N-2 1 catalyst-siof_n2.htm N-2

1933 Act File No. 333-_____

1940 Act File No. 811-23928

File No. 814-_____

 

UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

 

FORM N-2

 

þ REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

¨ PRE-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. _

¨ POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. _

 

þ REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

¨ AMENDMENT NO. _

 

CATALYST STRATEGIC INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Principal Executive Offices

The Corporation Trust Company

Corporate Trust Center

1209 Orange Street

Wilmington, DE 19801

 

 

Agent for Service

The Corporation Trust Company

Corporation Trust Center

1209 Orange St.

Wilmington, DE 19801

 

Copies of information to:

JoAnn Strasser, Esq.

Thompson Hine LLP
41 South High Street, Suite 1700

Columbus, Ohio 43215
(614) 469-3200


Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering: As soon as practicable after the effective date of this Registration Statement.

 

Check box if the only securities being registered on this Form are being offered pursuant to dividend or interest reinvestment plans.

 

 
 
þCheck box if any securities being registered on this Form will be offered on a delayed or continuous basis in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 ("Securities Act"), other than securities offered in connection with a dividend reinvestment plan.

 

Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction A.2 or a post-effective amendment thereto.

 

Check box if this Form is a registration statement pursuant to General Instruction B or a post-effective amendment thereto that will become effective upon filing with the Commission pursuant to Rule 462(e) under the Securities Act.

 

Check box if this Form is a post-effective amendment to a registration statement filed pursuant to General Instruction B to register additional securities or additional classes of securities pursuant to Rule 413(b) under the Securities Act.

 

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

 

þwhen declared effective pursuant to Section 8(c) of the Securities Act

 

The following boxes should only be included and completed if the registrant is making this filing in accordance with Rule 486 under the Securities Act.

 

immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

¨on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)

 

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)

 

on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)

 

If appropriate, check the following box:

 

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

 

This Form is filed to register additional securities for an offering pursuant to Rule 462(b) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: __.

 

This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(c) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: .

 

 
 
This Form is a post-effective amendment filed pursuant to Rule 462(d) under the Securities Act, and the Securities Act registration statement number of the earlier effective registration statement for the same offering is: .

 

Check each box that appropriately characterizes the Registrant:

 

þRegistered Closed-End Fund (closed-end company that is registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 ("Investment Company Act")).

 

Business Development Company (closed-end company that intends or has elected to be regulated as a business development company under the Investment Company Act).

 

þInterval Fund (Registered Closed-End Fund or a Business Development Company that makes periodic repurchase offers under Rule 23c-3 under the Investment Company Act).

 

A.2 Qualified (qualified to register securities pursuant to General Instruction A.2 of this Form).

 

Well-Known Seasoned Issuer (as defined by Rule 405 under the Securities Act).

 

Emerging Growth Company (as defined by Rule 12b-2 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Exchange Act").

 

If an Emerging Growth Company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 7(a)(2)(B) of Securities Act.

 

þNew Registrant (registered or regulated under the Investment Company Act for less than 12 calendar months preceding this filing).

 

 

 

 
 

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

 

PROSPECTUS

Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund

Ticker: [ ]

Shares of Beneficial Interest
$2,000 minimum purchase for regular accounts

$2,000 minimum purchase for retirement plans

 

[ ], 2024

Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund (the “Fund”) is a continuously offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company, that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund will offer to repurchase at least 5% of outstanding shares on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Fund’s repurchase policy. The repurchase offers are expected to be made in [ ], [ ], [ ], and [ ] of each year, beginning with the initial repurchase offer to be conducted in [ ] 2024. The Fund expects that the maximum time between a repurchase request deadline and the next date on which the Fund expects to commence the next quarterly repurchase offer to be approximately 90 days. Repurchase requests must be submitted by the deadline included in the Shareholder Notification as that term is defined in the “Quarterly Repurchase of Shares” section of this prospectus (the “Prospectus”). For more information on the Fund’s repurchase policies and risks, please see the “Repurchase Policy Risk” on pages [ ] and [ ] and “Quarterly Repurchase of Shares” on page [ ] of this Prospectus.

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this prospectus is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

This prospectus concisely provides the information that a prospective investor should know about the Fund before investing. You are advised to read this prospectus carefully and to retain it for future reference. Additional information about the Fund, including a Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) dated [ ], 2024, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SAI is available upon request and without charge by writing the Fund at [ ] or by calling toll-free [ ]. The table of contents of the SAI appears on page [ ] of this prospectus. You may request the Fund’s SAI, annual and semi-annual reports, and other information about the Fund or make shareholder inquiries by calling 1[ ] or by visiting [ ]. The SAI, which is incorporated by reference into (legally made a part of) this prospectus, is also available on the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov. The address of the SEC’s website is provided solely for the information of prospective shareholders and is not intended to be an active link.

Investment Objective. The investment objective of the Fund is to seek total return.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in asset-backed fixed income securities, such as non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and commercial mortgage backed-securities. The Fund expects to focus its investments in non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities. Other asset-backed fixed income securities that the Fund may invest includes securities backed by automobiles, aircraft, credit card receivables and businesses; collateralized mortgage obligations; and stripped mortgage-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in money-market funds and other cash equivalents.

 
 

The Fund may invest in securities of any maturity or duration. The Fund does not limit its investments to a particular credit quality and may invest in below investment grade asset-backed securities, distressed asset backed securities and other below investment grade securities (commonly referred to as “junk”) without limitation. Below investment grade securities are those rated below Baa3 by Moody’s Investor Services or equivalently by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization as well as non-rated securities.

The Fund’s investment sub-adviser employs a consistent and repeatable investment process that relies on bottom-up security selection through rigorous fundamental credit and prepayment analysis. Top-down capital allocation decisions are designed to optimize the portfolio’s exposures to the most attractive risk/reward opportunities throughout a market cycle. The Sub-Adviser attempts to optimize exposure by selling a security that may no longer offer compelling risk-adjusted returns compared to a new investment opportunity.

Securities Offered. The Fund engages in a continuous offering of shares of beneficial interest of the Fund. The Fund has registered [25,000,000] shares and is authorized as a Delaware statutory trust to issue an unlimited number of shares. The Fund is offering to sell, through its principal underwriter, [ ] (the “Distributor”), under the terms of this prospectus, 25,000,000 shares of beneficial interest, at the net asset value (“NAV”) per share. The minimum initial investment by a shareholder is [$10,000] for regular accounts and [$10,000] for retirement plan accounts. Subsequent investments may be made with at least $100 under the Fund’s automatic investment program. Subsequent investments not made pursuant to the automatic investment program may be made with at least $1,000. The Fund reserves the right to waive minimum investment amounts. The Fund is offering to sell its shares, on a continual basis, through the Distributor. The Distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of the Fund’s shares but will use best efforts to sell the shares. Funds received will be invested promptly and no arrangements have been made to place such funds in an escrow, trust or similar account. Assets that cannot be invested promptly in accordance with the Fund’s investment strategy will be invested in cash or cash equivalents. During the continuous offering, shares of the Fund will be sold at the next determined NAV. See “Plan of Distribution.” The Fund’s continuous offering is expected to continue in reliance on Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”).

Use of Leverage. The Fund may employ leverage, including borrowing from banks in an amount of up to 33% of the Fund’s assets (defined as net assets plus borrowing for investment purposes). The Fund is authorized to borrow money in connection with its investment activities, to satisfy repurchase requests from Fund shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity.

Price to Public Proceeds to Registrant
At current NAV $[         ]

 

 

·Shares of the Fund are not listed on any securities exchange, which makes them inherently illiquid.
·There is no secondary market for the Fund’s shares, and it is not anticipated that a secondary market will develop.
·Moreover, shares of the Fund are not redeemable.
·Although the Fund offers to repurchase at least 5% of outstanding shares on a quarterly basis in accordance with the Fund’s repurchase policy, the Fund is not required to repurchase shares at a shareholder’s option nor are shares exchangeable for units, interests or shares of any security. Moreover, the Fund is not required to extend, and shareholders should not expect the Fund’s Board of Trustees to authorize, repurchase offers in excess of 5% of outstanding shares. Accordingly, regardless of how the Fund performs, an investor may not be able to sell or otherwise liquidate his or her shares whenever such investor would prefer and, except to the extent permitted
 
 

under the quarterly repurchase offer, will be unable to reduce his or her exposure on any market downturn.

·If and to the extent that a public trading market ever develops, shares of closed-end investment companies, such as the Fund, may have a tendency to trade frequently at a discount from their NAV per share and initial offering prices. As a result of the foregoing, an investment in the Fund’s shares is not suitable for investors who cannot tolerate risk of loss or who require liquidity, other than liquidity provided through the Fund’s repurchase policy.
·Substantially all of the Fund’s investments are loans or receivables that are unsecured or undercollateralized.
·The Fund is not intended to be a complete investment program.

Investing in the Fund’s shares involves risks. See “Risk Factors” below in this prospectus.

Investment Adviser

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC

 

Investment Sub-Adviser

Perini Capital, LLC

 

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY 1
FUND EXPENSES 17
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS 18
THE FUND 19
USE OF PROCEEDS 19
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND STRATEGIES 19
RISK FACTORS 28
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 43
DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE 46
CONFLICTS OF INTEREST 48
QUARTERLY REPURCHASES OF SHARES 48
DISTRIBUTION POLICY 50
DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT POLICY 51
U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS 52
DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND SHARES 53
ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST 54
PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION 54
LEGAL MATTERS 58
REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS 58
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 58
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 58
TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 59
PRIVACY NOTICE 60

 

 

 
 

PROSPECTUS SUMMARY

This summary does not contain all of the information that you should consider before investing in the shares. You should review the more detailed information contained or incorporated by reference in this prospectus and in the SAI, particularly the information set forth under the heading “Risk Factors.”

The Fund. Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund is a continuously offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. See “The Fund.” The Fund is an interval fund that offers to make quarterly repurchases of shares at the NAV. See “Quarterly Repurchases of Shares.”

Investment Objective and Policies. The Fund’s investment objective is to seek total return.

Under normal market conditions, the Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing primarily in asset-backed fixed income securities, such as non-agency residential mortgage-backed securities and commercial mortgage backed-securities. The Fund expects to focus its investments in non-agency residential mortgage backed securities. Other asset-backed fixed income securities that the Fund may invest includes securities backed by automobiles, aircraft, credit card receivables and businesses; collateralized mortgage obligations; and stripped mortgage-backed securities. The Fund may also invest in money-market funds and other cash equivalents.

The Fund may invest in securities of any maturity or duration. The Fund does not limit its investments to a particular credit quality and may invest in below investment grade asset-backed securities, distressed asset backed securities and other below investment grade securities (commonly referred to as “junk”) without limitation. Below investment grade securities are those rated below Baa3 by Moody’s Investor Services or equivalently by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization as well as non-rated securities.

The Fund may employ leverage, including borrowing from banks in an amount of up to 33% of the Fund’s assets (defined as net assets plus borrowing for investment purposes). The Fund is authorized to borrow money in connection with its investment activities, to satisfy repurchase requests from Fund shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity.

The Fund is non-diversified, meaning that it may invest in fewer issuers than other funds.

Investment Strategy. The Fund’s investment sub-adviser (the “Sub-Adviser”) employs a consistent and repeatable investment process that relies on bottom-up security selection through rigorous fundamental credit and prepayment analysis. Top-down capital allocation decisions are designed to optimize the portfolio’s exposures to the most attractive risk/reward opportunities throughout a market cycle.

In making investment decisions, the Sub-Adviser evaluate a security’s collateral characteristics (e.g., delinquency/default rates, severities, prepayment speeds, loan size/age) and then determine how interest rates, home prices, and other macro factors might impact the cash flows over various time horizons.

 

Once a security has been added to the Fund’s portfolio, the Sub-Adviser’s investment team will assist in regularly monitoring its actual performance relative to its initial projections and attempt to optimize exposure by selling a security that may no longer offer compelling risk-adjusted returns compared to a new investment opportunity.

 

Leverage. The Fund may obtain leverage in seeking to achieve its investment objective. The Fund may also obtain leverage through investments such as asset-backed securities that may have embedded leverage. The Fund is not limited in the form or manner in which it may incur leverage.

The Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”), requires a closed-end fund to maintain asset coverage of not less than 300% of the value of the outstanding amount of senior securities representing indebtedness (as defined in the 1940 Act). This means that the value of the Fund’s senior securities representing indebtedness may not exceed one-third of the value of its total assets (including such senior securities), measured at the time the Fund issues the senior securities. Investments or trading practices that involve contractual obligations to pay in the future are subject to the same requirements unless the Fund designates liquid assets in an amount the Fund believes to be

1 
 

equal to the Fund’s contractual obligations (marked-to-market on a daily basis) or appropriately “covers” such obligations with offsetting positions.

Leverage can have the effect of magnifying the Fund’s exposure to changes in the value of its assets and may also result in increased volatility in the Fund’s NAV. This means the Fund will have the potential for greater gains, as well as the potential for greater losses, than if the Fund owned its assets on an unleveraged basis. The value of an investment in the Fund will be more volatile and other risks tend to be compounded if and to the extent that the Fund is exposed to leverage directly or indirectly.

Mortgage-Backed Securities. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property. The mortgages backing these securities include, among other mortgage instruments, conventional 30-year fixed-rate mortgages, 15-year fixed-rate mortgages, graduated payment mortgages and adjustable-rate mortgages. These securities generally are “pass-through” instruments, through which the holders receive a share of all interest and principal payments from the mortgages underlying the securities, net of certain fees. Yields on pass-through securities are typically quoted by investment dealers and vendors based on the maturity of the underlying instruments and the associated average life assumption. The average life of pass-through pools varies with the maturities of the underlying mortgage loans. A pool’s term may be shortened by unscheduled or early payments of principal on the underlying mortgages. The occurrence of mortgage prepayments is affected by various factors, including the level of interest rates, general economic conditions, the location, scheduled maturity and age of the mortgage and other social and demographic conditions. Because prepayment rates of individual pools vary widely, it is not possible to predict accurately the average life of a particular pool. For pools of fixed-rate 30-year mortgages in a stable interest rate environment, a common industry practice in the U.S. has been to assume that prepayments will result in a 12-year average life, although it may vary depending on numerous factors. At present, pools, particularly those with loans with other maturities or different characteristics, are priced on an assumption of average life determined for each pool. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayment tends to increase, thereby shortening the actual average life of a pool of mortgage-related securities. Conversely, in periods of rising rates the rate of prepayment tends to decrease, thereby lengthening the actual average life of the pool. However, these effects may not be present, or may differ in degree, if the mortgage loans in the pools have adjustable interest rates or other special payment terms, such as a prepayment charge. Actual prepayment experience may cause the yield of mortgage-backed securities to differ from the assumed average life yield. Reinvestment of prepayments may occur at higher or lower interest rates than the original investment, thus affecting the Fund’s yield.

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as, among other things, aircraft and auto loan receivables, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements or a combination of the foregoing. These assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose entities. Credit enhancements, such as various forms of cash collateral accounts or letters of credit, may support payments of principal and interest on asset-backed securities. Although these securities may be supported by letters of credit or other credit enhancements, payment of interest and principal ultimately depends upon individuals paying the underlying loans or accounts, which payment may be adversely affected by general downturns in the economy. Asset-backed securities are subject to prepayment risk. There is risk that recovery on repossessed collateral might be unavailable or inadequate to support payments on the underlying investments.

Investment Adviser and Fee. Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC, the investment adviser of the Fund (the “Adviser”), is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Advisers Act, as amended. The Adviser was formed in 2006. Management of investment companies, including the Fund, is its primary business. Under the terms of an investment advisory agreement (the “Investment Advisory Agreement”), the Adviser is entitled to receive a monthly fee at the annual rate of 1.50% of the Fund’s average daily net assets.

The Adviser and the Fund have entered into an expense limitation and reimbursement agreement (the “Expense Limitation Agreement”) under which the Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its fees and to pay or absorb the ordinary operating expenses of the Fund (including organizational and offering expenses, but excluding: distribution fees, brokerage, exchange fees, stamp duties, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as regulatory inquiry and litigation), to the extent that they exceed [1.99]% of the Fund’s average daily net assets (the “Expense Limitation”). In consideration of the Adviser’s agreement to limit the Fund’s expenses, the Fund has agreed to repay the Adviser in the amount of any fees waived and Fund expenses paid or absorbed, subject

2 
 

to the limitations that: (1) the reimbursement for fees and expenses will be made only if payable not more than three years from the date on which they were incurred; and (2) the reimbursement may not be made if it would cause the lesser of the Expense Limitation as of the time of waiver or as of the time of the reimbursement to be exceeded. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect at least until [ ], 2025, unless and until the Fund’s Board of Trustees (“Board”) approves its modification or termination. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board. After [ ], 2025 the Expense Limitation Agreement may be renewed at the Adviser’s and Board’s discretion. See “Management of the Fund.”

Investment Sub-Adviser. Perini Capital, LLC serves as investment sub-adviser to the Fund (the “Sub-Adviser”). The Sub-Adviser was formed on 2011 and is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended.

Administrator, Accounting Agent and Transfer Agent. [ ] serves as the administrator, accounting agent, and transfer agent of the Fund. See “Management of the Fund.”

Management, Legal Administrative and Compliance Services

MFund Services LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, located at 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, provides the Fund with management, compliance and legal services.

Closed-End Fund Structure. Closed-end funds differ from open end management investment companies (commonly referred to as mutual funds) in that closed-end funds do not typically redeem their shares at the option of the shareholder. Rather, closed-end fund shares typically trade in the secondary market via a stock exchange. Unlike many closed-end funds, however, the Fund’s shares are not listed on a stock exchange. Instead, the Fund provides limited liquidity to shareholders by offering to repurchase a limited amount of shares (at least 5%) quarterly, which is discussed in more detail below. An investment in the Fund is suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of the shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment. The Fund, similar to a mutual fund, is subject to continuous asset in-flows, although not subject to the continuous out-flows.

Investor Suitability. An investment in the Fund involves a considerable amount of risk. It is possible that you will lose money. An investment in the Fund is suitable only for investors who can bear the risks associated with the limited liquidity of the shares and should be viewed as a long-term investment. Before making your investment decision, you should (i) consider the suitability of this investment with respect to your investment objectives and personal financial situation and (ii) consider factors such as your personal net worth, income, age, risk tolerance and liquidity needs.

Repurchases of Shares. The Fund is an interval fund and, as such, has adopted a fundamental policy to make quarterly repurchase offers, at NAV, of no less than 5% of the shares outstanding. There is no guarantee that shareholders will be able to sell all of the shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer because shareholders, in total, may wish to sell more than 5% of the Fund’s shares. Limited liquidity will be provided to shareholders only through the Fund’s quarterly repurchases. The Fund maintains liquid securities, cash or access to a bank line of credit in amounts sufficient to meet quarterly redemption requirements. See “Quarterly Repurchases of Shares.”

Summary of Risks.

Investing in the Fund involves risks, including the risk that you may receive little or no return on your investment or that you may lose part or all of your investment. Therefore, before investing you should consider carefully the following risks that you assume when you invest in the Fund’s shares. You assume these risks as a result of the Fund’s direct investments. See “Risk Factors.”

Mortgage-Backed and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. Prepayment risk is associated with mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities. If interest rates fall, the underlying debt may be repaid ahead of schedule, reducing the value of a Fund’s investments. If interest rates rise, there may be fewer prepayments, which would cause the average bond maturity to rise, increasing the potential for the Fund to lose money. The value of these securities may be significantly affected by changes in interest rates, the market’s perception of issuers, and the creditworthiness of the parties involved. The ability of a Fund to successfully utilize these instruments may depend on the ability of the Fund’s Sub-

3 
 

Adviser to forecast interest rates and other economic factors correctly. These securities may have a structure that makes their reaction to interest rate changes and other factors difficult to predict, making their value highly volatile. The more senior security classes are generally entitled to receive payment before the subordinate classes if the cash flow generated by the underlying assets is not sufficient to pay all investors. Certain mortgage-backed securities may be secured by pools of mortgages on single-family, multi-family properties, as well as commercial properties. Similarly, asset backed securities may be secured by pools of loans, such as student loans, automobile loans, equipment leases, and credit card receivables. The credit risk on such securities is affected by borrowers or lessees defaulting on their payments. The values of assets underlying mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may decline and, therefore, may not be adequate to cover underlying investors. Mortgage-backed securities and other securities issued by participants in housing and commercial real estate finance, as well as other real estate-related markets have experienced extraordinary weakness and volatility in certain years. Possible legislation in the area of residential mortgages, credit cards and other loans that may collateralize the securities in which the Fund may invest could negatively impact the value of the Fund’s investments. To the extent the Fund focuses its investments in particular types of mortgage-backed or asset-backed securities, the Fund may be more susceptible to risk factors affecting such types of securities. The liquidity of these assets may decrease over time.

Mortgaged-backed securities do not have a fixed maturity and their expected maturities may vary when interest rates rise or fall. An increased rate of prepayments on the Fund’s mortgage-backed securities will result in an unforeseen loss of interest income to the Fund as the Fund may be required to reinvest assets at a lower interest rate. A decreased rate of prepayments lengthens the expected maturity of a mortgaged-backed security. The prices of mortgage-backed securities may decrease more than prices of other fixed-income securities when interest rates rise.

Mortgaged-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations are subject to credit risk because underlying loan borrowers may default. Mortgaged-backed securities and collateralized mortgage obligations default rates tend to be sensitive to overall economic conditions and to localized property vacancy rates and prices. Borrower default rates may be significantly higher than estimated. Certain individual securities may be more sensitive to default rates because payments may be subordinated to other securities of the same issuer. The Sub-Adviser’s assessment, or a rating agency’s assessment, of borrower credit quality, default rates and loss rates may prove to be overly optimistic. Collateral mortgage obligations may be less susceptible to prepayment risk because payment priorities within the collateralized mortgage obligation may have the effect of a prepayment lock out period.

Debt Securities Risk. When the Fund invests in debt securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of debt securities. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

Credit Risk. Issuers of debt securities may not make scheduled interest and principal payments, resulting in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities held may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes.

Issuer Risk. The value of a specific security can perform differently from the market as a whole for reasons related to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services.

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that debt security prices overall, including the prices of securities held by the Fund, will decline over short or even long periods of time due to rising interest rates. Securities with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than securities with shorter maturities. For example, if interest rates go up by 1.0%, the price of a 4% coupon bond will decrease by approximately 1.0% for a bond with 1 year to maturity and approximately 4.4% for a bond with 5 years to maturity. Current economic conditions may result in rising interest rates, which in turn may result in a decline in the value of the debt security investments held by the Fund. As a result, for the present, interest rate risk may be heightened.

Prepayment Risk. In the event of a prepayment of all or a portion of the remaining unpaid principal amount of a loan to which the Fund has investment exposure, the Fund will receive such prepayment but further interest will cease to

4 
 

accrue on the prepaid portion of the loan after the date of the prepayment. If the Fund buys a security at a premium, the premium could be lost in the event of a prepayment. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments (and price fluctuation) tends to increase as borrowers are incentivized to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, the Fund generally will be forced to reinvest the prepayment proceeds at lower rates of return than the Fund expected to earn on the prepaid assets, provided that the Fund is able to identify suitable reinvestment opportunities, which may adversely impact the Fund’s performance.

High Yield Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as “high yield” or “junk” bonds, present greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased risk of default. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell its bonds. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease the Fund’s share price.

Duration Risk. Longer-term securities may be more sensitive to interest rate changes. A heightened risk is posed by rising interest rates to a fund whose portfolios include longer-term fixed income securities. Effective duration estimates price changes for relatively small changes in rates. If rates rise significantly, effective duration may tend to understate the drop in a security’s price. If rates drop significantly, effective duration may tend to overstate the rise in a security’s price.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities (“SMBS”) Risk. Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. 

 

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories.

 

Although Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, these securities were only recently developed. As a result, established trading markets have not yet developed and, accordingly, these securities may be deemed “illiquid”.

 

Valuation Risk. Many of the Fund’s investments may be difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable, the Fund will value such investments in accordance with fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. Valuation of illiquid investments may require more research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. An instrument that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation procedures. Prices obtained by the Fund upon the sale of such investments may not equal the value at which the Fund carried the investment on its books, which would adversely affect the NAV of the Fund.

Market Risk. An investment in the Fund’s shares is subject to investment risk, including the possible loss of the entire principal amount invested. An investment in the Fund’s shares represents an indirect investment in the securities owned by the Fund. The value of these securities, like other market investments, may move up or down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably.

Management Risk. The Sub-Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular asset classes and securities in which the Fund invests may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

5 
 

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than if it were a “diversified” fund. To the extent that the Fund invests a higher percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, the Fund is subject to a higher degree of risk associated with and developments affecting that issuer than a fund that invests more widely.

Liquidity Risk. There is currently no secondary market for the shares and the Fund expects that no secondary market will develop. Limited liquidity is provided to shareholders only through the Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of the shares outstanding at NAV. There is no guarantee that shareholders will be able to sell all of the shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer. The Fund’s investments are also subject to liquidity risk. Marketplace Loans may not have a secondary market and may be difficult to sell.

