategies that are not fully disclosed to the Advisor, which may involve risks under some market conditions that are not anticipated by the Advisor.  The investment strategies and styles used by any such manager are subject to change without notice.  For information about the value of the Fund's investment in Private Investment Fund, the Advisor will be dependent on information provided by the Private Investment Fund, including quarterly unaudited financial statements, which if inaccurate could adversely affect the Advisor's ability to value accurately the Fund's Shares. Shareholders in the Fund has no individual right to receive information about the Private Investment Fund, will not be shareholders in the Private Investment Fund and will have no rights with respect to or standing or recourse against the Private Investment Fund or any of their affiliated persons.
Repurchase Agreements.   A repurchase transaction occurs when an investor purchases a security (normally a U.S. Treasury obligation), and it then resells it to the vendor (normally a member bank of the Federal Reserve or a registered government securities dealer) and is required to deliver the security (and/or securities substituted for them under the repurchase agreement) to the vendor on an agreed upon date in the future.  The repurchase price exceeds the purchase price by an amount which reflects an agreed upon market interest rate effective for the period of time during which the repurchase agreement is in effect.  Delivery pursuant to the resale normally will occur within one to seven days of the purchase.  Repurchase agreements are considered "loans" under the 1940 Act, collateralized by the underlying security. The Trust has implemented procedures to monitor on a continuous basis the value of the collateral serving as security for repurchase obligations. The Advisor will consider the creditworthiness of the vendor.  If the vendor fails to pay the agreed upon resale price on the delivery date, the Fund will retain or attempt to dispose of the collateral.  The Fund's risk is that such default may include any decline in value of the collateral to an amount which is less than 100% of the repurchase price, any costs of disposing of such collateral, and any loss resulting from any delay in foreclosing on the collateral.  Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid securities.  The Fund will not invest in reverse repurchase agreements.
15

Restricted Securities.   Within its limitation on investment in illiquid securities, the Fund may purchase restricted securities that generally can be sold in privately negotiated transactions, pursuant to an exemption from registration under the federal securities laws, or in a registered public offering.  Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expense and a considerable period may elapse between the time it decides to seek registration and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement.  If during such a period adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than prevailed when it decided to seek registration of the security.  Restricted securities that can be offered and sold to qualified institutional buyers under Rule 144A of the Securities Act of 1933 and are determined to be liquid under guidelines adopted by and subject to the supervision of the Trustees are not subject to the limitations on illiquid securities.
Risks related to Other Equity Securities.  In addition to common stocks, the equity securities in the Fund's portfolio may include preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, convertible bonds, and warrants.  The value of these equity securities may fluctuate in response to many factors, including the activities of the issuer, general market and economic conditions, interest rates, and specific industry changes.  Such price fluctuations subject the Fund to potential losses.  In addition, regardless of any one company's particular prospects, a declining stock market may produce a decline in prices for all equity securities, which could also result in losses for the Fund.  Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest payments or a dividend preference until the security matures or is redeemed, or the conversion privilege is exercised.  As a result of the conversion feature, the interest rate or dividend preference on a convertible security is generally less than would be the case if the securities were issued in non-convertible form.  Warrants entitle the holder to purchase equity securities at specific prices for a certain period of time.  The prices do not necessarily move parallel to the prices of the underlying securities and the warrants have no voting rights, receive no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the issuer.
Swaps.   The Fund may invest in swap agreements. A swap is an agreement between two parties (known as counterparties) where one stream of payments is exchanged for another.  The parties agree to exchange to exchange payments at specified dates (periodic payment dates) on the basis of a specified amount (the notional value of the agreement) with the payments calculated with reference to a specified asset, reference rate, or index.  Swaps allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments; U.S. dollar-denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in a different currency; and payments tied to the price of one asset, reference rate, or index may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of another asset, reference rate, or index.  For purposes of calculating the NAV, the Fund will price swaps at their market value based on prices supplied by an independent pricing service, if available, or quotations obtained from broker-dealers.
The Fund may use swaps for both speculative and hedging purposes.  Swaps can be used as part of a strategy that is intended to reduce the Fund's exposure to various risks or as a substitute for taking a direct position in the underlying asset.  The Fund may use swaps to limit or manage exposure to fluctuations in interest rates, currency exchange rates, or potential defaults by credit issuers.  The Fund may also attempt to enhance returns by investing in total return swaps.  A total return swap provides the Fund with a return based on the performance of an underlying asset, in exchange for fee payments to a counterparty based on a specific rate.  If the underlying asset declines in value over the term of the swap, the Fund would be required to pay the dollar value of that decline to the counterparty.  For example, the Fund may agree to pay a counterparty the total return earned or realized on the notional amount of a particular stock and any dividends declared with respect to that stock. In return, the Fund would make payments based on the notional amount calculated at the specified rate and would be required to pay amounts resulting from a decline in the value of the stock.
Most swaps provide that when the periodic payment dates for both parties are the same, payments are netted, and only the net amount is paid to the counterparty entitled to receive the net payment. Consequently, the Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap 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 the Fund and the counterparty. During the term of a swap, the Fund is usually required to pledge to the counterparty, from time to time, an amount of cash or other assets equal to the total net amount (if any) that would be payable by the Fund to the counterparty if the swap were terminated on the date in question, including any early termination payments.
Since a swaps transaction can result in a loss greater than the amount invested, the Fund will comply with guidance from the staff of the SEC regarding asset coverage requirements, including Investment Company Act Release No. 10666 (Apr. 18, 1979), that require the Fund to segregate assets or otherwise "cover" its positions in a manner that limits the Fund's risk of loss.  In particular, the Fund will ensure that its potential obligations with respect to the swap will be met by segregating liquid assets (which can be cash, U.S. Government securities, and other liquid debt or equity securities) on the Fund's books or in a segregated account at the Fund's custodian.  For swaps that call for periodic netting between the Fund and its counterparty, the segregated amount is the net amount due under the contract, as determined daily on a mark-to-market basis. For other kinds of swaps, the segregated amount is the notional value of the contract.
16

The use of swaps subjects the Fund to the risk of default by the counterparty.  A loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the agreement. If there is a default by the counterparty to such a transaction, there may be contractual remedies pursuant to the agreements related to the transaction, although bankruptcy and insolvency laws could affect the Fund's rights as a creditor.  Additionally, the use of credit default swaps can result in losses if the Advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit default swap is based.
Because swaps are two-party contracts, they may subject the Fund to liquidity risk. If a swap is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid, the Fund may not be able to establish or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. Participants in the swap markets are not required to make continuous markets in the swaps they trade. Participants could refuse to quote prices for swaps or quote prices with an unusually wide spread between the price at which they are prepared to buy and the price at which they are prepared to sell.
Swaps are highly specialized instruments, and their use involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with other traditional investments. The use of swaps requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions.  Whether the Fund will be successful in using swaps to achieve its investment goals depends on the ability of the Advisor to correctly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors when establishing swap positions.
Temporary Defensive Positions.   The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies in an attempt to respond to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. During such an unusual set of circumstances, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its portfolio in bonds, cash, or cash equivalent positions. When the Fund takes a temporary defensive position, the Fund may not be able to achieve its investment objective.
U.S. Government Securities.   The Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities, defined to be: (i) U.S. Treasury notes, U.S. Treasury bonds, U.S. Treasury bills, and other U.S. Government obligations; (ii) obligations of the Government National Mortgage Association (GNMA) and other U.S. Government sponsored entities that are guaranteed by the U.S. Government; and (iii) obligations of the Federal National Mortgage Association (FNMA), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (FHLMC), Federal Housing Administration (FHA), Federal Farm Credit Bank (FFCB), Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB), Student Loan Marketing Association (SLMA), The Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) and other U.S. Government authorities, agencies, and instrumentalities.  While obligations of some U.S. Government sponsored entities are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government (e.g. GNMA), others are not.  No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to U.S. Government agencies or instrumentalities in the future since it is not obligated to do so by law.  The guarantee of the U.S. Government does not extend to the yield or value of the Fund's shares.
INVESTMENT LIMITATIONS
Fundamental Investment Restrictions. The following investment restrictions have been adopted by the Trust with respect to the Fund. Except as otherwise stated, these investment restrictions are "fundamental" policies. A "fundamental" policy is defined in 1940 Act to mean that the restriction cannot be changed without approval by holders of a majority of the outstanding voting shares of the Fund.  A "majority" for this purpose means the lesser of (i) 67% of the Fund's outstanding shares represented in person or by proxy at a meeting at which more than 50% of its outstanding shares are represented; or (ii) more than 50% of its outstanding shares.
As a matter of fundamental policy, the Fund may not:
(1)
Issue senior securities, except as permitted by the Investment Company Act of 1940;
17

(2)
Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (including, without limitation, borrowing to meet redemptions).  For purposes of this investment restriction, the entry into options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices shall not constitute borrowing;
(3)
Pledge, mortgage, or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with writing covered put and call options and the purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices;
(4)
Act as an underwriter except to the extent that, in connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter under certain federal securities laws;
(5)
Purchase or sell real estate or direct interests in real estate; provided, however, that the Fund may purchase and sell securities which are secured by real estate and securities of companies which invest or deal in real estate (including, without limitation, investments in REITs, mortgage-backed securities, and privately-held real estate fund);
(6)
Invest in commodities, except that the Fund may purchase and sell options, forward contracts, futures contracts, including those relating to indices, and options on futures contracts or indices;
(7)
Make investments for the purpose of exercising control or management over a portfolio company;
(8)
Make loans, provided that the Fund may lend its portfolio securities in an amount up to 33% of total Fund assets, and provided further that, for purposes of this restriction, investment in U.S. Government obligations, short-term commercial paper, certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances, and repurchase agreements shall not be deemed to be the making of a loan;
(9)
With respect to 75% of its total assets, the Fund may not: (i) purchase 10% or more of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer; or (ii) purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, 5% or more of the Fund's total assets would be invested in that issuer's securities.  This limitation does not apply to investments in (i) cash and cash items; (ii) securities of other registered investment companies; and (iii) obligations of the United States Government, its agencies, or instrumentalities; or
(10)
Concentrate its investments. The Fund's concentration policy limits the aggregate value of holdings of a single industry or group of industries (except U.S. Government and cash items) to less than 25% of the fund's total assets.
Senior securities may include any obligation or instrument issued by the fund evidencing indebtedness. The 1940 Act generally prohibits fund 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 obligations.
The Fund is allowed to pledge, mortgage, or hypothecate assets up to the amounts allowable under the 1940 Act, which presently allows an investment company to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets).
For purposes of the Fund's concentration policy, if the Fund invests in one or more investment companies, the Fund will examine the holdings of such investment companies to ensure that the Fund is not indirectly concentrating its investments in a particular industry.  In determining the exposure of the Fund to a particular industry for purposes of the fundamental investment restriction on concentration, the Fund currently uses Standard & Poor's Global Industry Classification Standard (GICS) in order to classify industries.
With respect to the fundamental investment restrictions above (other than those involving senior securities and borrowings), if a percentage limitation is adhered to at the time of investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from any change in value or net assets will not result in a violation of such restriction (i.e., percentage limitations are determined at the time of purchase).
18

Non-Fundamental Policies. The following investment policies are not fundamental and may be changed without shareholder approval.
The Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy in accordance with Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act to invest, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the value of its net assets, plus the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes, in discounted closed-end funds. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, a Fund's future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.
The Fund will not invest more than 15% of its net assets in securities for which there are legal or contractual restrictions on resale or other illiquid securities.
PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS
Subject to the general supervision of the Trustees, the Advisor is responsible for, makes decisions with respect to, and places orders for all purchases and sales of portfolio securities for the Fund. The Advisor shall manage the Fund's portfolios in accordance with the terms of the investment advisory agreement by and between the Advisor and the Trust on behalf of the Fund, which is described in detail under "Management and Other Service Providers – Investment Advisor."  The Advisor serves as investment advisor for a number of client accounts, including the Fund.  Investment decisions for the Fund are made independently from those for any other series of the Trust, if any, and for any other investment companies and accounts advised or managed by the Advisor.
Brokerage Selection. The Fund has adopted, and the Trustees have approved, policies and procedures relating to the direction of mutual fund portfolio securities transactions to broker-dealers. The Advisor may not give consideration to sales of shares of the Fund as a factor in selecting broker-dealers to execute portfolio securities transactions.  The Advisor may, however, place portfolio transactions with broker-dealers that promote or sell the Fund's shares so long as such transactions are done in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the Trustees that are designed to ensure that the selection is based on the quality of the broker's execution and not on its sales efforts.  In selecting brokers to be used in portfolio transactions, the Advisor's general guiding principle is to obtain the best overall execution for each trade, which is a combination of price and execution.  With respect to execution, the Advisor considers a number of discretionary factors, including, without limitation, the actual handling of the order, the ability of the broker to settle the trade promptly and accurately, the financial standing of the broker, the ability of the broker to position stock to facilitate execution, the Advisor's past experience with similar trades, and other factors that may be unique to a particular order.  Recognizing the value of these discretionary factors, the Advisor may select brokers who charge a brokerage commission that is higher than the lowest commission that might otherwise be available for any given trade.
Under Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the investment advisory agreement, the Advisor is authorized to pay a brokerage commission in excess of that which another broker might have charged for effecting the same transaction, in recognition of the value of brokerage and/or research services provided by the broker.  The research received by the Advisor may include, without limitation: information on the United States and other world economies; information on specific industries, groups of securities, individual companies, and political and other relevant news developments affecting markets and specific securities; technical and quantitative information about markets; analysis of proxy proposals affecting specific companies; accounting and performance systems that allow the Advisor to determine and track investment results; and trading systems that allow the Advisor to interface electronically with brokerage firms, custodians, and other providers. Research is received in the form of written reports, telephone contacts, personal meetings, research seminars, software programs, and access to computer databases.  In some instances, research products or services received by the Advisor may also be used by the Advisor for functions that are not research related (i.e. not related to the making of investment decisions).  Where a research product or service has a mixed use, the Advisor will make a reasonable allocation according to the use and will pay for the non-research function in cash using its own fund.
The research and investment information services described above make available to the Advisor for its analysis and consideration the views and information of individuals and research staffs of other securities firms.  These services may be useful to the Advisor in connection with advisory clients other than the Fund and not all such services may be useful to the Advisor in connection with the Fund.  Although such information may be a useful supplement to the Advisor's own investment information in rendering services to the Fund, the value of such research and services is not expected to reduce materially the expenses of the Advisor in the performance of its services under the investment advisory agreement and will not reduce the management fees payable to the Advisor by the Fund.
19

The Fund may invest in securities traded in the OTC market.  In these cases, the Fund may initiate trades through brokers on an agency basis and pay a commission in connection with the transaction.  The Fund may also effect these transactions by dealing directly with the dealers who make a market in the securities involved, in which case the costs of such transactions would involve dealer spreads rather than brokerage commissions. With respect to securities traded only in the OTC market, orders will be executed on a principal basis with primary market makers in such securities except where better prices or executions may be obtained on an agency basis or by dealing with those other than a primary market maker.
The Fund may participate, if and when practicable, in bidding for the purchase of Fund securities directly from an issuer in order to take advantage of the lower purchase price available to members of a bidding group. The Fund will engage in this practice, however, only when the Advisor, in its sole discretion, believes such practice to be otherwise in the Fund's interest.
For the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016, May 31, 2017, and May 31, 2018, the Fund paid brokerage commissions of $4,853, $8,687, and $10,035, respectively. The increase in brokerage commissions for the fiscal years ended May 31, 2018, May 31, 2017, and May 31, 2016, from the previous fiscal year was due to increased trading activity and the larger asset size of the Fund.
Aggregated Trades. While investment decisions for the Fund are made independently of the Advisor's other client accounts, the Advisor's other client accounts may invest in the same securities as the Fund. To the extent permitted by law, the Advisor may aggregate the securities to be sold or purchased for the Fund with those to be sold or purchased for other investment companies or accounts in executing transactions. When a purchase or sale of the same security is made at substantially the same time on behalf of the fund and another investment company or account, the transaction will be averaged as to price and available investments allocated as to amount in a manner which the Advisor believes to be equitable to the Fund and such other investment company or account.  In some instances, this investment procedure may adversely affect the price paid or received by the Fund or the size of the position obtained or sold by the Fund.
Portfolio Turnover.   The annualized portfolio turnover rate for the Fund is calculated by dividing the lesser of purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the reporting period by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities owned during the reporting period. The calculation excludes all securities whose maturities or expiration dates at the time of acquisition are one year or less. Portfolio turnover of the Fund may vary greatly from year to year as well as within a particular year and may be affected by cash requirements for redemption of shares and by requirements that enable the Fund to receive favorable tax treatment.  Portfolio turnover will not be a limiting factor in making Fund decisions, and the Fund may engage in short-term trading to achieve its investment objectives.  High rates of portfolio turnover could lower performance of the Fund due to increased transaction costs and may also result in the realization of short-term capital gains taxed at ordinary income tax rates. The portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018, was 368.35%.  The portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2017, was 151.88%. The increase in the portfolio turnover rate for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018, was due primarily to a change in the Fund's investment strategy. 
DESCRIPTION OF THE TRUST
The Trust, which is a statutory trust organized under Delaware law on May 13, 2009, is an open-end management investment company. The Trust's Declaration of Trust ("Trust Instrument") authorizes the Trustees to divide shares into series, each series relating to a separate portfolio of investments, and to classify and reclassify any unissued shares into one or more classes of shares of each such series. The Trust currently consists of 17 series. Additional series and/or classes may be created from time to time. The number of shares of each series in the Trust shall be unlimited. When issued for payment as described in the Fund's Prospectus and this SAI, shares of the Fund will be fully paid and non‑assessable and shall have no preemptive rights. The Trust normally does not issue share certificates.
20

