485BPOS

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
(NO. 2-27203)

UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

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Pre-Effective Amendment No.

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Post-Effective Amendment No. 123

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and

REGISTRATION STATEMENT
(NO. 811-01530)

UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

Amendment No. 124

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VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Declaration of Trust)

P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482
(Address of Principal Executive Office)
Registrant’s Telephone Number (610) 669-1000

Anne E. Robinson, Esquire
P.O. Box 876
Valley Forge, PA 19482

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

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immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

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on February 26, 2021, pursuant to paragraph (b)

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

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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

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

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on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485 If appropriate, check the following box:

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

 

Vanguard Explorer™ Fund

Prospectus

 February 26, 2021

Investor Shares & Admiral™ Shares

Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares (VEXPX)
Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares (VEXRX)

 See the inside front cover for important information about access to your fund’s annual and semiannual shareholder reports.

 This prospectus contains financial data for the Fund through the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

  The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is

a criminal offense.

Important information about access to shareholder reports

Beginning on January 1, 2021, as permitted by regulations adopted by the SEC, paper copies of your fund’s annual and semiannual shareholder reports will no longer be sent to you by mail, unless you specifically request them. Instead, you will be notified by mail each time a report is posted on the website and will be provided with a link to access the report.

If you have already elected to receive shareholder reports electronically, you will not be affected by this change and do not need to take any action. You may elect to receive shareholder reports and other communications from the fund electronically by contacting your financial intermediary (such as a broker-dealer or bank) or, if you invest directly with the fund, by calling Vanguard at one of the phone numbers on the back cover of this prospectus or by logging on to vanguard.com.

You may elect to receive paper copies of all future shareholder reports free of charge. If you invest through a financial intermediary, you can contact the intermediary to request that you continue to receive paper copies. If you invest directly with the fund, you can call Vanguard at one of the phone numbers on the back cover of this prospectus or log on to vanguard.com. Your election to receive paper copies will apply to all the funds you hold through an intermediary or directly with Vanguard.

Contents

 

 

Fund Summary	1
More on the Fund	7
The Fund and Vanguard	15
Investment Advisors	16
Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes	19
Share Price	22
Financial Highlights	24

Investing With Vanguard	26
Purchasing Shares	26
Converting Shares	29
Redeeming Shares	31
Exchanging Shares	35
Frequent-Trading Limitations	35
Other Rules You Should Know	37
Fund and Account Updates	42
Employer-Sponsored Plans	44
Contacting Vanguard	45
Additional Information	45
Glossary of Investment Terms	46

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

Shareholder Fees
(Fees paid directly from your investment)  

	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	None	None
Purchase Fee	None	None
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	None	None
Redemption Fee	None	None
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$20	$20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)  

	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees	0.40%	0.29%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	None	None
Other Expenses	0.01%	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.41%	0.30%

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Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund's shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:  

	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	$42	$132	$230	$518
Admiral Shares	$31	$97	$169	$381

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests mainly in the stocks of small and mid-size companies. These companies tend to be unseasoned but are considered by the Fund’s advisors to have superior growth potential. Also, these companies often provide little or no dividend income. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.

Principal Risks

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. You should expect the Fund's share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund's performance:

•  Stock market risk , which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.

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•  Investment style risk , which is the chance that returns from small- and mid- capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. The stock prices of small and mid-size companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions.

•  Manager risk , which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. In addition, significant investments in the industrials and information technology sectors subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of these sectors.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

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Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares  

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:  

	Total Return	Quarter
Highest	32.76%	June 30, 2020
Lowest	-26.74%	March 31, 2020

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2020  

	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares
Return Before Taxes	31.33%	18.34%	14.15%
Return After Taxes on Distributions	29.28	16.13	12.05
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares	19.84	14.19	11.05
Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares
Return Before Taxes	31.48%	18.48%	14.30%
Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Russell 2500 Growth Index	40.47%	18.68%	15.00%
Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index	20.79	15.36	13.74

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

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Investment Advisors

 
ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC (ArrowMark Partners)

 

ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge)

 

Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC (SIMG)

 

Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington Management)

 The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)

Portfolio Managers

Chad Meade, Partner and Portfolio Manager of ArrowMark Partners. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2014.

Brian Schaub, CFA, Partner and Portfolio Manager of ArrowMark Partners. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2014.

Brian Angerame, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since March 2017.

Aram Green, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since March 2017.

Matthew Lilling, CFA, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since July 2020.

Jeffrey Russell, CFA, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since March 2017.

Ryan E. Crane, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of SIMG. He has managed a portion of the Fund since 2013.

Daniel J. Fitzpatrick, CFA, Senior Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager at Wellington Management. He has managed a portion of the Fund since 2014.

James P. Stetler, Senior Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012.

Binbin Guo, Ph.D., Principal of Vanguard and head of the Alpha Equity U.S. Investment team within Vanguard’s Quantitative Equity Group. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2010.

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Cesar Orosco, CFA, Ph.D., Senior Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has co-managed a portion of the Fund since February 2021.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 1110, Valley Forge, PA 19482-1110), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Investor Shares or Admiral Shares is $3,000 or $50,000, respectively. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. Financial intermediaries, institutional clients, and Vanguard-advised clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Admiral Shares. If your are investing through an intermediary, please contact that firm directly for more information regarding your eligibility. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how you can invest through your plan.

Tax Information

The Fund’s distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

The Fund and its investment advisors do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.

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More on the Fund

This prospectus describes the principal risks you would face as a Fund shareholder. It is important to keep in mind one of the main principles of investing: generally, the higher the risk of losing money, the higher the potential reward. The reverse, also, is generally true: the lower the risk, the lower the potential reward. As you consider an investment in any mutual fund, you should take into account your personal tolerance for fluctuations in the securities markets. Look for this    symbol throughout the prospectus. It is used to mark detailed information about the more significant risks that you would confront as a Fund shareholder. To highlight terms and concepts important to mutual fund investors, we have provided Plain Talk® explanations along the way. Reading the prospectus will help you decide whether the Fund is the right investment for you. We suggest that you keep this prospectus for future reference.