Repurchase Policy Risks. Quarterly repurchases by the Fund of its shares typically are funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. However, payment for repurchased shares may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Adviser or Sub-Adviser otherwise would liquidate such holdings, potentially resulting in losses, and may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover. The Adviser or Sub-Adviser may take measures to attempt to avoid or minimize such potential losses and turnover, and instead of liquidating portfolio holdings, may borrow money to finance repurchases of shares. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on any such borrowing will negatively affect shareholders who do not tender their shares in a repurchase offer by increasing the Fund’s expenses and reducing any net investment income. To the extent the Fund finances repurchase proceeds by selling investments, the Fund may hold a larger proportion of its gross assets in less liquid securities. Also, the sale of securities to fund repurchases could reduce the market price of those securities, which in turn would reduce the Fund’s NAV. The Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers are a shareholder’s only means of liquidity with respect to his or her shares.

Leverage Risk. The Fund may borrow money to make investments in marketplace lending-related securities and may obtain leverage through asset-backed securities that afford the Fund economic leverage. Leverage magnifies the Fund’s exposure to declines in the value of one or more underlying reference assets or creates investment risk with respect to a larger pool of assets than the Fund would otherwise have and may be considered a speculative technique. The value of an investment in the Fund will be more volatile and other risks tend to be compounded if and to the extent the Fund borrows or uses investments that have embedded leverage. In addition, because the Fund’s management fee is charged on gross assets, the Adviser has an incentive to cause the Fund to incur additional leverage.

U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters.

The Fund intends to elect to be treated and intends to qualify each year for taxation as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). In order for the Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company, it must meet an income and asset diversification test each year. If the Fund so qualifies and satisfies certain distribution requirements, the Fund (but not its shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent it distributes its investment company taxable income and net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital loss) in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions. The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on regulated investment companies, such as the Fund, to the extent they do not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of each calendar year. The Fund anticipates meeting these distribution requirements. See “U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters.”

Dividend Reinvestment Policy.

The Fund intends to make distributions of investment company taxable income monthly and net capital gains annually. Unless a shareholder elects otherwise, the shareholder’s distributions will be reinvested in additional shares under the Fund’s dividend reinvestment policy. Shareholders who elect not to participate in the Fund’s dividend reinvestment policy will receive all distributions in cash paid to the shareholder of record (or, if the shares are held in street or other nominee name, then to such nominee). See “Dividend Reinvestment Policy.”

Custodian

[ ] serve as the Fund’s custodian. See “Management of the Fund.”

6 
 


FUND EXPENSES

Shareholder Transaction Expenses    

Maximum Sales Load

(as a percent of offering price)

  None
Annual Expenses (as a percentage of net assets attributable to shares)    
Management Fees   1.50%
Other Expenses    
Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Fee1   [0.25%]
Remaining Other Expenses2   []%
Total Annual Expenses   [   ]%
Fee Waiver and Reimbursement3   ([   ])%
Total Annual Expenses (after fee waiver and reimbursement)   [  ]%

 

1.[The Fund has adopted but has yet to implement a shareholder services plan. In accordance with the plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain shareholder services-related activities. The Fund has adopted but has yet to implement a distribution plan. In accordance with the plan, the Fund is authorized to pay an amount up to 0.75% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities.]
2.Other expenses have been estimated for the current fiscal period.
3.The Adviser and the Fund have entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its fees and to pay or absorb the expenses incurred by the Fund, including, but not limited to, advisory fees of the Adviser (including organizational and offering expenses) but excluding distribution fees, brokerage, exchange fees, stamp duties, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as regulatory inquiry and litigation ("Fund Operating Expenses") to the extent that they exceed 1.99% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets of the Fund (the “Operating Expense Limit”). If the Fund incurs expenses excluded from the Expense Limitation Agreement, the Fund’s expense ratio could exceed those amounts. Under certain conditions, the Adviser is entitled to recoup from the Fund any management fees that it waived and/or Fund expenses that it paid under this Agreement for a period of up to three years from the date the fees were waived and/or expenses paid, provided such recoupment can be achieved without causing the total annual Fund Operating Expenses (after the recoupment is taken into account) to exceed (i) the Operating Expense Limit in effect at the time the fees were waived or expenses paid, or (ii) the Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the recoupment. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect at least until [ ], 2025, unless and until the Board of Trustees approves its modification or termination. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser. See “Management of the Fund.”

The Fund Expenses Table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund. More information about management fees, fee waivers and other expenses is available in “Management of the Fund” starting on page 43 of this prospectus.

The following example illustrates the hypothetical expenses that you would pay on $1,000 investment assuming annual expenses attributable to shares remain unchanged, shares earn a 5% annual return, and you held your shares or redeemed your shares in full at the end of such period. The example reflects adjustments made to the Fund’s operating expenses due to the fee waivers and/or expense reimbursements shown in the table above for the first year only.

1 Year 3 Years 5 Years 10 Years
$[  ] $[  ] $[  ] $[  ]

 

If shareholders request that repurchase proceeds be paid by wire transfer, such shareholders will be assessed an outgoing wire transfer fee at prevailing rates charged by [ ], currently [$15].

The purpose of the above table is to help a holder of shares understand the fees and expenses that such holder would bear directly or indirectly. The example should not be considered a representation of actual future expenses. Actual expenses may be higher or lower than those shown.

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The Fund has not yet produced financial statements, so a financial highlights table for the Fund has not been included in this Prospectus.

7 
 

THE FUND

The Fund is a continuously offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund’s principal office is located at [ ], and its telephone number is [ ].

USE OF PROCEEDS

The net proceeds of the continuous offering of shares are invested in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies (as stated below) as soon as practicable after receipt. There is no minimum threshold amount that must be raised prior to the Fund’s investment of net proceeds. The Fund pays its offering expenses incurred with respect to its continuous offering, less amounts advanced pursuant to the Expense Limitation. Pending investment of the net proceeds in accordance with the Fund’s investment objective and policies, the Fund invests in money market or short-term, high quality fixed-income mutual funds. Investors should expect, therefore, that before the Fund has fully invested the proceeds of the offering in accordance with its investment objective and policies, the Fund’s assets would earn interest income at a modest rate, which may be less than the Fund’s distribution rate.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE, POLICIES AND STRATEGIES

Investment Objective and Policies

The Fund’s investment objective is to seek total return.

The Fund invests without restriction as to issuer capitalization. The Fund invests in debt securities of any quality, duration or maturity. The Fund may employ leverage, including borrowing from banks in an amount of up to 33% of the Fund’s assets (defined as net assets plus borrowing for investment purposes). The Fund is authorized to borrow money in connection with its investment activities, to satisfy repurchase requests from Fund shareholders, and to otherwise provide the Fund with temporary liquidity.

The Fund’s SAI contains a list of the fundamental (those that may not be changed without a shareholder vote) and non-fundamental (if any) investment policies of the Fund under the heading “Investment Objective and Policies.”

Investment Strategy

The Sub-Adviser’s core investment philosophy revolves around the belief that attractive returns can be generated because of the complexity, liquidity, credit, and interest rate premiums typically available in the structured credit markets across market cycles.

The Sub-Adviser employs a consistent and repeatable investment process that relies on bottom-up security selection through rigorous fundamental credit and prepayment analysis. Top-down capital allocation decisions are designed to optimize the portfolio’s exposures to the most attractive risk/reward opportunities throughout a market cycle.

The Sub-Adviser considers third-party data and its own custom market analytics in identifying potential investments. In making investment decisions, the Sub-Adviser evaluate a security’s collateral characteristics (e.g., delinquency/default rates, severities, prepayment speeds, loan size/age) and then determine how interest rates, home prices, and other macro factors might impact the cash flows over various time horizons.

If the Sub-Adviser believes a security’s risk/return profile is attractive, the Sub-Adviser will use its proprietary database to determine the optimal purchase price for the security. Before purchasing a security for the Fund, the Sub-Adviser further considers the duration and yield impact that the security will have on the Fund’s overall portfolio.

Once a security has been added to the Fund’s portfolio, the Sub-Adviser’s investment team will assist in regularly monitoring its actual performance relative to its initial projections and attempt to optimize exposure by selling a security that may no longer offer compelling risk-adjusted returns compared to a new investment opportunity.

8 
 

Changes to the Fund’s Investment Policies

The Fund’s investment objective and policies may be changed without shareholder approval unless an objective or policy is identified in the prospectus or in the Statement of Additional Information as “fundamental.”

Other Information Regarding Investment Strategy

The Fund may, from time to time, take defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund’s principal investment strategy in attempting to respond to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such times, the Sub-Adviser may determine that the Fund should invest up to 100% of its assets in cash or cash equivalents, consisting of money market instruments, prime commercial paper, repurchase agreements, Treasury bills and other short-term obligations of the U. S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities. In these and in other cases, the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. The Sub-Adviser may invest the Fund’s cash balances in any investments it deems appropriate. The Sub-Adviser expects that such investments will be made, without limitation and as permitted under the 1940 Act, in money market funds, repurchase agreements, U.S. Treasury and U.S. agency securities, municipal bonds and bank accounts. Any income earned from such investments is ordinarily reinvested by the Fund in accordance with its investment program. Many of the considerations entering into recommendations and decisions of the Sub-Adviser and the Fund’s portfolio manager are subjective.

The frequency and amount of portfolio purchases and sales (known as the “portfolio turnover rate”) will vary from year to year. The portfolio turnover rate is not expected to exceed 100% but may vary greatly from year to year and will not be a limiting factor when the Sub-Advisor deems portfolio changes appropriate. Although the Fund generally does not intend to trade for short-term profits, the Fund may engage in short-term trading strategies, and securities may be sold without regard to the length of time held when, in the opinion of the Sub-Adviser, investment considerations warrant such action. These policies may have the effect of increasing the annual rate of portfolio turnover of the Fund. Higher rates of portfolio turnover would likely result in higher brokerage commissions and may generate short-term capital gains taxable as ordinary income. If securities are not held for the applicable holding periods, dividends paid on them will not qualify to be treated as qualified dividend income which is taxable to shareholders at reduced federal income tax rate. See “Tax Status” in the Fund’s SAI. However, due to the investment strategies of the Fund, there is no assurance what portion, if any, of the Fund’s investments will qualify for the reduced federal income tax rates applicable to qualified dividends under the Code. As a result, there can be no assurance as to what portion, if any, of the Fund’s distributions will be designated as qualified dividend income. See “U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters.”

Mortgage Backed-Securities. Mortgage-backed securities, including residential and commercial mortgage-backed securities, represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of mortgage loans.  Those securities may be guaranteed by a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality (such as by Ginnie Mae); issued and guaranteed by a government-sponsored stockholder-owned corporation, though not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States (such as by Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac); or issued by fully private issuers. Private issuers are generally originators of and investors in mortgage loans and include savings associations, mortgage bankers, commercial banks, investment bankers, and special purpose entities. Private mortgage-backed securities may be backed by U.S. Government agency supported mortgage loans or some form of non-governmental credit enhancement. The Fund intends to primarily invest in private, or non-agency, residential mortgage-backed securities.

Because many mortgages are repaid early, the actual maturity and duration of mortgage-backed securities are typically shorter than their stated final maturity and their duration calculated solely on the basis of the stated life and payment schedule.

Mortgage-backed securities may be issued in the form of collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”). CMOs are obligations that are fully collateralized, directly or indirectly, by a pool of mortgages; payments of principal and interest on the mortgages are passed through to the holders of the CMOs, although not necessarily on a pro rata basis, on the same schedule as they are received. Accordingly, a change in the rate of prepayments on the pool of mortgages could change the effective maturity or the duration of a CMO. To the extent that rising interest rates cause prepayments to occur at a slower than expected rate, a CMO could be converted into a longer-term security that is subject to greater risk of price volatility.

9 
 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities represent direct or indirect participations in, or are secured by and payable from, pools of assets such as, among other things, motor vehicle installment sales contracts, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, and receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements, or a combination of the foregoing. These assets are securitized through the use of trusts and special purpose vehicles (SPVs). Credit enhancements, such as various forms of cash collateral accounts or letters of credit, may support payments of principal and interest on asset-backed securities. Although these securities may be supported by letters of credit or other credit enhancements, payment of interest and principal ultimately depends upon individuals paying the underlying loans, which may be affected adversely by general downturns in the economy. Asset-backed securities are subject to the same risk of prepayment described with respect to mortgage-backed securities and to extension risk (the risk that an issuer of a security will make principal payments slower than anticipated by the investor, thus extending the securities’ duration). The risk that recovery on repossessed collateral might be unavailable or inadequate to support payments, however, is greater for asset-backed securities than for mortgage-backed securities.

The value of asset-backed securities, like that of traditional fixed-income securities, typically increases when interest rates fall and decreases when interest rates rise. However, asset-backed securities differ from traditional fixed-income securities because they generally are subject to prepayment based upon prepayments received by the SPV on the loan pool. The price paid by the Fund for such securities, the yield the Fund expects to receive from such securities and the weighted average life of such securities are based on a number of factors, including the anticipated rate of prepayment of the underlying assets.

RISK FACTORS

An investment in the Fund’s shares is subject to risks. The value of the Fund’s investments will increase or decrease based on changes in the prices of the investments it holds. This will cause the value of the Fund’s shares to increase or decrease. You could lose money by investing in the Fund. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment program. Before investing in the Fund, you should consider carefully the following risks the Fund faces through its direct investments. There may be additional risks that the Fund does not currently foresee or consider material. You may wish to consult with your legal or tax advisors, before deciding whether to invest in the Fund.

Mortgage- and Asset-Backed Securities Risk. The value of mortgage- and asset-backed securities, including collateralized mortgage instruments, will be influenced by the factors affecting the housing market or the assets underlying the securities. These securities differ from more traditional debt securities because the principal is paid back over the life of the security rather than at the security’s maturity; however, principal may be repaid early if a decline in interest rates causes many borrowers to refinance (known as prepayment risk), or repaid more slowly if a rise in rates causes refinancings to slow down (known as extension risk). Thus, they tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities and as a result, these securities may exhibit additional volatility during periods of interest rate turmoil. In addition, investments in mortgage- and asset-backed securities may be subject to call risk, credit risk, valuation risk, and illiquid investment risk, sometimes to a higher degree than various other types of debt securities. These securities are also subject to the risk of default on the underlying mortgages or assets, particularly during periods of market downturn, and an unexpectedly high rate of defaults on the underlying assets will adversely affect the security’s value. Further, such securities may have credit support, the utility of which could be negatively affected by such conditions as well.

Debt Securities Risk. When the Fund invests in debt securities, the value of your investment in the Fund will fluctuate with changes in interest rates. Typically, a rise in interest rates causes a decline in the value of debt securities. In general, the market price of debt securities with longer maturities will increase or decrease more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. Other risk factors include credit risk (the debtor may default) and prepayment risk (the debtor may pay its obligation early, reducing the amount of interest payments). These risks could affect the value of a particular investment, possibly causing the Fund’s share price and total return to be reduced and fluctuate more than other types of investments.

Credit Risk. There is a risk that debt issuers will not make payments, resulting in losses to the Fund. In addition, the credit quality of securities may be lowered if an issuer’s financial condition changes. Lower credit quality may lead to greater volatility in the price of a security and in shares of the Fund. Lower credit quality also may affect liquidity and make it difficult to sell the security. Default, or the market’s perception that an issuer is likely to default, could

10 
 

reduce the value and liquidity of securities, thereby reducing the value of your investment in Fund shares. In addition, default may cause the Fund to incur expenses in seeking recovery of principal or interest on its portfolio holdings.

Issuer Risk. The value of a specific security can be more volatile than the market as a whole and can perform differently from the value of the market as a whole. The value of an issuer’s securities that are held in the Fund’s portfolio may decline for a number of reasons which directly relate to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services.

Interest Rate Risk. Interest rate risk is the risk that debt security prices overall, including the prices of securities held by the Fund, will decline over short or even long periods of time due to rising interest rates. Securities with longer maturities tend to be more sensitive to interest rates than securities with shorter maturities. For example, if interest rates go up by 1.0%, the price of a 4% coupon bond will decrease by approximately 1.0% for a bond with 1 year to maturity and approximately 4.4% for a bond with 5 years to maturity. .

Prepayment Risk. In the event of a prepayment of all or a portion of the remaining unpaid principal amount of a loan to which the Fund has investment exposure, the Fund will receive such prepayment but further interest will cease to accrue on the prepaid portion of the loan after the date of the prepayment. If the Fund buys a security at a premium, the premium could be lost in the event of a prepayment. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments (and price fluctuation) tends to increase as borrowers are incentivized to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, the Fund generally will be forced to reinvest the prepayment proceeds at lower rates of return than the Fund expected to earn on the prepaid assets, provided that the Fund is able to identify suitable reinvestment opportunities, which may adversely impact the Fund’s performance.

High Yield Risk. Lower-quality fixed income securities, known as “high yield” or “junk” bonds, present a significant risk for loss of principal and interest. These securities offer the potential for higher return, but also involve greater risk than bonds of higher quality, including an increased possibility that the bond’s issuer, obligor or guarantor may not be able to make its payments of interest and principal (credit quality risk). If that happens, the value of the bond may decrease, and the Fund’s share price may decrease and its income distribution may be reduced. An economic downturn or period of rising interest rates (interest rate risk) could adversely affect the market for these bonds and reduce the Fund’s ability to sell its bonds (liquidity risk). Such securities may also include “Rule 144A” securities, which are subject to resale restrictions. The lack of a liquid market for these bonds could decrease the Fund’s share price and junk bonds are considered speculative.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities Risk. Stripped mortgage-backed securities are usually structured with two classes that receive different portions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage loans. A common type of stripped mortgage-backed security will have one class receiving all of the interest from the mortgage assets (interest only or “IOs”), while the other class will receive all of the principal (principal only or “POs”). The yield to maturity on an IO class of stripped mortgage-backed securities is extremely sensitive not only to changes in prevailing interest rates but also to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the underlying assets. A rapid rate of principal prepayments may have a measurable adverse effect on the stripped mortgage-backed security’s yield to maturity to the extent it invests in IOs. If the assets underlying the IO experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in these securities. Conversely, POs tend to increase in value if prepayments are greater than anticipated and decline if prepayments are slower than anticipated. Generally, the market value of POs is unusually volatile in response to changes in interest rates. Some IOs and POs are structured to have special protections against the effects of prepayments. These structural protections, however, normally are effective only within certain ranges of prepayment rates and, thus, will not protect investors in all circumstances. The price of these securities typically is more volatile than that of coupon-bearing bonds of the same maturity. The secondary market for stripped mortgage-backed securities may be more volatile and less liquid than that for other mortgage-backed securities, potentially limiting the Fund’s ability to buy or sell those securities at any particular time.

Valuation Risk. Many of the Fund’s investments may be difficult to value. Where market quotations are not readily available or deemed unreliable, the Fund values such investments in accordance with fair value procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees. Valuation of illiquid investments may require more research than for more liquid investments. In addition, elements of judgment may play a greater role in valuation in such cases than for investments with a more active secondary market because there is less reliable objective data available. An instrument that is fair valued may be valued at a price higher or lower than the value determined by other funds using their own fair valuation

11 
 

procedures. Prices obtained by the Fund upon the sale of such investments may not equal the value at which the Fund carried the investment on its books, which would adversely affect the NAV of the Fund.

Market Risk. Overall market risks may also affect the value of the Fund. The market values of securities or other investments owned by the Fund will go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably. Factors such as economic growth and market conditions, interest rate levels, exchange rates and political events affect the securities markets. Changes in market conditions and interest rates generally do not have the same impact on all types of securities and instruments. Unexpected local, regional or global events and their aftermath, such as war; acts of terrorism; financial, political or social disruptions; natural, environmental or man-made disasters; climate-change and climate-related events, the spread of infectious illnesses or other public health issues; recessions and depressions; or other tragedies, catastrophes and events could have a significant impact on the Fund and its investments and could result in increased premiums or discounts to the Fund’s NAV and may impair market liquidity, thereby increasing liquidity risk. Such events can cause investor fear and panic, which can adversely affect the economies of many companies, sectors, nations, regions and the market in general, in ways that cannot necessarily be foreseen. The Fund could lose money over short periods due to short-term market movements and over longer periods during more prolonged market downturns. During a general market downturn, multiple asset classes may be negatively affected. In times of severe market disruptions you could lose your entire investment.

Management Risk. The Fund’s NAV changes daily based on the performance of the securities in which it invests. The Adviser’s judgments about the attractiveness, value and potential appreciation of particular asset classes and securities in which the Fund invests (directly or indirectly) may prove to be incorrect and may not produce the desired results.

Non-Diversification Risk. The Fund is classified as a “non-diversified” fund under the 1940 Act. Accordingly, the Fund may invest a greater portion of its assets in the securities of a single issuer than if it were a “diversified” fund. To the extent that the Fund invests a higher percentage of its assets in the securities of a single issuer, the Fund is subject to a higher degree of risk associated with and developments affecting that issuer than a fund that invests more widely.

Liquidity Risk. The Fund is a closed-end investment company structured as an “interval fund” and designed for long-term investors. Unlike many closed-end investment companies, the Fund’s shares are not listed on any securities exchange and are not publicly traded. There is currently no secondary market for the shares and the Fund expects that no secondary market will develop. Limited liquidity is provided to shareholders only through the Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of the shares outstanding at NAV. There is no guarantee that shareholders will be able to sell all of the shares they desire in a quarterly repurchase offer. The Fund’s investments are also subject to liquidity risk. Liquidity risk exists when particular investments of the Fund would be difficult to purchase or sell, possibly preventing the Fund from selling such illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price, or possibly requiring the Fund to dispose of other investments at unfavorable times or prices in order to satisfy its obligations.

Repurchase Policy Risks. Quarterly repurchases by the Fund of its shares typically will be funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. However, payment for repurchased shares may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Sub-Adviser otherwise would liquidate such holdings, potentially resulting in losses, and may increase the Fund’s portfolio turnover. The Advisers or Sub-Adviser may take measures to attempt to avoid or minimize such potential losses and turnover, and instead of liquidating portfolio holdings, may borrow money to finance repurchases of shares. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on any such borrowing will negatively affect shareholders who do not tender their shares in a repurchase offer by increasing the Fund’s expenses and reducing any net investment income. To the extent the Fund finances repurchase proceeds by selling investments, the Fund may hold a larger proportion of its gross assets in less liquid securities. Also, the sale of securities to fund repurchases could reduce the market price of those securities, which in turn would reduce the Fund’s NAV.

Repurchase of shares tends to reduce the amount of outstanding shares and, depending upon the Fund’s investment performance, its net assets. A reduction in the Fund’s net assets may increase the Fund’s expense ratio, to the extent that additional shares are not sold. In addition, the repurchase of shares by the Fund may be a taxable event to shareholders.

12 
 

The Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers are a shareholder’s only means of liquidity with respect to his or her shares. The shares are not traded on a national securities exchange and no secondary market exists for the shares, nor does the Fund expect a secondary market for its shares to exist in the future.

Cybersecurity

The computer systems, networks and devices used by the Fund and its service providers to carry out routine business operations employ a variety of protections designed to prevent damage or interruption from computer viruses, network failures, computer and telecommunication failures, infiltration by unauthorized persons and security breaches. Despite the various protections utilized by the Fund and its service providers, systems, networks, or devices potentially can be breached. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result of a cybersecurity breach.

Cybersecurity breaches can include unauthorized access to systems, networks, or devices; infection from computer viruses or other malicious software code; and attacks that shut down, disable, slow, or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality. Cybersecurity breaches may cause disruptions and impact the Fund’s business operations, potentially resulting in financial losses; interference with the Fund’s ability to calculate their NAV; impediments to trading; the inability of the Fund’s, the Adviser, Sub-Adviser, and other service providers to transact business; violations of applicable privacy and other laws; regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, reimbursement or other compensation costs, or additional compliance costs; as well as the inadvertent release of confidential information.

Similar adverse consequences could result from cybersecurity breaches affecting issuers of securities in which the Fund invests; counterparties with which the Fund’s engage in transactions; governmental and other regulatory authorities; exchange and other financial market operators, banks, brokers, dealers, insurance companies, and other financial institutions (including financial intermediaries and service providers for the Fund’s shareholders); and other parties. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred by these entities in order to prevent any cybersecurity breaches in the future.

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

Trustees and Officers

The Board of Trustees is responsible for the overall management of the Fund, including supervision of the duties performed by the Sub-Adviser. The Board of Trustees is comprised of three trustees. The Trustees are responsible for the Fund’s overall management, including adopting the investment and other policies of the Fund, electing and replacing officers and selecting and supervising the Fund’s investment adviser. The name and business address of the Trustees and officers of the Fund and their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years, as well as a description of committees of the Board of Trustees, are set forth under “Management” in the SAI.

Investment Adviser

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC, a New York limited liability company located at 53 Palmeras St., Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901 serves as Adviser to the Funds. . The Adviser was formed in 2006. Under the terms of the Investment Advisory Agreement, the Adviser oversees the day-to-day investment operations for the Fund and continuously reviews, supervises and administers the Fund’s investment program.