In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust or an individual series, such as the Fund, shareholders of a particular series would be entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to such series.  Shareholders of a series are entitled to participate equally in the net distributable assets of the particular series involved on liquidation, based on the number of shares of the series that are held by each shareholder. If there are any assets, income, earnings, proceeds, fund, or payments that are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series, the Trustees shall allocate them among any one or more of the series as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable.
Shareholders of all of the series of the Trust, including the Fund, will vote together and not separately on a series‑by‑series or class-by-class basis, except as otherwise required by law or when the Trustees determine that the matter to be voted upon affects only the interests of the shareholders of a particular series or class.  The Trust has adopted a Rule 18f-3 Multi-class Plan for certain series that contain the general characteristics of and conditions under which such series may offer multiple classes of shares. Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each series or class affected by the matter.  A series or class is affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each series or class in the matter are substantially identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of the series or class. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an investment advisory agreement or any change in the fundamental investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a series only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of such series.  However, the rule also provides that the ratification of the appointment of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts, and the election of Trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting together, without regard to a particular series or class.  Rights of shareholders can only be modified by a majority vote.
When used in the Prospectus or this SAI, a "majority" of shareholders means the vote of the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares of the Trust or the applicable series or class present at a meeting if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Trust or the applicable series or class.
Shareholders are entitled to one vote for each full share and a fractional vote for each fractional share held.  Shares have non-cumulative voting rights, which means that the holders of more than 50% of the shares voting for the election of Trustees can elect 100% of the Trustees, and in this event, the holders of the remaining shares voting will not be able to elect any Trustees.
The Trustees will hold office indefinitely, except that: (i) any Trustee may resign or retire, and (ii) any Trustee may be removed: (a) any time by written instrument signed by at least two-thirds of the number of Trustees prior to such removal; (b) at any meeting of shareholders of the Trust by a vote of two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust; or (c) by a written declaration signed by shareholders holding not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust.  In case a vacancy on the Board shall for any reason exist, the vacancy shall be filled by the affirmative vote of a majority of the remaining Trustees, subject to certain restrictions under the 1940 Act.  Otherwise, there will normally be no meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees, and the Trust does not expect to have an annual meeting of share-holders.
The Trust Instrument provides that the Trustees will not be liable in any event in connection with the affairs of the Trust, except as such liability may arise from a Trustee's bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of duties.  It also provides that all third parties shall look solely to the Trust's property for satisfaction of claims arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust.  With the exceptions stated, the Trust Instrument provides that a Trustee or officer is entitled to be indemnified against all liability in connection with the affairs of the Trust.
MANAGEMENT AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS
The Trustees are responsible for the management and supervision of the Fund. The Trustees approve all significant agreements between the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and those companies that furnish services to the Fund, review performance of the Advisor and the Fund, and oversee activities of the Fund. This section of the SAI provides information about the persons who serve as Trustees and officers to the Trust and Fund, respectively, as well as the entities that provide services to the Fund.
21

Trustees and Officers.   Following are the Trustees and officers of the Trust, their age and address, their present position with the Trust or the Fund, and their principal occupation during the past five years. The Trustees in the following table who are not "interested persons" of the Trust within the meaning of the 1940 Act ("Independent Trustees") are indicated as such.  The address of each Trustee and officer of the Trust, unless otherwise indicated, is 116 South Franklin Street, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27804.
Name, Age
and Address
Position
held with
Funds   or   Trust
Length
of Time
Served
Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years
Number of Portfolios
in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Trustee
Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
Independent Trustees
James H. Speed, Jr.
Date of Birth:  06/1953
Independent Trustee,
Chairman
Trustee since
7/09, Chair
since 5/12
Previously President and CEO of NC Mutual Insurance Company (insurance company) from 2003 to 2015.
17
Independent Trustee of the Brown Capital Management Mutual Funds for its four series, Hillman Capital Management Investment Trust for its one series, Centaur Mutual Funds Trust for its one series, Chesapeake Investment Trust for its one series and WST Investment Trust for its two series (all registered investment companies). Member of Board of Directors of M&F Bancorp. Member of Board of Directors of Investors Title Company. Previously, Board of Directors of NC Mutual Life Insurance Company.
Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
Date of Birth:  04/1936
Independent Trustee
Since 9/10
Senior Partner, Community Financial Institutions Consulting (financial consulting) since 1999; Partner, Pikar Properties (real estate) since 2001.
17
Independent Trustee of World Funds Trust for its twenty-eight series, Chesapeake Investment Trust for its one series, DGHM Investment Trust for its one series, Leeward Investment Trust for its two series and Hillman Capital Management Investment Trust for its one series (all registered investment companies).
Michael G. Mosley
Date of Birth:   01/1953
Independent Trustee
Since 7/10
Owner of Commercial Realty Services (real estate) since 2004.
17
None.
J. Buckley Strandberg
Date of Birth:  03/1960
Independent Trustee
Since 7/09
President of Standard Insurance and Realty since 1982.
17
None.
Other Officers
Katherine M. Honey
Date of Birth:  09/1973
President and Principal
Executive Officer
Since 05/15
EVP of The Nottingham Company since 2008.
n/a
n/a
Ashley E. Harris
Date of Birth:  03/1984
Treasurer, Assistant
Secretary and Principal
Financial Officer
Since 05/15
Fund Accounting Manager and Financial Reporting, The Nottingham Company since 2008.
n/a
n/a
 
22

Name, Age
and Address
Position
held with
Funds   or   Trust
Length
of Time
Served
Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years
Number of Portfolios
in Fund
Complex Overseen
by Trustee
Other Directorships
Held by Trustee
During Past 5 Years
Robert G. Schaaf
Date of Birth: 09/1988
Secretary
Since 09/18
General Counsel of The Nottingham Company since 2018; Daughtry, Woodard, Lawrence & Starling (08/2015 – 01/2018); JD/MBA Candidate, Wake Forest University (07/2011 – 05/2015).
n/a
n/a
Stacey Gillespie
Date of Birth:  05/1974
Chief Compliance
Officer
Since 03/16
Compliance Director, Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC (09/15-present). Formerly, Chief Compliance Officer of Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. (2013-2015) and Director of Investment Compliance at Boenning & Scattergood, Inc. (2007-2013).
n/a
n/a
The Board met five times during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.
Board Structure.  The Trust's Board includes four Independent Trustees. Mr. Speed serves as the independent chairman of the Board.  The Board has established several standing committees: the Audit Committee, Nominating Committee, Proxy Voting Committee, Governance Committee, and Qualified Legal Compliance Committee.  These standing committees are comprised entirely of the Independent Trustees.  Other information about these standing committees is set forth below.  The Board has determined that the Board's structure is appropriate given the characteristics, size, and operations of the Trust.  The Board also believes that its leadership structure, including its committees, helps facilitate effective oversight of Trust management.  The Board reviews its structure annually.
With respect to risk oversight, the Board considers risk management issues as part of its general oversight responsibilities throughout the year.  The Board holds four regular board meetings each year during which the Board receives risk management reports and/or assessments from Trust management, the Fund's advisor, administrator, transfer agent, and distributor, and receives an annual report from the Trust's Chief Compliance Officer ("CCO").  The Audit Committee also meets with the Trust's independent registered public accounting firm on an annual basis, to discuss among other things, the internal control structure of the Trust's financial reporting function.  When appropriate, the Board may hold special meeting or communicate directly with Trust management, the CCO, the Trust's third-party service providers, legal counsel, or independent public accountants to address matters arising between regular board meeting or needing special attention.  In addition, the Board has adopted policies and procedures for the Trust to help detect and prevent and, if necessary, correct violations of federal securities laws.
Qualification of Trustees.  The Board believes that each Trustee's experience, qualifications, attributes, or skills on an individual basis and in combination with those of the other Trustees on the Board lead to the conclusion that the Board possesses the requisite skills and attributes to carry out its oversight responsibilities with respect to the Trust. The Board believes that its Trustees' ability to review, critically evaluate, question, and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Advisor, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of its duties, support this conclusion. The Board also has considered the following experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills, among others, of its members, as applicable, in reaching its conclusion: (i) such person's business and professional experience and accomplishments, including prior experience in the financial services and investment management fields or on other boards; (ii) such person's ability to work effectively with the other members of the Board; (iii) how the individual's skills, experiences, and attributes would contribute to an appropriate mix of relevant skills and experience on the Board; (iv) such person's character and integrity; (v) such person's willingness to serve and willingness and ability to commit the time necessary to perform the duties of a Trustee; and (vi) as to each Trustee his status as an Independent Trustee.
23

In addition, the following specific experience, qualifications, attributes and/or skills were considered in respect of the listed Trustee. Mr. Mosley has had business experience as an owner of a real estate company.  Mr. Pitt has experience as an investor, including his role as trustee of several other investment companies and business experience as senior partner of a financial consulting company, as a partner of a real estate partnership and as an account administrator for a money management firm.  Mr. Speed also has experience as an investor as trustee of several other investment companies and business experience as president and CEO of an insurance company and as president of a company in the business of consulting and private investing.  Mr. Strandberg also has investment experience as a former trustee of another investment company and business experience as president of an insurance and property management company.
The Board has determined that each of the Trustees' careers and background, combined with their interpersonal skills and general understanding of financial and other matters, enable the Trustees to effectively participate in and contribute to the Board's functions and oversight of the Trust.
Trustee Standing Committees.   The Trustees have established the following standing committees:
Audit Committee.   All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Audit Committee.  The Audit Committee oversees the Fund's accounting and financial reporting policies and practices, reviews the results of the annual audits of the Fund's financial statements, and interacts with the Fund's independent auditors on behalf of all the Trustees.  The Audit Committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter and meets periodically as necessary.  The Audit Committee met eight times during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.
Nominating Committee.   All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Nominating Committee.  The Nominating Committee nominates, selects, and appoints independent trustees to fill vacancies on the Board and to stand for election at meetings of the shareholders of the Trust.  The Nominating Committee meets only as necessary and did not meet during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018. The Nominating Committee generally will not consider nominees recommended by shareholders of the Trust.
Proxy Voting Committee.   All of the Independent Trustees are members of the Proxy Voting Committee.  The Proxy Voting Committee will determine how the Fund should vote, if called upon by the Board or the Advisor, when a matter with respect to which the Fund is entitled to vote presents a conflict between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Fund's Advisor, principal underwriter, or an affiliated person of the Fund, its investment advisor, or principal underwriter, on the other hand.  The Proxy Voting Committee will also review the Trust's Proxy Voting Policy and recommend any changes to the Board as it deems necessary or advisable. The Proxy Voting Committee will also decide if the Fund should participate in a class action settlement, if called upon by the Advisor, in cases where a class action settlement with respect to which the Fund is eligible to participate presents a conflict between the interests of the Fund's shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the Advisor, on the other hand.  The Proxy Voting Committee meets only as necessary and did not meet during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.
Governance Committee. The Independent Trustees are the current members of the Governance Committee.  The Governance Committee assists the Board of Trustees in adopting fund governance practices and meeting certain fund governance standards.  The Governance Committee operates pursuant to a Governance Committee Charter and normally meets annually, but may also meet as often as necessary to carry out its purpose. The Governance Committee met once during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.
Qualified Legal Compliance Committee.   The Independent Trustees are the current members of the Qualified Legal Compliance Committee. The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee receives, investigates, and makes recommendations as to appropriate remedial action in connection with any report of evidence of a material violation of securities laws or breach of fiduciary duty or similar violation by the Trust, its officers, Trustees, or agents.  The Qualified Legal Compliance Committee meets only as necessary and did not meet during the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.
 
24

Beneficial Equity Ownership Information.   The table below shows for each Trustee, the amount of Fund equity securities beneficially owned by each Trustee, and the aggregate value of all investments in equity securities of the Fund complex, as of valuation date of December 31, 2017 and stated as one of the following ranges:  A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = $10,001-$50,000; D = $50,001-$100,000; and E = over $100,000.
Name of Trustee
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities
in the Fund
Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity
Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies Overseen by
Trustee in Family of
Investment Companies
Michael G. Mosley
A
A
Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
A
A
James H. Speed, Jr.
A
A
J. Buckley Strandberg
A
A

Ownership of Securities of Advisor, Distributor, or Related Entities.   As of May 31, 2018, none of the Independent Trustees and/or their immediate family members own securities of the Advisor, Capital Investment Group, Inc. (the "Distributor"), or any entity controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Advisor or Distributor.
Compensation.   Officers of the Trust and Trustees who are interested persons of the Trust or the Advisor will receive no salary or fees from the Trust.  Independent Trustees receive $2,000 per fund each year, and they may receive up to an additional $500 per series of the Trust per special meeting in the event that special meetings are held. This amount may be paid pro rata in the event that a series closes during the fiscal year.  The Trust reimburses each Trustee and officers of the Trust for his or her travel and other expenses relating to attendance at such meetings.  The following compensation is based on figures for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018.  Each of the Trustees serves as a Trustee to all series of the Trust, including the Fund.
Name of Trustee
Aggregate
Compensation From
the fund
Pension or
Retirement Benefits
Accrued As Part of
Fund Expenses
Estimated Annual
Benefits Upon
Retirement
Total Compensation
From Fund and
Fund Complex Paid
to Trustees
Independent Trustees
Michael G. Mosley
$2,000
None
None
$32,500
Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
$2,000
None
None
$32,500
James H. Speed, Jr.
$2,000
None
None
$32,500
J. Buckley Strandberg
$2,000
None
None
$32,500
 
Codes of Ethics.   The Trust, Advisor, and Distributor each have adopted a code of ethics, as required under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act, which is designed to prevent affiliated persons of the Trust, Advisor, and Distributor from engaging in deceptive, manipulative, or fraudulent activities in connection with securities held or to be acquired by the Fund (which securities may also be held by persons subject to each such code of ethics).  There can be no assurance that the codes will be effective in preventing such activities.  The codes permit employees and officers of the Trust, Advisor, and Distributor to invest in securities held by the Fund, subject to certain restrictions and pre-approval requirements.  In addition, the Advisor's code requires that portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Advisor report their personal securities transactions and holdings, which are reviewed for compliance with the Trust's and Advisor's code of ethics.
Anti-Money Laundering Program.   The Trust has adopted an anti-money laundering program, as required by applicable law, that is designed to prevent the Fund from being used for money laundering or the financing of terrorist activities. The Trust's CCO is responsible for implementing and monitoring the operations and internal controls of the program.  Compliance officers at certain of the Fund's service providers are also responsible for monitoring the program. The anti-money laundering program is subject to the continuing oversight of the Trustees.
25

Proxy Voting Policies.   The Trust has adopted a proxy voting and disclosure policy that delegates to the Advisor the authority to vote proxies for the Fund, subject to oversight by the Trustees.  A copy of the Advisor's Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures is included as Appendix B to this SAI.  No later than August 31st of each year, the Fund will file Form N-PX stating how the fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th.  Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies as set forth in its most recent filing of Form N-PX will be available (i) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863; and (ii) on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov.
Principal Holders of Voting Securities.   As of August 31, 2018, the Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group owned beneficially (i.e., had direct or indirect voting and/or investment power) less than 1% of the then outstanding share of each class of the Fund.  On the same date, the following shareholders owned of record or beneficially more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Shareholders owning 25% or more of outstanding shares may be in control and be able to affect the outcome of certain matters presented for a vote of Shareholders. No person is known by the Trust to be the record or beneficial owner of more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund as of August 31, 2018.