Share Class Overview

The Fund offers two separate classes of shares: Investor Shares and Admiral Shares.

Both share classes offered by the Fund have the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. However, different share classes have different expenses; as a result, their investment returns will differ.  

Plain Talk About Fund Expenses

All mutual funds have operating expenses. These expenses, which are

deducted from a fund’s gross income, are expressed as a percentage of the

net assets of the fund. Assuming that operating expenses remain as stated

in the Fees and Expenses section, Vanguard Explorer Fund’s expense ratios

would be as follows: for Investor Shares, 0.41%, or $4.10 per $1,000 of

average net assets; for Admiral Shares, 0.30%, or $3.00 per $1,000 of

average net assets. The average expense ratio for small-cap growth funds in

2019 was 1.20%, or $12.00 per $1,000 of average net assets (derived from

data provided by Lipper, a Thomson Reuters Company, which reports on the

mutual fund industry).

 

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Plain Talk About Costs of Investing

Costs are an important consideration in choosing a mutual fund. That is

because you, as a shareholder, pay a proportionate share of the costs of

operating a fund and any transaction costs incurred when the fund buys or

sells securities. These costs can erode a substantial portion of the gross

income or the capital appreciation a fund achieves. Even seemingly small

differences in expenses can, over time, have a dramatic effect on a

fund’s performance.

The following sections explain the principal investment strategies and policies that the Fund uses in pursuit of its objective. The Fund‘s board of trustees, which oversees the Fund‘s management, may change investment strategies or policies in the interest of shareholders without a shareholder vote, unless those strategies or policies are designated as fundamental.

Market Exposure

The Fund focuses on companies that are considered small- and mid-size by the Fund’s advisors.

 

Stocks of publicly traded companies are often classified according to market capitalization, which is the market value of a company’s outstanding shares. These classifications typically include small-cap, mid-cap, and large-cap. It is important to understand that there are no “official” definitions of small-, mid-, and large-cap, even among Vanguard fund advisors, and that market capitalization ranges can change over time. The asset-weighted median market capitalization of the Fund’s stock holdings as of October 31, 2020, was $5.5 billion.

   

The Fund is subject to stock market risk, which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.

   

The Fund is subject to investment style risk, which is the chance that returns from small- and mid-capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. The stock prices of small and midsize companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions.

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Small-cap stocks in particular tend to be more volatile in price. This volatility is the result of several factors, which may include (but are not limited to) less certain growth and dividend prospects for smaller companies, fewer financial reserves during adverse market conditions, less access to capital funding, and generally greater sensitivity to changes within the company.  

Plain Talk About Growth Funds and Value Funds

Growth investing and value investing are two styles employed by stock-fund

managers. Growth funds generally invest in stocks of companies believed to

have above-average potential for growth in revenue, earnings, cash flow, or

other similar criteria. These stocks typically have low dividend yields, if any,

and above-average prices in relation to measures such as earnings and book

value. Value funds typically invest in stocks whose prices are below average

in relation to those measures; these stocks often have above-average

dividend yields. Value stocks also may remain undervalued by the market for

long periods of time. Growth and value stocks have historically produced

similar long-term returns, though each category has periods when it

outperforms the other.

Market Disruptions

Market disruptions can adversely affect local and global markets as well as normal market conditions and operations. Any such disruptions could have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund's investments and Fund performance.

Security Selection

The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.

Each advisor employs active investment management methods, which means that securities are bought and sold according to the advisor’s evaluations of companies and their financial prospects, the prices of the securities, and the stock market and the economy in general. Each advisor will sell a security when, in the view of the advisor, it is no longer attractive as an investment or if the advisor deems it to be in the best interest of the Fund. Different advisors may reach different conclusions on the same security.

Each advisor uses a different process to select securities for its portion of the Fund’s assets; however, each is committed to buying stocks of small and/or mid-size companies that, in the advisor‘s opinion, have strong growth potential.

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Wellington Management uses fundamental research and analysis of individual companies to select stocks that the advisor feels have higher growth potential relative to their valuations in the marketplace. Wellington Management considers each stock individually before purchase and continually monitors developments at these companies for comparison with the advisor’s expectations for growth. To help limit risk, the portfolio is broadly diversified both by number of stocks and by exposure to a range of industries.

ClearBridge focuses on companies that (1) have leadership potential or have the ability to become market leaders; (2) generate substantial free cash flow; and (3) display capital allocation discipline aimed at fueling long-term sustainable growth. Idea generation is driven by all members of the investment team, including central research. All portfolio managers are highly involved throughout the research process. ClearBridge’s fundamental research process includes four key components, or steps, which are designed to follow a systematic progression. Each component adds a layer of depth. First, ClearBridge seeks to understand a firm’s “ecosystem.” Second, ClearBridge seeks to understand a company’s financial structure. If a company is deemed to have highly attractive investment attributes, one of ClearBridge’s dedicated research analysts or portfolio managers will research the company’s revenue and profit drivers and conduct an initial industry/competitive analysis. Third, ClearBridge evaluates a firm’s management by completing a company “deep dive.” This involves meeting with the firm’s management, customers, and suppliers. The final step is to perform valuation analysis based on sector-specific metrics. ClearBridge focuses on cash-flow-based metrics to value companies, as well as revenue or earnings multiples, relying on the most appropriate valuation metrics for each company. This approach aligns with the team’s style of investing in cash-generative, quality growth companies, while also helping the team to avoid chasing high-multiple, momentum-driven stocks.