Under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser carries out the investment and reinvestment of the net assets of the Fund, continuously furnishes an investment program with respect to the Fund, and determines which securities should be purchased, sold or exchanged. In addition, the Adviser supervises and provides oversight of the Fund’s service providers. The Adviser furnishes to the Fund office facilities, equipment and personnel for servicing the management of the Fund. The Adviser compensates all Adviser personnel who provide services to the Fund. In return for these services, facilities and payments, the Fund has agreed to pay the Adviser as compensation under the Investment Advisory Agreement a monthly advisory fee computed at the annual rate of 1.50% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

13 
 

A discussion regarding the basis for the Board of Trustees’ approval of the Fund’s Investment Advisory Agreement is included in the Fund’s [semi-annual] report to shareholders for the fiscal period ended [ ], 2024.

The Adviser and the Fund have entered into an Expense Limitation Agreement under which the Adviser has agreed contractually to waive its fees and to pay or absorb the expenses incurred by the Fund, including but not limited to, the advisory fees of the Adviser excluding distribution fees, brokerage, exchange fees, stamp duties, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as regulatory inquiry and litigation ("Fund Operating Expenses") to the extent that they exceed 1.99% per annum of the Fund’s average daily net assets of the Fund (the “Operating Expense Limit”). If the Fund incurs expenses excluded from the Expense Limitation Agreement, the Fund’s expense ratio could exceed those amounts. Under certain conditions, the Adviser is entitled to recoup from the Fund any management fees that it waived and/or Fund expenses that it paid under this Agreement for a period of up to three years from the date the fees were waived and/or expenses paid, provided such recoupment can be achieved without causing the total annual Fund Operating Expenses (after the recoupment is taken into account) to exceed (i) the Operating Expense Limit in effect at the time the fees were waived or expenses paid, or (ii) the Operating Expense Limit in place at the time of the recoupment. The Expense Limitation Agreement will remain in effect at least until [ ], 2025, unless and until the Board approves its modification or termination. This agreement may be terminated only by the Board of Trustees on 60 days’ written notice to the Adviser. After [ ], 2025, the Expense Limitation Agreement may be renewed at the Adviser’s and Board of Trustees’ discretion.

Exclusion of Adviser from Commodity Pool Operator Definition 

With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has claimed an exclusion from the definition of “commodity pool operator” (“CPO”) under the Commodity Exchange Act (“CEA” and the rules of the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and, therefore, is not subject to CFTC registration or regulation as a CPO. In addition, with respect to the Fund, the Adviser is relying upon a related exclusion from the definition of commodity trading advisor under the CEA and the rules of the CFTC. The terms of the CPO exclusion require the Fund, among other things, to adhere to certain limits on its investments in commodity futures, commodity options and swaps, which in turn include non-deliverable currency forward contracts, as further described in the Fund’s SAI. Because the Adviser and the Fund intend to comply with the terms of the CPO exclusion, the Fund may, in the future, need to adjust its investment strategies, consistent with its investment objective, to limit its investments in these types of instruments. The Fund is not intended as a vehicle for trading in the commodity futures, commodity options, or swaps markets. The CFTC has neither reviewed nor approved the Adviser’s reliance on these exclusions, or the Fund, their investment strategies or this prospectus.

Investment Sub-Adviser

Perini Capital, LLC (“Perini Capital” or “Sub-Adviser”), a New Mexico limited liability company located at 16950 Via de Santa Fe #102, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92091, serves as sub-adviser to the Fund. Perini Capital was formed in 2011. Under the general supervision of the Fund’s Board of Trustees and the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Adviser, not the Fund.

Portfolio Managers

Michael Perini

Michael Perini, CFA is the President and CEO of Perini Capital and has over 19 years of experience analyzing structured credit securities. Mr. Perini founded Perini Capital in 2011 after working at SecureVest Financial Group as a non-agency mortgage-backed securities trader from 2009to 2011 and at Commonwealth Advisors as a mortgage credit analyst from 2004 to 2008. He graduated with a B.A. in Finance from Louisiana State University in 2004 and is a CFA charterholder.

Michael Ciklin

14 
 

Michael Ciklin is a Portfolio Manager at Perini Capital. He has over sixteen years of experience in investment research and financial markets analysis. Prior to joining the Perini Capital in 2014, Mr. Ciklin was Vice President at SPB Partners from 2010 to 2014 and a financial analyst at Savills Studley from 2009 to 2010. He graduated from Princeton University and received JD, MBA and Masters in Real Estate (MRE) degrees from the University of Florida.

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

Administrator, Accounting Agent and Transfer Agent

[ ], located at [ ], serves as administrator, accounting agent, and transfer agent.

[Management, Legal Administrative and Compliance Services

MFund Services LLC, an affiliate of the Adviser, located at 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743, provides the Fund with management, compliance and legal services.]

Custodian

[ ], with principal offices at [ ], serves as custodian for the securities and cash of the Fund’s portfolio.

Fund Expenses

The Adviser is obligated to pay expenses associated with providing the services stated in the Investment Advisory Agreement, including compensation of and office space for its officers and employees connected with investment and economic research, trading and investment management and administration of the Fund.

The Fund pays all other expenses incurred in the operation of the Fund, which consist of (i) expenses for legal and independent accountants’ services, (ii) costs of printing proxies, share certificates, if any, and reports to shareholders, (iii) charges of the custodians and transfer agent in connection with the Fund’s dividend reinvestment policy, (iv) fees and expenses of independent Trustees, (v) printing costs, (vi) membership fees in trade association, (vii) fidelity bond coverage for the Fund’s officers and Trustees, (viii) errors and omissions insurance for the Fund’s officers and Trustees, (ix) brokerage costs, (x) taxes, (xi) costs associated with the Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers, (xii) servicing fees, and (xiii) other extraordinary or non-recurring expenses and other expenses properly payable by the Fund. The expenses incident to the offering and issuance of shares to be issued by the Fund were recorded as a reduction of capital of the Fund attributable to the shares.

The Board of Trustees has authorized the Fund to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain shareholder services-related activities.

The Investment Advisory Agreement authorizes the Adviser to select brokers or dealers (including affiliates) to arrange for the purchase and sale of Fund securities, including principal transactions. Any commission, fee or other remuneration paid to an affiliated broker or dealer is paid in compliance with the Fund’s procedures adopted in accordance with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act.

Control Persons

A control person is one who owns, either directly or indirectly more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A control person may be able to determine the outcome of a matter put to a shareholder vote. In addition, a large repurchase of shares held by a controlling shareholder could, under certain circumstances, significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which may adversely affect the Fund’s investment flexibility and expense ratio.

15 
 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The net asset value (“NAV”) of shares of the Fund is determined daily, as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (the “NYSE”) (normally, 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time). Each share is offered at NAV. During the continuous offering, the price of the shares increases or decreases on a daily basis according to the NAV of the shares.

The Board of Trustees has adopted Valuation Procedures pursuant to which the Fund values its investments (the “Valuation Procedures”) to ensure investments are valued in a manner consistent with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America (“GAAP”) as required by the 1940 Act. The Board of Trustees has designated the Adviser as the Valuation Designee for implementing the Valuation Procedures, including the responsibility for determining the fair value of the Fund’s securities or other assets for which market quotations are not readily available. To carry out the operational day-to-day pricing obligations for the Fund, the Board has also delegated certain responsibilities to [ ]. [ ] obtains market quotations for securities and other assets held by the Fund where such quotations are readily available, and combines such market prices with the fair value prices of the Fund’s other securities and assets, and computes the NAV of the Fund by dividing the resulting value of the Fund’s assets (less any liabilities) by the total number of shares of the Fund outstanding. [ ] shall employ, at the Fund’s expense, as applicable, independent pricing agents of the type commonly used in the investment company industry.

In computing NAV, portfolio securities of the Fund are valued at their current market values determined on the basis of market quotations. If market quotations are not readily available, securities are valued at fair value as determined by the Adviser. As a general matter, fair value represents the amount that the Fund could reasonably expect to receive if the Fund’s investment in the security were sold at the time of valuation, based on information reasonably available at the time the valuation is made and that the Adviser believes to be reliable. Fair valuation involves subjective judgments, and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may differ materially from the value that could be realized upon the sale of the security.

The Fund’s securities or other investment assets for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at their fair value, as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with the Valuation Procedures.

There is no single standard for determining fair value of a security. Rather, fair value calculations will involve significant professional judgment in the application of both observable and unobservable attributes, and as a result, the calculated NAV of Fund assets may differ from their actual realizable value or future fair value. In determining the fair value of a security for which there are no readily available market quotations, the Adviser, acting pursuant to the Valuation Procedures implemented by the Board of Trustees, shall take into account applicable statutory and regulatory requirements and guidance and the relevant factors and surrounding circumstances applicable to the specific security, which may include, among other things: (i) the nature and pricing history (if any) of the security; (ii) whether any dealer quotations for the security are available; (iii) possible valuation methodologies that could be used to determine the fair value of the security; (iv) the recommendation of the Adviser with respect to the valuation of the security; (v) whether the same or similar securities are held by other funds managed by the Adviser and the methodologies used to value comparable or similar securities in those funds; (vi) the extent to which the fair value determination will be based on data or formulae produced by third parties independent of the applicable Adviser; (vii) the liquidity or illiquidity of the market for the security; (viii) the existence of merger proposals, tender offers or other types of “exit” events for shareholders of the security’s issuer; (ix) court action or governmental intervention with respect to a security or its issuer; and (x) price changes of a relevant market index that serves as a reasonable proxy instrument for the fair valued security.

The Adviser provides the Board of Trustees with periodic reports, no less frequently than quarterly, that discuss the functioning of the valuation process, if applicable to that period, and that identify issues and valuations problems that have arisen, if any. The Board reviews any securities valued by the Adviser in accordance with the Fund’s Valuation Procedures.

For purposes of determining the NAV of the Fund, readily marketable portfolio securities listed on one or more securities exchanges (including the NASDAQ) are valued, except as indicated below, at the last quoted sale price on the principal exchange on which security is traded as determined by the relevant pricing agent or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask prices on such exchange. If a security is traded or dealt in on more

16 
 

than one exchange, or on one or more exchange and in the over-the-counter market, quotations from the exchange on which the security is primarily traded shall be used.

Readily marketable securities traded in the over-the-counter market, including listed securities whose primary market is believed by the Adviser to be over-the-counter, generally shall be valued at the last sale price or, in the absence of a sale, at the mean between the current bid and ask price on such over-the-counter market.. Where securities are traded on more than one exchange and also over-the-counter, the securities will generally be valued using the quotations from the exchange on which the security is primarily traded.

Debt securities not traded on an exchange may be valued at prices supplied by the relevant pricing agent(s) based on broker or dealer supplied valuations or matrix pricing, a method of valuing securities by reference to the value of other securities with similar characteristics, such as rating, interest rate and maturity.

Investment company shares, which include open-end funds, hedge funds or other unregistered investment companies, that are not traded on a securities exchange will be valued at the NAV per share reported by the investment company on each business day, as of immediately prior to the time at which the Fund’s NAV is calculated.

Money market-type instruments that have a remaining maturity of 60 days or less may be valued at amortized cost (purchase price or last valuation, as applicable, adjusted for accretion of discount or amortization of premium), unless the Adviser believes another valuation is more appropriate. Municipal daily or weekly variable rate demand instruments may be priced at par plus accrued interest.

CONFLICTS OF INTEREST

As a general matter, certain conflicts of interest may arise in connection with a portfolio manager’s management of a fund’s investments, on the one hand, and the investments of other accounts for which the portfolio manager is responsible, on the other. For example, it is possible that the various accounts managed could have different investment strategies that, at times, might conflict with one another to the possible detriment of the Fund. Alternatively, to the extent that the same investment opportunities might be desirable for more than one account, possible conflicts could arise in determining how to allocate them. Other potential conflicts might include conflicts created by specific portfolio manager compensation arrangements, and conflicts relating to selection of brokers or dealers to execute Fund portfolio trades and/or specific uses of commissions from Fund portfolio trades (for example, research, or “soft dollars”, if any). The Sub-Adviser has adopted policies and procedures and has structured its portfolio managers’ compensation in a manner reasonably designed to safeguard the Fund from being negatively affected as a result of any such potential conflicts. These policies and procedures generally require that the Sub-Adviser distribute investment opportunities among client accounts in a fair and equitable manner (i.e., on a pro rata basis, relative to the size of the order) and seek best execution for securities transactions executed on the Fund’s behalf.

QUARTERLY REPURCHASES OF SHARES

Once each quarter, the Fund will offer to repurchase at NAV no less than 5% of the outstanding shares of the Fund, unless such offer is suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements (as discussed below). The offer to purchase shares is a fundamental policy that may not be changed without the vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (as defined in the 1940 Act). Shareholders will be notified in writing of each quarterly repurchase offer and the date the repurchase offer ends (the “Repurchase Request Deadline”). Shares will be repurchased at the NAV per share determined as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline, or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day (each a “Repurchase Pricing Date”).

Shareholders are notified in writing about each quarterly repurchase offer, how they may request that the Fund repurchase their shares and the “Repurchase Request Deadline,” which is the date the repurchase offer ends. Shares tendered for repurchase by shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline are repurchased subject to the aggregate repurchase amounts established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. The time between the notification to shareholders and the Repurchase Request Deadline is generally 30 days, but may vary from no more than 42 days to no less than 21 days. Payment pursuant to the repurchase are made by checks to the shareholder’s address of record,

17 
 

or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Purchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board may establish other policies for repurchases of shares that are consistent with the 1940 Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws.

Determination of Repurchase Offer Amount

The Board of Trustees, or a committee thereof, in its sole discretion, will determine the number of shares that the Fund will offer to repurchase (the “Repurchase Offer Amount”) for a given Repurchase Request Deadline. The Repurchase Offer Amount will be no less than 5% and no more than 25% of the total number of shares outstanding on the Repurchase Request Deadline. However, investors should not rely on repurchase offers being made in amounts in excess of 5% of Fund assets.

If shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund will repurchase the shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all shares tendered for repurchase by shareholders who own less than one hundred shares and who tender all of their shares, before prorating other amounts tendered.

Notice to Shareholders

Approximately 30 days (but no less than 21 days and no more than 42 days) before each Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund sends to each shareholder of record and to each beneficial owner of the shares that are the subject of the repurchase offer a notification (“Shareholder Notification”). The Shareholder Notification contains information shareholders should consider in deciding whether or not to tender their shares for repurchase. The notice also includes detailed instructions on how to tender shares for repurchase, state the Repurchase Offer Amount and identify the dates of the Repurchase Request Deadline, the scheduled Repurchase Pricing Date, and the date the repurchase proceeds are scheduled for payment (the “Repurchase Payment Deadline”). The notice also sets forth the NAV that has been computed no more than seven days before the date of notification, and how shareholders may ascertain the NAV after the notification date.

Repurchase Price

The repurchase price of the shares is at the NAV as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE on the Repurchase Pricing Date. You may call [ ] to learn the NAV. The notice of the repurchase offer also provides information concerning the NAV, such as the NAV as of a recent date or a sampling of recent NAVs, and a toll-free number for information regarding the repurchase offer.

Repurchase Amounts and Payment of Proceeds

Shares tendered for repurchase by shareholders prior to any Repurchase Request Deadline are repurchased subject to the aggregate Repurchase Offer Amount established for that Repurchase Request Deadline. Payment pursuant to the repurchase offer is made by check to the shareholder’s address of record, or credited directly to a predetermined bank account on the Purchase Payment Date, which will be no more than seven days after the Repurchase Pricing Date. The Board of Trustees may establish other policies for repurchases of shares that are consistent with the 1940 Act, regulations thereunder and other pertinent laws.

If shareholders tender for repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount for a given repurchase offer, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding shares of the Fund on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if shareholders tender shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2% of the outstanding shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund will repurchase the shares on a pro rata basis. However, the Fund may accept all shares tendered for repurchase by shareholders who own less than one hundred shares and who tender all of their shares, before prorating other amounts tendered.

18 
 

Suspension or Postponement of Repurchase Offer

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

Liquidity Requirements

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

Consequences of Repurchase Offers

Repurchase offers are typically funded from available cash or sales of portfolio securities. Payment for repurchased shares, however, may require the Fund to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Adviser or Sub-Adviser otherwise would, thus increasing the Fund’s portfolio turnover and potentially causing the Fund to realize losses. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser intend to take measures to attempt to avoid or minimize such potential losses and turnover, and instead of liquidating portfolio holdings, may borrow money to finance repurchases of shares. If the Fund borrows to finance repurchases, interest on that borrowing will negatively affect shareholders who do not tender their shares in a repurchase offer by increasing the Fund’s expenses and reducing any net investment income. To the extent the Fund finances repurchase amounts by selling Fund investments, the Fund may hold a larger proportion of its assets in less liquid securities. The sale of portfolio securities to fund repurchases also could reduce the market price of those underlying securities, which in turn would reduce the Fund’s NAV.

Repurchase of the Fund’s shares tends to reduce the amount of outstanding shares and, depending upon the Fund’s investment performance, its net assets. A reduction in the Fund’s net assets would increase the Fund’s expense ratio, to the extent that additional shares are not sold and expenses otherwise remain the same (or increase). In addition, the repurchase of shares by the Fund will be a taxable event to shareholders.

The Fund is intended as a long-term investment. The Fund’s quarterly repurchase offers are a shareholder’s only means of liquidity with respect to his or her shares. Shareholders have no rights to redeem or transfer their shares, other than limited rights of a shareholder’s descendants to redeem shares in the event of such shareholder’s death pursuant to certain conditions and restrictions. The shares are not traded on a national securities exchange and no secondary market exists for the shares, nor does the Fund expect a secondary market for its shares to exist in the future.

DISTRIBUTION POLICY

The Fund intends to make a dividend distribution monthly to its shareholders of the net investment income of the Fund after payment of Fund operating expenses. The Fund may establish a predetermined dividend rate, which may be modified by the Board from time to time. If, for any distribution, investment company taxable income (which term includes net short-term capital gain), if any, and net tax-exempt income, if any, is less than the amount of the distribution, then assets of the Fund will be sold and the difference will generally be a tax-free return of capital distributed from the Fund’s assets. The Fund’s final distribution for each calendar year includes any remaining investment company taxable income and net tax-exempt income undistributed during the year, as well as all net capital

19 
 

gain realized during the year. If the total distributions made in any calendar year exceed investment company taxable income, net tax-exempt income and net capital gain, such excess distributed amount would be treated as ordinary dividend income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions in excess of the earnings and profits would first be a tax-free return of capital to the extent of the adjusted tax basis in the shares. After such adjusted tax basis is reduced to zero, the distribution would constitute capital gain (assuming the shares are held as capital assets).

This distribution policy may, under certain circumstances, have certain adverse consequences to the Fund and its shareholders because it may result in a return of capital resulting in less of a shareholder’s assets being invested in the Fund and, over time, increase the Fund’s expense ratio. The distribution policy also may cause the Fund to sell a security at a time it would not otherwise do so in order to manage the distribution of income and gain.

Unless the registered owner of shares elects to receive cash, all dividends declared on shares will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund. See “Dividend Reinvestment Policy.”

The dividend distribution described above may result in the payment of approximately the same amount or percentage to the Fund’s shareholders each period. Section 19(a) of the 1940 Act and Rule 19a-1 thereunder require the Fund to provide a written statement accompanying any such payment that adequately discloses its source or sources. Thus, if the source of the dividend or other distribution were the original capital contribution of the shareholder, and the payment amounted to a return of capital, the Fund would be required to provide written disclosure to that effect. Nevertheless, persons who periodically receive the payment of a dividend or other distribution may be under the impression that they are receiving net profits when they are not. Shareholders should read any written disclosure provided pursuant to Section 19(a) and Rule 19a-1 carefully and should not assume that the source of any distribution from the Fund is net profit.

A return of capital is not taxable to a shareholder unless it exceeds a shareholder’s tax basis in the shares. Returns of capital reduce a shareholder’s tax cost (or “tax basis”). Once a shareholder’s tax basis is reduced to zero, any further return of capital would be taxable. Shareholders should note that return of capital will reduce the tax basis of their shares and potentially increase the taxable gain, if any, upon disposition of their shares. As required under the 1940 Act, the Fund will provide a notice to shareholders at the time of distribution when such distribution does not consist solely of net income. Additionally, each distribution payment will be accompanied by a written statement which discloses the source or sources of each distribution. The IRS requires you to report these amounts, excluding returns of capital, on your income tax return for the year declared. The Fund will provide disclosures, with each distribution, that estimate the percentages of the current and year-to-date distributions that represent (1) net investment income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital. At the end of the year, the Fund may be required under applicable law to re-characterize distributions made previously during that year among (1) ordinary income, (2) capital gains and (3) return of capital for tax purposes. An additional distribution may be made in December, and other additional distributions may be made with respect to a particular fiscal year in order to comply with applicable law.

The Board of Trustees reserves the right to change the quarterly distribution policy from time to time.

DIVIDEND REINVESTMENT POLICY

The Fund operates under a dividend reinvestment policy administered by [ ] (the “Agent”). Pursuant to the policy, the Fund’s income dividends or capital gains or other distributions (each, a “Distribution” and collectively, “Distributions”), net of any applicable U.S. withholding tax, are reinvested in shares of the Fund.

Shareholders automatically participate in the dividend reinvestment policy, unless and until an election is made to withdraw from the policy on behalf of such participating shareholder. Shareholders who do not wish to have Distributions automatically reinvested should so notify the Agent in writing at Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund c/o [ ]. Such written notice must be received by the Agent 30 days prior to the record date of the Distribution or the shareholder will receive such Distribution in shares through the dividend reinvestment policy. Under the dividend reinvestment policy, the Fund’s Distributions to shareholders are reinvested in full and fractional shares as described below.

20 
 

When the Fund declares a Distribution, the Agent, on the shareholder’s behalf, will receive additional authorized shares from the Fund either newly issued or repurchased from shareholders by the Fund and held as treasury stock. The number of shares to be received when Distributions are reinvested will be determined by dividing the amount of the Distribution by the Fund’s NAV per share.

The Agent maintains all shareholder accounts and furnish written confirmations of all transactions in the accounts, including information needed by shareholders for personal and tax records. The Agent holds shares in the account of the shareholders in non-certificated form in the name of the participant, and each shareholder’s proxy, if any, will include those shares purchased pursuant to the dividend reinvestment policy. Each participant, nevertheless, has the right to request certificates for whole and fractional shares owned. The Fund issues certificates in its sole discretion. The Agent will distribute all proxy solicitation materials, if any, to participating shareholders.

In the case of shareholders, such as banks, brokers or nominees, that hold shares for others who are beneficial owners participating under the dividend reinvestment policy, the Agent administers the dividend reinvestment policy on the basis of the number of shares certified from time to time by the record shareholder as representing the total amount of shares registered in the shareholder’s name and held for the account of beneficial owners participating under the dividend reinvestment policy.

Neither the Agent nor the Fund shall have any responsibility or liability beyond the exercise of ordinary care for any action taken or omitted pursuant to the dividend reinvestment policy, nor shall they have any duties, responsibilities or liabilities except as expressly set forth herein. Neither shall they be liable hereunder for any act done in good faith or for any good faith omissions to act, including, without limitation, failure to terminate a participant’s account prior to receipt of written notice of his or her death or with respect to prices at which shares are purchased or sold for the participants account and the terms on which such purchases and sales are made, subject to applicable provisions of the federal securities laws.

The automatic reinvestment of Dividends does not relieve participants of any federal, state or local income tax that may be payable (or required to be withheld) on such Dividends. See “U.S. Federal Income Tax Matters.”

The Fund reserves the right to amend or terminate the dividend reinvestment policy. There is no direct service charge to participants with regard to purchases under the dividend reinvestment policy; however, the Fund reserves the right to amend the dividend reinvestment policy to include a service charge payable by the participants.

All correspondence concerning the dividend reinvestment policy should be directed to the Agent at Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund c/o [ ]. Certain transactions can be performed by calling the toll free number [ ].

U.S. FEDERAL INCOME TAX MATTERS

The following briefly summarizes some of the important federal income tax consequences to shareholders of investing in the Fund’s shares, reflects the federal tax law as of the date of this prospectus, and does not address special tax rules applicable to certain types of investors, such as corporate, tax-exempt and foreign investors. Investors should consult their tax advisers regarding other federal, state or local tax considerations that may be applicable in their particular circumstances, as well as any proposed tax law changes.

The following is a summary discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences that may be relevant to a shareholder of the Fund that acquires, holds and/or disposes of shares of the Fund, and reflects provisions of the Code, existing Treasury regulations, rulings published by the IRS, and other applicable authority, as of the date of this prospectus. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund and the discussion set forth herein does not constitute tax advice. For more detailed information regarding tax considerations, see the SAI. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular investors such as those holding shares in a tax deferred account such as an IRA or 401(k) plan. In addition, income earned through an investment in the Fund may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes.

21 
 

The Fund intends to elect to be treated and to qualify each year for taxation as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. In order for the Fund to qualify as a regulated investment company, it must meet an income and asset diversification test each year. If the Fund so qualifies and satisfies certain distribution requirements, the Fund (but not its shareholders) will not be subject to federal income tax to the extent it distributes its investment company taxable income and net capital gains (the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital loss) in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends or capital gain distributions. The Code imposes a 4% nondeductible excise tax on regulated investment companies, such as the Fund, to the extent they do not meet certain distribution requirements by the end of each calendar year. The Fund anticipates meeting these distribution requirements.