Investment Advisor.   Information about the Advisor, ARS Investment Management, LLC of 629 Highland Avenue, Suite 200, Needham, Massachusetts 02494 and its duties and compensation as Advisor is contained in the Fund's prospectus. The Advisor is owned by its managing member, Timothy Dolan.  The Advisor supervises the Fund's investments pursuant to an investment advisory agreement (the "Investment Advisory Agreement").  The Investment Advisory Agreement will continue in effect for two (2) years initially, and thereafter, shall continue from year to year so long as such renewal and continuance is specifically approved at least annually by the Trustees or by vote of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, provided the continuance is also approved by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Investment Advisory Agreement or interested persons of any such party. The Investment Advisory Agreements will be terminable without penalty by the Trust upon 60 calendar days' written notice by the Trustees or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities or upon 60 calendar days' written notice by the Advisor.  The Investment Advisory Agreement provides that it will terminate automatically in the event of its "assignment," as such term is defined in the 1940 Act.
The Advisor manages the Fund's investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Trustees.  The Advisor is responsible for investment decisions, and provides the Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Trustees to execute purchases and sales of securities.
Under the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Advisor is not liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Fund in connection with the performance of such agreement, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services, or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence on the part of the Advisor in the performance of its duties, or from its reckless disregard of its duties and obligations under the Investment Advisory Agreement.
As full compensation for the investment advisory services provided to the Fund, the Advisor receives monthly compensation based on the Fund's average daily net assets at the annual rate of 1.10%. In the interest of limiting expenses of the Fund,   the Advisor has entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement with the Trust, pursuant to which the Advisor has agreed to waive or limit its fees and to assume other expenses so that the total annual operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser))) is limited to 2.50% through September 30, 2019 and may be terminated by the Board of Trustees (the "Board" or "Trustees") at any time..  Any fees or expenses waived or reimbursed by the Advisor are subject to repayment by the Fund within three years following the date on which the Fund accrues a liability or recognizes a contingent liability with respect to such amounts waived or reimbursed by the Advisor if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the lesser of its current Maximum Operating Expense Limit and the Maximum Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the initial waiver and/or reimbursement.
26

For the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018, the Fund incurred $37,010 in advisory fees, all of which were waived and $161,400 was reimbursed to the Fund by the Advisor. For the period from August 1, 2016, through May 31, 2017, the Fund incurred $24,244 in advisory fees, all of which were waived and $86,243 were reimbursed to the Fund by the Advisor.
For the period from June 1, 2016, through July 31, 2016, Cavalier Investments served as the advisor to the Fund. During the period, the Fund paid a monthly advisory fee to Cavalier Investments based upon the average daily net assets and calculated at an annual rate of 0.45%. For the period from June 1, 2016, through July 31, 2016, Cavalier Investments received $7,640 in advisory fees, all of which were waived and $16,550 were reimbursed by Cavalier Investments.
Portfolio Manager. Timothy Dolan is the Fund's portfolio manager and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.
Compensation.   The portfolio manager's compensation varies with the general success of the Advisor as a firm.  The portfolio manager's compensation consists of a fixed annual salary, plus additional remuneration based on the Advisor's assets under management.  The portfolio manager's compensation is not directly linked to the Fund's performance, although positive performance and growth in managed assets are factors that may contribute to the Advisor's distributable profits and assets under management.
Ownership of Fund Shares.   The table below shows the amount of the fund's equity securities beneficially owned by the portfolio manager as of May 31, 2018 and stated as one of the following ranges: A = None; B = $1-$10,000; C = $10,001-$50,000; D = $50,001-$100,000; E = $100,001-$500,000; F = $500,001-$1,000,000; and G = over $1,000,000.
Name of
Portfolio Manager
Dollar Range of
Equity Securities in the Fund
 Timothy Dolan
E
Other Accounts.   In addition to the Fund, the portfolio manager may be responsible for the day-to-day management of certain other accounts.  The table below shows the number of, and total assets in, such other accounts as of May 31, 2018.
Portfolio Manager
Registered Investment
Companies
Other Pooled Investment
Vehicles
Other Accounts
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets
Number of
Accounts
Total Assets
All Accounts
 Timothy Dolan
None
$0
None
$0
None
$0
Accounts with Performance-Based Advisory Fee
 Timothy Dolan
None
$0
None
$0
None
$0
Conflicts of Interests.   The portfolio manager's management of "other accounts" may give rise to potential conflicts of interest in connection with their management of the Fund's investments, on the one hand, and the investments of the other accounts, on the other.  The other accounts consist of separately managed private clients ("Other Accounts").  The Other Accounts might have similar investment objectives as the Fund, be compared to the same index as the Fund, or otherwise hold, purchase, or sell securities that are eligible to be held, purchased, or sold by the Fund.
27

Knowledge of the Timing and Size of Fund Trades:   A potential conflict of interest may arise as a result of the portfolio manager's day-to-day management of the Fund.  The portfolio manager knows the size and timing of trades for the Fund and the Other Accounts, and may be able to predict the market impact of Fund trades.  It is theoretically possible that the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage of Other Accounts it manages and to the possible detriment of the Fund, or vice versa.
Investment Opportunities:   The Advisor provides investment supervisory services for a number of investment products that have varying investment guidelines.  The portfolio manager works across different investment products.  Differences in the compensation structures of the Advisor's investment products may give rise to a conflict of interest by creating an incentive for the Advisor to allocate the investment opportunities it believes might be the most profitable to the client accounts where it might benefit the most from the investment gains.
Administrator.   The Trust has entered into the fund Accounting and Administration Agreement with The Nottingham Company ("Administrator"), 116 South Franklin Street, Post Office Box 69, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27802-0069. The Administrator performs the following services for the Fund: (i) procures on behalf of the Trust, and coordinates with the custodian and monitors the services it provides to the Fund; (ii) coordinates with and monitors any other third parties furnishing services to the Fund; (iii) provides the Fund with necessary office space, telephones, and other communications facilities and personnel competent to perform administrative and clerical functions for the Fund; (iv) assists or supervises the maintenance by third parties of such books and records of the Fund as may be required by applicable federal or state law; (v) assists in the preparation of all federal, state, and local tax returns and reports of the Fund required by applicable law; (vi) assists in the preparation of and, after approval by the Trust, files and arranges for the distribution of proxy materials and periodic reports to shareholders of the Fund as required by applicable law; (vii) assists in the preparation of and, after approval by the Trust, arranges for the filing of such registration statements and other documents with the SEC and other federal and state regulatory authorities as may be required by applicable law; (viii) reviews and submits to the officers of the Trust for their approval invoices or other requests for payment of Fund expenses and instructs the custodian to issue checks in payment thereof; and (ix) takes such other action with respect to the Fund as may be necessary in the opinion of the Administrator to perform its duties under the agreement. The Administrator will also provide certain accounting and pricing services for the Fund.
Compensation of the Administrator, which is based upon an administration fee on the average daily net assets of the fund, is at the following annual rates: 0.100% of the Fund's first $250 million, 0.080% on the next $250 million, 0.060% on the next $250 million, and 0.050% on the next $250 million, 0.040% on the next $1 billion, and 0.035% on all assets over $2 billion, with a monthly minimum general administration fee of $1,000.  The Administrator currently receives a monthly fund accounting fee of $2,250 per Fund for accounting and recordkeeping services with an additional fee of $500 per month for each additional class of shares plus an asset-based fee of 0.01% of the net assets of the Fund. The Administrator will also receive the following to procure and pay the custodian for the Fund: 0.02% on the first $100 million of the fund's net assets and 0.009% on all assets over $100 million plus transaction fees with a minimum annual fee of $5,000.  The Administrator also charges the Fund for certain costs involved with the daily valuation of investment securities and is reimbursed for out‑of‑pocket expenses.
For the fiscal years ended May 31, 2016, May 31, 2017, and May 31, 2018, the Fund paid general administration fees of $15,657, $24,024, and $23,999, respectively.
Distributor.   The Fund will conduct a continuous offering of their securities. Capital Investment Group, Inc., 100 E. Six Forks Road, Suite 200, Raleigh, North Carolina 27609, acts as the underwriter and Distributor of the Fund's shares for the purpose of facilitating the registration of shares of the Fund under state securities laws and assisting in sales of Fund shares pursuant to a distribution agreement ("Distribution Agreement") approved by the Trustees.  In this regard, the Distributor has agreed at its own expense to qualify as a broker-dealer under all applicable federal or state laws in those states that the Fund shall from time to time identify to the Distributor as states in which the Fund wishes to offer its shares for sale, in order that state registrations may be maintained for the Fund.  The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered with the SEC and a member in good standing of FINRA. The Distributor is entitled to receive an annual fee of $5,000 per Fund for performing certain recordkeeping, communication, and other administrative services for the Fund. Such administrative services include the following: (i) maintaining records with respect to submissions to FINRA, dealer discounts and brokerage fees and commissions, and selling agreements; (ii) maintaining an account with the National Securities Clearing Corporation's Fund/SERV System for the purpose of processing account registrations, maintaining accounts, and communicating transaction data; (iii) preparing reports for the Board of Trustees as shall be reasonably requested from time to time; and (iv) performing other services for the Trust as agreed to by the Distributor and the Trust from time to time.  The Distributor and Trust agree that the services described above are of an administrative nature and such services, as well as the fee provided in connection therewith, are not, nor are they intended to be, payment for marketing and/or distribution services related to, or the promotion of, the sale of the Fund's shares. The Distribution Agreement may be terminated by either party upon 60-days' prior written notice to the other party and will terminate automatically in the event of its assignment.  The Distributor serves as exclusive agent for the distribution of the shares of the Fund.
28

Transfer Agent.   The Trust has entered into a Dividend Disbursing and Transfer Agent Agreement with Nottingham Shareholder Services, LLC ("Transfer Agent"), a North Carolina limited liability company, to serve as transfer, dividend paying, and shareholder servicing agent for the Fund. The address of the Transfer Agent is 116 South Franklin Street, Post Office Box 4365, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365. The Transfer Agent is compensated for its services based upon a $21 fee per shareholder per year, subject to a minimum fee of $1,750 per month and $500 per month for each additional class of shares.
Custodian.   UMB Bank, at 1010 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri, 64106, serves as custodian for the Fund's assets (the "Custodian").  The Custodian acts as the depository for the Fund, safe keeps their portfolio securities, collects all income and other payments with respect to portfolio securities, disburses monies at the Fund's request, and maintains records in connection with its duties as custodian.  For its services, the Custodian is entitled to receive a monthly fee from the Administrator based on the average net assets of the Fund plus additional out-of-pocket and transaction expenses as incurred by the Fund.  The Custodian's compensation is based on the average daily net assets of the Fund at the following rates: 0.02% on the Fund's first $100 million and 0.009% on any average net assets over $100 million, subject to a minimum annual amount of $5,000 for the Fund.
Compliance Services Administrator.   The Trust has entered into a compliance services arrangement with Cipperman Compliance Services, LLC, located at 500 East Swedesford Road, Suite 104, Wayne, Pennsylvania, 19087. The Trust's CCO will prepare and update the Trust's compliance manual and monitor and test compliance with the policies and procedures under the Trust's compliance manual.
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.   The Trustees have selected the firm of BBD, LLP, located at 1835 Market Street, 3 rd Floor, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, 19103, to serve as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund for the current fiscal year, audit the annual financial statements of the Fund, and prepare the Fund's federal, state, and excise tax returns. The independent registered public accounting firm will audit the financial statements of the Fund at least once each year. Shareholders will receive annual audited and semi-annual (unaudited) reports when published and written confirmation of all transactions in their account.  A copy of the most recent annual report will accompany the SAI whenever a shareholder or a prospective investor requests it.
Legal Counsel.   Greenberg Traurig LLP serves as legal counsel to the Trust and the Fund.
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
Reference is made to "Purchasing Shares" and "Redeeming Shares" in the Fund's Prospectus for more information concerning how to purchase and redeem shares.  The following information supplements the information regarding share purchases and share redemptions in the Fund's Prospectus:
Purchases.   Shares the Fund are offered and sold on a continuous basis and may be purchased through authorized investment dealers or directly by contacting the Distributor, or the Fund directly. The purchase price of shares of the Fund is based on the NAV next determined after the order is received, subject to the order being accepted by the Fund in good form. NAV is normally determined at the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange on days the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular trading (currently 4:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday, except when the New York Stock Exchange closes earlier), as described under "Net Asset Value" above.  The NAV per share of the Fund is not calculated on business holidays when the New York Stock Exchange is closed.  An order received prior to the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange will be executed at the price calculated on the date of receipt and an order received after the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange will be executed at the price calculated as of that time on the next business day.
29

The Fund reserve the right in its sole discretion: (i) to suspend the offering of its shares; (ii) to reject purchase orders when in the judgment of management such rejection is in the best interest of the Fund and their shareholders; and (iii) to reduce or waive the minimum for initial and subsequent investments under circumstances where certain economies can be achieved in sales of Fund shares.
Redemptions.   The Fund may suspend redemption privileges or postpone the date of payment (i) during any period that the New York Stock Exchange is closed for other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or that trading on the New York Stock Exchange is restricted as determined by the SEC; (ii) during any period when an emergency exists as defined by the rules of the SEC as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities owned by it, or to determine fairly the value of its assets; and (iii) for such other periods as the SEC may permit.  The Fund may also suspend or postpone the recordation of the transfer of shares upon the occurrence of any of the foregoing conditions.  Any redemption may be more or less than the shareholder's cost depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund.  No charge is made by the Fund for redemptions other than the possible charge for wiring redemption proceeds.
Involuntary Redemptions.   In addition to the situations described in the Fund's Prospectus under "Redeeming Fund Shares," the Fund may redeem shares involuntarily to reimburse the Fund for any loss sustained by reason of the failure of a shareholder to make full payment for shares purchased by the shareholder or to collect any charge relating to a transaction effected for the benefit of a shareholder which is applicable to Fund shares as provided in the Fund's Prospectus from time to time or to close a shareholder's account if the Fund are unable to verify the shareholder's identity.
Other Information.   If an investor realizes a gain on the redemption, the reinvestment will not affect the amount of any federal capital gains tax payable on the gain.  If an investor realizes a loss on the redemption, the reinvestment may cause some or all of the loss to be disallowed as a tax deduction, depending on the number of shares purchased by reinvestment and the period of time that has elapsed after the redemption, although for tax purposes, the amount disallowed is added to the cost of the shares acquired upon the reinvestment.
SPECIAL SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
The Fund offers the following special shareholder services:
Regular Account.   The regular account allows for voluntary investments to be made at any time.  Available to individuals, custodians, corporations, trusts, estates, corporate retirement plans, and others, investors are free to make additions to or withdrawals from their account. When an investor makes an initial investment in the Fund, a shareholder account is opened in accordance with the investor's registration instructions. Each time there is a transaction in a shareholder account, such as an additional investment or the reinvestment of a dividend or distribution, the shareholder will receive a confirmation statement showing the current transaction and all prior transactions in the shareholder account during the calendar year to date, along with a summary of the status of the account as of the transaction date.  As stated in the Fund's Prospectus, share certificates are normally not issued.
Automatic Investment Plan. The automatic investment plan enables shareholders to make regular monthly or quarterly investments in shares through automatic charges to their checking account.  With shareholder authorization and bank approval, the Administrator will automatically charge the checking account for the amount specified ($50 minimum) which will be automatically invested in shares at the public offering price on or about the 21st day of the month.  The shareholder may change the amount of the investment or discontinue the plan at any time by writing to the Fund.
Purchases In Kind.   The Fund may accept securities in lieu of payment for the purchase of shares in the fund.  The acceptance of such securities is at the sole discretion of the Advisor based upon the suitability of the securities accepted for inclusion as a long-term investment of the Fund, the marketability of such securities, and other factors that the Advisor may deem appropriate.  If accepted, the securities will be valued using the same criteria and methods as described in "Purchase and Redemption Price – Determining the Fund's Net Asset Value" in the Fund's Prospectus.
30

