<ARTICLE>                                            6
<CIK>                         0001000579
<NAME>                        AMERIPRIME FUNDS

   <NUMBER>                   17
   <NAME>                     Ariston Convertible Securities Fund
<MULTIPLIER>                                   1
<CURRENCY>                                     US Dollars

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                              DEC-31-2000
<PERIOD-START>                                 JAN-01-2000
<PERIOD-END>                                   JUN-30-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE>                                1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                          16,110,623
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                         23,357,764
<RECEIVABLES>                                  258,232
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                           0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                 23,615,996
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                        0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                      128,550
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            128,550
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                       15,949,014
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                          964,710
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                          638,522
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                      (193,739)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                         0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        485,030
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                       0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                       7,247,141
<NET-ASSETS>                                   23,487,446
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              53,441
<INTEREST-INCOME>                              (13,366)
<OTHER-INCOME>                                 0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                 233,814
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                        (193,739)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                       617,857
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      (1,773,506)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                          (1,349,388)
<EQUALIZATION>                                 1
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                       172
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                          0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                        14,131,053
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    5,254,139
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                            172
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         7,527,526
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                        0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                      (132,655)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                        0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                     0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          232,046
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                             0
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                233,814
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           20,897,619
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                          25.00
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                (0.24)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                        (0.41)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                           0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                      0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                           0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                            24.35
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                2.25