The Fund intends to make distributions of investment company taxable income after payment of the Fund’s operating expenses monthly and net capital gains annually. Unless a shareholder is ineligible to participate or elects otherwise, all distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional shares of the Fund pursuant to the dividend reinvestment policy. For U.S. federal income tax purposes, all dividends are generally taxable whether a shareholder takes them in cash or they are reinvested pursuant to the policy in additional shares of the Fund. Distributions of the Fund’s investment company taxable income (including short-term capital gains) will generally be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Distributions of the Fund’s net capital gains (“capital gain dividends”), if any, are taxable to shareholders as capital gains, regardless of the length of time shares have been held by shareholders. Distributions, if any, in excess of the Fund’s earnings and profits will first reduce the adjusted tax basis of a holder’s shares and, after that basis has been reduced to zero, will constitute capital gains to the shareholder of the Fund (assuming the shares are held as a capital asset). A corporation that owns Fund shares generally will not be entitled to the dividends received deduction with respect to all of the dividends it receives from the Fund. Because the income of the Fund primarily is derived from investments earning interest rather than dividend income, none or only a small portion of the income dividends paid are anticipated to be eligible for the corporate dividend-received deduction or to be treated as qualified dividend income taxable to noncorporate shareholders at reduced federal income tax rates. The determination of the character for U.S. federal income tax purposes of any distribution from the Fund (i.e. ordinary income dividends, capital gains dividends, qualified dividends or return of capital distributions) will be made as of the end of the Fund’s taxable year. Generally, no later than 60 days after the close of its taxable year, the Fund will provide shareholders with a written notice designating the amount of any capital gain distributions and any other distributions.

The Fund informs its shareholders of the source and tax status of all distributions promptly after the close of each calendar year.

DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL STRUCTURE AND SHARES

The Fund is an unincorporated statutory trust established under the laws of the State of Delaware upon the filing of a Certificate of Trust with the Secretary of State of Delaware on November 28, 2023. The Fund’s Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration of Trust”), as may be amended from time to time, provides that the Board of Trustees of the Fund may authorize separate classes of shares of beneficial interest. The Board of Trustees have authorized an unlimited number of shares. The Fund does not intend to hold annual meetings of its shareholders.

The Declaration of Trust, which has been filed with the SEC, permits the Fund to issue an unlimited number of full and fractional shares of beneficial interest, no par value. Each share of the Fund represents an equal proportionate interest in the assets of the Fund with each other share in the Fund.

Holders of shares will be entitled to the payment of dividends when, as and if declared by the Board of Trustees. The Fund currently intends to make dividend distributions to its shareholders after payment of Fund operating expenses including interest on outstanding borrowings, if any, no less frequently than quarterly. Unless the registered owner of shares elects to receive cash, all dividends declared on shares will be automatically reinvested for shareholders in additional shares of the Fund. See “Dividend Reinvestment Policy.” The 1940 Act may limit the payment of dividends to the holders of shares.

Each share, including fractional shares, shall be entitled to one vote, and a fractional vote for fractional shares, as to matters on which it is entitled to vote pursuant to the terms of the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC. Upon liquidation of the Fund, after paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities of the Fund, and upon

22 
 

receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining assets of the Fund among its shareholders. The shares are not liable to further calls or to assessment by the Fund. There are no pre-emptive rights associated with the shares. The Declaration of Trust provides that the Fund’s shareholders are not liable for any liabilities of the Fund. Although shareholders of an unincorporated statutory trust established under Delaware law, in certain limited circumstances, may be held personally liable for the obligations of the Fund as though they were general partners, the provisions of the Declaration of Trust described in the foregoing sentence make the likelihood of such personal liability remote.

The Fund generally does not issue share certificates. However, upon written request to the Fund’s transfer agent, a share certificate may be issued at the Fund’s discretion for any or all of the full shares credited to an investor’s account. Share certificates that have been issued to an investor may be returned at any time. The Fund’s transfer agent maintains an account for each shareholder upon which the registration of shares are recorded, and transfers, permitted only in rare circumstances, such as death or bona fide gift, will be reflected by bookkeeping entry, without physical delivery. [ ], will require that a shareholder provide requests in writing, accompanied by a valid signature guarantee form, when changing certain information in an account such as wiring instructions or telephone privileges.

 

ANTI-TAKEOVER PROVISIONS IN THE DECLARATION OF TRUST

The Declaration of Trust includes provisions that could have the effect of limiting the ability of other entities or persons to acquire control of the Fund or to change the composition of the Board of Trustees, and could have the effect of depriving the Fund’s shareholders of an opportunity to sell their shares at a premium over prevailing market prices, if any, by discouraging a third party from seeking to obtain control of the Fund. These provisions may have the effect of discouraging attempts to acquire control of the Fund, which attempts could have the effect of increasing the expenses of the Fund and interfering with the normal operation of the Fund. The Trustees are elected for indefinite terms and do not stand for reelection. A Trustee may be removed from office without cause only by a written instrument signed or adopted by a majority of the remaining Trustees. The Declaration of Trust does not contain any other specific inhibiting provisions that would operate only with respect to an extraordinary transaction such as a merger, reorganization, tender offer, sale or transfer of substantially all of the Fund’s asset, or liquidation. Reference should be made to the Declaration of Trust on file with the SEC for the full text of these provisions.

PLAN OF DISTRIBUTION

[ ], located at [ ], serves as the Fund’s principal underwriter, within the meaning of the 1940 Act, and acts as the distributor of the Fund’s shares on a best-efforts basis, subject to various conditions. The Fund’s shares are offered for sale through the Distributor at NAV. The Distributor also may enter into selected dealer agreements with other broker dealers for the sale and distribution of the Fund’s shares. In reliance on Rule 415, the Fund intends to offer to sell its shares, on a continual basis, through the Distributor. No arrangement has been made to place funds received in an escrow, trust or similar account. The Distributor is not required to sell any specific number or dollar amount of the Fund’s shares, but will use its best efforts to sell the shares. Shares of the Fund will not be listed on any national securities exchange and the Distributor will not act as a market marker in Fund shares. Under the Shareholder Services Plan, the Fund may pay a monthly shareholder servicing fee equal to an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

The Adviser or an affiliate, in the Adviser’s discretion and from their own resources (which may include the Adviser’s legitimate profits from the advisory or sub-advisory fee it receives), may pay additional compensation to brokers or dealers in connection with the sale and distribution of Fund shares (the “Additional Compensation”). In return for the Additional Compensation, the Fund may receive certain marketing advantages including access to a broker’s or dealer’s registered representatives, placement on a list of investment options offered by a broker or dealer, or the ability to assist in training and educating the broker’s or dealer’s registered representatives. The Additional Compensation may differ among brokers or dealers in amount or in the manner of calculation: payments of Additional Compensation may be fixed dollar amounts, or based on the aggregate value of outstanding shares held by shareholders introduced by the broker or dealer, or determined in some other manner. The receipt of Additional Compensation by a selling broker or dealer may create potential conflicts of interest between an investor and its broker or dealer who is recommending the Fund over other potential investments.

23 
 

Distribution Fee

The Fund has adopted but has yet to implement a distribution plan (the “Distribution Plan”). The Fund is authorized under the Distribution Plan to pay to the Distributor a distribution fee for certain activities relating to the distribution of shares to investors. These activities include marketing and other activities to support the distribution of shares. The Distribution Plan operates in a manner consistent with Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act, which regulates the manner in which an open-end investment company may directly or indirectly bear the expenses of distributing its shares. Although the Fund is not an open-end investment company, it undertakes to comply with the terms of Rule 12b-1. Under the Distribution Plan, the Fund would pay the Distributor a distribution fee at an annual rate of up to 0.75% of average daily net assets. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Fund has not implemented the Distribution Plan and will not do so unless authorized by the Board. In the event distribution fees are charged in the future, because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than certain other types of sales charges.

Prior to the initial public offering of shares, the Adviser purchased shares from the Fund in an amount satisfying the net worth requirements of Section 14(a) of the 1940 Act.

Purchasing Shares

Investors may purchase shares directly from the Fund in accordance with the instructions below. Shares are purchased at the NAV next determined after the Transfer Agent receives your order in good order. “Good order” means your purchase request includes: (1) the name of the Fund, (2) the dollar amount of shares to be purchased, (3) your purchase application or investment stub, and (4) a check payable to Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund. You may purchase shares by completing an account application. Your order will not be accepted until the completed account application is received by the transfer agent. Investors will be assessed fees for returned checks and stop payment orders at prevailing rates charged by USBGFS, the Fund’s transfer agent. The returned check and stop payment fee is currently $25. Investors may buy and sell shares of the Fund through financial intermediaries and their agents that have made arrangements with the Fund and are authorized to buy and sell shares of the Fund (collectively, “Financial Intermediaries”). Orders will be priced at the appropriate price next computed after it is received by a Financial Intermediary. A Financial Intermediary may hold shares in an omnibus account in the Financial Intermediary’s name or the Financial Intermediary may maintain individual ownership records. The Fund may pay the Financial Intermediary for maintaining individual ownership records as well as providing other shareholder services. Financial intermediaries may charge fees for the services they provide in connection with processing your transaction order or maintaining an investor’s account with them. Investors should check with their Financial Intermediary to determine if it is subject to these arrangements. Financial Intermediaries are responsible for placing orders correctly and promptly with the Fund, forwarding payment promptly. Orders transmitted with a Financial Intermediary before the close of regular trading (generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern Time) on a day that the NYSE is open for business, will be priced based on the Fund’s NAV next computed after it is received by the Financial Intermediary.

By Mail

To make an initial purchase by mail, complete an account application and mail the application, together with a check made payable to Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund to:

Regular Mail Overnight or Express Mail
[  ] [  ]

 

NOTE: The Fund does not consider the U.S. Postal Service or other independent delivery services to be its agents. Therefore, deposit in the mail or with such services, or receipt at the transfer agent’s post office box, of purchase orders or repurchase requests does not constitute receipt by the transfer agent. Receipt of purchase orders or repurchase requests is based on when the order is received at the transfer agent’s offices.

All checks must be in U.S. dollars drawn on a domestic bank. The Fund does not accept payment in cash or money orders. The Fund also does not accept cashier’s checks in amounts of less than $10,000. To prevent check fraud, the Fund does not accept third party checks, Treasury checks, credit card checks, traveler’s checks, or starter checks for

24 
 

the purchase of shares; nor post-dated checks, post-dated on-line bill pay checks, or any conditional purchase order or payment.

The transfer agent charges a $25 fee against an investor’s account, in addition to any loss sustained by the Fund, for any payment that is returned. It is the policy of the Fund not to accept applications under certain circumstances or in amounts considered disadvantageous to shareholders. The Fund reserves the right to reject any application.

By Mail — Subsequent Investments

If you are making a subsequent purchase, detach the Invest by Mail form that is attached to the confirmation statement you will receive after each transaction and mail it with a check made payable to Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund. You should write your account number on the check. If you do not have the Invest by Mail form from an investment confirmation, include your name, address and account number on a separate piece of paper.

By Wire — Initial Investment

To make an initial investment in the Fund, the transfer agent must receive a completed account application before an investor wires funds. Investors may mail or overnight deliver an account application to the transfer agent. Upon receipt of the completed account application, the transfer agent will establish an account. The account number assigned will be required as part of the instruction that should be provided to an investor’s bank to send the wire. An investor’s bank must include both the name of the Fund, the account number, and the investor’s name so that monies can be correctly applied. If you wish to wire money to make an investment in the Fund, please call the Fund at [ ] for wiring instructions and to notify the Fund that a wire transfer is coming. Any commercial bank can transfer same-day funds via wire. The Fund will normally accept wired funds for investment on the day received if they are received by the Fund’s designated bank before the close of regular trading on the NYSE. Your bank may charge you a fee for wiring same-day funds. The bank should transmit funds by wire to:

[ ]

By Wire — Subsequent Investments

Before sending a wire, investors must contact the Fund’s transfer agent to advise them of the intent to wire funds. This will ensure prompt and accurate credit upon receipt of the wire. Wired funds must be received prior to 4:00 p.m. Eastern time to be eligible for same day pricing. The Fund, and its agents, including the transfer agent and custodians, are not responsible for the consequences of delays resulting from the banking or Federal Reserve wire system, or from incomplete wiring instructions.

Automatic Investment Plan — Subsequent Investments

Once your account has been opened with the initial minimum investment, you may make additional purchases at regular intervals through the Automatic Investment Plan. This Plan provides a convenient method to have monies deducted from your bank account, for investment into the Fund, on a monthly, quarterly, semi-annual, or annual basis. In order to participate in the Plan, each purchase must be in the amount of $100 or more, and your financial institution must be a member of the Automated Clearing House (ACH) network. If your bank rejects your payment, the Fund’s transfer agent will charge a $25 fee to your account. To begin participating in the Plan, please complete the Automatic Investment Plan section on the account application or call the Fund’s transfer agent at [ ] for instructions. Any request to change or terminate your Automatic Investment Plan should be submitted to the transfer agent 5 days prior to the effective date.

By Telephone

After your account has been established for seven (7) business days, investors may purchase additional shares of a Fund, by calling the transfer agent at [ ]. You are automatically granted telephone purchase privileges unless you decline this privilege on the account application. Telephone orders will be accepted via electronic funds transfer from your bank account through the Automated Clearing House (“ACH”) network. You must have banking information

25 
 

established on your account prior to making a purchase. Each telephone purchase order must be a minimum of $100. Your shares will be purchased at the NAV calculated on the day of your purchase order, provided that your order is received prior to the close of trading on the NYSE, generally 4:00 p.m., Eastern time. For security reasons, requests by telephone may be recorded.

Telephone trades must be received by or prior to market close. During periods of high market activity, shareholders may encounter higher than usual call waits. Please allow sufficient time to place your telephone transaction.

Before executing an instruction received by telephone, the transfer agent will use reasonable procedures to confirm that the telephone instructions are genuine. The telephone call may be recorded, and the caller may be asked to verify certain personal identification information. If the Fund or its agents follow these procedures, they cannot be held liable for any loss, expense or cost arising out of any telephone redemption request that is reasonably believed to be genuine. This includes fraudulent or unauthorized requests. If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, the Fund will accept telephone instructions from any one owner or authorized person.

Anti-Money Laundering Program

In accordance with applicable U.S. anti-money laundering laws, the Fund has established an Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Program (the “AML Program”). Procedures to implement the AML Program include, but are not limited to: (i) determining that the Fund’s distributor and the transfer agent have established proper anti money laundering procedures; (ii) reporting suspicious and/or fraudulent activity; and (iii) a complete and thorough review of all new account applications. The Fund will not knowingly transact business with any person or entity whose identity cannot be adequately verified under the applicable provisions of the USA PATRIOT Act.

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

Purchase Terms

The minimum initial purchase by an investor is $2,000 for regular accounts and $2,000 for retirement plan accounts. The Fund’s shares are offered for sale through its Distributor at NAV. The price of the shares during the Fund’s continuous offering will fluctuate over time with the NAV of the shares.

Shareholder Service Expenses

The Fund has adopted a “Shareholder Services Plan” under which the Fund may compensate financial industry professionals for providing ongoing services in respect of clients with whom they have a relationship with respect to ownership in shares of the Fund. Such services may include electronic processing of client orders, electronic fund transfers between clients and the Fund, account reconciliations with the Fund’s transfer agent, facilitation of electronic delivery to clients of Fund documentation, monitoring client accounts for back-up withholding and any other special tax reporting obligations, maintenance of books and records with respect to the foregoing, and such other information and liaison services as the Fund, the Adviser, or Sub-Adviser may reasonably request. Under the Shareholder Services Plan, the Fund may pay a monthly shareholder servicing fee equal to an annual rate of up to 0.25% of the average daily net assets of the Fund.

LEGAL MATTERS

Certain legal matters in connection with the shares are reviewed for the Fund by Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, OH 43215.

26 
 

REPORTS TO SHAREHOLDERS

The Fund sends to its shareholders unaudited semi-annual and audited annual reports, or notice of electronic availability thereof, including a condensed list of investments held.

Householding

In an effort to decrease costs, the Fund intends to reduce the number of duplicate annual and semi-annual reports by sending only one copy of each, or notice of electronic availability thereof, to those addresses shared by two or more accounts and to shareholders reasonably believed to be from the same family or household. Once implemented, a shareholder must call the Fund’s transfer agent to discontinue householding and request individual copies of these documents. Once the Fund receives notice to stop householding, individual copies will be sent beginning thirty days after receiving your request. This policy does not apply to account statements.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

[ ] is the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm. [ ] is located at [ ].

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information do not contain all of the information set forth in the Registration Statement that the Fund has filed with the SEC [ ]. The complete Registration Statement may be obtained from the SEC at www.sec.gov. See the cover page of this Prospectus for information about how to obtain a paper copy of the Registration Statement or Statement of Additional Information without charge.

27 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

 

GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY 1
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND POLICIES 1
DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS 21
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS 22
CODES OF ETHICS 27
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 27
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS 27
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES 28
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS 30
DISTRIBUTOR 30
ALLOCATION OF BROKERAGE 31
TAX STATUS 32
OTHER INFORMATION 35
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 36
APPENDIX A A-1

 

 

28 
 

 

Rev. 7/2017

PRIVACY NOTICE

FACTS WHAT DOES CATALYST STRATEGIC INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND DO WITH YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION?
   
Why? Financial companies choose how they share your personal information. Federal law gives consumers the right to limit some but not all sharing. Federal law also requires us to tell you how we collect, share, and protect your personal information. Please read this notice carefully to understand what we do.
   
What? The types of personal information we collect and share depend on the product or service you have with us. This information can include: Social Security number Purchase History Assets Account Balances Retirement Assets Account Transactions Transaction History Wire Transfer Instructions Checking Account Information     When you are no longer our customer, we continue to share your information as described in this notice.
   
How? All financial companies need to share customers’ personal information to run their everyday business. In the section below, we list the reasons financial companies can share their customers’ personal information; the reasons Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund chooses to share; and whether you can limit this sharing.
       
Reasons we can share your personal information Does Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund share? Can you limit this sharing?

For our everyday business purposes –

such as to process your transactions, maintain your account(s), respond to court orders and legal investigations, or report to credit bureaus

Yes No

For our marketing purposes –

to offer our products and services to you

No We don’t share
For joint marketing with other financial companies No We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your transactions and experiences

No We don’t share

For our affiliates’ everyday business purposes –

information about your creditworthiness

No We don’t share
For nonaffiliates to market to you No We don’t share
   
Questions? Call [  ]
   
   
   
29 
 

 

 Who we are  
Who is providing this notice? Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund  
What we do  
How does Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund protect my personal information?

To protect your personal information from unauthorized access and use, we use security measures that comply with federal law. These measures include computer safeguards and secured files and buildings.

 

Our service providers are held accountable for adhering to strict policies and procedures to prevent any misuse of your nonpublic personal information.

 
How does Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund collect my personal information?

We collect your personal information, for example, when you

  • Open an account
  • Provide account information
  • Give us your contact information
  • Make deposits or withdrawals from your account
  • Make a wire transfer
  • Tell us where to send the money
  • Tells us who receives the money
  • Show your government-issued ID
  • Show your driver’s license

We also collect your personal information from other companies.

Why can’t I limit all sharing?

Federal law gives you the right to limit only

Sharing for affiliates’ everyday business purposes – information about your creditworthiness

Affiliates from using your information to market to you

Sharing for nonaffiliates to market to you

State laws and individual companies may give you additional rights to limit sharing.

Definitions
Affiliates

Companies related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies.

§  Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund does not share with our affiliates.

Nonaffiliates

Companies not related by common ownership or control. They can be financial and nonfinancial companies

§  Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund does not share with nonaffiliates so they can market to you.

Joint marketing

A formal agreement between nonaffiliated financial companies that together market financial products or services to you.

§  Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund doesn’t jointly market.

       

 

 

30 
 

PROSPECTUS

Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund

Shares of

Beneficial Interest

[ ], 2024

Investment Adviser

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC

 

Investment Sub-Adviser

Perini Capital, LLC

 

All dealers that buy, sell or trade the Fund’s shares, whether or not participating in this offering, may be required to deliver a prospectus when acting on behalf of the Fund’s Distributor.

You should rely only on the information contained in or incorporated by reference into this prospectus. The Fund has not authorized any other person to provide you with different information. If anyone provides you with different or inconsistent information, you should not rely on it. The Fund is not making an offer to sell these securities in any jurisdiction where the offer or sale is not permitted.

 
 

 

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

 

SUBJECT TO COMPLETION

 

PRELIMINARY STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
[___ _], 2024

 

 

CATALYST STRATEGIC INCOME OPPORTUNITIES FUND

Principal Executive Offices
[ ]

 

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI") is not a prospectus. This SAI should be read in conjunction with the prospectus of Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund (the "Fund"), dated [______ _], 2024 (the "Prospectus"), as it may be supplemented from time to time. The Prospectus is hereby incorporated by reference into this SAI (legally made a part of this SAI). Capitalized terms used but not defined in this SAI have the meanings given to them in the Prospectus. This SAI does not include all information that a prospective investor should consider before purchasing the shares of the Fund.

 

Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission nor any state securities commission has approved or disapproved these securities or determined if this SAI is truthful or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

 

You should obtain and read the Prospectus and any related Prospectus supplement prior to purchasing any of the Fund's securities. A copy of the Prospectus may be obtained without charge by calling the Fund toll-free at [ ] or by visiting the Fund's website at www.[___].com. Information on the website is not incorporated herein by reference. You may obtain information about the Fund on a website maintained by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") at www.sec.gov that contains the Fund's SAI, material incorporated by reference, and other information regarding the Fund. Copies of these filings may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

 
 

 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY 3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES 3
MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND 26
CODES OF ETHICS 30
PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES 30
CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS 30
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES 31
PORTFOLIO MANAGER 32
ALLOCATION OF BROKERAGE 33
TAX STATUS 35
OTHER INFORMATION 39
INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 40
FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 41
APPENDIX A - PROXY VOTING POLICY 43

 

 
 

GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY

 

The Fund is a continuously offered, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company that is operated as an interval fund. The Fund was organized as a Delaware statutory trust on November 28, 2023. The investment objective and principal investment strategies of the Fund, as well as the principal risks associated with the Fund's investment strategies, are set forth in the Prospectus. Certain additional investment information is set forth below. The Fund may issue an unlimited number of shares of beneficial interest. All shares of the Fund have equal rights and privileges. Each share of the Fund is entitled to one vote on all matters as to which shares are entitled to vote. In addition, each share of the Fund is entitled to participate, equally with other shares (i) in dividends and distributions declared by the Fund and (ii) upon liquidation, in the distribution of its proportionate share of the assets remaining after satisfaction of outstanding liabilities. Shares of the Fund are fully paid, non-assessable and fully transferable when issued and have no pre-emptive, conversion or exchange rights. Fractional shares have proportionately the same rights, including voting rights, as are provided for a full share. The Fund offers one class of shares.

 

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC (the "Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment adviser.

 

Perini Capital, LLC (the "Sub-Adviser") serves as the Fund's investment sub-adviser.

 

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND POLICIES

 

Investment Objectives

 

The Fund's investment objective is total return.

 

Fundamental Policies

 

The Fund's stated fundamental policies, which may only be changed by the affirmative vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund (i.e., the Fund's outstanding shares), are listed below. For the purposes of this SAI, "majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund" means the vote, at an annual or special meeting of shareholders, duly called, (a) of 67% or more of the shares present at such meeting, if the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present or represented by proxy or (b) of more than 50% of the outstanding shares, whichever is less. The Fund may not:

 

(1)Borrow money, except to the extent permitted by the 1940 Act (which currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets, including the value of the assets purchased with the proceeds of its indebtedness, if any). The Fund may borrow for investment purposes, for temporary liquidity, or to finance repurchases of its shares.
(2)Issue senior securities, except to the extent permitted by Section 18 of the 1940 Act (which currently limits the issuance of a class of senior securities that is indebtedness to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets or, if the class of senior security is stock, to no more than 50% of the value of the Fund's total assets).
(3)Purchase securities on margin, sell securities short, or write puts or calls.
(4)Underwrite securities of other issuers, except insofar as the Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act in connection with the disposition of its portfolio
3 
 

securities. The Fund may invest in restricted securities (those that must be registered under the Securities Act before they may be offered or sold to the public).

(5)Invest 25% or more of the market value of the Fund's total assets in the securities of companies or entities engaged in any one industry or group of industries. This limitation does not apply to investment in the securities of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities.
(6)Purchase or sell commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other investments, except that the Fund may (a) purchase and sell forward and futures contracts and options to the full extent permitted under the 1940 Act, (b) sell foreign currency contracts in accordance with any rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, (c) invest in securities or other instruments backed by or linked to commodities, invest in companies that are engaged in a commodities business or have a significant portion of their assets in commodities, and (d) invest in commodity pools and other entities that purchase and sell commodities and commodity contracts.
(7)Make loans to others, except (a) where each loan is represented by a note executed by the borrower, (b) through the purchase of debt securities in accordance with the Fund's investment objective and policies, (c) to the extent the entry into a repurchase agreement, in a manner consistent with the Fund's investment policies or as otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act, is deemed to be a loan, and (d) by loaning portfolio securities.
(8)Purchase or sell real estate or interests in real estate. This limitation is not applicable to investments in marketable securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate. This limitation does not preclude the Fund from investing in securities that are secured by or represent interests in real estate (e.g., mortgage loans evidenced by notes or other writings defined to be a type of security), mortgage-related securities or investing in companies engaged in the real estate business or that have a significant portion of their assets in real estate (including real estate investment trusts).