Systematic Withdrawal Plan .   Shareholders owning shares of a particular class with a value of $5,000 or more may establish a systematic withdrawal plan ("Systematic Withdrawal Plan") for the applicable class of shares. A shareholder may receive monthly or quarterly payments, in amounts of not less than $50 per payment, by authorizing the Fund to redeem the necessary number of shares periodically (each month or quarterly) in order to make the payments requested. The Fund has the capability of electronically depositing the proceeds of the systematic withdrawal directly to the shareholders personal bank account ($5,000 minimum per bank wire).  Instructions for establishing this service are included in the Fund Shares Application, enclosed in the Fund's Prospectus, or are available by calling the Fund.  If the shareholder prefers to receive his systematic withdrawal proceeds in cash, or if such proceeds are less than the $5,000 minimum for a bank wire, checks will be made payable to the designated recipient and mailed with-in seven days of the valuation date.  If the designated recipient is other than the registered shareholder, the signature of each shareholder must be guaranteed on the application (see "Redeeming Shares – Signature Guarantees" in the Fund's Prospectus). A corporation (or partnership) must also submit a "Corporate Resolution" (or "Certification of Partnership") indi-cat-ing the names, titles, and required number of signatures auth-orized to act on its behalf.  The application must be signed by a duly authori-zed officer(s) and the corporate seal affixed.  Costs in conjunction with the administration of the plan are borne by the Fund. Shareholders should be aware that such systematic withdrawals may deplete or use up entirely their initial investment and may result in real-ized long-term or short-term capital gains or losses.  The Syste-matic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by the Fund upon 60-days' written notice or by a shareholder upon written notice to the Fund.  Applications and further details may be obtained by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863 or by writing to:
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
c/o Nottingham Shareholder Services
116 South Franklin Street
Post Office Box 4365
Rocky Mount, NC 27803-0365
Redemptions In-Kind. The Fund does not intend, under normal circumstances, to redeem its securities by payment in kind.  It is possible, however, that conditions may arise in the future which would, in the opinion of the Trustees, make it undesirable for the Fund to pay for all redemptions in cash. In such case the Trustees may authorize payment to be made in readily marketable portfolio securities of the Fund. Securities delivered in payment of redemptions would be valued at the same value assigned to them in computing the NAV per share. Shareholders receiving them would incur brokerage costs when these securities are sold.  An irrevocable election has been filed under Rule 18f‑1 of the 1940 Act, wherein the Fund committed to pay redemptions in cash, rather than in kind, to any shareholder of record of the Fund who redeems during any 90-day period, the lesser of (a) $250,000 or (b) one percent (1%) of the Fund's NAV at the beginning of such period.
Transfer of Registration.   To transfer shares to another owner, send a written request to the Fund at the address shown above.  Your request should include the following:  (i) the Fund name and existing account registration; (ii) signatures of the registered owners exactly as the signatures appear on the account registration; (iii) the new account registration, address, social security or taxpayer identification number, and how dividends and capital gains are to be distributed; (iv) signature guarantees (See the Fund's Prospectus under the heading "Signature Guarantees"); and (v) any additional documents which are required for transfer by corporations, administrators, executors, trustees, guardians, etc.  If you have any questions about transferring shares, call or write the Fund.
Employees and Affiliates of the Fund.   The Fund has adopted initial investment minimums for the purpose of reducing the cost to the Fund (and consequently to the shareholders) of communicating with and servicing its shareholders.  At the discretion of the Advisor, the Fund may allow investments in the Fund with a reduced minimum initial investment from its Trustees, officers, and employees, the Advisor and certain parties related thereto, including clients of the Advisor or any sponsor, officer, committee member thereof, or the immediate family of any of them.  In addition, accounts having the same mailing address may be aggregated for purposes of the minimum investment if they consent in writing to sharing a single mailing of shareholder reports, proxy statements (but each such shareholder would receive his/her own proxy), and other Fund literature.
Dealers.   The Distributor, at its expense, may provide additional compensation in addition to dealer discounts and brokerage commissions to dealers in connection with sales of shares of the Fund. Compensation may include financial assistance to dealers in connection with conferences, sales or training programs for their employees, seminars for the public, advertising campaigns regarding the Fund, and/or other dealer-sponsored special events.  In some instances, this compensation may be made available only to certain dealers whose representatives have sold or are expected to sell a significant amount of such shares.  Compensation may include payment for travel expenses, including lodging, incurred in connection with trips taken by invited registered representatives and members of their families to locations within or outside of the United States for meetings or seminars of a business nature.  Dealers may not use sales of the Fund shares to qualify for this compensation to the extent such may be prohibited by the laws of any state or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA.  None of the aforementioned compensation is paid directly by the Fund or its shareholders.
31

32
 
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS
The Trustees have adopted a policy that governs the disclosure of portfolio holdings.  This policy is intended to ensure that such disclosure is in the best interests of the shareholders of the Fund and to address possible conflicts of interest.  Under the Fund's policy, the Fund generally will not disclose the Fund's portfolio holdings to a third party unless such information is made available to the public.  The policy provides that the Fund may disclose non-public portfolio holdings information as required by law and under other limited circumstances that are set forth in more detail below.
The Fund may make portfolio holdings information available to the public, including the complete portfolio holdings from the previous business day. The fund will generally make this information available to the public at http://www.ncfunds.com/holdings/current-857.htm.

This information is also generally available on a quarterly basis within 60 days of the Fund's fiscal quarter end and will remain available until the next fiscal quarter's portfolio holdings report becomes available.  You may obtain a copy of these quarterly portfolio holdings reports by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863.  The Fund will also file these quarterly portfolio holdings reports with the SEC on Form N-CSR or Form N-Q, as applicable.  The Fund's Form N-CSR and Form N-Q are available on the SEC's website at http://www.sec.gov and may be reviewed and copied at the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC.  The first and third quarter portfolio holdings reports will be filed with the SEC on Form N-Q and the second and fourth fiscal quarter portfolio holdings reports will be included with the semi-annual and annual financial statements, respectively, which are sent to shareholders and filed with the SEC on Form N-CSR.
To the extent that the Fund's portfolio holdings have previously been disclosed publicly either through a filing made with the SEC on Form N-CSR or Form N-Q, or by being posted to the Fund's website, such holdings may also be disclosed to any third party that requests them.
Consistent with policies approved by the Board, the officers of the Fund will share non-public portfolio holdings information with the Fund's service providers that require such information for legitimate business and Fund oversight purposes.  Recipients of non-public portfolio holdings information have a duty not to trade on that confidential information.  The Fund has not (and do not intend to) enter into any arrangement providing for the receipt of compensation or other consideration in exchange for the disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information, other than the benefits that result to the Fund and their shareholders from providing such information, which include the publication of Fund ratings and rankings.
The Advisor, as well as the Custodian, fund accountant and Administrator, and CCO, have full daily access to the Fund's portfolio holdings. These service providers are subject to obligations requiring them to keep non-public portfolio holdings information confidential.  In some, but not all, cases these confidentiality obligations are established by written agreements. The Board has concluded that the confidentiality obligations in place for these parties are adequate to safeguard the Fund from unauthorized disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information. In addition, the Advisor has a code of ethics that prohibits covered persons from disclosing or trading based on non-public portfolio holdings information.
The Fund's Distributor, Transfer Agent, independent public accountants, and legal counsel have access to the Fund's portfolio holdings on an ad hoc, as needed basis. The Distributor and Transfer Agent are subject to written agreements that establish confidentiality obligations with respect to the Fund's portfolio holdings. The independent public accountants and legal counsel are subject to professional obligations that require them to keep non-public portfolio holdings information confidential. The Board of Trustees has concluded that the confidentiality obligations in place for these parties are adequate to safeguard the Fund from unauthorized disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information.
33

Allegra Design Marketing Print Mail, PrintGrafix (a division of Sunbelt Graphics Systems, Inc.), PrinterLink Communications Group, Inc., Riverside Printing, Inc., and V.G. Reed & Sons are financial printers the Fund may engage for, among other things, the printing and/or distribution of regulatory and compliance documents. These service providers are subject to written agreements that establish confidentiality obligations with respect to the Fund's portfolio holdings.
The Fund and its service providers may also provide non-public portfolio holdings information to appropriate regulatory agencies as required by applicable laws and regulations.
The Fund currently does not provide non-public portfolio holdings information to any other third parties. In the future, the Advisor may establish ongoing arrangements with other third parties if the Advisor determines that the Fund has a legitimate business purpose for doing so, determines that the disclosure is in the shareholders' best interest, and the recipient is subject to a duty of confidentiality. These parties could include, by way of example, financial data processing companies that provide automated data scanning and monitoring services for the Fund, research companies that allow the Advisor to perform attribution analysis for the Fund, and the Advisor's proxy voting agent to assess and vote proxies on behalf of the Fund. The Advisor is responsible for determining which other third parties have a legitimate business purpose for receiving the Fund's portfolio holdings information.
The Fund's policy regarding disclosure of portfolio holdings is subject to the continuing oversight and direction of the Trustees. Oversight includes: (i) review and approval of the policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings as necessary, including review of the parties receiving non-public portfolio holdings information; (ii) periodic assessment of compliance in connection with a report from the Trust's CCO, (iii) receipt of reports on any conflicts of interest where disclosure of information about portfolio holdings may conflict or appear to conflict with the interests of the Fund's investment advisor, any principal underwriter for the Trust or an affiliated person of the Trust, and (iv) receipt of reports on any known disclosure of the Fund's portfolio holdings to unauthorized third parties. The Fund and Advisor are obligated to report issues that arise under the policy on disclosure of portfolio holdings to the CCO.  Material compliance matters must be reported to the Board of Trustees.
NET ASSET VALUE
The NAV and NAV per share of the Fund normally is determined at the time regular trading closes on the New York Stock Exchange (currently 4:00 p.m., New York time, Monday through Friday), except when the New York Stock Exchange closes earlier.  The Fund's NAV is not calculated on business holidays when the New York Stock Exchange is closed. The New York Stock Exchange generally recognizes the following holidays:  New Year's Day, Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President's Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, and Christmas Day. Any other holiday recognized by the New York Stock Exchange will be deemed a business holiday on which the NAV of the Fund will not be calculated.
The NAV per share of each class of shares of the Fund is calculated separately by adding the value of the Fund's securities and other assets belonging to the Fund and attributable to a class of shares, subtracting the liabilities charged to the Fund and to the class of shares, and dividing the result by the number of outstanding shares of such class of shares.  "Assets belonging to" the Fund consist of the consideration received upon the issuance of shares of the Fund together with all net investment income, realized gains/losses and proceeds derived from the investment thereof, including any proceeds from the sale of such investments, any fund or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, and a portion of any general assets of the Trust not belonging to a particular fund.  Income, realized and unrealized capital gains and losses, and any expenses of the Fund not allocated to a particular class of shares will be allocated to each class on the basis of the NAV of that class in relation to the NAV of the Fund.  Assets belonging to the Fund are charged with the direct liabilities of the Fund and with a share of the general liabilities of the Trust, which are normally allocated in proportion to the number of or the relative NAVs of all of the Trust's series at the time of allocation or in accordance with other allocation methods approved by the Trustees.  Certain expenses attributable to a particular class of shares (such as the distribution and service fees) will be charged against that class.  Certain other expenses attributable to a particular class of shares (such as registration fees, professional fees, and certain printing and postage expenses) may be charged against that class if such expenses are actually incurred in a different amount by that class or if the class receives services of a different kind or to a different degree than other classes, and the Trustees approve such allocation.  Subject to the provisions of the Trust Instrument, determinations by the Trustees as to the direct and allocable liabilities, and the allocable portion of any general assets, with respect to the Fund and the classes of the Fund are conclusive.
34

 
The pricing and valuation of portfolio securities is determined in good faith in accordance with procedures established by, and under the direction of, the Trustees.  Values are determined according to accepted accounting practices and all laws and regulations that apply.  Using methods approved by the Trustees, the assets of the Fund are valued as follows:
·
Securities that are listed on a securities exchange are valued at the last quoted sales price at the time the valuation is made.  Price information on listed securities is taken from the exchange where the security is primarily traded by the Fund.
·
Securities that are listed on an exchange and which are not traded on the valuation date are valued at the bid price.
·
Unlisted securities for which market quotations are readily available are valued at the latest quoted sales price, if available, at the time of valuation, otherwise, at the latest quoted bid price.
·
Options are valued at the mean of the last quoted bid and ask prices at the time of valuation.
·
Foreign securities listed on foreign exchanges are valued with quotations from the primary market in which they are traded and are translated from the local currency into U.S. dollars using current exchange rates.
·
Temporary cash investments with maturities of 60 days or less will be valued at amortized cost, which approximates market value.
·
Securities for which no current quotations are readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith using methods approved by the Trustees.  Securities may be valued on the basis of prices provided by a pricing service when such prices are believed to reflect the fair market value of such securities.
ADDITIONAL TAX INFORMATION
The following summarizes certain additional tax considerations affecting the Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectus.  No attempt is made to present a detailed explanation of the tax treatment of the Fund, its shareholders, or any special category of shareholders. The discussions here and in the Prospectus are not intended as a substitute for careful tax planning and are based on tax laws and regulations that are in effect on the date hereof, and which may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action. In addition, no attempt is made to address tax concerns applicable to an investor with a special tax status such as a financial institution, REIT, insurance company, regulated investment company, individual retirement account, other tax-exempt entity, dealer in securities or non-U.S. investor.  Furthermore, this discussion does not reflect possible application of the alternative minimum tax. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion assumes the common shares are held by U.S. persons and that such shares are held as capital assets.  Investors are advised to consult their tax advisor with specific reference to their own tax situations.
Each series of the Trust, including the Fund, will be treated as a separate corporate entity under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code"), and intends to qualify or remain qualified as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code.  In order to so qualify, each series must elect to be a regulated investment company or have made such an election for a previous year and must satisfy certain requirements relating to the amount of distributions and source of its income for a taxable year.  At least 90% of the gross income of each series must be derived from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stocks, securities or foreign currencies, and other income derived with respect to the series' business of investing in such stock, securities, currencies and net income derived from an interest in a qualified publicly traded partnership.  Any income derived by a series from a partnership (other than a qualified publicly traded partnership) or trust is treated as derived with respect to the series' business of investing in stock, securities or currencies only to the extent that such income is attributable to items of income that would have been qualifying income if realized by the series in the same manner as by the partnership or trust.
An investment company may not qualify as a regulated investment company for any taxable year unless it satisfies certain requirements with respect to the diversification of its investments at the close of each quarter of the taxable year.  In general, at least 50% of the value of its total assets must be represented by cash, cash items, government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities which, with respect to any one issuer, do not represent more than 5% of the total assets of the fund nor more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.  In addition, not more than 25% of the value of the fund's total assets may be invested in the securities (other than government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) of any one issuer; the securities of two or more issuers (other than securities of another regulated investment company) if the issuers are controlled by the Fund and they are, pursuant to Internal Revenue Service Regulations, engaged in the same or similar or related trades or businesses; or the securities of one or more publicly traded partnerships.  The Fund intends to satisfy all requirements on an ongoing basis for continued qualification as a regulated investment company.
35

 
Some, but not all, of the dividends paid by the Fund may be taxable at the reduced long-term capital gains tax rate for individual shareholders.  If the Fund designates a dividend as qualified dividend income, it generally will be taxable to individual shareholders at the long-term capital gains tax rate, provided certain holding period requirements are met.
 