ArrowMark Partners uses in-depth, fundamental research to uncover companies that, in its opinion, can control their own economic destiny. ArrowMark Partners starts by identifying businesses with strong competitive advantages in industries with high barriers to entry. ArrowMark Partners then narrows its focus to companies with large potential markets and high-quality business models focused on the future. Finally, ArrowMark Partners minimizes potential downside risk, resulting in a diversified portfolio of stable growth companies, cyclical share gainers, and to a lesser extent, game-changing growth businesses that ArrowMark Partners feels will deliver returns beyond those of the benchmark index over time.

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SIMG employs a disciplined, bottom-up investment selection process that combines rigorous fundamental analysis with quantitative screening in an effort to identify companies that exhibit potential for superior earnings growth that is unrecognized by the markets. SIMG has two screens—one for core growth stocks and one for catalyst stocks. Core growth stocks have strong growth franchises, recurring revenue, and above-average growth rates; catalyst stocks, in comparison, are experiencing change that could lead to accelerated earnings growth. There are common elements in both types of stocks, such as higher forward growth rates, above-median price/earnings ratios, higher return on equity, and positive earnings revisions.

Vanguard constructs a broadly diversified portfolio of domestic growth stocks based on its assessment of the relative return potential of the securities. The advisor selects securities of companies that it believes offer an appropriate balance between strong growth prospects and reasonable valuations relative to their industry peers. Vanguard manages the portfolio through the use of a quantitative process to evaluate all of the securities in the Fund‘s benchmark, the Russell 2500 Growth Index, while seeking to maintain a risk profile similar to that of the Index. The process was developed by Vanguard’s Alpha Equity Investment team. It is continually evolving and all potential enhancements to the process go through rigorous peer vetting and validation before being implemented.

   

The Fund is subject to manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. In addition, significant investments in the industrials and information technology sectors subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of these sectors.

Other Investment Policies and Risks

In addition to investing in common stocks of small and mid-size companies with growth potential, the Fund may make other kinds of investments to achieve its investment objective.

Although the Fund typically does not make significant investments in foreign securities, it reserves the right to invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign securities, which may include depositary receipts. Foreign securities may be traded on U.S. or foreign markets. To the extent that it owns foreign securities, the Fund is subject to country risk and currency risk. Country risk is the chance that world events—such as political upheaval, financial troubles, or natural disasters—will adversely affect the value of securities issued by companies in foreign countries. In addition, the prices of foreign stocks and the prices of U.S.

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stocks have, at times, moved in opposite directions. Currency risk is the chance that the value of a foreign investment, measured in U.S. dollars, will decrease because of unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates.

The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities. Illiquid securities are investments that the fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.

 

The Fund may invest, to a limited extent, in derivatives. Generally speaking, a derivative is a financial contract whose value is based on the value of a financial asset (such as a stock, a bond, or a currency), a physical asset (such as gold, oil, or wheat), a market index, or a reference rate. Investments in derivatives may subject the Fund to risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets. The Fund will not use derivatives for speculation or for the purpose of leveraging (magnifying) investment returns.

The Fund may enter into foreign currency exchange forward contracts, which are a type of derivative. A foreign currency exchange forward contract is an agreement to buy or sell a currency at a specific price on a specific date, usually 30, 60, or 90 days in the future. In other words, the contract guarantees an exchange rate on a given date. Managers of portfolios that invest in foreign securities can use these contracts to guard against unfavorable changes in currency exchange rates. These contracts, however, would not prevent the Fund‘s securities from falling in value as a result of risks other than unfavorable currency exchange movements.
 

Vanguard administers a small portion of the Fund‘s assets to facilitate cash flows to and from the Fund‘s advisors. The Fund may invest these assets in equity futures, which are a type of derivative, and/or shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs), including ETF Shares issued by Vanguard stock funds. These equity futures and ETFs typically provide returns similar to those of common stocks. The Fund may also purchase futures or ETFs when doing so will reduce the Fund‘s transaction costs or have the potential to add value because the instruments are favorably priced. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in ETF Shares of other Vanguard funds. Fund assets invested in ETF Shares are excluded when allocating to the Fund its share of the costs of Vanguard operations.

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Cash Management

The Fund's daily cash balance may be invested in Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund and/or Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund (each, a CMT Fund), which are low-cost money market funds. When investing in a CMT Fund, the Fund bears its proportionate share of the expenses of the CMT Fund in which it invests. Vanguard receives no additional revenue from Fund assets invested in a CMT Fund.

Methods Used to Meet Redemption Requests

Under normal circumstances, the Fund typically expects to meet redemptions with positive cash flows. When this is not an option, the Fund seeks to first meet redemptions from a cash or cash equivalent reserve. Alternatively, Vanguard may instruct the advisors to sell a cross section of the Fund’s holdings to meet redemptions, while also factoring in transaction costs. Additionally, the Fund may work with larger clients to implement their redemptions in a manner that is least disruptive to the portfolio; see “Potentially disruptive redemptions” under Redeeming Shares in the Investing With Vanguard section.

Under certain circumstances, including under stressed market conditions, there are additional tools that the Fund may use in order to meet redemptions, including advancing the settlement of market trades with counterparties to match investor redemption payments or delaying settlement of an investor’s transaction to match trade settlement within regulatory requirements. The Fund may also suspend payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven days; see “Emergency circumstances” under Redeeming Shares in the Investing With Vanguard section. Additionally under these unusual circumstances, the Fund may borrow money (subject to certain regulatory conditions and if available under board-approved procedures) through an interfund lending facility; through a bank line-of-credit, including a joint committed credit facility; or through an uncommitted line-of-credit from Vanguard in order to meet redemption requests.