In addition, the Fund has adopted a fundamental policy that it will make quarterly repurchase offers for no less than 5% of the Fund's shares outstanding at net asset value ("NAV") less any repurchase fee, unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements, and each repurchase pricing shall occur no later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (as defined below in "Repurchases and Transfers of Shares"), or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day. The Fund must receive repurchase requests submitted by shareholders in response to the Fund's repurchase offer, on or before the date specified in the repurchase offer (the "Repurchase Request Deadline"). The time between the notification to shareholders and the Repurchase Request Deadline is generally 30 days, but may vary from no more than 42 days to no less than 21 days following the date the repurchase offer is made (or the preceding business day if the New York Stock Exchange is closed on that day), as specified by the Fund.

 

Restrictions and Subsequent Investments. If a restriction involving the Fund's investments is adhered to at the time an investment is made, a subsequent change in the percentage of Fund assets invested in certain securities or other instruments, or change in average duration of the Fund's investment portfolio, resulting from changes in the value of the Fund's total assets, will not be considered a violation of the restriction; provided, however, that the asset coverage requirement applicable to borrowings shall be maintained in the manner contemplated by applicable law.

 

Additional Information About Principal Investment Strategies

4 
 

 

Bank Loans and Participations. The Fund's investment program may include bank loans and participations. These obligations are subject to unique risks, including (i) the possible avoidance of an investment transaction as a "preferential transfer," "fraudulent conveyance" or "fraudulent transfer," among other avoidance actions, under relevant bankruptcy, insolvency and/or creditors' rights laws, (ii) so-called "lender liability" claims by the issuer of the obligations, (iii) environmental liabilities that may arise with respect to collateral securing the obligations, (iv) limitations on the ability of the Fund to directly enforce its rights with respect to participations and (v) the contractual nature of participations where the Fund takes on the credit risk of the agent bank rather than the actual counterparty.

 

The Fund may acquire interests in loans either directly (by way of assignment) or indirectly (by way of participation). The purchaser of an assignment typically succeeds to all of the rights and obligations of the assigning institution and becomes a contracting party under the loan agreement with respect to the loan; however, its rights can be more restricted than those of the assigning institution. Participations in a portion of a loan typically result in a contractual relationship only with the institution participating in the interest and not with the obligor. The Fund would, in such a case, have the right to receive payments of principal and interest to which it is entitled only from the institution selling the participation, and not directly from the obligor, and only upon receipt by such institution of such payments from the obligor. As the owner of a participation, the Fund generally will have no right to enforce compliance by the obligor with the terms of the loan agreement or to vote on amendments to the loan agreement, nor any rights of set-off against the obligor, and the Fund may not directly benefit from collateral supporting the loan in which it has purchased the participation. In addition, in the event of the insolvency of the selling institution, the Fund may be treated as a general creditor of such selling institution, and may not have any exclusive or senior claim with respect to the selling institution's interest in, or the collateral with respect to, the applicable loan. Consequently, the Fund will assume the credit risk of both the obligor and the institution selling the participation to the Fund. As a result, concentrations of participations from any one selling institution would subject the Fund to an additional degree of risk with respect to defaults by such selling institution.

 

Investment Companies. The Fund may invest in registered investment companies (also referred to as "Underlying Funds"), which consist of open-end funds (mutual funds), closed-end funds, business development companies and exchange traded funds. Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act provides that the Fund may not (1) purchase more than 3% of a registered investment company's outstanding shares (the "3% Limit"), (2) invest more than 5% of the Fund's assets in any single such investment company (the "5% Limit"), or (3) invest more than 10% of the Fund's assets in investment companies overall (the "10% Limit"), unless: (i) the underlying investment company and/or the Fund relies on Rule 12d1-4 or 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 Rule 12d1-4 or any conditions in an exemptive order, as the case may be.

 

Statutory Exemption from 5% and 10% Limits. Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act provides that the provisions of Section 12(d)(1) do not apply to securities purchased or otherwise acquired by the Fund if (i) immediately after such purchase or acquisition not more than 3% of the total outstanding stock of such registered investment company is owned by the Fund and all affiliated persons of the Fund and (ii) the Fund has not, and is not proposing to, offer or sell any security issued by the Fund through a principal underwriter or otherwise at a public or offering price that includes a sales load of more than 1½% ( "Sales Load Limit"). Section 12(d)(1)(F) also requires that an investment company that issues shares to the Fund pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) shall not be required to redeem its shares in an amount exceeding 1% of such investment company's total outstanding shares in any period of less

5 
 

than thirty days. Finally, Section 12(d)(1)(F) requires that the Fund (or the Adviser, acting on behalf of the Fund) comply with the following voting restrictions: when the Fund exercises voting rights, by proxy or otherwise, with respect to investment companies owned by the Fund, the Fund will either seek instruction from the Fund's shareholders with regard to the voting of all proxies and vote in accordance with such instructions, or vote the shares held by the Fund in the same proportion as the vote of all other holders of such security.

 

Purchases by "Affiliated Persons" of the Fund. The 3% Limit applies to purchases in aggregate by the Fund and any "affiliated persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act). Accordingly, when affiliated persons hold shares of any of the Underlying Funds, the Fund's ability to invest fully in shares of those Underlying Funds is restricted, and the Sub-Adviser must then, in some instances, select alternative investments that would not have been its first preference. The 1940 Act also provides that an Underlying Fund whose shares are purchased by the Fund will be obligated to redeem shares held by the Fund only in an amount up to 1% of the Underlying Fund's outstanding securities during any period of less than 30 days. Shares held by the Fund in excess of 1% of an Underlying Fund's outstanding securities, therefore, will be considered not readily marketable securities, which, together with other such securities, may not exceed 15% of the Fund's total assets.

 

"Covenant-Lite" Loans. The loan investments that the Fund holds may include "covenant-lite" or "cov-lite" loans. Cov-lite loans have fewer protective covenants than traditional loans have, which means that they are issued with fewer restrictions on the counterparty and fewer protections for the lender. For example, cov-lite loans tend to be more flexible with regard to the counterparty's collateral and level of income and the loan's payment terms, and they tend to have fewer requirements intended to protect the lender's safety, such as financial maintenance tests that measure the debt-service capabilities of the counterparty. Cov-lite loans therefore may carry more risk to the lender (i.e., the Fund as investor) than traditional loans do.

 

"Unitranche" Loans. The Fund's first lien loans may also include unitranche loans. Unitranche loans combine characteristics of traditional first lien senior secured loans as well as second lien and subordinated loans. Unitranche loans will expose the Fund to the risks associated with second lien and subordinated loans to the extent that the Fund invests in the "last out" tranche of a given unitranche loan.

 

Debtor-in-Possession ("DIP") Loans. The Fund may invest in or extend loans to companies that have filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. DIP financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11 and such financings must be approved by the bankruptcy court. These DIP loans are most often working-capital facilities put into place at the outset of a Chapter 11 case to provide the debtor with both immediate cash and the ongoing working capital that will be required during the reorganization process. DIP financings are typically fully secured by a lien on the debtor's otherwise unencumbered assets or secured by a junior lien on the debtor's encumbered assets (so long as the loan is fully secured based on the most recent current valuation or appraisal report of the debtor). DIP financings are often required to close with certainty and in a rapid manner in order to satisfy existing creditors and to enable the issuer to emerge from bankruptcy. There is a risk that the counterparty will not emerge from Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, the Fund's only recourse will be against the property securing the DIP financing.

 

Direct Lending. The Fund may participate in direct loan investments as a non-principal investment strategy. Direct loans typically consist of intermediate- to long-term borrowings by companies that are

6 
 

originated directly by lenders without the traditional intermediary role of a bank or broker. To the extent the Fund is the sole lender in privately offered debt, it may be solely responsible for the expense of servicing that debt, including, if necessary, taking legal actions to foreclose on any security instrument securing the debt. This may increase the risk and expense to the Fund compared to syndicated or publicly offered debt.

 

Restricted and Illiquid Securities. The Fund may not be able to readily dispose of illiquid securities at prices that approximate those at which the Fund could sell such securities if they were more widely traded and, as a result of such illiquidity, the Fund may have to sell other investments or engage in borrowing transactions if necessary to raise cash to meet its obligations.

 

The Fund may purchase certain securities ("Rule 144A Securities") eligible for resale to qualified institutional buyers as contemplated by Rule 144A under the Securities Act. Rule 144A provides an exemption from the registration requirements of the Securities Act for the resale of certain restricted securities to certain qualified institutional buyers. One effect of Rule 144A is that certain restricted securities may be considered liquid, though no assurance can be given that a liquid market for Rule 144A Securities will develop or be maintained. However, where a substantial market of qualified institutional buyers has developed for certain unregistered securities purchased by the Fund pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act, the Fund intends to treat such securities as liquid securities in accordance with procedures approved by the Board of Trustees. Because it is not possible to predict with assurance how the market for Rule 144A Securities will develop, the Board of Trustees has directed the Adviser to monitor carefully any Fund investments in such securities, with particular regard to trading activity, availability of reliable price information and other relevant information. To the extent that, for a period of time, qualified institutional buyers cease purchasing restricted securities pursuant to Rule 144A, the Fund's investment in such securities may have the effect of increasing the level of illiquidity in its investment portfolio during such period.

 

Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase. The Fund may participate in rights offerings and may purchase warrants, which are privileges issued by corporations enabling the owners to subscribe to and purchase a specified number of shares of the corporation at a specified price during a specified period of time. Subscription rights normally have a short life span to expiration. The purchase of rights or warrants involves the risk that the Fund could lose the purchase value of a right or warrant if the right to subscribe to additional shares is not exercised prior to the rights' and warrants' expiration. Also, the purchase of rights and/or warrants involves the risk that the effective price paid for the right and/or warrant added to the subscription price of the related security may exceed the value of the subscribed security's market price such as when there is no movement in the level of the underlying security.

 

Special Situations. The Fund may invest in companies undergoing workouts, liquidations, reorganizations, bankruptcies, insolvencies or other fundamental changes or similar transactions. In any investment opportunity involving any such type of special situation, there exists the risk that the contemplated transaction will be unsuccessful, will take considerable time or will result in a distribution of cash or new securities, the value of which will be less than the purchase price to the Fund of the securities or other financial instruments in respect of which such distribution is received. Similarly, if an anticipated transaction does not in fact occur, the Fund may be required to sell its investment at a loss. The consummation of such transactions can be prevented or delayed by a variety of factors, including but not limited to (i) intervention of a regulatory agency, (ii) market conditions resulting in material changes in securities prices, (iii) compliance with any applicable bankruptcy, insolvency or securities laws, and (iv) the inability to obtain adequate financing. Because there is substantial uncertainty

7 
 

concerning the outcome of transactions involving financially troubled companies in which the Fund may invest, there is a potential risk of loss by the Fund of its entire investment in such companies.

 

Subordinated Debt. The Fund may invest in subordinated debt. Subordinated debt will be structured as unsecured, subordinated debt that provides for relatively high, fixed interest rates that provides the Fund with significant current interest income. This debt typically will have interest-only payments (often representing a combination of cash pay and payment-in-kind ("PIK") interest) in the early years, with amortization of principal deferred to maturity. Subordinated debt generally allows the borrower to make a large lump sum payment of principal at the end of the loan term, and there is a risk of loss if the borrower is unable to pay the lump sum or refinance the amount owed at maturity. Subordinated debt is generally more volatile than secured debt and may involve a greater risk of loss of principal. Subordinated debt often includes a PIK feature, which effectively operates as negative amortization of loan principal, thereby increasing credit risk exposure over the life of the debt.

 

Unsecured Debt. The Fund may invest in unsecured debt. Unsecured debt, including senior unsecured and subordinated debt, will not be secured by any collateral and will be effectively subordinated to the borrower's secured indebtedness (to the extent of the collateral securing such indebtedness) and will typically have maturities of three to ten years.

 

Certain Bankruptcy and Insolvency Issues. Some of the companies in which the Fund may invest may be involved in a complex bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding in the United States or elsewhere. There are a number of significant risks inherent in the bankruptcy or insolvency process. The Fund cannot guarantee the outcome of any bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding.

 

Under U.S. bankruptcy proceedings or other insolvency proceedings, the Fund may risk taking a loss on its investment and having its claim released or discharged against the debtor and third parties. For example, under a plan of reorganization, the Fund could receive a cash distribution for less than its initial investment or receive securities or other financial instruments in exchange for its claims, which then could be discharged and released against the debtor or other third parties. In addition, under U.S. bankruptcy proceedings, a debtor can effectuate a sale of assets with a purchaser acquiring such assets free and clear of any claims or liens underlying the Fund's investment with the Fund having only potential recourse to the proceeds of the sale.

 

Under certain circumstances, payments to the Fund may be reclaimed, recharacterized or avoided if any such payment or distribution is later determined by the applicable court to have been a fraudulent conveyance, fraudulent transfer, or a preferential payment, or otherwise subject to avoidance under applicable law. In addition, especially in the case of investments made prior to the commencement of bankruptcy proceedings, creditors can lose their ranking and priority if they exercise "domination and control" of a debtor and other creditors can demonstrate that they have been harmed by such actions.

 

Many events in a bankruptcy are often beyond the control of the creditors. While creditors may be given an opportunity to object to or otherwise participate in significant actions, there can be no assurance that a court in the exercise of its broad powers or discretion would not approve actions that would be contrary to the interests of the Fund as a creditor.

 

The duration of a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding is difficult to predict. A creditor's return on investment can be adversely impacted by delays while a plan of reorganization is being negotiated, approved by the creditors, confirmed by the bankruptcy court or until the plan ultimately becomes effective. Similar delays can occur while a court may be considering a sale or other restructuring

8 
 

transaction. In addition, the administrative costs in connection with a bankruptcy or insolvency proceeding are frequently high and will be paid out of the debtor's estate prior to any return to unsecured creditors or equity holders. If a proceeding involves protracted or difficult litigation, or turns into a liquidation, substantial assets may be devoted to administrative costs. Also, in the early stages of the bankruptcy process, it is often difficult to estimate the extent of, or even to identify, any contingent claims that might be made. Further, certain claims that have priority by law (for example, claims for taxes) may be quite substantial.

 

The effect of a bankruptcy filing on or by a portfolio company may adversely and permanently affect the portfolio company. The portfolio company may lose its market position, going concern value and key employees and otherwise become incapable of restoring itself as a viable entity. If for this or any other reason the proceeding is converted to a liquidation, the liquidation value of the portfolio company may not equal the liquidation value that was believed to exist at the time of the investment.

 

Equity Securities. In addition to common stocks, the Fund may invest in other types of equity securities, including preferred stocks, convertible securities, warrants and depository receipts.

 

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock has a preference over common stock in liquidation (and generally dividends as well) but is subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer in all respects. As a general rule, the market value of preferred stock with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk, while the market price of convertible preferred stock generally also reflects some element of conversion value. Because preferred stock is junior to credit securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred stock than in a more senior credit security with similar stated yield characteristics. Unlike interest payments on credit securities, preferred stock dividends are payable only if declared by the issuer's board of directors or equivalent body. Preferred stock also may be subject to optional or mandatory redemption provisions.

 

Convertible Securities. A convertible security is a bond, debenture, note, preferred stock or other security that may be converted into or exchanged for a prescribed amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer within a particular period of time at a specified price or formula. A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may affect the convertible security's investment value. Convertible securities rank senior to common stock in a corporation's capital structure but are usually subordinated to comparable nonconvertible securities. Convertible securities may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price established in the convertible security's governing instrument.

 

Fixed Income/Debt/Bond Securities. Yields on fixed income securities, are dependent on a variety of factors, including the general conditions of the money market and other fixed income securities markets, the size of a particular offering, the maturity of the obligation and the rating of the issue. An investment in the Fund will be subjected to risk even if all fixed income securities in the Fund' portfolio are paid in full at maturity. All fixed income securities, including U.S. government securities, can change

9 
 

in value when there is a change in interest rates or the issuer's actual or perceived creditworthiness or ability to meet its obligations.

 

There is normally an inverse relationship between the market value of securities sensitive to prevailing interest rates and actual changes in interest rates. In other words, an increase in interest rates produces a decrease in the market value of fixed-income securities. The longer the remaining maturity (and duration) of a security, the more interest rate changes will affect the market value of that security. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. Obligations of issuers of fixed income securities (including municipal securities) are subject to the provisions of bankruptcy, insolvency, and other laws affecting the rights and remedies of creditors, such as the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In addition, the obligations of municipal issuers may become subject to laws enacted in the future by Congress, state legislatures, or referenda extending the time for payment of principal and/or interest or imposing other constraints on enforcement of such obligations or on the ability of municipalities to levy taxes. Changes in the ability of an issuer to make payments of interest and principal and in the market's perception of an issuer's creditworthiness will also affect the market value of the debt securities of that issuer. The possibility exists, therefore, that the ability of any issuer to pay, when due, the principal of and interest on its debt securities may become impaired.

 

The corporate debt securities in which the Fund may invest include corporate bonds and notes and short-term investments such as commercial paper and variable rate demand notes. Commercial paper (short-term promissory notes) is issued by companies to finance their or their affiliate's current obligations and is frequently unsecured. Variable and floating rate demand notes are unsecured obligations redeemable upon not more than 30 days' notice. These obligations include master demand notes that permit investment of fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement with the issuer of the instrument. The issuer of these obligations often has the right, after a given period, to prepay the outstanding principal amount of the obligations upon a specified number of days' notice. These obligations generally are not traded, nor generally is there an established secondary market for these obligations. To the extent a demand note does not have a seven-day or shorter demand feature and there is no readily available market for the obligation, it is treated as an illiquid security.

 

The Fund may also invest in municipal or other equipment finance bonds or lease obligations. Such bonds or lease obligations may be issued by state and local governments and authorities to acquire equipment and facilities, such as vehicles, telecommunications and computer equipment and other capital assets. States have different requirements for issuing municipal debt and issuing municipal leases. Municipal leases are generally subject to greater risks than general obligation or revenue bonds because they usually contain a "non-appropriation" clause, which provides that the issuer is not obligated to make payments on the obligation in future years unless funds have been appropriated for this purpose each year. Such non-appropriation clauses are required to avoid the municipal lease obligations from being treated as debt for state debt restriction purposes. Accordingly, such obligations are subject to "non-appropriation" risk. A municipal lease may be secured by the underlying capital asset, and it may be difficult to dispose of any such asset in the event of non-appropriation or other default.

 

The following describes some of the risks associated with fixed-income debt securities:

 

Interest Rate Risk. Debt securities have varying levels of sensitivity to changes in interest rates. In general, the price of a debt security can fall when interest rates rise and can rise when interest rates

10 
 

fall. Securities with longer maturities and mortgage securities can be more sensitive to interest rate changes, although they usually offer higher yields to compensate investors for the greater risks. The longer the maturity of the security, the greater the impact a change in interest rates could have on the security's price. In addition, short-term and long-term interest rates do not necessarily move in the same amount or the same direction. Short-term securities tend to react to changes in short-term interest rates and long-term securities tend to react to changes in long-term interest rates.

 

Credit Risk. Fixed income securities have speculative characteristics and changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of their issuers to make principal or interest payments, as compared to issuers of more highly rated securities.

 

Extension Risk. The Fund is subject to the risk that an issuer will exercise its right to pay principal on an obligation held by the Fund (such as mortgage-backed securities) later than expected. This may happen when there is a rise in interest rates. These events may lengthen the duration (i.e., interest-rate sensitivity) and potentially reduce the value of these securities.

 

Prepayment Risk. Certain types of debt securities, such as mortgage-backed securities, have yield and maturity characteristics corresponding to underlying assets. Unlike traditional debt securities, which may pay a fixed rate of interest until maturity when the entire principal amount comes due, payments on certain mortgage-backed securities may include both interest and a partial payment of principal. Besides the scheduled repayment of principal, payments of principal may result from the voluntary prepayment, refinancing, or foreclosure of the underlying mortgage loans.

 

Securities subject to prepayment are less effective than other types of securities as a means of "locking in" attractive long-term interest rates. One reason is the need to reinvest prepayments of principal; another is the possibility of significant unscheduled prepayments to take advantage of declines in interest rates. These prepayments would have to be reinvested at lower rates. As a result, these securities may have less potential for capital appreciation during periods of declining interest rates than other securities of comparable maturities, although they may have a similar risk of decline in market value during periods of rising interest rates. Prepayments may also significantly shorten the effective maturities of these securities, especially during periods of declining interest rates. Conversely, during periods of rising interest rates, a reduction in prepayments may increase the effective maturities of these securities, subjecting them to a greater risk of decline in market value in response to rising interest rates than traditional debt securities, and, therefore, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund.

 

Collateralized Loan Obligation (CLO) Risk. In addition to the general risks associated with investments in debt instruments and securities discussed herein, CLOs carry additional risks, including but not limited to: (i) distributions from collateral may not be adequate to make interest or other payments; (ii) the quality of the collateral may decline in value or default; (iii) the Fund's investments in CLOs may be subordinate to other classes or tranches thereof; and (iv) the complex structure of the CLO investment may not be fully understood at the time of investment and may produce disputes with the issuer, holders of senior tranches or other unexpected investment results.

 

In addition, CLOs and other structured products are often governed by a complex series of legal documents and contracts, which define the class or tranche of each investment, and may also increase the risk of dispute over the interpretation and enforceability of such documents relative to other types of investments. In a typical CLO, the capital structure would include approximately 90% debt, of which over 85% is generally investment grade, with the remainder comprising the junior-most CLO securities,

11 
 

typically referred to as the CLO's junior debt tranche and equity tranche. The Fund may acquire CLO investments that include such equity and junior debt securities, which are subordinate to more senior tranches of the CLO. Such CLO equity and junior debt securities are therefore subject to increased risk of default relative to the holders of more senior tranches of the CLO. The Fund's investment in equity tranches of CLO securities will be in the first-loss position, and junior debt tranches typically will be subordinate to more senior positions. The Fund may recognize "phantom" taxable income (due to allocations of profits or cancellation of debt, which results in recognition of taxable income regardless of whether a corresponding amount of cash is actually received) from its investments in these subordinated tranches of CLOs and structured notes.

 

In connection with a primary issuance of a CLO, the structure of the CLO allows the CLO manager to purchase additional collateral (loans) for the CLO after the closing date of the Fund's investment, during which the price and availability of additional collateral may be adversely affected by a number of market factors, including price volatility and availability of investments suitable for the CLO, which could hamper the ability of the collateral manager to acquire additional collateral that will satisfy specified concentration limitations and allow the CLO to reach the initial par amount of collateral prior to its effective date. An inability or delay in reaching the target initial par amount of collateral may adversely affect the timing and amount of interest or principal payments received by the holders of the CLO debt securities and distributions of the CLO on equity securities and could result in early redemptions which may cause CLO debt and equity investors to receive less than face value of their investment, resulting in a loss.

 

Generally, there may be less information available to the Fund regarding the underlying debt investments held by CLOs than if the Fund had invested directly in the debt of the underlying companies. As a result, the Adviser will not know the details of the underlying loans of the CLOs in which the Fund will invest. Investing in CLOs and/or such underlying loans involves potential losses from material misrepresentations or omissions by counterparties. Such inaccuracy or incompleteness may adversely affect the valuation of the Fund investments or may adversely affect the ability of the relevant investment to perfect or effectuate a lien on the collateral securing the loan. Any CLO in which the Fund may invest will rely on the accuracy and completeness of representations made by the underlying counterparties to the extent reasonable, but cannot guarantee such accuracy or completeness.

 

The Fund will have limited control of the administration and amendment of loans owned by any CLO in which the Fund invests. The Fund will not be able to directly enforce any rights and remedies in the event of a default of a loan held by a CLO vehicle. In addition, the terms and conditions of such loans in the equity and junior debt tranches of CLOs may be amended, modified or waived only by the agreement of the underlying lenders. Consequently, the terms and conditions of the payment obligations arising from such loans could be modified, amended or waived in a manner contrary to the Adviser's preferences. In addition, the Fund will not be responsible for, and will have no influence over, management of any CLO portfolio in which it invests. As a result, the value of any CLO portfolio could decrease as a result of decisions made by its third-party managers.

 

Legislation commonly referred to as the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, or FATCA, imposes a withholding tax of 30% on payments of U.S. source interest and distributions, and gross proceeds from the disposition of an instrument that produces U.S. source interest or distributions paid after December 31, 2018, to certain non-U.S. entities, including certain non-U.S. financial institutions and investment funds, unless such non-U.S. entity complies with certain reporting requirements regarding its U.S. account holders and its U.S. owners. Most CLO vehicles in which the Fund may invest would be treated

12 
 

as non-U.S. financial entities for this purpose, and therefore would be required to comply with these reporting requirements to avoid the 30% withholding. If a CLO vehicle in which the Fund invests fails to properly comply with these reporting requirements, such 30% withholding could reduce the amounts available to distribute to equity and junior debt holders in the CLO vehicle, which could materially and adversely affect the Fund.

 

The failure by a CLO in which the Fund invests to satisfy financial covenants, including with respect to adequate collateralization and/or interest coverage tests, could lead to a reduction in the CLO's payments to the Fund. In the event that a CLO fails certain tests, holders of CLO senior debt may be entitled to additional payments that would, in turn, reduce the payments the holders of the junior debt tranche and the equity tranche would otherwise be entitled to receive. Separately, the Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms, which may include the waiver of certain financial covenants, in connection with a defaulting CLO or any other investment the Fund may make. If any of these occurs, it could adversely affect the Fund's operating results and cash flows.