Taxable dividends paid by the Fund to corporate shareholders will be taxed at corporate income tax rates.  Corporate shareholders may be entitled to a dividends received deduction ("DRD") for a portion of the dividends paid and designated by the Fund as qualifying for the DRD.
If the Fund designates a dividend as a capital gains distribution, it generally will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gains, regardless of how long the shareholders have held their Fund shares or whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares.  All taxable dividends paid by the Fund other than those designated as qualified dividend income or capital gains distributions will be taxable as ordinary income to shareholders, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares.  To the extent the Fund engage in increased portfolio turnover, short-term capital gains may be realized, and any distribution resulting from such gains will be considered ordinary income for federal tax purposes. The Fund's net realized capital gains from securities transactions will be distributed only after reducing such gains by the amount of any available capital loss carryforwards. Capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain the character of the original loss. Capital loss carryforwards are available to offset future realized capital gains. To the extent that these carryforwards are used to offset future capital gains it is probable that the amount offset will not be distributed to shareholders. As of May 31, 2018, the Fund had a capital loss carryforward of $429,538, all of which is short-term in nature and has no expiration.
Certain individuals, estates and trusts must pay a 3.8% Medicare surtax on "net investment income" including, among other things, dividends and proceeds of sale in respect of securities like the shares, subject to certain exceptions.  Prospective investors should consult with their own tax advisor regarding the effect, if any, of this surtax on their ownership and disposition of the shares.
Shareholders who hold Fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as a retirement plan, generally will not have to pay tax on Fund distributions until they receive distributions from their account.
Each series of the Trust, including the Fund, will designate (i) any dividend of qualified dividend income as qualified dividend income; (ii) any tax-exempt dividend as an exempt-interest dividend; (iii) any distribution of long-term capital gains as a capital gain dividend; and (iv) any dividend eligible for the corporate DRD as such in a written notice mailed to shareholders within 60 days after the close of the series' taxable year.  Shareholders should note that, upon the sale or exchange of series shares, if the shareholder has not held such shares for at least six months, any loss on the sale or exchange of those shares will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain dividends received with respect to the shares.
To the extent that a distribution from the Fund is taxable, it is generally included in a shareholder's gross income for the taxable year in which the shareholder receives the distribution. However, if the Fund declares a dividend in October, November, or December but pays it in January, it will be taxable to shareholders as if they received it in the year it was declared. Every year, each shareholder will receive a statement detailing the tax status of any Fund distributions for that year.
A 4% nondeductible excise tax is imposed on regulated investment companies that fail to currently distribute an amount equal to specified percentages of their ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income (excess of capital gains over capital losses). Each series of the Trust, including the Fund, intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and any capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for this excise tax.
36

If for any taxable year a series does not qualify for the special federal income tax treatment afforded regulated investment companies, all of its taxable income will be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates (without any deduction for distributions to its shareholders).  In such event, dividend distributions (whether or not derived from interest on tax-exempt securities) would be taxable as qualified dividends to individual shareholders to the extent of the Fund's current and accumulated earnings and profits, and would be eligible for the DRD for corporations, provided in each case that certain holding period and other requirements are met.
In general, a shareholder who sells or redeems shares will realize a capital gain or loss, which will be long-term or short-term, depending upon the shareholder's holding period for the Fund shares.  An exchange of shares may be treated as a sale and any gain may be subject to tax.
The Fund must report cost basis information to the Internal Revenue Service on Form 1099-B for any sale of shares purchased in non-retirement accounts.  Registered investment companies must select a default cost basis calculation method and apply that method to reportable sales of shares unless an alternate Internal Revenue Service approved method is specifically elected in writing by the shareholder.  Average cost, which is the mutual fund industry standard, has been selected as the Fund's default cost basis calculation method.  If a shareholder determines that an Internal Revenue Service approved cost basis calculation method other than the Fund's default method of average cost is more appropriate, the shareholder must contact the Fund at the time of or in advance of a reportable sale of shares that are to be subject to such alternate election. Internal Revenue Service regulations do not permit the change of a cost basis election on previously executed trades.  Cost basis information will not be reported to the IRS or shareholder upon the sale of any shares not covered by these cost basis reporting requirements.
The Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of taxable dividends or of gross proceeds realized upon sale paid to shareholders who (i) have failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number in the manner required; (ii) are subject to back-up withholding by the Internal Revenue Service for failure to include properly on their return payments of taxable interest or dividends; or (iii) 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."  Back-up withholding is not an additional tax.  Any amounts withheld from payments to you may be refunded or credited against your U.S. federal income tax liability, if any, provided that the required information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service.
Depending upon the extent of the Fund's activities in states and localities in which its offices are maintained, in which its agents or independent contractors are located, or in which it is otherwise deemed to be conducting business, the Fund may be subject to the tax laws of such states or localities. In addition, in those states and localities that have income tax laws, the treatment of the Fund and its shareholders under such laws may differ from their treatment under federal income tax laws.
Dividends paid by the Fund to non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% unless reduced by treaty (and the shareholder files a valid Internal Revenue Service Form W-8BEN, or other applicable form, with the Fund certifying foreign status and treaty eligibility) or the non-U.S. shareholder files an Internal Revenue Service Form W-8ECI, or other applicable form, with the Fund certifying that the investment to which the distribution relates is effectively connected to a United States trade or business of such non-U.S. shareholder (and, if certain tax treaties apply, is attributable to a United States permanent establishment maintained by such non-U.S. shareholder). The Fund may elect not to withhold the applicable withholding tax on any distribution representing a capital gain dividend to a non-U.S. shareholder. Special rules may apply to non-U.S. shareholders with respect to the information reporting requirements and withholding taxes and non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisor with respect to the application of such reporting requirements and withholding taxes.
The Fund will send shareholders information each year on the tax status of dividends and distributions.  A dividend or capital gains distribution paid shortly after shares have been purchased, although in effect a return of investment, is subject to federal income taxation.  Dividends from net investment income, along with capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders, whether received in cash or Fund shares and no matter how long the shareholder has held Fund shares, even if they reduce the NAV of shares below the shareholder's cost and thus, in effect, result in a return of a part of the shareholder's investment.
37

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The audited financial statements of the Fund for the fiscal year ended May 31, 2018, including the financial highlights appearing in the Annual Report to shareholders, are incorporated by reference into this SAI (meaning such documents are legally part of this SAI) and are on file with the SEC.  The Fund's annual and semi-annual reports are available without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund at 1-800-773-3863 or on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov.
38

APPENDIX A – DESCRIPTION OF RATINGS
The Fund may acquire from time to time certain securities that meet the following minimum rating criteria ("Investment-Grade Debt Securities") (or if not rated, of equivalent quality as determined by the Advisor).  The various ratings used by the nationally recognized securities rating services are described below.
A rating by a rating service represents the service's opinion as to the credit quality of the security being rated.  However, the ratings are general and are not absolute standards of quality or guarantees as to the creditworthiness of an issuer.  Consequently, the Advisor believes that the quality of Investment-Grade Debt Securities in which the Fund may invest should be continuously reviewed and that individual analysts give different weightings to the various factors involved in credit analysis.  A rating is not a recommendation to purchase, sell, or hold a security, because it does not take into account market value or suitability for a particular investor.  When a security has received a rating from more than one service, each rating is evaluated independently.  Ratings are based on current information furnished by the issuer or obtained by the rating services from other sources that they consider reliable.  Ratings may be changed, suspended, or withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability of such information, or for other reasons.
S&P Global Ratings.   The following summarizes the highest four ratings used by S&P Global Ratings, a division of McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., for bonds which are deemed to be Investment‑Grade Debt Securities by the Advisor:
AAA – An obligation rated 'AAA' has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.
AA – An obligation rated 'AA' differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.
A – An obligation rated 'A' is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is still strong.
BBB –  An obligation rated 'BBB' exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.
To provide more detailed indications of credit quality, the AA, A, and BBB ratings may be modified by the addition of a plus or minus sign to show relative standing within these major rating categories.
Bonds rated BB, B, CCC, CC, and C are not considered by the Advisor to be Investment‑Grade Debt Securities and are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics.  BB indicates the least degree of speculation and C the highest.  While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposures to adverse conditions.
Commercial paper rated A‑1 by S&P Global Ratings indicates that the degree of safety regarding timely payment is strong.  Those issues determined to possess extremely strong safety characteristics are denoted A‑1+.  Capacity for timely payment on commercial paper rated A‑2 is satisfactory, but the relative degree of safety is not as high as for issues designated A‑1.
The rating SP‑1 is the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings to short term notes and indicates strong capacity to pay principal and interest.  An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.  The rating SP‑2 indicates a satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.  The rating SP-3 indicates a speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.
Moody's Investor Service, Inc.   The following summarizes the highest four ratings used by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), for fixed-income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more, which are deemed to be Investment-Grade Debt Securities by the Advisor:
Aaa – Bond obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.
Aa – Bond obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.
39

A – Bond obligations rated A are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.
Baa – Bond obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Obligations that are rated Ba, B, Caa, Ca, or C by Moody's are not considered "Investment-Grade Debt Securities" by the Advisor.  Obligations rated Ba are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.  Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.  Obligations rated Caa are judged to be of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.
Note: Moody's appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa.  The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category.
Short-Term Ratings.
Moody's short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations.  Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs, or individual short-term debt instruments.  Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.
Moody's employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:
P-1 – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-2 – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
P-3 – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.
NP – Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.
Note: Canadian issuers rated P-1 or P-2 have their short-term ratings enhanced by the senior-most long-term rating of the issuer, its guarantor, or support-provider.
US Municipal Short-Term Debt And Demand Obligation Ratings.
Short-Term Debt Ratings.   There are three rating categories for short-term municipal obligations that are considered investment grade.  These ratings are designated as Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and are divided into three levels – MIG 1 through MIG 3.  In addition, those short-term obligations that are of speculative quality are designated SG, or speculative grade.  MIG ratings expire at the maturity of the obligation.
MIG 1 – This designation denotes superior credit quality.  Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.
MIG 2 – This designation denotes strong credit quality.  Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.
MIG 3 – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality.  Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.
SG – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality.  Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.
Demand Obligation Ratings.   In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned; a long or short-term debt rating and a demand obligation rating.  The first element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with scheduled principal and interest payments.  The second element represents Moody's evaluation of the degree of risk associated with the ability to receive purchase price upon demand ("demand feature"), using a variation of the MIG rating scale, the Variable Municipal Investment Grade or VMIG rating.
40

When either the long- or short-term aspect of a VRDO is not rated, that piece is designated NR, e.g., Aaa/NR or NR/VMIG 1.
VMIG rating expirations are a function of each issue's specific structural or credit features.
VMIG 1 – This designation denotes superior credit quality.  Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 2 – This designation denotes strong credit quality.  Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
VMIG 3 – This designation denotes acceptable credit quality.  Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections that ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
SG – This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality.  Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have an investment grade short-term rating or may lack the structural and/or legal protections necessary to ensure the timely payment of purchase price upon demand.
Fitch Ratings. The following summarizes the highest four ratings used by Fitch, Inc. ("Fitch"):
Long-Term Ratings.
AAA – Highest credit quality.  'AAA' ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit risk.  They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.  This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.
AA – Very high credit quality.  'AA' ratings denote expectations of very low default risk.  They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments.  This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.
A – High credit quality.  'A' ratings denote expectations of low default risk.  The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong.  This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.
BBB – Good credit quality.  'BBB' ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low.  The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate, but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.
Long-term securities rated below BBB by Fitch are not considered by the Advisor to be Investment-Grade Debt Securities.  Securities rated BB and B are regarded as speculative with regard to a possible credit risk developing.  BB is considered speculative and B is considered highly speculative.  Securities rated CCC, CC, and C are regarded as a high default risk.  A rating CC indicates that default of some kind appears probable, while a rating C signals imminent default.  Securities rated DDD, D, and D indicate a default has occurred.
Short-Term Ratings.
F1 – Highest short-term credit quality.  The rating F1 indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added "+" to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.
F2 – Good short-term credit quality.  The rating F2 indicates good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.
F3 – Fair short-term credit quality.  The rating F3 indicates the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.
B – Speculative short-term credit quality.  The rating B indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.
41

Short-term rates B, C, and D by Fitch are considered by the Advisor to be below investment-grade securities.  Short-term securities rated B are considered speculative, securities rated C have a high default risk, and securities rated D denote actual or imminent payment default.
(+) or (-) suffixes may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories.  Such suffixes are not added to long-term ratings "AAA" category, categories below "CCC", or short-term ratings other than "F1".  The suffix "NR" indicates that Fitch does not publicly rate the issuer or issue in question.

42

APPENDIX B – PROXY VOTING POLICIES
The following proxy voting policies are provided:
(1)
The Advisor' Proxy Voting and Disclosure Policy, including a detailed description of the Advisor' specific proxy voting guidelines.





43

Proxy Voting Policy - ARS Investment Management, LLC

Alpha Risk Solutions has delegated proxy voting decisions on securities held in the fund's portfolio to its investment advisor, ARS Investment Management, LLC ("ARS"). ARS has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures ("Proxy Voting Policies") that provide that proxies on portfolio securities will be voted for the exclusive benefit, and in the best economic interest of the Fund's shareholders, as determined by ARS in good faith, subject to any restrictions or directions of a Fund. Such voting responsibilities will be exercised in a manner that is consistent with the general antifraud provisions of the Investment Advisors Act of 1940, as well as ARS's fiduciary duties under the federal and state law to act in the best interest of its clients. The Board of Trustees of the Fund has approved the Proxy Voting Policies.
On certain routine proposals (such as those which do not change the structures, bylaws or operations of a company), ARS will generally vote in the manner recommended by management. Non-routine proposals (such as those affecting corporate governance, compensation and other corporate events) and shareholder proposals will generally be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. An investment analyst/portfolio manager will review each such proposal and decide how the proxy will be voted. With respect to all non-routine proposals and shareholder proposals, if a decision is made to consider voting in a manner other than that recommended by management, the analyst/portfolio manager will make a recommendation to the Chief Investment Officer, who will make the final determination as to how to vote the proxy in the best economic interests of the client.
In certain circumstances where, for example, restrictions on ownership of a particular security beyond the control of ARS make it impossible for ARS to acquire as large a position in that security as it determines is in the best interests of its clients, ARS may, from time to time, enter into a voting agreement with an issuer of securities held in the account of a client which provides that the issuer will vote certain of the issuer's proxies. ARS will enter into such voting agreements only when it determines that it is in the best interests of the client to do so. Any such voting agreement will provide that any shares subject to the agreement be voted by the issuer in a manner that mirrors the votes cast on such matter by all other shareholders.
If ARS determines that voting a particular proxy would create a conflict of interest between the interests of a Fund and its shareholders on the one hand, and ARS's own interests, the interests of the Fund's distributor, or the interests of an affiliated person of the Fund, ARS, or the Fund's distributor on the other hand, ARS will either (i) disclose such conflict of interest to the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees and obtain the consent of the committee before voting the proxy; (ii) vote such proxy based upon the recommendations of an independent third party such as a proxy voting service; or (iii) delegate the responsibility for voting the particular proxy to the Corporate Governance Committee of the Board of Trustees.