Temporary Investment Measures

The Fund may temporarily depart from its normal investment policies and strategies when an advisor believes that doing so is in the Fund's best interest, so long as the strategy or policy employed is consistent with the Fund's investment objective. For instance, the Fund may invest beyond its normal limits in derivatives or exchange-traded funds that are consistent with the Fund's investment objective when those instruments are more favorably priced or provide needed liquidity, as might be the case if the Fund is transitioning assets from one advisor to another or receives large cash flows that it cannot prudently invest immediately.

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In addition, the Fund may take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with its normal investment policies and strategies—for instance, by allocating substantial assets to cash equivalent investments or other less volatile instruments— in response to adverse or unusual market, economic, political, or other conditions. In doing so, the Fund may succeed in avoiding losses but may otherwise fail to achieve its investment objective.

Frequent Trading or Market-Timing

Background. Some investors try to profit from strategies involving frequent trading of mutual fund shares, such as market-timing. For funds holding foreign securities, investors may try to take advantage of an anticipated difference between the price of the fund’s shares and price movements in overseas markets, a practice also known as time-zone arbitrage. Investors also may try to engage in frequent trading of funds holding investments such as small-cap stocks and high-yield bonds. As money is shifted into and out of a fund by a shareholder engaging in frequent trading, the fund incurs costs for buying and selling securities, resulting in increased brokerage and administrative costs. These costs are borne by all fund shareholders, including the long-term investors who do not generate the costs. In addition, frequent trading may interfere with an advisor’s ability to efficiently manage the fund.

Policies to address frequent trading. The Vanguard funds (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) do not knowingly accommodate frequent trading. The board of trustees of each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) has adopted policies and procedures reasonably designed to detect and discourage frequent trading and, in some cases, to compensate the fund for the costs associated with it. These policies and procedures do not apply to ETF Shares because frequent trading in ETF Shares generally does not disrupt portfolio management or otherwise harm fund shareholders. Although there is no assurance that Vanguard will be able to detect or prevent frequent trading or market-timing in all circumstances, the following policies have been adopted to address these issues:

• Each Vanguard fund reserves the right to reject any purchase request—including exchanges from other Vanguard funds—without notice and regardless of size. For example, a purchase request could be rejected because the investor has a history of frequent trading or if Vanguard determines that such purchase may negatively affect a fund’s operation or performance.

• Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) generally prohibits, except as otherwise noted in the Investing With

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Vanguard section, an investor’s purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account.

• Certain Vanguard funds charge shareholders purchase and/or redemption fees on transactions.

See the Investing With Vanguard section of this prospectus for further details on Vanguard’s transaction policies.

Each Vanguard fund (other than retail and government money market funds), in determining its net asset value, will use fair-value pricing when appropriate, as described in the Share Price section. Fair-value pricing may reduce or eliminate the profitability of certain frequent-trading strategies.

Do not invest with Vanguard if you are a market-timer.

Turnover Rate

Although the Fund generally seeks to invest for the long term, it may sell securities regardless of how long they have been held. The Financial Highlights section of this prospectus shows historical turnover rates for the Fund. A turnover rate of 100%, for example, would mean that the Fund had sold and replaced securities valued at 100% of its net assets within a one-year period. In general, the greater the turnover rate, the greater the impact transaction costs will have on a fund’s return. Also, funds with high turnover rates may be more likely to generate capital gains, including short-term capital gains, that must be distributed to shareholders and will be taxable to shareholders investing through a taxable account.

The Fund and Vanguard

The Fund is a member of The Vanguard Group, a family of over 200 funds. All of the funds that are members of The Vanguard Group (other than funds of funds) share in the expenses associated with administrative services and business operations, such as personnel, office space, and equipment.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation provides marketing services to the funds. Although fund shareholders do not pay sales commissions or 12b-1 distribution fees, each fund (other than a fund of funds) or each share class of a fund (in the case of a fund with multiple share classes) pays its allocated share of the Vanguard funds’ marketing costs.  

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Plain Talk About Vanguard’s Unique Corporate Structure

The Vanguard Group is owned jointly by the funds it oversees and thus

indirectly by the shareholders in those funds. Most other mutual funds are

operated by management companies that are owned by third parties—either

public or private stockholders—and not by the funds they serve.

Investment Advisors

The Fund uses a multimanager approach. Each advisor independently manages its assigned portion of the Fund’s assets, subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguard and the Fund’s board of trustees. The board of trustees designates the proportion of Fund assets to be managed by each advisor and may change these proportions at any time.

• ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC, 100 Fillmore Street, Suite 325, Denver, CO 80206, is an investment advisory firm founded in 2007. As of October 31, 2020, ArrowMark Partners managed approximately $19.9 billion in assets.

• ClearBridge Investments, LLC, 620 Eighth Avenue, New York, NY 10018, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. ClearBridge’s history as a global investment advisor dates back to 1962. As of October 31, 2020, ClearBridge managed approximately $152 billion in assets.

• Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC, 111 Center Street, Suite 2110, Little Rock, AR 72201, is an investment advisory firm founded in 2005. As of October 31, 2020, SIMG managed approximately $5.6 billion in assets.

• Wellington Management Company LLP, 280 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210, a Delaware limited liability partnership, is an investment counseling firm that provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 80 years. Wellington Management is owned by the partners of Wellington Management Group LLP, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership. As of October 31, 2020, Wellington Management and its investment advisory affiliates had investment management authority with respect to approximately $1.2 trillion in client assets.

• The Vanguard Group, Inc., P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482, which began operations in 1975, serves as advisor to the Fund through its Quantitative Equity Group. As of October 31, 2020, Vanguard served as advisor for approximately $5.2 trillion in assets. Vanguard provides investment advisory services for a

16

portion of the fund pursuant to the Funds' Service Agreement and subject to the supervision and oversight of the trustees and officers of the Fund.