 

Any Fund CLO investment would be exposed to leveraged credit risk. If certain minimum collateral value ratios and/or interest coverage ratios are not met by a CLO, primarily due to defaults under the loans in which the CLO has invested, then cash flow that otherwise would have been available to pay distributions to the Fund on its CLO investments may instead be used to redeem senior tranches or to purchase additional collateral for all tranches, until the ratios again exceed the minimum required levels or senior tranches of CLO debt are repaid in full. Any Fund investment in CLOs (or their underlying loans) may prepay more quickly than expected, which could have an adverse impact on the Fund's net assets and/or returns.

 

CLOs in which the Fund may invest may constitute "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs"). If the Fund acquires shares in a PFIC (including in CLOs that are PFICs), the Fund may be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a portion of any "excess distribution," or gain from the disposition of such shares, even if such income is distributed as a taxable dividend by the Fund to its shareholders. Certain elections may be available to mitigate or eliminate such tax on excess distributions, but such elections (if available) will generally require the Fund to recognize its share of the PFIC's income for each year regardless of whether it receives any distributions from such PFICs. The Fund must nonetheless distribute such income to maintain its status as a RIC.

 

Asset-Backed Securities. Asset-backed securities represent participations in, or are secured by and payable from, assets such as motor vehicle installment sales, installment loan contracts, leases of various types of real and personal property, receivables from revolving credit (credit card) agreements and other categories of receivables. Such assets are securitized using trusts and special purpose corporations. Payments or distributions of principal and interest may be guaranteed up to certain amounts and for a certain time period by a letter of credit or a pool insurance policy issued by a financial institution unaffiliated with the trust or corporation, or other credit enhancements may be present.

 

Asset-backed securities are often subject to more rapid repayment than their stated maturity date would indicate as a result of the pass-through of prepayments of principal on the underlying loans. During periods of declining interest rates, prepayment of loans underlying asset-backed securities can be expected to accelerate. Accordingly, the Fund's ability to maintain positions in such securities will be affected by reductions in the principal amount of such securities resulting from prepayments, and the Fund's ability to reinvest the returns of principal at comparable yields is subject to generally prevailing interest rates at that time. To the extent that the Fund invests in asset-backed securities, the values of

13 
 

the Fund's portfolio securities will vary with changes in market interest rates generally and the differentials in yields among various kinds of asset-backed securities.

 

Asset-backed securities present certain additional risks because they generally do not have the benefit of a security interest in collateral that is comparable to mortgage assets. Credit card receivables are generally unsecured and the debtors on such receivables are entitled to the protection of a number of state and federal consumer credit laws, many of which give such debtors the right to set-off certain amounts owed on the credit cards, thereby reducing the balance due. Automobile receivables generally are secured, but by automobiles rather than residential real property. Most issuers of automobile receivables permit the loan servicers to retain possession of the underlying obligations. If the servicer were to sell these obligations to another party, there is a risk that the purchaser would acquire an interest superior to that of the holders of the asset-backed securities. In addition, because of the large number of vehicles involved in a typical issuance and technical requirements under state laws, the trustee for the holders of the automobile receivables may not have a proper security interest in the underlying automobiles. Therefore, if the issuer of an asset-backed security defaults on its payment obligations, it is possible that the Fund may be unable to possess and sell the underlying assets and that the Fund's recoveries on repossessed collateral may not be available to support payments on these securities.

 

Mortgage-Backed Securities. The Fund may invest in a variety of mortgage-related and other asset-backed securities issued by government agencies or other governmental entities or by private originators or issuers.

 

Mortgage-related securities include mortgage pass-through securities, collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMO"), commercial mortgage-backed securities ("CMBS"), mortgage dollar rolls, CMO residuals, adjustable-rate mortgage-backed securities ("ARMBS"), stripped mortgage-backed securities ("SMBS") and other securities that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property.

 

Mortgage Pass-Through Securities. Interests in pools of mortgage-related securities differ from other debt securities, which normally provide for periodic payment of interest in fixed amounts with principal payments at maturity or specified call dates. Instead, these securities provide a monthly payment which consists of both interest and principal payments. In effect, these payments are a "pass through" of the monthly payments made by the individual counterparties on their residential or commercial mortgage loans, net of any fees paid to the issuer or guarantor of such securities. Additional payments are caused by repayments of principal resulting from the sale of the underlying property, refinancing or foreclosure, net of fees or costs that may be incurred. Some mortgage-related securities (such as securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA")) are described as "modified pass-through." These securities entitle the holder to receive all interest and principal payments owed on the mortgage pool, net of certain fees, at the scheduled payment dates regardless of whether the mortgagor actually makes the payment.

 

The rate of prepayment on underlying mortgages will affect the price and volatility of a mortgage-related security, and may have the effect of shortening or extending the effective duration of the security relative to what was anticipated at the time of purchase. To the extent that unanticipated rates of prepayment on underlying mortgages increase the effective duration of a mortgage-related security, the volatility of such security can be expected to increase. The mortgage market in the United States has experienced heightened difficulties that may adversely affect the performance and market value of mortgage-related investments. Delinquencies and losses on residential and commercial mortgage loans (especially

14 
 

subprime and second-lien residential mortgage loans) and a decline in or flattening of property values (as has recently been experienced and may continue to be experienced in many markets) may exacerbate such delinquencies and losses. Borrowers with adjustable-rate mortgage loans are more sensitive to changes in interest rates, which affect their monthly mortgage payments, and may be unable to secure replacement mortgages at comparably low interest rates.

 

The principal U.S. governmental guarantor of mortgage-related securities is GNMA. GNMA is a wholly owned U.S. government corporation within the Department of Housing and Urban Development. GNMA is authorized to guarantee, with the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government, the timely payment of principal and interest on securities issued by institutions approved by GNMA (such as savings and loan institutions, commercial banks and mortgage bankers) and backed by pools of mortgages insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Government-related guarantors (i.e., not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government) include Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. Fannie Mae is a government-sponsored corporation the common stock of which is owned entirely by private stockholders. Fannie Mae purchases conventional (i.e., not insured or guaranteed by any government agency) residential mortgages from a list of approved seller/servicers which include state and federally chartered savings and loan associations, mutual savings banks, commercial banks and credit unions and mortgage bankers. Pass-through securities issued by Fannie Mae are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by Fannie Mae, but are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. Freddie Mac was created by Congress in 1970 to increasing the availability of mortgage credit for residential housing. It is a government-sponsored corporation formerly owned by the twelve Federal Home Loan Banks but the common stock of which is now owned entirely by private stockholders. Freddie Mac issues Participation Certificates ("PCs"), which are pass-through securities, each representing an undivided interest in a pool of residential mortgages. Freddie Mac guarantees the timely payment of interest and ultimate collection of principal, but PCs are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government.

 

Commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, private mortgage insurance companies, mortgage bankers and other secondary market issuers also create pass-through pools of conventional residential mortgage loans. Such issuers may be the originators and/or servicers of the underlying mortgage loans as well as the guarantors of the mortgage-related securities. Pools created by such non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government and government-related pools because there are no direct or indirect government or agency guarantees of payments in the former pools. However, timely payment of interest and principal of these pools may be supported by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance and letters of credit, which may be issued by governmental entities or private insurers. Such insurance and guarantees and the creditworthiness of the issuers thereof will be considered in determining whether a mortgage-related security meets the Fund's investment quality standards. There can be no assurance that the private insurers or guarantors can meet their obligations under the insurance policies or guarantee arrangements. The Fund may buy mortgage-related securities without insurance or guarantees if, through an examination of the loan experience and practices of the originators/servicers and poolers, the Adviser determines that the securities meet the Fund's quality standards. Securities issued by certain private organizations may not be readily marketable.

 

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations. A CMO is a debt obligation of a legal entity that is collateralized by mortgages and divided into classes. Similar to a bond, interest and prepaid principal is paid, in most cases, on a monthly basis. CMO may be collateralized by whole mortgage loans or private mortgage bonds, but are more typically collateralized by portfolios of mortgage pass-through securities guaranteed by GNMA, Freddie Mac or Fannie Mae and their income streams. CMO are structured into

15 
 

multiple classes, often referred to as "tranches," with each class bearing a different stated maturity and entitled to a different schedule for payments of principal and interest, including prepayments. Actual maturity and average life will depend upon the pre-payment experience of the collateral. In the case of certain CMO (known as "sequential pay" CMO), payments of principal received from the pool of underlying mortgages, including prepayments, are applied to the classes of CMO in the order of their respective final distribution dates. Thus, no payment of principal will be made to any class of sequential pay CMO until all other classes having an earlier final distribution date have been paid in full. CMO may be less liquid and may exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

Commercial Mortgage-Backed Securities. CMBS include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks include the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. Commercial mortgage-backed securities may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage- or asset-backed securities.

 

CMO Residuals. CMO residuals are mortgage securities issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. Government or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks and special purpose entities of the foregoing. The cash flow generated by the mortgage assets underlying a series of a CMO is applied first to make required payments of principal and interest on the CMO and second to pay the related administrative expenses and any management fee of the issuer. The residual in a CMO structure generally represents the interest in any excess cash flow remaining after making the foregoing payments. Each payment of such excess cash flow to a holder of the related CMO residual represents income and/or a return of capital. The amount of residual cash flow resulting from a CMO will depend on, among other things, the characteristics of the mortgage assets, the coupon rate of each class of CMO, prevailing interest rates, the amount of administrative expenses and the prepayment experience on the mortgage assets. In particular, the yield to maturity on CMO residuals is extremely sensitive to prepayments on the related underlying mortgage assets, in the same manner as an interest-only ("IO") class of stripped mortgage-backed securities (described below). In addition, if a series of a CMO includes a class that bears interest at an adjustable rate, the yield to maturity on the related CMO residual will also be extremely sensitive to changes in the level of the index upon which interest rate adjustments are based. As described below with respect to stripped mortgage-backed securities, in certain circumstances the Fund may fail to recoup fully its initial investment in a CMO residual. CMO residuals are generally purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers. CMO residuals may, or pursuant to an exemption therefrom, may not have been registered under the Securities Act. Irrespective, CMO residuals may be subject to certain restrictions on transferability.

 

Adjustable Rate Mortgage-Backed Securities. ARMBS have interest rates that reset at periodic intervals. Acquiring ARMBS permits the Fund to participate in increases in prevailing current interest rates through periodic adjustments in the coupons of mortgages underlying the pool on which ARMBS are based. ARMBS generally have higher current yield and lower price fluctuations than is the case with more traditional fixed-income instruments of comparable rating and maturity. In addition, when prepayments of principal are made on the underlying mortgages during periods of rising interest rates, the Fund can reinvest the proceeds of such prepayments at rates higher than those at which they were previously invested. Mortgages underlying most ARMBS, however, have limits on the allowable annual

16 
 

or lifetime increases that can be made in the interest rate that the mortgagor pays. Therefore, if current interest rates rise above such limits over the period of the limitation, the Fund, when holding an ARMBS, does not benefit from further increases in interest rates. Moreover, when interest rates are in excess of coupon rates (i.e., the rates being paid by mortgagors) of the mortgages, ARMBS behave more like fixed-income instruments and less like adjustable-rate securities and are subject to the risks associated with fixed-income instruments. In addition, during periods of rising interest rates, increases in the coupon rate of adjustable-rate mortgages generally lag current market interest rates slightly, thereby creating the potential for capital depreciation on such securities.

 

When-Issued and Forward Commitment Securities. The Fund may purchase securities on a "when-issued" basis and may purchase or sell securities on a "forward commitment" basis in order to acquire the security or to hedge against anticipated changes in interest rates and prices. When such transactions are negotiated, the price, which is generally expressed in yield terms, is fixed at the time the commitment is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. When-issued securities and forward commitments may be sold prior to the settlement date, but the Fund will enter into when-issued and forward commitments only with the intention of actually receiving or delivering the securities, as the case may be. If the Fund disposes of the right to acquire a when-issued security prior to its acquisition or disposes of its right to deliver or receive against a forward commitment, it might incur a gain or loss. At the time the Fund enters into a transaction on a when-issued or forward commitment basis, it will designate on its books and records cash or liquid credit securities equal to at least the value of the when-issued or forward commitment securities. The value of these assets will be monitored daily to ensure that their marked-to-market value will at all times equal or exceed the corresponding obligations of the Fund. There is always a risk that the securities may not be delivered and that the Fund may incur a loss. Settlements in the ordinary course, which may take substantially more than five business days, are not treated by the Fund as when-issued or forward commitment transactions and accordingly are not subject to the foregoing restrictions.

 

Securities purchased on a forward commitment or when-issued basis are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, actual or anticipated, in the level of interest rates. Securities purchased with a forward commitment or when-issued basis may expose the Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery. Purchasing securities on a when-issued basis can involve the additional risks that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself. Purchasing securities on a forward commitment or when-issued basis when the Fund is fully invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net assets and its net asset value per share.

 

The risks and effect of settlements in the ordinary course on the Fund's NAV are not the same as the risks and effect of when-issued and forward commitment securities.

 

The purchase price of when-issued and forward commitment securities are expressed in yield terms, which reference a floating rate of interest, and is therefore subject to fluctuations of the security's value in the market from the date of the Fund's commitment (the "Commitment Date") to the date of the actual delivery and payment for such securities (the "Settlement Date"). There is a risk that, on the Settlement Date, the Fund's payment of the final purchase price, which is calculated on the yield negotiated on the Commitment Date, will be higher than the market's valuation of the security on the Settlement Date. This same risk is also borne if the Fund disposes of its right to acquire a when-issued security, or its right to deliver or receive a forward commitment security, and there is a downward market movement

17 
 

in the value of the security from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date. No income accrues to the Fund during the period from the Commitment Date to the Settlement Date. On the other hand, the Fund may incur a gain if the Fund invests in when-issued and forward commitment securities and correctly anticipates the rise in interest rates and prices in the market.

 

The settlements of secondary market purchases of senior loans in the ordinary course, on a settlement date beyond the period expected by loan market participants (i.e., T+7 for par loans and T+20 for distressed loans, in other words more than seven or twenty business days beyond the trade date, respectively) are subject to the delayed compensation mechanics prescribed by the Loan Syndications and Trading Association ("LSTA"). For par loans, income accrues to the buyer of the senior loan (the "Buyer") during the period beginning on the last date by which the senior loan purchase should have settled (T+7) to and including the actual settlement date. Should settlement of a par senior loan purchase in the secondary market be delayed beyond the T+7 period prescribed by the LSTA, the Buyer is typically compensated for such delay through a payment from the seller of the senior loan (this payment may be netted from the wire released on settlement date for the purchase price of the senior loan paid by the Buyer). In brief, the adjustment is typically calculated by multiplying the notional amount of the trade by the applicable margin in the applicable loan agreement pro-rated for the number of business days (calculated using a year of 360 days) beyond the settlement period prescribed by the LSTA, plus any amendment or consent fees that the Buyer should have received. Furthermore, the purchase of a senior loan in the secondary market is typically negotiated and finalized pursuant to a binding trade confirmation, and therefore, the risk of non-delivery of the security to the Fund is reduced or eliminated when compared with such risk when investing in when-issued or forward commitment securities.

 

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with respect to its portfolio investments subject to the investment restrictions set forth herein. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the sale of securities held by the Fund with an agreement by the Fund to repurchase the securities at an agreed upon price, date and interest payment. At the time the Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, it may designate on its books and records liquid instruments having a value not less than the repurchase price (including accrued interest). If the Fund establishes and maintains such a segregated account, a reverse repurchase agreement will not be considered a borrowing by the Fund for purposes of the 1940 Act; however, under certain circumstances in which the Fund does not establish and maintain such a segregated account, such reverse repurchase agreement will be considered a borrowing for the purpose of the Fund's limitation on borrowings. The use by the Fund of reverse repurchase agreements involves many of the same risks of leverage since the proceeds derived from such reverse repurchase agreements may be invested in additional securities. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities acquired in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline below the price of the securities the Fund has sold but is obligated to repurchase. Also, reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of the securities retained in lieu of sale by the Fund in connection with the reverse repurchase agreement may decline in price.

 

If the buyer of securities under a reverse repurchase agreement files for bankruptcy or becomes insolvent, such buyer or its trustee or receiver may receive an extension of time to determine whether to enforce the Fund's obligation to repurchase the securities, and the Fund's use of the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement may effectively be restricted pending such decision. Also, the Fund would bear the risk of loss to the extent that the proceeds of the reverse repurchase agreement are less than the value of the securities subject to such agreement.

 

18 
 

Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements. A repurchase agreement is a contractual agreement whereby the seller of securities agrees to repurchase the same security at a specified price on a future date agreed upon by the parties. The agreed-upon repurchase price determines the yield during the Fund's holding period. Repurchase agreements are considered to be loans collateralized by the underlying security that is the subject of the repurchase contract. The Fund will only enter into repurchase agreements with registered securities dealers or domestic banks that, in the opinion of the Adviser, present minimal credit risk. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the issuer to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the delivery date; however, although the value of the underlying assets at the time the transaction is entered into always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price, if the value of the collateral declines there is a risk of loss of both principal and interest. In the event of default, the collateral may be sold but the Fund might incur a loss if the value of the collateral declines, and might incur disposition costs or experience delays in connection with liquidating the collateral. In addition, if bankruptcy proceedings are commenced with respect to the seller of the security, realization upon the collateral by the Fund may be delayed or limited. The Adviser will monitor the value of the collateral at the time the transaction is entered into and at all times subsequent during the term of the repurchase agreement in an effort to determine that such value always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price. In the event the value of the collateral declines below the repurchase price, the Adviser will demand additional collateral from the issuer to increase the value of the collateral to at least that of the repurchase price, including interest.

 

Royalty Trusts. The Fund may invest in U.S. royalty trusts. U.S. royalty trusts are generally not subject to U.S. federal corporate income taxation at the trust or entity level. Instead, each unitholder of the U.S. royalty trust is required to take into account its share of all items of the U.S. royalty trust's income, gain, loss, deduction and expense. It is possible that the Fund's share of taxable income from a U.S. royalty trust may exceed the cash actually distributed to it from the U.S. royalty trust in a given year. In such a case, the Fund will have less after-tax cash available for distribution to shareholders.

 

Co-Investments. Opportunities for co-investments may arise when the Adviser or its affiliates become aware of investment opportunities that may be appropriate for the Fund and other clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. As a closed-end investment company, without an exemptive order, the Fund is limited in its ability to co-invest in privately negotiated transactions with other clients of the Adviser or its affiliates. However, registered closed-end funds are permitted to, and may, simultaneously co-invest in transactions where price is the only negotiated term.

 

The Fund relies, in part, on the Adviser and its affiliates to assist with identifying and executing upon investment opportunities and on the Board of Trustees to review and approve the terms of the Fund's participation in co-investment transactions with the Adviser and its affiliates where price is the only negotiated term. The Adviser and its affiliates are not restricted from forming additional investment funds, entering into other investment advisory relationships or engaging in other business activities. These activities could be viewed as creating a conflict of interest in that the time and effort of the Adviser, its affiliates and their officers and employees will not be devoted exclusively to the Fund's business, but will be allocated between the Fund and such other business activities of the Adviser and its affiliates in a manner that the Adviser deems necessary and appropriate.

 

Neither the Adviser nor individuals employed by the Adviser are generally prohibited from raising capital for and managing other investment entities that make the same types of investments that the Fund targets. As a result, the time and resources that these individuals may devote to the Fund may be diverted. In addition, the Fund may compete with any such investment entity for the same investors and investment opportunities. The Adviser, whose primary business includes the origination of

19 
 

investments, engages in investment advisory business with funds and accounts that may compete with the Fund.

 

Non-Principal Investment Strategies

 

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Debt Securities. For temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may invest up to 100% of its assets in cash equivalents and short-term debt securities. Short-term debt investments having a remaining maturity of 60 days or less when purchased will be valued at cost, adjusted for amortization of premiums and accretion of discounts. Short-term debt securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:

 

  (1) U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest that are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by other U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government securities include securities issued by: (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration and Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. Although the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so because it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. Government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities. Consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.

 

  (2) Certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or a savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return and are normally negotiable. The issuer of a certificate of deposit agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation;

 

20 
 

 

  (3) Repurchase agreements, which involve purchases of debt securities (see section below entitled "Repurchase Agreements" for additional detail). At the time the Fund purchases securities pursuant to a repurchase agreement, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver such securities to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the securities at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period, because the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to obligations of the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities; certificates of deposit; or bankers' acceptances in which the Fund may invest. Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-on sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying assets. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying asset is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. If the Fund were to invest in repurchase agreements, the Adviser would monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. In so doing, the Adviser would seek to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code; and

 

  (4) Commercial paper, which consists of short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for such notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time. Before the Fund invested in such instruments, the Adviser would consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and would monitor the corporation's ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund's liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. Investments in commercial paper will be limited to commercial paper rated in the highest categories by a major rating agency and which either mature within one year of the date of purchase or carry a variable or floating rate of interest.

 

Money Market Instruments. The Fund may invest, for defensive purposes or otherwise, some or all of its assets in high quality fixed-income securities, money market instruments and money market mutual funds, or hold cash or cash equivalents in such amounts as the Adviser deems appropriate under the circumstances. In addition, the Fund or a pooled investment vehicle in which the Fund invests may invest in these instruments pending allocation of its respective offering proceeds. Money market instruments are high quality, short-term fixed-income obligations, which generally have remaining maturities of one year or less and may include U.S. government securities, commercial paper, certificates of deposit and bankers acceptances issued by domestic branches of U.S. banks that are members of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, and repurchase agreements.

 

Repurchases and Transfers of Shares

 

Repurchase Offers. The Board of Trustees has adopted a resolution setting forth the Fund's fundamental policy that it will conduct quarterly repurchase offers (the "Repurchase Offer Policy"). The Repurchase Offer Policy sets the interval between each repurchase offer at one quarter and provides that the Fund shall conduct a repurchase offer each quarter (unless suspended or postponed in accordance with regulatory requirements). The Repurchase Offer Policy also provides that the repurchase pricing shall occur not later than the 14th day after the Repurchase Request Deadline (as defined below) or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day. The Repurchase Offer Policy is fundamental and cannot be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund may, for the purpose of paying for repurchased shares, be required to liquidate portfolio holdings earlier than the Adviser would otherwise have liquidated these holdings. Such liquidations may result in losses, and may increase the Fund's portfolio turnover.

 

Repurchase Offer Policy Summary of Terms:

 

21 
 

 

  1. The Fund will make repurchase offers at periodic intervals pursuant to Rule 23c-3 under the 1940 Act, as that rule may be amended from time to time. Rule 23c-3 establishes requirements that closed-end funds must follow when making repurchase offers to their shareholders.

 

  2. The repurchase offers will be made in [February, May, August and November] of each year or during a similar cycle consistent with Rule 23c-3.

 

  3. The Fund must receive repurchase requests submitted by shareholders in response to the Fund's repurchase offer, on or before the date specified in the repurchase offer (the "Repurchase Request Deadline").  The time between the notification to shareholders and the Repurchase Request Deadline is generally 30 days, but may vary from no more than 42 days to no less than 21 days following the date the repurchase offer is made (or the preceding business day if the New York Stock Exchange is closed on that day), as specified by the Fund.

 

  4. The maximum time between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the next date on which the Fund determines the NAV applicable to the purchase of shares (the "Repurchase Pricing Date") is 14 calendar days (or the next business day if the 14th day is not a business day).

 

The Fund may not condition a repurchase offer upon the tender of any minimum amount of shares. The Fund may deduct from the repurchase proceeds only a repurchase fee that is paid to the Fund and is reasonably intended to compensate the Fund for expenses directly related to the repurchase. The repurchase fee may not exceed 2% of the proceeds. The Fund does not currently charge a repurchase fee.

 

The Fund may rely on Rule 23c-3 only so long as the Board of Trustees satisfies the following fund governance standards, as defined in Rule 0-1(a)(7) under the 1940 Act: (i) (i) the Board must perform a self-assessment at least once annually; (iv) the Independent trustees must meet separately at least once a quarter; and (iii) the Independent Trustees must be affirmatively authorized to hire their own staff.

 

Procedures. All periodic repurchase offers must comply with the following procedures:

 

Repurchase Offer Amount: Each quarter, the Fund is required to repurchase at least 5% and no more than 25% of the Fund's outstanding shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline (the "Repurchase Offer Amount"). The Board of Trustees shall determine the quarterly Repurchase Offer Amount.