44

 
PART C

FORM N-1A

OTHER INFORMATION


ITEM 28.   Exhibits
(a)
Declaration of Trust ("Trust Instrument"). 1
(b)
By-Laws. 1
(c)
Articles III, V, and VI of the Trust Instrument, exhibit 23(a) hereto, defines the rights of holders of the securities being registered.  (Certificates for shares are not issued.)
(d)(1)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Cavalier Investments, Inc., as investment advisor for the Cavalier Funds. 30
(d)(2)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Roumell Asset Management, LLC, as investment advisor for the Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund. 4
(d)(3)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Grimaldi Portfolio Solutions, Inc., as investment advisor for the Sector Rotation Fund. 5
(d)(4)
Investment Advisory Agreement, as amended, between Registrant and Arin Risk Advisors, LLC, as investment advisor for the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund . 8
(d)(5)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Deschutes Portfolio Strategies, Inc. , as investment advisor for the Matisse Discounted Closed-End Fund Strategy . 27
(d)(6)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and QCI Asset Management, Inc., as investment advisor for the QCI Balanced Fund. 12
(d)(7)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Sirius Funds Advisors, Inc , as investment advisor for the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund. 14
(d)(8)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and ARS Investment Management, LLC , as investment advisor for the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund Fund. 26
(d)(9)
Investment Advisory Agreement between Registrant and Deschutes Portfolio Strategy, Inc. d/b/a Matisse Capital, as investment advisor for the Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy. 37
(d)(10)
Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Crow Point Partners, LLC, as investment advisor for the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund . 36
(d)(11)
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, Crow Point Partners, LLC, and Cold Creek Capital, LLC, as sub-advisor for the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund. 36
(d)( 12 )
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, Cavalier Investments and Buckhead Capital Management, LLC, as sub-advisor for the Cavalier Adaptive Income Fund. 30
 

(d)( 13 )
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Registrant, Cavalier Investments, and Navellier & Associates, as sub-advisor for the Cavalier Fundamental Growth Fund. 24
(d)( 14 )
Investment Sub-Advisory Agreement between Cavalier Investments and Peak Capital Management, LLC, as sub-advisor for the Cavalier Dynamic Growth Fund. 34
(e)( 1 )
Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Capital Investment Group, Inc., as distributor for each series of the Trust. 28
(e)( 2 )
Amended and Restated Appendix A to Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and Capital Investment Group, Inc., as distributor for each series of the Trust. 34
(f)
Not Applicable.
(g)( 1 )
Custody Agreement between the Registrant, UMB Bank, n.a., and The Nottingham Company. 19
(g)( 2 )
Amended and Restated Appendix B to Custody Agreement between the Registrant, UMB Bank, n.a., and The Nottingham Company. 34
(g)( 3 )
Amended and Restated Rule 17f5 Appendix to Custody Agreement between the Registrant, UMB Bank, n.a., and The Nottingham Company. 34
(h)(1)
Fund Accounting and Administration Agreement between the Registrant and The Nottingham Company, as administrator for the Starboard Investment Trust. 28
(h)(2)
Appendix C.6 to Fund Accounting and Administration Agreement between the Registrant and The Nottingham Company, as administrator for the Starboard Investment Trust. 34
(h)(3)
Dividend Disbursing and Transfer Agent Agreement between the Registrant and Nottingham Shareholder Services, LLC, as transfer agent for the Registrant. 31
(h)(4)
Amended and Restated Schedule 1 to Dividend Disbursing and Transfer Agent Agreement between the Registrant and Nottingham Shareholder Services, LLC, as transfer agent for the Registrant. 34
(h)(5)
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and ARS Investment Management, LLC, as investment advisor for the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund. 38
(h)(6)
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Cavalier Investments, Inc., as investment advisor for the Cavalier Funds. 24
(h)( 7 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Deschutes Portfolio Strategy, LLC d/b/a Matisse Capital as investment advisor for the Matisse Discounted Closed-End Fund Strategy. 17
(h)( 8 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Cavalier Investments, Inc., as investment advisor for the Nebraska Fund. 29
(h)( 9 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and QCI Asset Management, Inc., as investment advisor for the QCI Balanced Fund. 32
(h)( 10 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Roumell Asset Management, Inc., as investment advisor for the Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund. 22
 


(h)( 11 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Grimaldi Portfolio Solutions, as investment advisor for The Sector Rotation Fund. 23
(h)( 12 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Sirius Funds Advisors, Inc as investment advisor for the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund. 36
(h)( 13 )
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and Deschutes Portfolio Strategy, LLC dba Matisse Capital as investment advisor for the Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy. 37
(h)( 14 )
Operating Plan between Arin Risk Advisors, LLC and The Nottingham Company. 7
(i)(1)
Opinion and consent of counsel. 35
(i)(2)
Consent of counsel. 38
(j)
Consent of Independent Accountant. 38
(k)
Not applicable.
(l)(1)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Rx Dynamic Growth Fund and the Rx Dynamic Total Return Fund. 3
(l)(2)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund. 6
(l)(3)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund. 9
(l)(4)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Rx Non-Traditional Fund, Rx High Income Fund, Rx Traditional Equity Fund, Rx Traditional Fixed Income Fund, Rx Tactical Rotation Fund, Rx Tax Advantaged Fund, Rx Dividend Income Fund, and Rx Premier Managers Fund. 9
(l)(5)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Matisse Discounted Closed-End Fund Strategy. 9
(l)(6)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the QCI Balanced Fund. 16
(l)(7)
Initial Subscription Agreement for the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund. 14
(l)(8)
Initial Subscription Agreement for Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy. 37
(m)(1)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund. 28
(m)(2)
Amended Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Cavalier Adaptive Income Fund, Cavalier Dynamic Growth Fund, Cavalier Fundamental Growth Fund, Cavalier Growth Opportunities Fund, Cavalier High Income Fund, Cavalier Tactical Economic  Fund, Cavalier Tactical Rotation Fund. 30
(m)(3)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund. 15
(m)(4)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Nebraska Fund. 29
(m)(5)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the QCI Balanced Fund. 11
(m)(6)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund. 14


(m)(7)
Distribution Plan under Rule 12b-1 for the Sector Rotation Fund. 25
(n)(1)
Amended Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund. 28
(n)(2)
Amended Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the Cavalier Funds. 30
(n)(3)
Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund. 7
(n)(4)
Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the Nebraska Fund. 29
(n)(5)
Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the QCI Balanced Fund. 12
(n)(6)
Multiple Class Plan Pursuant to Rule 18f-3 for the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund. 13
(o)
Reserved.
(p)(1)
Code of Ethics for the Registrant .2
(p)(2)
Code of Ethics for Cavalier Investments, Inc., investment advisors to the Cavalier Funds. 20
(p)(3)
Code of Ethics for Roumell Asset Management, LLC, investment advisor to the Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund. 31
(p)(4)
Code of Ethics for Grimaldi Portfolio Solutions, Inc., investment advisor to The Sector Rotation Fund. 23
(p)(5)
Code of Ethics for Arin Risk Advisors, LLC, investment advisor to the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund. 19
(p)(6)
Code of Ethics for Deschutes Portfolio Strategies, Inc., dba Matisse Capital, investment advisor to the Matisse Discounted Closed-End Strategy and Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy. 27
(p)(7)
Code of Ethics for Navellier & Associates, Inc., investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Fundamental Growth Fund. 10
(p)(8)
Code of Ethics for QCI Asset Management, Inc., investment advisor to the QCI Balanced Fund. 32
(p)(9)
Code of Ethics for Sirius Point Advisors, Inc., investment advisor to the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund. 20
(p)(10)
Code of Ethics for ARS Investment Management, LLC, investment advisor to the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund. 21
(p)( 11 )
Code of Ethics for Crow Point Partners, LLC, investment advisor to the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund. 34
(p)( 12 )
Code of Ethics for Cold Creek Capital, Inc., investment sub-advisor to the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund. 34



(p)(13)
Code of Ethics for Capital Investment Group, Inc., distributor for each series of the Trust. 38
(q)
Powers of Attorney . 38

1.
Incorporated herein by reference to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on May 26, 2009.
2.
Incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 2 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 24, 2009.
3.
Incorporated herein by reference to Pre-Effective Amendment No. 3 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on August 19, 2009.
4.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 27 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 15, 2010.
5.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 42 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on June 27, 2011.
6.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 61 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 29, 2011.
7.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on May 4, 2012.
8.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 12, 2012.
9.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on October 22, 2012.
10.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 134 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on August 2, 2013.
11.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 160 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on November 15, 2013.
12.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 167 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 29, 2014.
13.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 170 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on May 16, 2014.
14.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 171 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on May 19, 2014.
15.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 172 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on June 30, 2014.

 
 

16.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 175 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2014.
17.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 211 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2015.
18.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 216 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on August 28, 2015.
19.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 231 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 20, 2016.
20.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 233 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 29, 2016.
21.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.241 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 29, 2016.
22.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.242 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 29, 2016.
23.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.247 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 1, 2017.
24.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.251 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on March 24, 2017.
25.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.253 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 13, 2017.
26.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.254 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on April 21, 2017.
27.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.268 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 28, 2017.
28.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.274 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on September 13, 2017.
29.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.275 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on September 27, 2017.
30.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.277 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on September 28, 2017.
31.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.284 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on December 29, 2017.
32.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.285 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on January 26, 2018.
33.
Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No.289 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on February 9, 2018.
34.
 Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 296 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on June 28, 2018.
35.
 Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 299 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 27, 2018.
36
 Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 301 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on July 30, 2018.
37.
 Incorporated herein by reference to Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 to Registrant's Registration Statement on Form N-1A filed on August 3, 2018.
38 .
Filed Herewith.

 


ITEM 29.     Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
        No person is controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.
ITEM 30.     Indemnification
        Under Delaware law, Section 3817 of the Treatment of Delaware Statutory Trusts empowers Delaware business trusts to indemnify and hold harmless any trustee or beneficial owner or other person from and against any and all claims and demands whatsoever, subject to such standards and restrictions as may be set forth in the governing instrument of the business trust.  The Registrant's Trust Instrument contains the following provisions:
Article VII. Section 2.   Indemnification and Limitation of Liability .  The Trustees shall not be responsible or liable in any event for any neglect or wrong-doing of any officer, agent, employee, Advisor or Principal Underwriter of the Trust, nor shall any Trustee be responsible for the act or omission of any other Trustee, and, as provided in Section 3 of this Article VII, the Trust out of its assets shall indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer of the Trust from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to such Trustee's performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer of the Trust; provided that nothing herein contained shall indemnify, hold harmless or protect any Trustee or officer from or against any liability to the Trust or any Shareholder to which he or she would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or her office.
Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.
Article VII. Section 3.   Indemnification.
(a)   Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in Subsection (b) below:
(i)   every person who is, or has been, a Trustee or an officer, employee or agent of the Trust (including any individual who serves at its request as director, officer, partner, trustee or the like of another organization in which it has any interest as a shareholder, creditor or otherwise) ("Covered Person") shall be indemnified by the Trust or the appropriate Series to the fullest extent permitted by law against liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which he becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of his being or having been a Covered Person and against amounts paid or incurred by him in the settlement thereof; and
(ii)   as used herein, the words "claim," "action," "suit," or "proceeding" shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal or other, including appeals), actual or threatened, and the words "liability" and "expenses" shall include, without limitation, attorneys, fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement, fines, penalties and other liabilities.
(b)   No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:
(i)   who shall have been adjudicated by a court or body before which the proceeding was brought (A) to be liable to the Trust or its Shareholders by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office, or (B) not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust; or
(ii)   in the event the matter is not adjudicated by a court or other appropriate body, unless there has been a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office: by at least a majority of those Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor are parties to the matter based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry); or by written opinion of independent legal counsel based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry).

(c)   The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not be exclusive of or affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of a Covered Person.
(d)   To the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, expenses incurred in defending any proceeding may be advanced by the Trust before the disposition of the proceeding upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of such Covered Person that such amount will be paid over by him to the Trust or applicable Series if it is ultimately determined that he is not entitled to indemnification under this Section; provided, however, that either a majority of the Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor parties to the matter, or independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall have determined, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that there is reason to believe that such Covered Person will not be disqualified from indemnification under this Section.
(e)   Any repeal or modification of this Article VII by the Shareholders, or adoption or modification of any other provision of the Declaration or By-laws inconsistent with this Article, shall be prospective only, to the extent that such repeal, or modification would, if applied retrospectively, adversely affect any limitation on the liability of any Covered Person or indemnification available to any Covered Person with respect to any act or omission which occurred prior to such repeal, modification or adoption.
In addition, the Registrant has entered into Investment Advisory Agreements with its Advisors and Distribution Agreements with its Distributor.  These agreements provide indemnification for those entities and their respective affiliates.  The Advisors' and Distributor's personnel may serve as trustees and officers of the Trust.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant by the Registrant pursuant to the Trust Instrument or otherwise, the Registrant is aware that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and, therefore, is unenforceable.  In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by trustees, officers or controlling persons of the Registrant in connection with the successful defense of any act, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustees, officers or controlling persons in connection with the shares being registered, the Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issues.
ITEM 31.   Business and other Connections of the Investment Advisor
See the section of the Prospectuses entitled "Management of the Fund – The Investment Advisor" and the section of the Statements of Additional Information entitled "Management and Other Service Providers" for the activities and affiliations of the officers and directors of the investment advisors to the Registrant.  The investment advisors provide investment advisory services to numerous institutional and individual clients in addition to the Registrant.
ITEM 32.   Principal Underwriter
(a)   Capital Investment Group, Inc. is underwriter and distributor for Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund, Arin Large Cap Theta Fund, Cavalier Funds, Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund, Matisse Discounted Closed-End Fund Strategy, Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy, Nebraska Fund, QCI Balanced Fund, Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund, Sector Rotation Fund and Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund,
(b)   Set forth below is information concerning each director and officer of the Distributor.  The principal business address of the Distributor and each such person is 100 E Six Forks Road, Suite 200, Raleigh, NC 27609.

(1)
(2)
(3)
Name
Position and Offices
With Underwriter
Positions and Offices
with Registrant
Richard K. Bryant
CEO
None
Benjamin T. Brooks
President
None
Con T. McDonald
Assistant Vice-President
None
W. Harold Eddins, Jr.
Assistant Vice-President
None
Kurt A. Dressler
Assistant Vice-President
None
Ronald L. King
Chief Compliance Officer
None

(c)   Not applicable.
ITEM 33.     Location of Accounts and Records
All account books and records not normally held by UMB Bank, n.a., the custodian to the Registrant, are held by the Registrant in the offices of The Nottingham Company, fund accountant and administrator to the Registrant; Nottingham Shareholder Services, LLC, transfer agent to the Registrant; or by each of the investment advisors  or sub-advisors  to the Registrant.
The address of UMB Bank, n.a., is 928 Grand Boulevard, 5th Floor, Kansas City, Missouri 64106.  The address of The Nottingham Company is 116 South Franklin Street, Post Office Box 69, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27802-0069.  The address of Nottingham Shareholder Services, LLC is 116 South Franklin Street, Post Office Box 4365, Rocky Mount, North Carolina 27803-0365.  The address for Arin Risk Advisors, LLC, investment advisor for the Arin Large Cap Theta Fund , is 1100 East Hector Street, Suite 215 , Conshohocken, Pennsylvania 19428. The address of Cavalier Investments, LLC, investment advisor to certain of the Cavalier Funds and the Nebraska Fund is 12600 Deerfield Drive, Suite #100, Alpharetta, GA 30005. The address for Bluestone Capital Management, LLC, investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Growth Opportunities Fund, is 37 West Avenue, Suite 201, Wayne, PA  19087.  The address for Buckhead Capital Management, LLC, investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Adaptive Income Fund, is 3100 Cumberland Blvd., Suite #1450, Atlanta, GA  30339.  The address for Julex Capital Management, LLC, investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Tactical Rotation Fund, is 40 Grove Street, Suite 140, Wellesley, MA  02482.  The address for Navellier & Associates, Inc., investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Fundamental Growth Fund, is One E. Liberty, Suite 504, Reno, NV  89501-2107.  The address for Peak Capital Management, LLC, investment sub-advisor to the Cavalier Dynamic Growth Fund, is 15455 Gleneagle Drive, Suite 100, Colorado Springs, CO  80921.  The address for ARS Investment Management, LLC, investment advisor to the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund is 629 Highland Avenue, Suite 200, Needham, MA  02494.  The address of Deschutes Portfolio Strategies, Inc. dba Matisse Capital, investment advisor to the Matisse Discounted Closed-End Fund Strategy and Matisse Discounted Bond CEF Strategy, is 4949 Meadows Road, Suite 200, Lake Oswego, Oregon 97035. The address for Crow Point Partners, LLC, investment advisor for the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund, is 25 Recreation Park Drive, Hingham, Massachusetts 02043.  The address for Cold Creek Capital, Inc., the investment sub-advisor to the Crow Point Small-Cap Growth Fund, is c/o K Moss Financial, 040 South Gaylord, Suite 202, Denver, CO  80209 .  The address for Grimaldi Portfolio Solutions, Inc., investment advisor to The Sector Rotation Fund, is 1207 Route 9, Suite 10, Wappingers Falls, NY 12590. The address for Roumell Asset Management, LLC, investment advisor to the Roumell Opportunistic Value Fund, is 2 Wisconsin Circle, Suite 660, Chevy Chase, Maryland 20815.  The address for Sirius Point Advisors, Inc., investment advisor for the Sirius S&P Strategic Large-Cap Allocation Fund, is 11390 PO Box 277, Lovettsville, Virginia 20180.  The address for QCI Asset Management, Inc., investment advisor for the QCI Balanced Fund, is 1040 Pittsford Victor Road , Pittsford, New York 14534.
ITEM 34.     Management Services
None.
ITEM 35.     Undertakings
None.


SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act"), and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this registration statement under Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereto duly authorized, in the City of Rocky Mount, State of North Carolina on this 28 th day of September, 2018.

 
STARBOARD INVESTMENT TRUST
     
 
By:
/s/ Katherine M. Honey
   
Katherine M. Honey
   
President and Principal Executive Officer


Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following person in the capacities and on the date indicated.

Signature
Title
Date
     
     
                         *                       
September 28 , 2018
James H. Speed, Jr.
Trustee and Chairman
 
     
                         *                       
September 28 , 2018
J. Buckley Strandberg
Trustee
 
     
                         *                       
September 28 , 2018
Michael G. Mosley
Trustee
 
     
                         *                       
September 28 , 2018
Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
Trustee
 
     
                         *                       
September 28 , 2018
Ashley E. Harris
Treasurer, Asst. Secretary, and
 
 
Principal Financial Officer
 
   
September 28 , 2018
* By: /s/ Katherine M. Honey
September 28 , 2018
 
President, Principal Executive
Officer, and Attorney-in-Fact
 


 

Exhibits
Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and ARS Investment Management, LLC
99.h(5)
Consent of Counsel
99.i(2)
Consent of Independent Public Accountants
99.j
Code of Ethics for Capital Investment Group, Inc.
99.p(13)
Powers of Attorney
99.q

EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT

THIS EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into effective as of this 6 th day of September, 2018, by and between Starboard Investment Trust , a Delaware statutory trust (the "Trust"), on behalf of its series, the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund , previously known as the Alpha Risk Hedged Dividend Income Fund (the "Fund"), and ARS Investment Management, LLC , a Massachusetts Limited Liability Company (the "Advisor"), with respect to the following:
WHEREAS, the Trust is a statutory trust organized under the Certificate of Trust ("Trust Instrument") and is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the "Act") as an open-end management investment company; and
WHEREAS, the Fund is a series of the Trust; and
WHEREAS, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, and the Advisor have entered into an Investment Advisory Agreement dated December 29, 2016 ("Advisory Agreement"), pursuant to which the Advisor provides investment advisory services to the Fund; and
WHEREAS, the Fund and the Advisor have determined that it is appropriate and in the best interests of the Fund and its shareholders to limit the expenses of the Fund, and, therefore, have entered into this Agreement, in order to maintain the Fund's expense ratio within the Operating Expense Limit, as defined below;
NOW, THEREFORE, in consideration of the mutual covenants herein contained and other good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which is hereby acknowledged, the parties hereto agree as follows:
1.
EXPENSE LIMITATION
(a)
Applicable Expense Limit.   The Fund has set an Operating Expense Limit, outlined below and stated in Appendix A. Applicable Expense shall be defined as the aggregate expenses of every character, including but not limited to investment advisory fees of the Advisor, administration fees, distribution and shareholder service fees, fees necessary for professional services, and costs associated with regulatory compliance and maintaining legal existence and shareholder relations, and other such fees and expenses, but does not include: (i) any front-end or contingent deferred loads; (ii) brokerage fees and commissions, (iii) acquired fund fees and expenses; (iv) fees and expenses associated with investments in other collective investment vehicles or derivative instruments (including for example option and swap fees and expenses); (v) borrowing costs (such as interest and dividend expense on securities sold short); (vi) taxes; and (vii) extraordinary expenses, such as litigation expenses (which may include indemnification of Fund officers and Trustees and contractual indemnification of Fund service providers (other than the Adviser)) . These expenses are typically shown on the financial statements of the Fund and are classified as the Fund Operating Expenses.
(b)
The Fund agrees to repay to Advisor (i) the amount of fees (including any amounts foregone through limitation or reimbursement pursuant to subsection (a) hereof) that, but for subsection (a) hereof, would have been payable by the Fund to Advisor pursuant to the Advisory Agreement and (ii) the amount of expenses reimbursed by Advisor in accordance with subsection (a) (the "Deferred Fees"), subject to the limitations provided in this subsection. Such repayment shall be made monthly, but only if the operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of those expenses enumerated above), without regard to such repayment, are at an annual rate equal to or less than the Maximum Operating Expense Limit for each respective class of shares of the Fund, as set forth in Appendix A. Furthermore, the amount of Deferred Fees paid by a Fund in any month shall be limited so that the sum of (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the other operating expenses of the Fund (exclusive of those expenses enumerated above) do not exceed the Maximum Operating Expense Limit for such Fund.


Deferred Fees are subject to full or partial repayment by the Fund within the three years following the date on which the expenses occurred if the Fund is able to make the repayment without exceeding the lesser of its current Maximum Operating Expense Limit or the Maximum Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the initial waiver and/or reimbursement. In no event will a Fund be obligated to pay any fees waived or deferred with respect to any other Fund of the Trust.

(c)
Due from Advisor Reimbursement . To the extent that the Fund's Operating Expenses exceed the Operating Expense Limit, as defined herein, such excess amount (the "Excess Amount") shall be the liability of the Advisor.  Those expenses incurred on behalf of the Fund and the Advisor, particularly those expenses advanced on the Advisor's behalf for Fund marketing and distribution, shall also be the liability of the Advisor and payable to the party advancing such expenses on the Advisor's behalf. Marketing expenses are specifically excluded as being deemed a liability of any party other than the Advisor. In determining the Fund Operating Expenses, expenses that the Fund would have incurred but did not actually pay because of expense offset or brokerage/services arrangements shall be added to the aggregate expenses so as not to benefit the Advisor.
(d)
Expense Limit Calculation.   The Fund's maximum operating expense limits in any year shall be calculated as a percentage of the average daily net assets of the Fund. The fee shall be calculated as of the last business day of each month based upon the average daily net assets of the Fund determined in the manner described in the Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information. For purposes of the Operating Expense Limit, that calculation shall include all the expenses directly charged to the net asset value of the Fund.
(e)
Method of Computation.   To determine the Advisor's liability with respect to the Excess Amount, each month the Fund's Operating Expenses shall be annualized as of the last day of the month.  If the annualized Fund Operating Expenses for any month exceed the Operating Expense Limit of the Fund, the Advisor shall first waive or reduce its investment advisory fee for such month by an amount sufficient to reduce the annualized Fund Operating Expenses to an amount no higher than the Operating Expense Limit.  If the amount of the waived or reduced investment advisory fee for any such month is insufficient to pay the Excess Amount, the Advisor shall also remit to the Fund an amount that, together with the waived or reduced investment advisory fee, is sufficient to pay such Excess Amount.
(f)
Year-End Adjustment.   If necessary, on or before the last day of the first month of each fiscal year, an adjustment payment shall be made by the appropriate party in order that the amount of the investment advisory fees waived or reduced and other payments remitted by the Advisor to the Fund with respect to the previous fiscal year shall equal the Excess Amount.
2.
TERM AND TERMINATION
This Agreement shall continue in effect through September 30, 2019, and shall thereafter continue in effect from year to year for successive one-year periods unless terminated as provided in this paragraph. This Agreement may be terminated, without payment of any penalty, by: (i) the Trust at any time, so long as such action has been authorized by resolution of a majority of the Trustees who are not party to this Agreement or "interested persons" of the Trust, as defined in the Act, or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust; and (ii) by the Advisor upon thirty days' prior written notice to the Trust at its principal place of business, such termination to be effective as of the close of business on the last day of the then-current one-year period.  In addition, this Agreement shall terminate with respect to the Fund upon termination of the Fund's Advisory Agreement.
3.
MISCELLANEOUS
(a)
Captions.   The captions in this Agreement are included for convenience only and in no other way define or delineate any provisions hereof or otherwise affect their construction or effect.
(b)
Interpretation.   Nothing herein contained shall be deemed to require the Trust or the Fund to take any action contrary to the Trust's Declaration of Trust or by-laws, or any applicable statutory or regulatory requirement to which it is subject or by which it is bound, or to relieve or deprive the Trust's Board of Trustees of its responsibility for and control of the conduct of the affairs of the Trust or the Fund.
(c)
Definitions.   Any question of interpretation of any term or provision of this Agreement, including but not limited to the investment advisory fee, the computations of net asset values, and the allocation of expenses, having a counterpart in or otherwise derived from the terms and provisions of the Advisory Agreement or the Act, shall have the same meaning as, and be resolved by reference to, such Advisory Agreement or the Act.

(d)
Entire Agreement. This Agreement and all the exhibits attached hereto constitute the entire agreement of the parties with respect to the subject matter of this Agreement and supersedes all prior negotiations, agreements, and understandings with respect thereto.


(e)
Amendment . No amendment or modification to this Agreement, or any attachment hereto, shall be valid unless made in writing and executed by all parties hereto.

(f)
Counterparts . This Agreement may be executed in any number of counterparts, each of which shall be deemed an original.






REPRESENTATION OF SIGNATORIES.  Each of the undersigned expressly warrants and represents that they have full power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have caused this Agreement to be signed by their respective officers thereunto duly authorized as of the day and year first above written.

STARBOARD INVESTMENT TRUST
On behalf of the Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund


By:  /s/ Katherine M. Honey
Name:  Katherine Honey
Title:  President

ARS INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT, LLC


By:  T. W. Dolan
Name:  Timothy Dolan
Title:  Managing Principal


 



EXPENSE LIMITATION AGREEMENT
Appendix A
OPERATING EXPENSE LIMIT SCHEDULE
(as amended September 5, 2018)

FUND
OPERATING EXPENSE LIMIT
 
Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund
 
2.50%




































 
 

 
September 28, 2018


Starboard Investment Trust
116 South Franklin Street
P. O. Box 69
Rocky Mount, NC  27802


Dear Board Members:

A legal opinion (the "Legal Opinion") that we prepared was filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 302 to the Starboard Investment Trust Registration Statement (the "Registration Statement"). We hereby give you our consent to incorporate by reference the Legal Opinion into Post-Effective Amendment No. 305 to the Registration Statement (the "Amendment"). We also consent to all references to us in the Amendment.


Very truly yours,

/s/ Greenberg Traurig LLP

Greenberg Traurig LLP

 





CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM




We consent to the references to our firm in the Registration Statement on Form N-1A of the Starboard Investment Trust   and to the use of our report dated July 30, 2018 on the financial statements and financial highlights of Alpha Risk Tactical Rotation Fund, a series of shares of beneficial interest in Starboard Investment Trust. Such financial statements and financial highlights appear in the May 31, 2018 Annual Report to Shareholders which is incorporated by reference into the Statement of Additional Information.
 
                                                         
 

BBD, LLP

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
September 27, 2018


CAPITAL INVESTMENT GROUP, INC.
PERSONAL TRADING CODE OF ETHICS
I.
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
In our efforts to ensure that Capital Investment Group, Inc. ("Distributor") develops and maintains a reputation for integrity and high ethical standards, it is essential not only that Distributor and its employees comply with relevant federal and state securities laws, but also that we maintain high standards of personal and professional conduct.  Distributor's Personal Trading Code of Ethics (the "Code") is designed to help ensure that we conduct our business consistent with these high standards.
We owe a fiduciary duty to our clients that requires each of us to place the interests of our clients ahead of our own interests.  A critical component of our fiduciary duty is to avoid potential conflicts of interest.  Accordingly, you must avoid activities, interests, and relationships that might interfere or appear to interfere with making decisions in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds.  Please bear in mind that a conflict of interest can arise even if there is no financial loss to our clients.  Many potential conflicts of interest can arise in connection with employee personal trading and related activities.
The Code is designed to address and avoid potential conflicts of interest relating to personal trading and related activities and is based on three underlying principles:
(1)     We must at all times place the interests of our clients first .  In other words, as a fiduciary you must scrupulously avoid serving your own personal interests ahead of the interests of Distributor clients.
(2)     We must make sure that all personal securities transactions are conducted consistent with the Code and in such a manner as to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest or any abuse of an individual's position of trust and responsibility .
The Code contains a number of rules and procedures relating to personal trading by Distributor officers, directors, employees and their families.  It is your responsibility to become familiar with the Code and abide by the Code.  Violations of the Code will be taken seriously and could result in sanctions against the violator, which sanctions can include termination of employment.
As with all policies and procedures, the Code was designed to cover a myriad of circumstances and conduct; however, no policy can anticipate every potential conflict of interest that can arise in connection with personal trading.  Consequently, you are expected to abide not only by the letter of the Code, but also by the spirit of the Code.  Whether or not a specific provision of the Code addresses a particular situation, you must conduct your personal trading activities in accordance with the general principles contained in the Code and in a manner that is designed to avoid any actual or potential conflicts of interest.  Distributor reserves the right, when it deems necessary in light of particular circumstances, either to impose more stringent requirements on employees or to grant exceptions to the Code.

Because governmental regulations and industry standards relating to personal trading and potential conflicts of interest can change over time, Distributor reserves the right to modify any or all of the policies and procedures set forth in the Code.  Should Distributor revise the Code, you will receive written notification from the Compliance Officer.  It is your responsibility to familiarize yourself with any modification to the Code.  If you have any questions about any aspect of the Code, or if you have questions regarding application of the Code to a particular situation, contact the Compliance Officer .
II.
PERSONS COVERED BY THE CODE
Individuals subject to this Code will be classified as "Access Persons."
The Distributor's Compliance Officer will notify each individual who has been classified as an Access Person and what their obligations are under this Code.
Access Persons means any director or officer of Distributor who, in the ordinary course of business makes, participates in or obtains information regarding the purchase or sale of any security (other than Exempted Securities as defined below) by the Funds or whose functions or duties relate to the making of any recommendations with respect to such purchase or sales.
The policies and procedures set forth in the Code also apply to all members of your immediate family, which for purposes of the Code refers to any person living in your household (whether or not related to you) and/or any person to whose financial support you make a significant contribution .
III.
POLICIES REGARDING PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
A.     Restrictions on Personal Securities Transactions By Access Persons .
1.
No Access Person may buy or sell securities other than Exempted Securities for his or her personal portfolio or the portfolio of a member of his or her immediate family without obtaining oral authorization from Distributor's Compliance Officer prior to effecting such security transaction.
a.
A written authorization for such security transaction will be provided by the Distributor's Compliance Officer to the person receiving the authorization (if granted).
Note : If an Access Person has questions as to whether purchasing or selling a security for his or her personal portfolio or the portfolio of a member of his or her immediate family requires prior oral authorization, the Access Person should consult the Distributor's Compliance Officer for clearance or denial of clearance to trade prior to effecting any securities transactions.

2.
Pre-clearance approval under paragraph 1 will expire at the close of business on the trading day after the date on which oral authorization is received and the Access Person is required to renew clearance for the transaction if the trade is not completed before the authority expires.
3.
No clearance will be given to an Access Person to purchase or sell any security on a day when the Distributor's Compliance Officer has been advised that a trading blackout on behalf of any of the Funds exists with respect to the same security.  Blackout periods generally will include a 15 day period before and after a major scheduled index reconstitution.
This pre-clearance policy does not apply to securities that qualify as Exempted Securities.  If you have any questions as to the application of this policy, contact the Distributor's Compliance Officer.
IV.
EXEMPTED SECURITIES
The policies and procedures set forth in the Code regarding personal investing apply to all personal securities transactions, unless such security is an Exempted as defined below.  If you have any doubt as to the applicability of the Code to a particular transaction, contact the Distributor's Compliance Officer .
The Code (including the specific prohibitions on personal trading and the reporting requirements) does not apply to the following types of securities, which are referred to as "Exempted Securities."  As a result, Access Persons may invest in Exempted Securities without following the procedures set forth in the Code.  Exempted Securities are personal securities transactions by Access Persons in the following:
1.
Direct obligations of the Government of the United States; banker's acceptances; bank certificates of deposit; commercial paper; high quality short-term debt instruments (any instrument that has a maturity at issuance of less than 366 days and is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization), including repurchase agreements; and shares of registered open-end investment companies.
2.
Securities purchased or sold in a transaction which is non-volitional on the part of the Access Person.