The Fund pays each of its investment advisors (other than Vanguard) a base fee plus or minus a performance adjustment. The base fee, which is paid quarterly, is a percentage of average daily net assets managed by the advisor during the most recent fiscal quarter. The base fee has breakpoints, which means that the percentage declines as assets go up. The performance adjustment, also paid quarterly, is based on the cumulative total return of each advisor’s portion of the Fund relative to that of the Russell 2500 Growth Index over the preceding 36-month period (60-month period for ArrowMark Partners and SIMG). When the performance adjustment is positive, the Fund’s expenses increase; when it is negative, expenses decrease.

 

For the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, the aggregate advisory fees and expenses represented an effective annual rate of 0.17% of the Fund’s average net assets before a performance-based decrease of 0.01%.

Under the terms of an SEC exemption, the Fund's board of trustees may, without prior approval from shareholders, change the terms of an advisory agreement with a third-party investment advisor or hire a new third-party investment advisor—either as a replacement for an existing advisor or as an additional advisor. Any significant change in the Fund's advisory arrangements will be communicated to shareholders in writing. As the Fund's sponsor and overall manager, Vanguard may provide investment advisory services to the Fund at any time. Vanguard may also recommend to the board of trustees that an advisor be hired, terminated, or replaced or that the terms of an existing advisory agreement be revised. The Fund has filed an application seeking a similar SEC exemption with respect to investment advisors that are wholly owned subsidiaries of Vanguard. If the exemption is granted, the Fund may rely on the new SEC relief.

For a discussion of why the board of trustees approved the Fund's investment advisory arrangements, see the most recent semiannual report to shareholders covering the fiscal period ended April 30.

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The managers primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund are:

Chad Meade, Partner and Portfolio Manager of ArrowMark Partners. He has worked in investment management since 1998, has managed investment portfolios since 2006, has been with ArrowMark Partners since 2013, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2014. Education: B.S., Virginia Tech.

Brian Schaub, CFA, Partner and Portfolio Manager of ArrowMark Partners. He has worked in investment management since 2000, has managed investment portfolios since 2006, has been with ArrowMark Partners since 2013, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2014. Education: B.A., Williams College.

Brian Angerame, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has worked in investment management since 1994, has been with ClearBridge or a predecessor firm since 2000, has managed investment portfolios since 2005, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2017. Education: B.A., Dartmouth College.

Aram Green, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has worked in investment management since 2001, has been with ClearBridge since 2006, has managed investment portfolios since 2007, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2017. Education: B.A., Union College.

Matthew Lilling, CFA, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has worked in investment management since 2006, has been with ClearBridge since 2010, has managed investment portfolios since 2020, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since July 2020. Education: B.A., Emory University; M.B.A., Columbia Business School.

Jeffrey Russell, CFA, Portfolio Manager at ClearBridge. He has worked in investment management since 1981, has been with ClearBridge or a predecessor firm since 1990, has managed investment portfolios since 1986, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2017. Education: B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology; M.B.A., Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania.

Ryan E. Crane, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of SIMG. He has worked in investment management since 1995, has been with SIMG since 2005, and has managed a portion of the Fund since 2013. Education: B.S., University of Houston.

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Daniel J. Fitzpatrick, CFA, Senior Managing Director and Equity Portfolio Manager at Wellington Management. He has worked in investment management since 1997, has been with Wellington Management since 1998, has managed investment portfolios since 2003, and has managed a portion of the Fund since 2014. Education: B.S., Boston College.

James P. Stetler, Senior Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since 1982, has worked in investment management since 1996, has managed investment portfolios since 2003, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2012. Education: B.S., Susquehanna University; M.B.A., Saint Joseph’s University.

Binbin Guo, Ph.D., Principal of Vanguard and head of the Alpha Equity U.S. Investment team within Vanguard’s Quantitative Equity Group. He oversees the active quantitative equity funds and separately managed equity accounts. He has been with Vanguard since 2007 and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since 2010. Education: B.S. and M.S., Tsinghua University, China; Ph.D. and M.Phil., Yale University.

Cesar Orosco, CFA, Ph.D., Senior Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has been with Vanguard since April 2020, has worked in investment management since 2004, has managed investment portfolios since 2004, and has co-managed a portion of the Fund since February 2021. Education: B.S., Universidad de Lima; Ph.D., University of Pennsylvania.

The Fund's Statement of Additional Information provides information about each portfolio manager’s compensation, other accounts under management, and ownership of shares of the Fund.

Dividends, Capital Gains, and Taxes

Fund Distributions

The Fund distributes to shareholders virtually all of its net income (interest and dividends, less expenses) as well as any net short-term or long-term capital gains realized from the sale of its holdings. From time to time, the Fund may also make distributions that are treated as a return of capital. Income and capital gains distributions, if any, generally occur annually in December. In addition, the Fund may occasionally make a supplemental distribution at some other time during the year.

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You can receive distributions of income or capital gains in cash, or you can have them automatically reinvested in more shares of the Fund. However, if you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your distributions will be automatically reinvested in additional Fund shares.  

Plain Talk About Distributions

As a shareholder, you are entitled to your portion of a fund’s income from

interest and dividends as well as capital gains from the fund’s sale of

investments. Income consists of both the dividends that the fund earns from

any stock holdings and the interest it receives from any money market and

bond investments. Capital gains are realized whenever the fund sells

securities for higher prices than it paid for them. These capital gains are

either short-term or long-term, depending on whether the fund held the

securities for one year or less or for more than one year.

Basic Tax Points

Investors in taxable accounts should be aware of the following basic federal income tax points:

• Distributions are taxable to you whether or not you reinvest these amounts in additional Fund shares.

• Distributions declared in December—if paid to you by the end of January—are taxable as if received in December.

• Any dividend distribution or short-term capital gains distribution that you receive is taxable to you as ordinary income. If you are an individual and meet certain holding-period requirements with respect to your Fund shares, you may be eligible for reduced tax rates on “qualified dividend income,” if any, or a special tax deduction on “qualified REIT dividends,” if any, distributed by the Fund.