 

Shareholder Notification: Thirty days before each Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund shall send to each shareholder of record and to each beneficial owner of the shares that are the subject of the repurchase offer a notification ("Shareholder Notification") providing the following information:

 

  1. A statement that the Fund is offering to repurchase its shares from shareholders at NAV;

 

  2. Fees applicable to such repurchase, if any;

 

  3. The Repurchase Offer Amount;

 

  4. The dates of the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Pricing Date, and the date by which the Fund must pay shareholders for any shares repurchased (which shall not be more than seven days after the Repurchase Pricing Date) (the "Repurchase Payment Deadline");
22 
 

 

  5. The risk of fluctuation in NAV between the Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Pricing Date, and the possibility that the Fund may use an earlier Repurchase Pricing Date;

 

  6. The procedures for a shareholder to request repurchase of his, her or its shares and the right of a shareholder to withdraw or modify his, her or its repurchase request until the Repurchase Request Deadline;

 

  7. The procedures under which the Fund may repurchase such shares on a pro rata basis if shareholders tender more than the Repurchase Offer Amount;

 

  8. The circumstances in which the Fund may suspend or postpone a repurchase offer;

 

  9. The NAV of the shares computed no more than seven days before the date of the notification and the means by which shareholders may ascertain the NAV thereafter; and

 

  10. The market price, if any, of the shares on the date on which such NAV was computed, and the means by which shareholders may ascertain the market price thereafter.

 

The Fund must file Form N-23c-3 ("Notification of Repurchase Offer") and three copies of the Shareholder Notification with the SEC within three business days after sending the notification to shareholders.

 

Repurchase Requests: Repurchase requests must be submitted by shareholders by the Repurchase Request Deadline. The Fund shall permit repurchase requests to be withdrawn or modified at any time until the Repurchase Request Deadline, but shall not permit repurchase requests to be withdrawn or modified after the Repurchase Request Deadline.

 

Repurchase Requests in Excess of the Repurchase Offer Amount: If shareholders tender more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, the Fund may, but is not required to, repurchase an additional amount of shares not to exceed 2% of the outstanding shares of the Fund on the Repurchase Request Deadline. If the Fund determines not to repurchase more than the Repurchase Offer Amount, or if shareholders tender shares in an amount exceeding the Repurchase Offer Amount plus 2% of the outstanding shares on the Repurchase Request Deadline, the Fund shall repurchase the shares tendered on a pro rata basis. This policy, however, does not prohibit the Fund from:

 

  1. Accepting all repurchase requests by persons who own, beneficially or of record, an aggregate of not more than 100 shares and who tender all of their stock for repurchase, before prorating shares tendered by others, or

 

  2. Accepting by lot shares tendered by shareholders who request repurchase of all shares held by them and who, when tendering their shares, elect to have either (i) all or none or (ii) at least a minimum amount or none accepted, if the Fund first accepts all shares tendered by shareholders who do not make this election.

 

Suspension or Postponement of Repurchase Offers: The Fund shall not suspend or postpone a repurchase offer except pursuant to a vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees, including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of the Fund, and only:

 

23 
 

 

  1. If the repurchase would cause the Fund to lose its status as a registered investment company ("RIC") under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code");

 

  2. To the extent the Fund is listed in the future, if the repurchase would cause the shares that are the subject of the repurchase offer that are either listed on a national securities exchange or quoted in an inter-dealer quotation system of a national securities association to be neither listed on any national securities exchange nor quoted on any inter-dealer quotation system of a national securities association;

 

  3. For any period during which the New York Stock Exchange or any other market in which the securities owned by the Fund are principally traded is closed, other than customary weekend and holiday closings, or during which trading in such market is restricted;

 

  4. For any period during which an emergency exists, as a result of which disposal by the Fund of securities owned by it is not reasonably practicable, or during which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund fairly to determine the value of its net assets; or

 

  5. For such other periods as the SEC may by order permit for the protection of shareholders of the Fund.

 

If a repurchase offer is suspended or postponed, the Fund shall provide notice to shareholders of such suspension or postponement. If the Fund renews the repurchase offer, the Fund shall send a new Shareholder Notification to shareholders.

 

Computing NAV: The Fund's current NAV shall be computed daily, including on the five business days preceding a Repurchase Request Deadline, on such days and at such specific time or times during the day as set by the Board of Trustees. Currently, the Board of Trustees has determined that the Fund's NAV shall be determined daily following the close of the New York Stock Exchange. The Fund's NAV need not be calculated on:

 

  1. Days on which changes in the value of the Fund's portfolio securities will not materially affect the current NAV of the shares;

 

  2. Days during which no order to purchase shares is received, other than days when the NAV would otherwise be computed; or

 

  3. Customary national, local, and regional business holidays.

 

Liquidity Requirements: From the time the Fund sends a Shareholder Notification to shareholders until the Repurchase Pricing Date, a percentage of the Fund's assets equal to at least 100% of the Repurchase Offer Amount (the "Liquidity Amount") shall consist of (i) assets that individually can be sold or disposed of in the ordinary course of business, at approximately the price at which the Fund has valued the investment, within a period equal to the period between a Repurchase Request Deadline and the Repurchase Payment Deadline, of assets that mature by the next Repurchase Payment Deadline, (ii) assets borrowed by the Fund (e.g., by drawing under the Fund's credit facility, if any), or (iii) assets available under the Fund's credit facility, if any). This requirement means that individual assets must be salable under these circumstances. It does not require that the entire Liquidity Amount must be salable. In the event that the Fund's assets fail to comply with this requirement, the Board of Trustees shall cause the Fund to take such action as it deems appropriate to ensure compliance.

24 
 

 

Liquidity Policy: The Board of Trustees may delegate day-to-day responsibility for evaluating liquidity of specific assets to the Adviser, but shall continue to be responsible for monitoring the Adviser's performance of its duties and the composition of the Fund's portfolio. Accordingly, the Board of Trustees has approved this policy, which is reasonably designed to ensure that the Fund's portfolio assets are sufficiently liquid so that the Fund can comply with its Repurchase Offer Policy and comply with the liquidity requirements in the preceding paragraph.

 

  1. In evaluating liquidity, the following factors are relevant, but not necessarily determinative:

 

  (a) The frequency of trades and quotes for a security.

 

  (b) The number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security, and the number of potential purchasers.

 

  (c) Dealer undertakings to make a market in the security.

 

  (d) The nature of marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offer and the mechanics of transfer).

s

  (e) The size of the Fund's holdings of a given security in relation to the total amount of outstanding of such security or to the average trading volume for the security.

 

  2. If market developments impair the liquidity of a security, the Adviser should review the advisability of retaining the security in the Fund's portfolio. The Adviser should report the basis for its determination to retain a security at the next Board of Trustees' meeting.

 

  3. The Board of Trustees shall review the overall composition and liquidity of the Fund's portfolio on a quarterly basis.

 

  4. These procedures may be modified as the Board of Trustees deems necessary.

 

Registration Statement Disclosure: The Fund's registration statement must disclose its intention to make or consider making such repurchase offers.

 

Annual Report Disclosure: The Fund shall include in its annual report to shareholders the following:

 

  1. Disclosure of its fundamental policy regarding periodic repurchase offers.

 

  2. Disclosure regarding repurchase offers by the Fund during the period covered by the annual report, which disclosure shall include:

 

  a. the number of repurchase offers;

 

  b. the repurchase offer amount and the amount tendered in each repurchase offer; and

 

  c. the extent to which in any repurchase offer the Fund repurchased stock pursuant to the procedures in Rule 23c-3(b) under the 1940 Act.

 

25 
 

Discretionary Repurchase Offers. Under Rule 23c-3(c), in addition to its quarterly repurchase of shares, the Fund may offer to repurchase its shares on a discretionary basis, provided that (i) the offer is made to all Fund shareholders, (ii) the offer is made no more frequently than every two years, and (iii) certain other conditions of Rule 23c-3(b) are met.

 

Transfers of Shares. No person may become a substituted shareholder without the written consent of the Board of Trustees, which consent may be withheld for any reason in the Board of Trustees' sole and absolute discretion. Shares may be transferred only (i) by operation of law pursuant to the death, bankruptcy, insolvency or dissolution of a shareholder or (ii) with the written consent of the Board of Trustees, which may be withheld in its sole and absolute discretion. The Board of Trustees may, in its discretion, delegate to the Adviser its authority to consent to transfers of shares. Each shareholder and transferee is required to pay all expenses, including attorneys and accountants fees, incurred by the Fund in connection with such transfer.

 

Tenders by Adviser. The Adviser may tender for repurchase shares that it holds in its capacity as a shareholder in connection with any repurchase offer made by the Fund.

 

MANAGEMENT OF THE FUND

 

The Board of Trustees has overall responsibility to manage and control the business affairs of the Fund, including the complete and exclusive authority to oversee and to establish policies regarding the management, conduct and operation of the Fund's business. The Board of Trustees exercises the same powers, authority and responsibilities on behalf of the Fund as are customarily exercised by the board of directors of a registered investment company organized as a corporation. The business of the Fund is managed under the direction of the Board of Trustees in accordance with the Agreement and Declaration of Trust and the Fund's By-Laws (the "Governing Documents"), each as amended from time to time, which have been filed with the SEC and are available upon request.

 

The Board of Trustees consists of [ ] individuals, [ ] of whom are not "interested persons" (as defined under the 1940 Act) of the Fund, the Adviser, or the Distributor ("Independent Trustees"). Interested persons generally include affiliates, immediate family members of affiliates, any partner or employee of the Fund's legal counsel, and any person who has engaged in portfolio transactions for the Fund or who has loaned the Fund money or property within the previous six months. Pursuant to the Governing Documents, the Board of Trustees shall elect officers including a President, a Chief Compliance Officer, a Treasurer, a Secretary and such other officers, if any, as the Trustees from time to time may in their discretion elect. The Board of Trustees retains the power to conduct, operate and carry on the business of the Fund and has the power to incur and pay any expenses that, in the opinion of the Board of Trustees, are necessary or incidental to carrying out any of the Fund's purposes. The Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Fund, when acting in such capacities, shall not be subject to any personal liability except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties.

 

Board Leadership Structure

 

The Trust is led by [ ], who has served as the Chairman of the Board of Trustees since December 2023, and is an interested Trustee. Under certain 1940 Act governance guidelines that apply to the Fund, the Independent Trustees meet in executive session, at least quarterly. Under the Governing Documents, the Chairman is generally responsible for various duties including (a) presiding at meetings of the Board of Trustees, (b) calling special meetings on an as-needed basis, and (c) execution and

26 
 

administration of Fund policies including (i) setting the agendas for meetings of the Board of Trustees and (ii) providing information to Trustees in advance of each meeting of the Board of Trustees and between meetings of the Board of Trustees. The Fund believes that its Chairman, the chair of the Audit Committee, and, as an entity, the full Board of Trustees, provide effective leadership that is in the best interests of the Fund and each shareholder.

 

Board Risk Oversight

 

The Board of Trustees comprised of [ ] Independent Trustees and [ ] interested Trustee, with a standing independent Audit Committee with a separate chair. The Board of Trustees is responsible for overseeing risk management, and the full Board of Trustees regularly engages in discussions of risk management and receives compliance reports that inform its oversight of risk management from its Chief Compliance Officer at quarterly meetings and on an ad hoc basis, when and if necessary. The Audit Committee considers financial and reporting risk within its area of responsibilities. Generally, the Board of Trustees believes that its oversight of material risks is adequately maintained through the compliance-reporting chain where the Chief Compliance Officer is the primary recipient and communicator of such risk-related information.

 

Trustee Qualifications

 

Generally, the Fund believes that each Trustee is competent to serve because of such Trustee's individual overall merits including:(i) experience, (ii) qualifications, (iii) attributes and (iv) skills.

 

[Trustee bio].

 

[Trustee bio]

 

[Trustee bio]

 

 

 

The Fund does not believe any one factor is determinative in assessing a Trustee's qualifications, but that the collective experience of each Trustee makes them each highly qualified.

 

Following is a list of the Trustees and executive officers of the Fund and their principal occupations over the previous five years. Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee and Officer is c/o Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, [ ]. .

 

Independent Trustees

 

27 
 

 

Name, Address*
and Year of
Birth
Position/
Term of
Office**
Principal
Occupation
During the
Past Five
Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex Overseen by
Trustee
Other Directorships
held by Trustee
During Last 5
Years
         
         
         

* Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee is c/o Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, c/o [ ].

  ** The term of office for each Trustee listed above will continue indefinitely.

 

Interested Trustees and Officers

 

Name, Address*
and Year of
Birth
Position/
Term of
Office**
Principal
Occupation
During the
Past Five
Years
Number of
Portfolios in
Fund
Complex Overseen by
Trustee
Other Directorships
held by Trustee
During Last 5
Years
         

 

 

.      
         

* Unless otherwise noted, the address of each Trustee and Officer is c/o Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, [ ].

  ** The term of office for each Trustee and officer listed above will continue indefinitely.

 

Board Committees

 

Audit Committee

 

The Board of Trustees has an Audit Committee, which consists of three Trustees, each of whom is not an "interested person" of the Fund within the meaning of the 1940 Act. The Audit Committee's responsibilities include: (i) recommending to the Board of Trustees the selection, retention or termination of the Fund's independent auditors; (ii) reviewing with the independent auditors the scope, performance and anticipated cost of their audit; (iii) discussing with the independent auditors certain matters relating to the Fund's financial statements, including any adjustment to such financial statements recommended by such independent auditors, or any other results of any audit; (iv) reviewing on a periodic basis a formal written statement from the independent auditors with respect to their independence, discussing with the independent auditors any relationships or services disclosed in the statement that may impact the objectivity and independence of the Fund's independent auditors and recommending that the Board of Trustees take appropriate action in response thereto to satisfy itself of the auditor's independence; and (v) considering the comments of the independent auditors and management's responses thereto with respect to the quality and adequacy of the Fund's accounting

28 
 

and financial reporting policies and practices and internal controls. The Audit Committee operates pursuant to an Audit Committee Charter.

 

Due to the size of the Board of Trustees, the Audit Committee is also responsible for seeking and reviewing nominee candidates for consideration as Independent Trustees as is from time to time considered necessary or appropriate. The Audit Committee reviews all nominations of potential trustees made by Fund management and by Fund shareholders, which includes all information relating to the recommended nominees that is required to be disclosed in solicitations or proxy statements for the election of directors, including without limitation the biographical information and the qualifications of the proposed nominees. Shareholders interested in nominating potential trustees should submit their nominations to Secretary, Catalyst Strategic Income Opportunities Fund, [ ] Nomination submissions must be accompanied by a written consent of the individual to stand for election if nominated by the Board of Trustees and to serve if elected by the shareholders, and such additional information must be provided regarding the recommended nominee as reasonably requested by the Audit Committee. The Audit Committee is also responsible for reviewing and setting Independent Trustee compensation from time to time when considered necessary or appropriate.

 

Trustee Ownership

 

The following table indicates the dollar range of equity securities that each Trustee beneficially owned in the Fund as of the date of this SAI:

 

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
  $0 $0
  $0 $0
  $0 $0

 

Compensation

 

Each Trustee who is not affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser will receive an annual fee of $[___] and reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending such meetings. Each Trustee who is affiliated with the Fund or the Adviser receives reimbursement for any reasonable expenses incurred attending meetings of the Board of Trustees. No executive officer receives compensation from the Fund.

 

The table below details the amount of compensation the Trustees are expected to receive from the Fund during its first fiscal year. The Fund does not have a bonus, profit sharing, pension or retirement plan.

 

29 
 

 

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 Trust
Paid to
Directors
         
         
         

 

CODES OF ETHICS

 

Each of the Fund, the Adviser and the Distributor has adopted a code of ethics under Rule 17j-1 of the 1940 Act (collectively, the "Codes of Ethics"). Rule 17j-1 and the Codes of Ethics are designed to prevent unlawful practices in connection with the purchase or sale of securities by covered personnel (each an "Access Person"). The Codes of Ethics apply to the Fund and permit an Access Person, subject to certain restrictions, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Fund. Under the Codes of Ethics, an Access Person may engage in personal securities transactions, but is required to report such personal securities transactions for monitoring purposes. In addition, certain Access Persons are required to obtain prior written approval before investing in initial public offerings or private placements. The Codes of Ethics are available on the EDGAR database on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov, and also may be obtained, after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

 

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

 

The Board has adopted Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures (“Policies”) on behalf of the Fund, which delegate the responsibility for voting proxies to the Advisor or its designee, subject to the Board’s continuing oversight. The Policies require that the Advisor or its designee vote proxies received in a manner consistent with the best interests of the Fund and shareholders. The Advisor has delegated proxy voting duties to the Sub-Advisor.

Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict between the interests of the Advisor or its designee (the Sub-Advisor), any affiliated person(s) of the Advisor or its designee, the Fund’s principal underwriter (distributor) or any affiliated person of the principal underwriter (distributor), or any affiliated person of the Fund and the Fund’s or its shareholder’s interests, the Advisor or its designee will resolve the conflict by voting in accordance with the policy guidelines or at the Fund’s directive using the recommendation of an independent third party. If the third party’s recommendations are not received in a timely fashion, the Advisor will abstain from voting. A copy of the Sub-Advisor’s proxy voting policies is attached hereto as Appendix A.

 

Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities held by the Fund during the most recent 12-month period ending June 30 will be available (1) without charge, upon request, by calling the Fund toll-free at [ ] and (2) on the SEC's website at www.sec.gov. In addition, a copy of the Fund's Proxy Voting Policies is also available by calling toll-free at 1-800-632-4027 and will be sent within three business days of receipt of a request.

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS

 

A principal shareholder is any person who owns (either of record or beneficially) 5% or more of the outstanding shares of a class of a fund. A control person is one who owns (either directly or indirectly)

30 
 

more than 25% of the voting securities of a company or acknowledges the existence of control. A control person may be able to determine the outcome of a matter put to a shareholder vote.

 

Set forth below are the names, addresses and percentages of ownership of each entity or person that was a principal shareholder of the Fund as of the date of this SAI:

 

[ ], located at [ ], owned 100% of the Fund's voting shares as of the date of this SAI and is deemed to control the Fund as of that date.

 

As of the date of this SAI, the Trustees and officers beneficially owned less than one percent of the Fund's outstanding shares.

 

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

 

The Adviser

 

Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC has been retained by the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, under an investment advisory agreement (the “Advisory Agreement”) to act as the Fund’s investment adviser, subject to the oversight of the Board. The Adviser was organized under the laws of New York on January 24, 2006. The Adviser oversees the day-to-day investment decisions for the Fund and continuously reviews, supervises and administers the Fund’s investment program. The address of the Adviser is 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901. Jerry Szilagyi is the controlling member of the Advisor. The Advisor is under common control with AlphaCentric Advisors LLC and Rational Advisors, Inc., the investment advisers of other funds in the same group of investment companies also known as a “Fund Complex”, and is also under common control with MFund Services LLC, a provider of management, legal administration and compliance services to the Fund and each other fund in the Fund Complex.

 

Under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees, the Adviser carries out the investment and reinvestment of the net assets of the Fund, furnishes continuously an investment program with respect to the Fund, and determines which securities should be purchased, sold, or exchanged. In addition, the Adviser supervises and provides oversight of the Fund's service providers. The Adviser furnishes to the Fund office facilities, equipment, and personnel for servicing the management of the Fund. The Adviser may employ research services and service providers to assist in the Adviser's market analysis and investment selection. The Adviser compensates all Adviser personnel who provide services to the Fund.

 

Pursuant to the Advisory Agreement, and in consideration of the advisory services provided by the Adviser to the Fund, the Adviser is entitled to a advisory fee (the "Advisory Fee") calculated at an annual rate of 1.50% of the Fund's average daily net assets. The Advisory Fee will be payable monthly in arrears.

 

The Adviser and the Fund have entered into an expense limitation agreement (the "Expense Limitation Agreement") under which the Adviser has agreed, until at least [___], 2025 to waive its management fees and to pay or absorb the ordinary operating expenses of the Fund (excluding distribution fees, brokerage, exchange fees, stamp duties, interest, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, and extraordinary expenses such as regulatory inquiry and litigation), to the extent that the Advisory Fee plus the Fund's ordinary annual operating expenses exceed [ ]% per annum of the Fund's average daily net assets. The Expense Limitation Agreement may not be terminated by the Adviser, but it may

31 
 

be terminated by the Board of Trustees upon written notice to the Adviser. Any waiver by the Adviser is subject to repayment by the Fund within the three years from the date the Adviser waived or made any payment, if the Fund is able to make the repayment (after the repayment amount is taken into consideration) without exceeding the lesser of the expense limitation in place at the time of the waiver or the current expense limitation and the repayment is approved by the Board of Trustees.

 

The Sub-Advisor

Perini Capital, LLC, a New Mexico limited liability company located at 16950 Via de Santa Fe #102, Rancho Santa Fe, CA 92091, serves as sub-advisor to the Fund (the “Sub-Adviser”). The Sub-Adviser was formed in 2011. Michael Perini is the principal owner of the Adviser. Under the general supervision of the Board and the Adviser, the Sub-Advisor is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s investment portfolio. The Sub-Adviser is paid by the Advisor, not the Fund.

Distributor

 

[ ], located at [ ], serves as the Fund's principal underwriter and acts as the distributor of the Fund's shares on a commercially reasonable efforts basis, subject to various conditions.

 

PORTFOLIO MANAGER

 

As described in the Prospectus, Michael Perini and Michael Ciklin serves as the Portfolio Manager for the Fund and is responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund.

 

As of [ ], 2024, each Portfolio Manager managed the following accounts in addition to the Fund:

 

Michael Perini

 

  Other Accounts Managed Other Accounts Managed Subject to a Performance Fee
Account Type Number of
Accounts

Assets Under
Management

(millions)

Number of
Accounts

Assets Under
Management

(millions)

Registered Investment Companies 0 $0 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $0 0 $0
Other Accounts 0 $0 0 $0

 

Michael Ciklin

 

  Other Accounts Managed Other Accounts Managed Subject to a Performance Fee
Account Type Number of
Accounts

Assets Under
Management

(millions)

Number of
Accounts

Assets Under
Management

(millions)

         
32 
 

 

Registered Investment Companies 0 $0 0 $0
Other Pooled Investment Vehicles 0 $0 0 $0
Other Accounts 0 $0 0 $0

 

 

Portfolio Manager Compensation

 

With respect to the Fund, each Portfolio Manager is compensated with a salary and discretionary bonus paid by the Sub-Adviser.

 

Conflicts of Interest

 

The Adviser and Sub-Adviser currently or in the future may provide investment advisory and other services, directly and through affiliates, to various affiliated entities and accounts other than the Fund (“Adviser Accounts”). The Fund has no interest in these activities. The Adviser, Sub-Adviser and the investment professionals, who on behalf of the Adviser and Sub-Adviser provide investment advisory services to the Fund, are engaged in substantial activities other than on behalf of the Fund, may have differing economic interests in respect of such activities, and may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and activity between the Fund and the Adviser and Sub-Adviser accounts. Such persons devote only so much time to the affairs of the Fund as in their judgment is necessary and appropriate.

 

Set out below are practices that the Adviser may follow.

 

Because the Portfolio Manager has responsibility for managing more than one account, potential conflicts of interest may arise. Those conflicts could include preferential treatment of one account over others in terms of allocation of resources or of investment opportunities for accounts with similar strategies. In addition, the Portfolio Manager, who provides investment advisory services to the Fund, may be engaged in substantial activities other than on behalf of the Sub-Adviser or Fund, may have differing economic interests in respect of such activities, and may have conflicts of interest in allocating their time and activity between the Fund and other accounts. To the extent a conflict of interest arises in connection with a prospective investment by the Fund, the Sub-Adviser will take appropriate steps to mitigate that conflict. Such persons devote only so much time to the affairs of the Fund and Sub-Adviser as in his or her judgment is necessary and appropriate.

 

The Adviser, Sub-Adviser and the Portfolio Manager attempt to avoid conflicts of interest that may arise as a result of the management of multiple client accounts. The Advisor, Sub-Adviser and the Portfolio Manager have adopted allocation policies and procedures intended to treat all client accounts (including the Fund) in a fair and equitable manner. Such allocation policies and procedures also apply to situations in which an investment opportunity of a limited amount, size or quantity is appropriate for more than one client account and require that the Adviser and Sub-Adviser allocate investment opportunities among such accounts in a fair and equitable manner (e.g., on a pro rata or alternating basis). To the extent that a Portfolio Manager seeks to purchase or sell the same security for multiple client accounts, the Portfolio Manager may aggregate, or bunch, these orders where he or she deems this to be appropriate and consistent with applicable regulatory requirements. When a bunched order (if any) is filled in its entirety, each participating client account will participate at the average security

33 
 

prices for the bunched order. When a bunched order (if any) is only partially filled, the securities purchased will be allocated on a pro-rata basis to each account participating in the bunched order based on the initial amount requested for the account, subject to certain exceptions. Each participating account will receive the average price for the bunched order on the same business day.

 

ALLOCATION OF BROKERAGE

 

Specific decisions to purchase or sell securities for the Fund are made by the Portfolio Manager, who is an employee of the Sub-Adviser. The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are authorized by the Board of Trustees to allocate the orders placed on behalf of the Fund to brokers or dealers that may, but need not, provide research or statistical material or other services to the Fund, the Adviser or the Sub-Adviser for the Fund's use. Such allocation is to be in such amounts and proportions as the Adviser may determine.

 

In selecting a broker or dealer to execute each particular transaction, the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser (as applicable) will take into consideration, among other qualitative factors:

 

The ability to effect prompt and reliable executions at favorable prices (including the applicable dealer spread or commission, if any);
The operational efficiency with which transactions are effected and the efficiency of error resolution, taking into account the size of order and difficulty of execution;
The financial strength, integrity and stability of the broker;
Special execution capabilities;
Clearance;
Settlement;
Reputation;
On-line pricing;
Block trading and block positioning capabilities;
Willingness to execute related or unrelated difficult transactions in the future;
Order of call;
Online access to computerized data regarding client accounts;
Custodial (and other) services provided by such brokers and/or dealers that may potentially enhance the Advisor or Sub-Adviser's general portfolio management capabilities;
Performance measurement data;
Financing terms;
The quality, comprehensiveness and frequency of available research and related services considered to be of value;
Provision of the opportunity to participate in capital introduction events sponsored by the broker-dealer; and
Commission-sharing agreements that are in effect at the time of the transaction.