3.
Securities acquired as a part of an automatic dividend reinvestment plan.
4.
Securities acquired upon the exercise of rights issued by an 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.
5.
Exercise of options received pursuant to an employment arrangement, provided that the sale of the securities received upon exercise of the options are subject to the Code;
6.
Receipt of securities or options pursuant to an employment arrangement; and
7.
Acquisition of securities by an Access Person of the securities of the Access Person's employer or an affiliate thereof.
Additionally, transactions in accounts ("Special Accounts") over which the Access Person exercises no direct or indirect influence or control may be excluded from the Code (and treated as Exempted Securities) provided that prior approval for exclusion from the Code is obtained from Distributor by notifying, and discussing these Accounts with the Distributor's Compliance Office .  An account will be deemed a Special Account provided all of the following conditions are met:
The Access Person discloses to the Distributor's Compliance Officer the existence of the Special Account and allows the Distributor's Compliance Officer to review, upon his or her discretion, the governing documents of such Special Account;
The Access Person establishes to the satisfaction of the Distributor's Compliance Officer that he or she has no direct or indirect influence or control over the Special Account or over investment decisions made for the Special Account;
The Access Person completes the attached Special Account Certification on an annual basis, or such other certification that the Distributor's Compliance Officer may deem acceptable;
The Access Person establishes to the satisfaction of the Distributor's Compliance Officer that he or she provides no investment advice to the person(s) who directly or indirectly influence or control the investment decisions for the Special Account ("Control Persons");
The Access Person does not disclose to the Control Persons any action that Distributor may take, or has or has not taken, or any Distributor consideration of any action with respect to that security; and

The Control Persons do not disclose to the Access Person any action such Control Persons may or may not take or any action under consideration with respect to any transaction for the Special Account until after such decisions have been made and fully executed.
If you have a Special Account and you feel that an exception from compliance with the Code is warranted, please see the Distributor's Compliance Officer.  Determinations as to whether exception from the Code will be granted will be made on a case-by-case basis.  Depending on all of the facts and circumstances, Distributor reserves the right to require additional procedures to be followed, as Distributor deems necessary or appropriate.  Further, Distributor reserves the right at any time, in the discretion of the legal counsel to Distributor, to require compliance with all or parts of the Code or to revoke the exception at any time.
If you have any questions about whether a particular transaction qualifies as an Exempted Security, contact the Distributor's Compliance Officer.
V.
REPORTS AND CERTIFICATIONS REGARDING PERSONAL SECURITIES TRANSACTIONS
Personal Holdings Reports :   In order to address potential conflicts of interest that can arise when an Access Person disposes of a security acquired prior to his or her association with Distributor and to help ensure compliance with the Code, all Access Persons must provide Distributor with a list of all securities holdings (the "Personal Holdings Report") in which they have a beneficial interest (other than interests in Exempted Securities).  This Personal Holdings Report must be provided within 10 days of commencement of employment (or for persons already designated as Access Persons with 10 days after September 1, 2000) and updated annually thereafter.  The report, a form of which is attached hereto as Exhibit A, must include the title of each security, the number of shares held and the principal amount of the security.  Holdings Reports must be current as of a date no more than 30 days before the report is submitted.  The Personal Holdings Report must also include a list of any securities accounts maintained with any broker, dealer or bank.  Distributor is sensitive to Access Persons' privacy concerns and will endeavor not to disclose the contents of an Access Person's Personal Holdings Report to anyone unnecessarily.
Quarterly Transaction Reports:   Each Access Person shall submit quarterly reports in the form attached hereto as Exhibit B to Distributor's Compliance Officer, showing all transactions in securities other than Exempted Securities in which the person has, or by reason of such transaction acquires, any direct or indirect beneficial ownership, as well as all accounts established with brokers, dealers or banks during the quarter in which any securities were held for the direct or indirect beneficial interest of the Access Person. Such reports shall be filed no later than 10 days after the end of each calendar quarter.  An Access Person of the Company need not make a quarterly transaction reports if all of the information required by the quarterly transaction reports is contained in the brokerage confirmations or account statements submitted in lieu thereof.

A form of brokerage letter is attached to the Code.  In order to help ensure that duplicate brokerage confirmations are received for all accounts pertaining to an Access Person, such Access Person is required to complete a Brokerage Account Form annually.
Review of Reports .: The Distributor's Compliance Officer shall review the initial holdings reports, annual holdings reports, and quarterly transaction reports received, and as appropriate compare the reports with the pre-clearance authorization received, and report to Distributor's Board of Directors:
a.
with respect to any transaction that appears to evidence a possible violation of this Code; and
b.
apparent violations of the reporting requirement stated herein.
The Board shall consider reports made to it hereunder and shall determine whether the policies established in this Code have been violated, and what sanctions, if any, should be imposed on the violator, including but not limited to a letter of censure, suspension or termination of the employment of the violator, or the unwinding of the transaction and the disgorgement of any profits to the Funds.  The Board shall review the operation of this Code of Ethics at least once a year.
Certification of Compliance :  Each Access Person will be required to certify that he or she has read, understands and has complied with (or in the case of a newly hired Access Person, will comply with) the Code.  This Certification of Compliance is required upon commencement of employment and annually thereafter.
VI.
MISCELLANEOUS
Annual Board Review :  The management of Distributor annually will prepare a report to the board of trustees that summarizes existing procedures concerning personal trading (including any changes in the Code), highlights violations of the Code requiring significant remedial action and identifies any recommended changes to the Code.
Recordkeeping :  This Code, a copy of each report by an Access Person, lists of all persons required to make reports, a list of all persons responsible for reviewing such reports, records of any violations of the Code and action taken as a result thereof, shall be preserved with Distributor's records for the period required by the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended and the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.
VII.
FORMS
Attached to the Code are the following forms of documents:
Holdings Report and Annual Certification of Holdings Report;
Quarterly Securities Transaction Report;
 
 

Form of Brokerage Letter;
Initial and Annual Certifications of Compliance; and
Special Account Certification
If you have any questions about any of these documents, or their application, contact the Distributor's Compliance Officer.
VIII.
VIOLATIONS OF THE CODE
Distributor views violations of the Code to be a serious breach of the firm's rules.  Consequently, any Access Person who violates any policy or procedure contained in the Code is subject to sanctions, including termination of employment.  Further, violations of the Code may constitute violations of federal and/or state laws and may be referred to the proper authorities upon discovery.  If you have any questions about any aspect of the Code, contact the Distributor's Compliance Officer.
IX.
EFFECTIVE DATE

Exhibit A
Capital Investment Group, Inc.
("Distributor")
Holdings Report
For the Year/Period Ended _________________________________  
(month/day/year)
[   ]   Check Here if this is an Initial Holdings Report
To: Compliance Officer
As of the calendar year/period referred to above, I have a direct or indirect beneficial ownership interest in the securities listed below which are required to be reported pursuant to Distributor's Code of Ethics:
Title of Security
Number of Shares
Principal Amount
     
     

The name of any broker, dealer or bank with whom I maintain an account in which my securities are held for my direct or indirect benefit are as follows:
NAME OF BROKER/BANK
BROKER BANK/ADDRESS
DATE ESTABLISHED
     
     

This report (i) excludes transactions with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control, (ii) excludes other transactions not required to be reported, and (iii) is not an admission that I have or had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the securities listed above.
Date: Signature: ____________________
Signature: ___________________________
 
 
 
 
 
Print Name: _________________________
 
 
 

CAPITAL INVESTMENT GROUP, INC.
ANNUAL CERTIFICATION OF HOLDINGS REPORT
To be completed by all Access Persons
within 10 days after the end of calendar year
I _______________, hereby certify that:  (please check one)
(Print Name)
________ There has been no change in my personal securities holdings in which I have a beneficial interest (other than in interests in Exempted Securities) over the preceding calendar year.
OR
________ The attached revised Holdings Report accurately reflects my current personal securities holdings in which I have a beneficial interest (other than in interests in Exempted Securities).

NAME: __________________________   Date: _______________________________
(Signature)


Exhibit B
Capital Investment Group, Inc.
("Distributor")
Securities Transaction Report
For the Calendar Quarter Ended  _______________________________
(month/day/year)
To: Compliance Officer
During the quarter referred to above, the following transactions were effected in securities of which I had, or by reason of such transactions acquired, direct or indirect beneficial ownership, and which are required to be reported pursuant to Distributor's Code of Ethics:
Security
Date of
Transaction
Number of
Shares
Principal
Amount
Interest Rate
and Maturity
Date (if applicable)
Nature of
Transaction
(Purchase,
Sale, Other)
Price
Broker/Dealer
or Bank
Through Whom
Effected
               
               
               

During the quarter referred to above, I established the following accounts in which securities were held during the quarter for my direct or indirect benefit:
NAME OF BROKER/BANK
BROKER BANK/ADDRESS
DATE ESTABLISHED
     
     
     
This report (i) excludes transactions with respect to which I had no direct or indirect influence or control, (ii) excludes other transactions not required to be reported, and (iii) is not an admission that I have or had any direct or indirect beneficial ownership in the securities listed above.
Date: Signature: ____________________
Signature: ___________________________
 
 
 
 
 
Print Name: _________________________
 

FORM OF BROKERAGE LETTER
[Date]
[Broker Name]
[Address]
RE:   Account No. __________________________ Account Name _____________________
Dear [Name]
As of [Date], please send to [  ], a duplicate confirmation of each transaction in the above-named account and the monthly brokerage account statement for the above-named account.
Please mail the confirmations and account statements to:
[  ]
[  ]
[  ]
Attention: Compliance Officer
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
Sincerely,
[Name]
cc: Compliance Officer

INITIAL CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH
CAPITAL INVESTMENT GROUP, INC.'S
PERSONAL TRADING CODE OF ETHICS
To be completed by all Access Persons
I hereby acknowledge receipt of the Capital Investment Group, Inc. ("Distributor") Personal Trading Code of Ethics (the "Code").  I hereby certify that I (i) recently have read the Code and acknowledge that I am subject to the provisions of the Code; (ii) will comply with the Code; (iii) have arranged for brokerage confirmations and monthly account statements for my account to be provided directly by my broker to Distributor; and (iv) fully and accurately have disclosed to Distributor all of my securities holdings (unless Exempted Securities as defined in the Code).  I understand that my obligations under the Code are in addition to those I may have due to my relationship with another regulated entity and that actions permitted under the Code may not be possible due to such other restrictions applicable to me.
Name: ___________________________
(Please print or type clearly)
Signature: ________________________
Date: ____________________________

ANNUAL CERTIFICATION OF COMPLIANCE WITH
CAPITAL INVESTMENT GROUP, INC.
PERSONAL TRADING CODE OF ETHICS
To be completed by all Access Persons
within 10 days after the end of each calendar yea r
I hereby acknowledge receipt of the Capital Investment Group, Inc. Personal Trading Code of Ethics (the "Code").  I hereby certify that I (i) recently have re-read the Code (including any updates thereto); (ii) understand the Code; and (iii) recognize that I am subject to its provisions.  I also hereby certify that I have complied with and will continue to comply with the requirements of the Code and that I have disclosed or reported all personal securities transactions required to be disclosed or reported pursuant to the Code.  I understand that my obligations under the Code are in addition to those I may have due to my relationship with another regulated entity and that actions permitted under the Code may not be possible due to such other restrictions applicable to me.
Name: ___________________________
(Please print or type clearly)
Signature: ________________________
Date: ____________________________


CAPITAL INVESTMENT GROUP, INC.
SPECIAL ACCOUNT CERTIFICATION
I ___________________________________, hereby certify as follows:
(Print Name)
1.
I understand that I must adhere to certain procedures with respect to personal securities transactions in which I have a direct or indirect beneficial interest, whether or not such procedures may be burdensome or costly.
2.
I have read and understand the Code and hereby certify that I have complied with all provisions of the Code since the date on which I first became employed by Capital Investment Group, Inc. ("Distributor"), except as otherwise disclosed to the Compliance Officer of Distributor.
3.
I have asked for a waiver from the requirements of the Code with respect to the trades for the Special Account (as defined in the Code) of _________________.
4.
I hereby certify that I exercise no direct or indirect influence or control over the investment decision for the Special Account.
5.
I certify that I have not, and will not, (i) engage in discussions concerning any action that Distributor may or may not take with respect to any security with any person outside Distributor, including any member of my immediate family or any person(s) who has (have) direct or indirect influence or control over the investment decisions for the Special Account ("Control Persons"), while I am employed at Distributor, or (ii) provide investment advice to the Control Persons.
NAME: __________________________
(Signature)
DATE: _________________________________



CERTIFICATE

The undersigned, President of Starboard Investment Trust, hereby certifies that the following resolution was duly adopted by a majority of the Board of Trustees at a meeting held on September 6, 2018, and is in full force and effect:
 
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints  Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf,  with  full power of substitution,  true and lawful attorney of the undersigned  to execute  in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Starboard Investment  Trust's  (the "Trust")  registration  statement  on Form N- 1A under the Securities  Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment  Company  Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S.  Securities  and  Exchange  Commission  and any  other  regulatory  authority  having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without  limitation,  regulatory  authorities  in any and all states  in which  shares  of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment  or registration  statement and any and all  supplements  thereto  or  to  any  prospectus  or  statement  of  additional  information forming  a part of the registration  statement,  as well as any and  all exhibits  and other documents   necessary   or  desirable  to  the  amendment   or  supplement   process Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full  power and  authority,  with  full  power of substitution,  to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned  every act whatsoever requisite  or desirable  to be done in the premises  in any and all capacities authorized  by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.

Dated : September 6 , 2018

STARBOARD INVESTMENT TRUST

/s/ Katherine M. Honey
            Katherine M. Honey, President


POWER OF ATTORNEY
 
KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"),  a trust organized under the laws of the State of Delaware, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S . Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any  prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process. Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.


IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

 

/s/ Cassie Driver
 /s/ Katherine M. Honey
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
Katherine M. Honey
President
Starboard Investment Trust
Print Name
 


 
 

POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

/s/ Cassie Driver
 /s/ James H. Speed, Jr.
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
James H. Speed, Jr.
Chairman and Independent Trustee
Print Name
 




POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

/s/ Cassie Driver
  /s/ J. Buckley Strandberg
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
J. Buckley Strandberg
Independent Trustee
Print Name
 



POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

 
U /s/ Michael G. Mosley
Witness
Michael G. Mosley
Independent Trustee
U
Name
 




POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

 /s/ Cassie Driver
U /s/ Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
Theo H. Pitt, Jr.
Independent Trustee
Print Name
 



POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

 /s/ Cassie Driver
 /s/ Katherine M. Honey
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
Katherine M. Honey
President
Starboard Investment Trust
U
Print Name
 






POWER OF ATTORNEY

KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS that the undersigned officer and/or trustee of the Starboard Investment Trust (the "Trust"), a Delaware statutory trust, hereby revokes all previous appointments and appoints Terrence O . Davis and/or Tanya  Goins  and/or  Katherine  M. Honey and/or  Ashley  E. Harris and/or Robert G. Schaaf , with full power of substitution, true and lawful attorney of the undersigned to execute in name, place and stead of the undersigned and on behalf of the undersigned any and all amendments to the Trust's registration statement on Form N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, as well as any and all registration statements on Form N-14, and to file with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and any other regulatory authority having jurisdiction over the offer and sale of shares of beneficial interests of the Trust (including, without limitation, regulatory authorities in any and all states in which shares of any series of the Trust are sold), any such amendment or registration statement and any and all supplements thereto or to any prospectus or statement of additional information forming a part of the registration statement, as well as any and all exhibits and other documents necessary or desirable to the amendment or supplement process.  Said attorneys, and each of them, shall have full power and authority, with full power of substitution, to do and perform in the name and on behalf of the undersigned every act whatsoever requisite or desirable to be done in the premises in any and all capacities authorized by the Board of Trustees for such persons to provide or perform with respect to the Trust, as fully and to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or could do, the undersigned hereby ratifying and approving all such acts of such attorneys.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has executed this instrument on this 6th day of September, 2018.

/s/ Cassie Driver
 /s/ Ashley E. Harris
Witness
 
Cassie Driver
Ashley E. Harris
Treasurer and Assistant Secretary
Starboard Investment Trust
U
Print Name