• Any distribution of net long-term capital gains is taxable to you as long-term capital gains, no matter how long you have owned shares in the Fund.

• Capital gains distributions may vary considerably from year to year as a result of the Fund's normal investment activities and cash flows.

• Your cost basis in the Fund will be decreased by the amount of any return of capital that you receive. This, in turn, will affect the amount of any capital gain or loss that you realize when selling or exchanging your Fund shares.

• Return of capital distributions generally are not taxable to you until your cost basis has been reduced to zero. If your cost basis is at zero, return of capital distributions will be treated as capital gains.

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• A sale or exchange of Fund shares is a taxable event. This means that you may have a capital gain to report as income, or a capital loss to report as a deduction, when you complete your tax return.

• Any conversion between classes of shares of the same fund is a nontaxable event. By contrast, an exchange between classes of shares of different funds is a taxable event.

• Vanguard (or your intermediary) will send you a statement each year showing the tax status of all of your distributions.

Individuals, trusts, and estates whose income exceeds certain threshold amounts are subject to a 3.8% Medicare contribution tax on “net investment income.” Net investment income takes into account distributions paid by the Fund and capital gains from any sale or exchange of Fund shares.

Dividend distributions and capital gains distributions that you receive, as well as your gains or losses from any sale or exchange of Fund shares, may be subject to state and local income taxes.

This prospectus provides general tax information only. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply. Please consult your tax advisor for detailed information about any tax consequences for you.  

Plain Talk About Buying a Dividend

Unless you are a tax-exempt investor or investing through a tax-advantaged

account (such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings

plan), you should consider avoiding a purchase of fund shares shortly before

the fund makes a distribution, because doing so can cost you money in

taxes. This is known as “buying a dividend.” For example: On December 15,

you invest $5,000, buying 250 shares for $20 each. If the fund pays a

distribution of $1 per share on December 16, its share price will drop to $19

(not counting market change). You still have only $5,000 (250 shares x $19 =

$4,750 in share value, plus 250 shares x $1 = $250 in distributions), but you

owe tax on the $250 distribution you received—even if you reinvest it in

more shares. To avoid buying a dividend, check a fund’s distribution schedule

before you invest.

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General Information

Backup withholding. By law, Vanguard must withhold 24% of any taxable distributions or redemptions from your account if you do not:

• Provide your correct taxpayer identification number.

• Certify that the taxpayer identification number is correct.

• Confirm that you are not subject to backup withholding.

Similarly, Vanguard (or your intermediary) must withhold taxes from your account if the IRS instructs us to do so.

Foreign investors. Vanguard funds offered for sale in the United States (Vanguard U.S. funds), including the Fund offered in this prospectus, are not widely available outside the United States. Non-U.S. investors should be aware that U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments in Vanguard U.S. funds. Foreign investors should visit the non-U.S. investors page on our website at vanguard.com for information on Vanguard’s non-U.S. products.

Invalid addresses. If a dividend distribution or capital gains distribution check mailed to your address of record is returned as undeliverable, Vanguard will automatically reinvest the distribution and all future distributions until you provide us with a valid mailing address. Reinvestments will receive the net asset value calculated on the date of the reinvestment.

Share Price

Share price, also known as net asset value (NAV), is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time, on each day that the NYSE is open for business (a business day). In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable, as determined at Vanguard’s discretion), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. Each share class has its own NAV, which is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Fund does not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of the Fund’s assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).

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Stocks held by a Vanguard fund are valued at their market value when reliable market quotations are readily available from the principal exchange or market on which they are traded. Such securities are generally valued at their official closing price, the last reported sales price, or if there were no sales that day, the mean between the closing bid and asking prices. When a fund determines that market quotations either are not readily available or do not accurately reflect the value of a security, the security is priced at its fair value (the amount that the owner might reasonably expect to receive upon the current sale of the security).

The values of any foreign securities held by a fund are converted into U.S. dollars using an exchange rate obtained from an independent third party as of the close of regular trading on the NYSE. The values of any mutual fund shares, including institutional money market fund shares, held by a fund are based on the NAVs of the shares. The values of any ETF shares or closed-end fund shares held by a fund are based on the market value of the shares.

A fund also will use fair-value pricing if the value of a security it holds has been materially affected by events occurring before the fund's pricing time but after the close of the principal exchange or market on which the security is traded. This most commonly occurs with foreign securities, which may trade on foreign exchanges that close many hours before the fund's pricing time. Intervening events might be company-specific (e.g., earnings report, merger announcement) or country-specific or regional/global (e.g., natural disaster, economic or political news, act of terrorism, interest rate change). Intervening events include price movements in U.S. markets that exceed a specified threshold or that are otherwise deemed to affect the value of foreign securities.

Fair-value pricing may be used for domestic securities—for example, if (1) trading in a security is halted and does not resume before the fund's pricing time or a security does not trade in the course of a day and (2) the fund holds enough of the security that its price could affect the NAV.

Fair-value prices are determined by Vanguard according to procedures adopted by the board of trustees. When fair-value pricing is employed, the prices of securities used by a fund to calculate the NAV may differ from quoted or published prices for the same securities.

Vanguard fund share prices are published daily on our website at vanguard.com/prices.

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Financial Highlights

Financial highlights information is intended to help you understand a fund’s performance for the past five years (or, if shorter, its period of operations). Certain information reflects financial results for a single fund share. Total return represents the rate that an investor would have earned or lost each period on an investment in a fund or share class (assuming reinvestment of all distributions). This information has been obtained from the financial statements audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with fund financial statements, is included in a fund’s most recent annual report to shareholders. You may obtain a free copy of a fund’s latest annual or semiannual report, which is available upon request.

Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares  

	Year Ended October 31,
For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period	$101.66	$102.25	$102.10	$83.91	$90.55
Investment Operations
Net Investment Income	0.2841	0.3331	0.3251	0.4211	0.393
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments	13.688	8.234	11.192	21.657	1.581
Total from Investment Operations	13.972	8.567	11.517	22.078	1.974
Distributions
Dividends from Net Investment Income	(0.295)	(0.286)	(0.475)	(0.318)	(0.270)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains	(4.897)	(8.871)	(10.892)	(3.570)	(8.344)
Total Distributions	(5.192)	(9.157)	(11.367)	(3.888)	(8.614)
Net Asset Value, End of Period	$110.44	$101.66	$102.25	$102.10	$83.91
Total Return2	14.08%	10.15%	12.12%	27.10%	2.47%
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)	$3,325	$3,520	$3,420	$3,520	$3,324
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets3	0.41%	0.45%	0.44%	0.43%	0.45%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets	0.28%	0.33%	0.31%	0.45%	0.46%
Portfolio Turnover Rate	43%	41%	50%	76%	66%

1

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

2

Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.

3

Includes performance-based investment advisory fee increases (decreases) of (0.01%), 0.03%, 0.02%, (0.01%), and (0.02%).

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Vanguard Explorer Fund Admiral Shares  

	Year Ended October 31,
For a Share Outstanding Throughout Each Period	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016
Net Asset Value, Beginning of Period	$94.64	$95.24	$94.99	$78.07	$84.28
Investment Operations
Net Investment Income	0.3651	0.4091	0.4181	0.4951	0.473
Net Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments	12.752	7.648	10.405	20.145	1.455
Total from Investment Operations	13.117	8.057	10.823	20.640	1.928
Distributions
Dividends from Net Investment Income	(0.378)	(0.393)	(0.438)	(0.403)	(0.383)
Distributions from Realized Capital Gains	(4.559)	(8.264)	(10.135)	(3.317)	(7.755)
Total Distributions	(4.937)	(8.657)	(10.573)	(3.720)	(8.138)
Net Asset Value, End of Period	$102.82	$94.64	$95.24	$94.99	$78.07
Total Return2	14.21%	10.27%	12.24%	27.25%	2.60%
Ratios/Supplemental Data
Net Assets, End of Period (Millions)	$13,279	$12,569	$11,616	$9,514	$7,496
Ratio of Total Expenses to Average Net Assets3	0.30%	0.34%	0.32%	0.31%	0.33%
Ratio of Net Investment Income to Average Net Assets	0.39%	0.44%	0.43%	0.57%	0.58%
Portfolio Turnover Rate	43%	41%	50%	76%	66%

1

Calculated based on average shares outstanding.

2

Total returns do not include account service fees that may have applied in the periods shown.

3

Includes performance-based investment advisory fee increases (decreases) of (0.01%), 0.03%, 0.02%, (0.01%), and (0.02%).

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Investing With Vanguard

This section of the prospectus explains the basics of doing business with Vanguard. Vanguard fund shares can be held directly with Vanguard or indirectly through an intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. If you hold Vanguard fund shares directly with Vanguard, you should carefully read each topic within this section that pertains to your relationship with Vanguard. If you hold Vanguard fund shares indirectly through an intermediary (including shares held in a brokerage account through Vanguard Brokerage Services®), please see Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms, and also refer to your account agreement with the intermediary for information about transacting in that account. If you hold Vanguard fund shares through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, please see Employer-Sponsored Plans. Vanguard reserves the right to change the following policies without notice. Please call or check online for current information. See Contacting Vanguard.

For Vanguard fund shares held directly with Vanguard, each fund you hold in an account is a separate “fund account.” For example, if you hold three funds in a nonretirement account titled in your own name, two funds in a nonretirement account titled jointly with your spouse, and one fund in an individual retirement account, you have six fund accounts—and this is true even if you hold the same fund in multiple accounts. Note that each reference to “you” in this prospectus applies to any one or more registered account owners or persons authorized to transact on your account.

Purchasing Shares

Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to increase or decrease the minimum amount required to open, convert shares to, or maintain a fund account or to add to an existing fund account.

Investment minimums may differ for certain categories of investors.

Account Minimums for Investor Shares

To open and maintain an account. $3,000.

To add to an existing account. Generally $1.

Account Minimums for Admiral Shares

To open and maintain an account. $50,000. Financial intermediaries, institutional clients, and Vanguard-advised clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Admiral Shares. If you are investing through an intermediary, please contact that firm directly for more information regarding your eligibility.

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To add to an existing account. Generally $1.

How to Initiate a Purchase Request

Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your purchase request.

Online. You may open certain types of accounts, request a purchase of shares, and request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if your account is eligible and you are registered for online access.

By telephone. You may call Vanguard to begin the account registration process or request that the account-opening forms be sent to you. You may also call Vanguard to request a purchase of shares in your account or to request an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.

By mail. You may send Vanguard your account registration form and check to open a new fund account. To add to an existing fund account, you may send your check with an Invest-by-Mail form (from a transaction confirmation or your account statement) or with a deposit slip (available online).

How to Pay for a Purchase

By electronic bank transfer. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund through an electronic transfer of money from a bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate the bank account online, complete a form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can purchase shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Investment Plan), if eligible, or upon request. Your purchase request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.

By wire. Wiring instructions vary for different types of purchases. Please call Vanguard for instructions and policies on purchasing shares by wire. See Contacting Vanguard.

By check. You may make initial or additional purchases to your fund account by sending a check with a deposit slip or by utilizing our mobile application if your account is eligible and you are registered for online access. Also see How to Initiate a Purchase Request. Make your check payable to Vanguard and include the appropriate fund number (e.g., Vanguard—xx). For a list of Fund numbers (for share classes in this prospectus), see Additional Information.

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By exchange. You may purchase shares of a Vanguard fund using the proceeds from the simultaneous redemption of shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail with an exchange form. See Exchanging Shares.