 

The Adviser and Sub-Adviser will also take into consideration, among other quantitative factors:

 

Price;
Cost of transaction;
Speed of execution;
Likelihood of execution and/or settlement;
Size and complexity of the order;
Characteristics and nature of the orders; and
34 
 
Applicable credit rating of the investment.

 

The Adviser and Sub-Adviser are not required to weigh any of these factors equally.

 

Brokers or dealers executing a portfolio transaction on behalf of the Fund may receive a commission in excess of the amount of commission another broker or dealer would have charged for executing the transaction if the Adviser or Sub-Adviser determines in good faith that such commission is reasonable in relation to the value of brokerage and research services provided to the Fund. In allocating portfolio brokerage, the Adviser or Sub-Adviser may select brokers or dealers that also provide brokerage, research and other services to other accounts over which the Adviser or Sub-Adviser exercises investment discretion. Eligible research or brokerage services through which portfolio transaction are executed may include research reports on particular industries and companies, economic surveys and analyses, recommendations as to specific securities, online quotations, news services, financial publications and other products and services (e.g., software applications for market quotes and news and databases providing investment and industry data) providing lawful and appropriate assistance to the Portfolio Manager and designees in the performance of investment decision-making responsibilities on behalf of the Fund. Some of the services received as a result of Fund transactions may primarily benefit accounts other than the Fund, while services received as the result of portfolio transactions effected on behalf of those other accounts may primarily benefit the Fund.

 

Affiliated Party Transactions

 

The Adviser, Sub-Adviser and its affiliates will not purchase securities or other property from, or sell securities or other property to, the Fund, except that the Fund may (in accordance with applicable rules under the 1940 Act) transact with accounts that are affiliated with the Fund as a result of common officers, directors, advisers, members, managing general partners or common control. These transactions would be effected in circumstances pursuant to policies adopted by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act, in which the Adviser and Sub-Adviser has determined that it would be appropriate for the Fund to purchase and another client to sell, or the Fund to sell and another client to purchase, the same security or instrument on the same day.

 

If the Adviser or Sub-Adviser places Fund trades through an affiliated broker (if any), the trades will be executed under a policy adopted by the Board of Trustees pursuant to Section 17(e) of and Rule 17(e)(1) under the 1940 Act, which places limitations on the securities transactions effected through affiliates. The Board of Trustees reviews the Fund's policy with respect to brokerage from time to time. Because of the possibility of further regulatory developments affecting the securities exchanges and brokerage practices generally, the foregoing practices may be modified.

 

TAX STATUS

 

The following discussion is general in nature and should not be regarded as an exhaustive presentation of all possible tax ramifications. All shareholders should consult a qualified tax adviser regarding their investment in the Fund.

 

The Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, which requires compliance with certain requirements concerning the sources of its income, diversification of its assets, and the amount and timing of its distributions to shareholders. Such qualification does not involve supervision of management or investment practices or policies by any government agency or bureau. By so qualifying, the Fund should not be subject to federal income or

35 
 

excise tax on its net investment income or net capital gain, which are distributed to shareholders in accordance with applicable timing requirements. Net investment income and net capital gain of the Fund will be computed in accordance with Section 852 of the Code. Net investment income is made up of dividends and interest less expenses. Net capital gain for a fiscal year is computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforward of the Fund.

 

Because the Fund intends to distribute all of its net investment income, any excess of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses, and any excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses in accordance with the timing requirements imposed by the Code, it should not be required to pay any federal income or excise taxes. Distributions of net investment income will be made quarterly and net capital gain will be made after the end of each fiscal year, and no later than December 31 of each year. Both types of distributions will be in shares of the Fund unless a shareholder elects to receive cash.

 

To be treated as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code, the Fund must also (a) derive at least 90% of its gross income (the "Income Test") from dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans, net income from certain publicly traded partnerships and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to the business of investing in such securities or currencies, and (b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each fiscal quarter, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund's assets is represented by cash, U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies, and other securities (for purposes of this calculation, generally limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the market value of the Fund's assets and 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer) and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its assets is invested in the securities of (other than U.S. government securities or the securities of other regulated investment companies) any one issuer, two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are determined to be engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses, or the securities of certain publicly traded partnerships.

 

Some of the income and fees that the Fund will recognize may not satisfy the Income Test. In order to ensure that such income and fees do not disqualify the Fund as a regulated investment company for a failure to satisfy such test, the Fund may be required to recognize such income and fees indirectly through one or more entities treated as corporations for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Any such corporation will be required to pay U.S. corporate income tax on its earnings, which ultimately will reduce the Fund's return on such income and fees.

 

If the Fund fails to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M in any fiscal year, it will be treated as a corporation for federal income tax purposes. As such, the Fund would be required to pay income taxes on its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, at the rates generally applicable to corporations. Shareholders of the Fund generally would not be liable for income tax on the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains in their individual capacities. Distributions to shareholders, whether from the Fund's net investment income or net realized capital gains, would be treated as taxable dividends to the extent of current or accumulated earnings and profits of the Fund.

 

The Fund is subject to a 4% nondeductible excise tax on certain undistributed amounts of ordinary income and capital gain under a formula prescribed in Section 4982 of the Code. The formula requires payment to shareholders during a calendar year of distributions representing at least 98% of the Fund's ordinary income for the calendar year and at least 98.2% of its capital gain net income (i.e., the excess

36 
 

of its capital gains over capital losses) realized during the one-year period ending October 31 during such year plus 100% of any income that was neither distributed nor taxed to the Fund during the preceding calendar year. Under ordinary circumstances, the Fund expects to time its distributions so as to avoid liability for this tax.

 

The following discussion of tax consequences is for the general information of shareholders that are subject to tax. Shareholders that are IRAs or other qualified retirement plans are exempt from income taxation under the Code.

 

Distributions of taxable net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

Distributions of net capital gain ("capital gain dividends") generally are taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shares of the Fund have been held by such shareholders.

 

A shareholder's redemption of Fund shares will result in the recognition of taxable gain or loss in an amount equal to the difference between the amount realized and the shareholder's tax basis in such Fund shares. Such gain or loss is treated as a capital gain or loss if the shares are held as capital assets. However, any loss realized upon the redemption of shares within six months from the date of their purchase will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of any amounts treated as capital gain dividends during such six-month period. All or a portion of any loss realized upon the redemption of shares may be disallowed to the extent shares are purchased (including shares acquired by means of reinvested dividends) within 30 days before or after such redemption.

 

The repurchase of the Fund's shares may result in a taxable gain or loss to a tendering shareholder. Different tax consequences may apply to tendering and non-tendering shareholders in connection with a repurchase offer. For example, if a shareholder does not tender all of his, her or its shares, such repurchase may not be treated as an exchange for U.S. federal income tax purposes, and may instead constitute a distribution subject to evaluation as a deemed dividend. Alternatively, a shareholder who tenders all of his, her or its shares (including shares deemed owned by such shareholder through application of the constructive ownership rules) will be treated as having sold the shares and generally will realize a capital gain or loss.

 

Distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain will be taxable as described above, whether received in additional cash or shares. Shareholders electing to receive distributions in the form of additional shares will have a cost basis for federal income tax purposes in each share so received equal to the net asset value of a share on the reinvestment date. If a shareholder purchases additional shares at a discount to fair market value, the shareholder will be treated for tax purposes as having received an additional distribution equal to the amount of the purchase price discount.

 

All distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain, whether received in shares or in cash, must be reported by each taxable shareholder on his, her or its federal income tax return. Dividends or distributions declared in October, November or December as of a record date in such a month, if any, will be deemed to have been received by shareholders on December 31, if paid during January of the following year. Redemptions of shares may result in tax consequences (gain or loss) to the shareholder and are also subject to these reporting requirements. Investing in municipal bonds and other tax-exempt securities is not a principal investment strategy of the Fund. Nonetheless, to the extent the Fund invests in municipal bonds that are not exempt from the alternative minimum tax, some

37 
 

shareholders may be subject to the alternative minimum tax. Investors should consult their tax advisers for more information.

 

Under the Code, the Fund will be required to report to the Internal Revenue Service ("IRS") all distributions of taxable income and capital gains as well as gross proceeds from the redemption or exchange of Fund shares, except in the case of certain exempt shareholders. Under the backup withholding provisions of Section 3406 of the Code, distributions of taxable net investment income and net capital gain and proceeds from the redemption or exchange of the shares of a regulated investment company may be subject to withholding of federal income tax in the case of non-exempt shareholders who fail to furnish the Fund with their taxpayer identification numbers and with required certifications regarding their status under federal income tax law, or if the Fund is notified by the IRS or a broker that withholding is required due to an incorrect tax identification number or a previous failure to report taxable interest or dividends. If the withholding provisions are applicable, any such distributions and proceeds, whether taken in cash or reinvested in additional shares, will be reduced by the amounts required to be withheld.

 

An additional 3.8% Medicare tax is imposed on certain net investment income (including ordinary dividends and capital gains distributions received from the Fund and net gains from redemptions or other taxable dispositions of the Fund's shares) of U.S. individuals, estates and trusts to the extent that such person's "modified adjusted gross income" (in the case of an individual) or "adjusted gross income" (in the case of an estate or trust) exceeds certain threshold amounts.

 

The Fund is required to report to each shareholder and to the IRS cost basis information for covered shares of the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012 and sold or redeemed after that date. This information includes the adjusted cost basis of the shares and whether the gain or loss is long term or short term. Shareholders should contact their financial intermediaries with respect to reporting of cost basis and available elections for their accounts.

 

Options, Futures, Forward Contracts and Swap Agreements

 

The Fund's transactions in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, straddles and foreign currencies, if any, will be subject to special tax rules (including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the Fund, defer losses to the Fund, cause adjustments in the holding periods of the Fund's securities, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders.

 

Certain of the Fund's hedging activities (including transactions in foreign currencies or foreign currency-denominated instruments), if any, are likely to produce a difference between its book income and its taxable income. If the Fund's book income exceeds its taxable income, any distribution of such excess book income will be treated as (i) a dividend to the extent of the Fund's remaining earnings and profits (including earnings and profits arising from tax-exempt income), (ii) thereafter, as a return of capital to the extent of the recipient's basis in the shares, and (iii) thereafter, as gain from the sale or exchange of a capital asset. If the Fund's book income is less than its taxable income, the Fund could be required to make distributions exceeding book income to qualify as a regulated investment company that is accorded special tax treatment.

 

Investments in Other Regulated Investment Companies

38 
 

 

The Fund may invest in business development companies, ETFs, mutual funds and other entities that seek to qualify as regulated investment companies under Subchapter M of the Code. To qualify and remain eligible for the special tax treatment accorded to regulated investment companies and their shareholders under the Code, each such entity must meet certain source-of-income, asset diversification and annual distribution requirements. If such an entity fails to qualify as a regulated investment company, such entity would generally be liable for federal, and possibly state, corporate taxes on its taxable income and gains. Such failure could substantially reduce the entity's net assets and the amount of income available for distribution to the Fund, which would in turn decrease the total return of the Fund in respect of such investment.

 

Phantom Income

 

Certain of the Fund's investments will require the Fund to recognize taxable income in a taxable year in excess of the cash generated on those investments during that year. In particular, the Fund expects to invest in loans and other debt obligations that will be treated as having "market discount" and/or original issue discount for U.S. federal income tax purposes and, as described above, the Fund may invest in CLOs that are treated as PFICs or controlled foreign corporations. Because the Fund may be required to recognize income in respect of these investments before, or without receiving, cash representing such income, the Fund may have difficulty satisfying the annual distribution requirements applicable to regulated investment companies and avoiding Fund-level U.S. federal income and/or excise taxes. Accordingly, the Fund may be required to sell assets, including at potentially disadvantageous times or prices, borrow, raise additional equity capital, make taxable distributions of its shares or debt securities, or reduce new investments, to obtain the cash needed to make these income distributions. If the Fund liquidates assets to raise cash, the Fund may realize gain or loss on such liquidations; in the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such liquidation transactions, its shareholders may receive larger capital gain distributions than they would in the absence of such transactions.

 

Uncertain Tax Treatment

 

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

 

OTHER INFORMATION

 

Each share represents a proportional interest in the assets of the Fund. Each share has one vote at shareholder meetings, with fractional shares voting proportionally on matters submitted to the vote of shareholders. There are no cumulative voting rights. Shares do not have pre-emptive or conversion or redemption provisions. In the event of a liquidation of the Fund, shareholders are entitled to share pro rata in the net assets of the Fund available for distribution to shareholders after all expenses and debts have been paid.

39 
 

 

Advertising

 

The Fund, or any underwriter for the Fund, must comply with the provisions of Section 24(b) of the 1940 Act and the rules thereunder (as if the Fund were an open-end company) and file, if necessary, with FINRA or the SEC any advertisement, pamphlet, circular, form letter, or other sales literature addressed to or intended for distribution to prospective investors.

 

Administrator and Accounting Agent

 

[ ] (the "Administrator"), serves as the Fund's administrator and fund accountant pursuant to a fund administration servicing agreement ("Administration Agreement"). For its services as administrator and accounting agent, the Fund pays the Administrator the greater of a minimum fee or fees based on the annual net assets of the Fund (with such minimum fees subject to an annual cost of living adjustment) plus out of pocket expenses. The same entity provides accounting services.

 

Transfer Agent

 

[ ], serves as Transfer Agent to the Fund.

 

Management and Legal Services

MFund Services LLC (“MFund”) provides the Fund with various management and legal services pursuant to a Management Services Agreement with the Fund. For these services, the Fund pays MFund an annual fixed fee of $[ ] plus an annual asset-based fee in accordance with the schedule set forth below:

[ ]

 

In addition, the Fund reimburses MFund for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of its duties under the Management Services Agreement. Jerry Szilagyi is the controlling member of MFund Services, the controlling member of the Advisor, and the controlling member of AlphaCentric Advisors LLC, and Rational Advisors, Inc. (each an investment advisor to other affiliated investment companies).

 

Compliance Services

Pursuant to a Compliance Services Agreement, MFund provides chief compliance officer services to the Fund. For these services, the Fund pays MFund a monthly base fee of [ ]. In addition, the Fund reimburses MFund for any reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of its duties under the Compliance Services Agreement.

 

Legal Counsel

 

Thompson Hine LLP, 41 South High Street, Suite 1700, Columbus, Ohio 43215, acts as legal counsel to the Fund.

 

Custodian

 

40 
 

[ ] (the "Custodian"), with a principal place of business at [ ], serves as custodian for the securities and cash of the Fund's portfolio. Under a Custody Agreement, the Custodian holds the Fund's assets in safekeeping and keeps all necessary records and documents relating to its duties.

 

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

 

[ ], with offices located at [ ], audited the Fund's financial statement included in this registration statement. Cohen provides services including the audit of annual financial statements, and other tax, audit and related services for the Fund.

 

 

41 
 

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

 

[to be provided by subsequent amendment]

 

 

42 
 

Table of Contents

 

Report of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm 1
   
Statement of Assets and Liabilities 2
   
Statement of Operations 3
   
Notes to the Financial Statement 4

 

 

43 
 

APPENDIX A - PROXY VOTING POLICY

 

[Proxy Policy- to be provided]

44 
 

PART C. OTHER INFORMATION

 

Item 25. Financial Statements and Exhibits.

 

1. Financial Statements:
   
  Part A: Not applicable as the Registrant has not commenced operations.
   
  Part B: To be filed by subsequent amendment.
   
2. Exhibits:
   
  (a) (1)      Certificate of Trust1

 

  (2) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust1
   
  (b) Bylaws1
     
  (c) None.
     
  (d) See Item 25(2)(a)(2) and Item 25(2)(b).
     
  (e) None.
     
  (f) None.
     
  (g) (1) Investment Advisory Agreement between the Registrant and Catalyst Capital Advisors LLC (the "Adviser")2
       
 

(2)

 

(3)

Expense Limitation Agreement between the Registrant and the Adviser2

 

Sub-Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and Perini Capital, LLC (the “Sub-Adviser”)2

     
  (h) (1) Distribution Agreement between the Registrant and [●] (the "Distributor")2
       
    (2) Form of Selling Agreement2
       
  (i) None.
     
  (j)   Custody Agreement between the Registrant and [●]2
       
  (k) (1) Fund Transfer Agent Agreement between Registrant and [●]2
       
    (2) Fund Administration Servicing Agreement between Registrant and [●]2
       
    (3)  Fund Accounting Servicing Agreement between Registrant and [●]2
       
             
 
 

 

  (l) (1) Opinion and Consent of Thompson Hine LLP2
     
  (m) Not Applicable.
     
  (n) Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm2
     
  (o) None.
     
  (p) Initial Capital Agreement2
     
  (q) Not Applicable.
     
  (r) (1) Code of Ethics of the Registrant2
  (2) Code of Ethics of the Adviser2
  (3) Code of Ethics of the Distributor2
     
       (s)   Not Applicable
     
             

 

Other     Powers of Attorney2

 

 

1

 

2

 

Filed herewith.

 

To be filed by subsequent amendment.

 

 

Item 26. Marketing Arrangements: None.

 

Item 27. Other Expenses of Issuance and Distribution:
   
  SEC Registration Fees $[_]
  FINRA Fees $[_]
  State Bluesky Fees $[_]
  Legal Fees $[_]
  Accounting Fees $[_]
  Printing Fees $[_]
  Rating Agency Fees $[_]
  Total $[_]

 

Item 28.

Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with Registrant

No person is controlled by or under common control with the Registrant.

 

Item 29. Number of Holders of Securities as of [         ], 2023:

 

Title of Class Number of Record
Holders
 
 

 

Shares of Beneficial Interest 1

 

Item 30. Indemnification:

 

Reference is made to Article VIII, Section 2 of the Registrant's Agreement and Declaration of Trust (the "Declaration of Trust"), incorporated by reference as Exhibit (a)(3) hereto, and to Section [ ] of the Registrant's Distribution Agreement, [incorporated by reference as Exhibit (h)(1) hereto]. The Registrant hereby undertakes that it will comply the indemnification provisions of the Declaration of Trust and Distribution Agreement in a manner consistent with Release 40-11330 of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), so long as the interpretation therein of Sections 17(h) and 17(i) of the 1940 Act remains in effect.

 

[The Registrant maintains insurance on behalf of any person who is or was an independent trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Registrant against certain liability asserted against and incurred by, or arising out of, his or her position. However, in no event will the Registrant pay that portion of the premium, if any, for insurance to indemnify any such person for any act for which the Registrant itself is not permitted to indemnify.]

 

Insofar as indemnification for liability arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "1933 Act"), may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the SEC such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the 1933 Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

 

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser:

 

A description of any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature in which an investment adviser of the Registrant, and each member, director, executive officer, or partner of any such investment adviser, is or has been, at any time during the past two fiscal years, engaged in for his or her own account or in the capacity of member, trustee, officer, employee, partner or director, is set partially forth in the Registrant’s prospectus in the section entitled “Management of the Fund.”

 

The Adviser, located at 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser, file number 801-79616. Information as to the

 
 

members and officers of the Advisor is included in its Form ADV as filed with the SEC (File No. 801-79616), and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

(i)The Adviser has engaged in no other business during the past two fiscal years.

 

(ii)(ii) Jerry Szilagyi is the managing member of the Adviser and has been engaged within the last two fiscal years in the capacity of director, officer, employee, partner, or trustee of the following other companies:

Trustee, Mutual Fund Series Trust, 17645 Wright Street, Suite 200 Omaha, Nebraska 68130; Managing Member, MFund Services LLC, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743; Managing Member, MFund Distributors LLC, 36 North New York Avenue, Huntington, NY 11743; Managing Member, MFund Management LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; Managing Member, Insights Media LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; Managing Member, Catalyst International Advisers LLC, 53 Palmeras St., Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; Member of AlphaCentric Advisors LLC, 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901; and President of Rational Advisors, Inc., 53 Palmeras St. Suite 601, San Juan, PR 00901.

 

The Sub-Adviser, located at 445 Marine View Ave, Suite 300, Del Mar, CA 92014, is registered with the SEC as an investment adviser, file number 801-120968. Information as to the members and officers of the Advisor is included in its Form ADV as filed with the SEC and is incorporated herein by reference.

 

(i)The Sub-Adviser and its directors and officers have engaged in no other businesses of a substantial nature in the last two fiscal years.

 

Item 32. Location of Accounts and Records:

 

[●], the Fund's administrator, maintains certain required accounting related and financial books and records of the Registrant at [●]; the Transfer Agent, maintains certain required accounting related and financial books and records of the Registrant at [●]. [●], the Fund's custodian, maintains certain required accounting related and financial books and records of the Registrant at [●]. The other required books and records are maintained by the Adviser at [●].

 

Item 33.

Management Services: Not Applicable.

 

Item 34.

Undertakings:

 

1. Not Applicable.

 

2. Not Applicable.

 

3. The Registrant undertakes:

 

 
 

 

 

(a) to file, during any period in which offers or sales are being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement:

 

(1) to include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3) of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended ("Securities Act");

 

(2) to reflect in the prospectus any facts or events arising after the effective date of the registration statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate, represent a fundamental change in the information set forth in the registration statement; and

 

(3) to include any material information with respect to the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in the registration statement or any material change to such information in the registration statement;

 

(b) that, for the purpose of determining any liability under the Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities offered therein, and the offering of those securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof;

 

(c) to remove from registration by means of a post-effective amendment any of the securities being registered which remain unsold at the termination of the offering;

 

(d) that, for the purpose of determining liability under the Securities Act to any purchaser:

 

(1) if the Registrant is relying on Rule 430B [17 CFR 230.430B]:

 

(A) Each prospectus filed by the Registrant pursuant to Rule 424(b)(3) shall be deemed to be part of the registration statement as of the date the filed prospectus was deemed part of and included in the registration statement; and

 

(B) Each prospectus required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424(b)(2), (b)(5), or (b)(7) as part of a registration statement in reliance on Rule 430B relating to an offering made pursuant to Rule 415(a)(1)(i), (x), or (xi) for the purpose of providing the information required by Section 10(a) of the Securities Act shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the earlier of the date such form of prospectus is first used after effectiveness or the date of the first contract of sale of securities in the offering described in the prospectus. As provided in Rule 430B, for liability purposes of the issuer and any person that is at that date an underwriter, such date shall be deemed to be a new effective date of the registration statement relating to the securities in the registration statement to which that prospectus relates, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such effective date, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such effective date; or

 

 
 

 

   

(2) if the Registrant is subject to Rule 430C [17 CFR 230.430C]: each prospectus filed pursuant to Rule 424(b) under the Securities Act as part of a registration statement relating to an offering, other than registration statements relying on Rule 430B or other than prospectuses filed in reliance on Rule 430A, shall be deemed to be part of and included in the registration statement as of the date it is first used after effectiveness. Provided, however, that no statement made in a registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement or made in a document incorporated or deemed incorporated by reference into the registration statement or prospectus that is part of the registration statement will, as to a purchaser with a time of contract of sale prior to such first use, supersede or modify any statement that was made in the registration statement or prospectus that was part of the registration statement or made in any such document immediately prior to such date of first use.

 

(e) that for the purpose of determining liability of the Registrant under the Securities Act to any purchaser in the initial distribution of securities:

 

The undersigned Registrant undertakes that in a primary offering of securities of the undersigned Registrant pursuant to this registration statement, regardless of the underwriting method used to sell the securities to the purchaser, if the securities are offered or sold to such purchaser by means of any of the following communications, the undersigned Registrant will be a seller to the purchaser and will be considered to offer or sell such securities to the purchaser:

 

(1) any preliminary prospectus or prospectus of the undersigned Registrant relating to the offering required to be filed pursuant to Rule 424 under the Securities Act;

 

(2) free writing prospectus relating to the offering prepared by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant or used or referred to by the undersigned Registrants;

 

(3) the portion of any advertisement pursuant to Rule 482 [17 CFR 230.482] under the Securities Act relating to the offering containing material information about the undersigned Registrant or its securities provided by or on behalf of the undersigned Registrant; and

 

(4) any other communication that is an offer in the offering made by the undersigned Registrant to the purchaser.

 

4. Not applicable.

 

5. Not applicable.

 

6. Not applicable.

 

7. The Registrant undertakes to send by first class mail or other means designed to ensure equally prompt delivery, within two business days of receipt of a written or oral request, any prospectus or Statement of Additional Information.

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

SIGNATURES

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, the Registrant has duly caused this registration statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of San Juan, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, on the 17th day of January 2024.

 

  Catalyst Strategic INcome Opportunities Fund  
     
  By: /s/ Michael Ciklin  
    Michael Ciklin  
    Trustee  

 

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, this registration statement has been signed by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

 

Signature Title Date

/s/  Michael Ciklin

Michael Ciklin

Trustee January 17, 2024

 

 

 

 

 
 

 

EXHIBITS

 

(a)(1) Certificate of Trust
(a)(2) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust
(b) Bylaws