Trade Date

The trade date for any purchase request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request, the manner in which you are paying, and the type of fund you are purchasing. Your purchase will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day). In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable, as determined at Vanguard’s discretion), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. The time selected for NAV calculation in this rare event shall also serve as the conclusion of the trading day. See Share Price.

For purchases by check into all funds other than money market funds and for purchases by exchange, wire, or electronic bank transfer into all funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the same day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day.

For purchases by check into money market funds: If the purchase request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date for the purchase will be the next business day. If the purchase request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date for the purchase will be the second business day following the day Vanguard receives the purchase request. Because money market instruments must be purchased with federal funds and it takes a money market mutual fund one business day to convert check proceeds into federal funds, the trade date for the purchase will be one business day later than for other funds.

If your purchase request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. See Other Rules You Should Know—Good Order.

For further information about purchase transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.

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Other Purchase Rules You Should Know

Admiral Shares. Admiral Shares generally are not available for SIMPLE IRAs and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.

Check purchases. All purchase checks must be written in U.S. dollars, be drawn on a U.S. bank, and be accompanied by good order instructions. Vanguard does not accept cash, traveler’s checks, starter checks, or money orders. In addition, Vanguard may refuse checks that are not made payable to Vanguard.

New accounts. We are required by law to obtain from you certain personal information that we will use to verify your identity. If you do not provide the information, we may not be able to open your account. If we are unable to verify your identity, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to close your account or take such other steps as we deem reasonable. Certain types of accounts may require additional documentation.

Refused or rejected purchase requests. Vanguard reserves the right to stop selling fund shares or to reject any purchase request at any time and without notice, including, but not limited to, purchases requested by exchange from another Vanguard fund. This also includes the right to reject any purchase request because the investor has a history of frequent trading or because the purchase may negatively affect a fund’s operation or performance.

Large purchases. Call Vanguard before attempting to invest a large dollar amount.

No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any purchase request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a purchase request.

Converting Shares

When a conversion occurs, you receive shares of one class in place of shares of another class of the same fund. At the time of conversion, the dollar value of the “new” shares you receive equals the dollar value of the “old” shares that were converted. In other words, the conversion has no effect on the value of your investment in the fund at the time of the conversion. However, the number of shares you own after the conversion may be greater than or less than the number of shares you owned before the conversion, depending on the NAVs of the two share classes.

Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any self-directed conversion request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a conversion request.

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A conversion between share classes of the same fund is a nontaxable event.

Trade Date

The trade date for any conversion request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request. Your conversion will be executed using the NAVs of the different share classes on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day). In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable, as determined at Vanguard’s discretion), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. The time selected for NAV calculation in this rare event shall also serve as the conclusion of the trading day. See Share Price.

For a conversion request received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. For a conversion request received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day. See Other Rules You Should Know.

Conversions From Investor Shares to Admiral Shares

Self-directed conversions. If your account balance in the Fund is at least $50,000, you may ask Vanguard to convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares. You may request a conversion through our website (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. Financial intermediaries, institutional clients, and Vanguard-advised clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Admiral Shares. See Contacting Vanguard. If you are investing through an intermediary, please contact that firm directly for more information regarding your eligibility.

Automatic conversions. Vanguard conducts periodic reviews of account balances and may, if your account balance in the Fund exceeds $50,000, automatically convert your Investor Shares to Admiral Shares. You will be notified before an automatic conversion occurs and will have an opportunity to instruct Vanguard not to effect the conversion. Financial intermediaries, institutional clients, and Vanguard-advised clients should contact Vanguard for information on special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Admiral Shares. If you are investing through an intermediary, please contact that firm directly for more information regarding your eligibility.

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Mandatory Conversions to Investor Shares

If an account no longer meets the balance requirements for Admiral Shares, Vanguard may automatically convert the shares in the account to Investor Shares. A decline in the account balance because of market movement may result in such a conversion. Vanguard will notify the investor in writing before any mandatory conversion occurs.

Redeeming Shares

How to Initiate a Redemption Request

Be sure to check Exchanging Shares, Frequent-Trading Limitations, and Other Rules You Should Know before placing your redemption request.

Online. You may request a redemption of shares or request an exchange through our website or our mobile application if your account is eligible and you are registered for online access.

By telephone. You may call Vanguard to request a redemption of shares or an exchange. See Contacting Vanguard.

By mail. You may send a form (available online) to Vanguard to redeem from a fund account or to make an exchange.

How to Receive Redemption Proceeds

By electronic bank transfer. You may have the proceeds of a fund redemption sent directly to a designated bank account. To establish the electronic bank transfer service on an account, you must designate a bank account online, complete a form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form. After the service is set up on your account, you can redeem shares by electronic bank transfer on a regular schedule (Automatic Withdrawal Plan), if eligible, or upon request. Your redemption request can be initiated online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail.

By wire. To receive your proceeds by wire, you may instruct Vanguard to wire your redemption proceeds ($100 minimum) to a previously designated bank account. To establish the wire redemption service, you generally must designate a bank account online, complete a form, or fill out the appropriate section of your account registration form.

Please note that Vanguard charges a $10 wire fee for outgoing wire redemptions. The fee is assessed in addition to, rather than being withheld from, redemption proceeds and is paid directly to the fund in which you invest. For example, if you redeem $100 via a wire, you will receive the full $100, and the

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$10 fee will be assessed to your fund account through an additional redemption of fund shares. If you redeem your entire fund account, your redemption proceeds will be reduced by the amount of the fee. The wire fee does not apply to accounts held by Flagship and Flagship Select clients; accounts held through intermediaries, including Vanguard Brokerage Services; or accounts held by institutional clients.

By exchange. You may have the proceeds of a Vanguard fund redemption invested directly in shares of another Vanguard fund. You may initiate an exchange online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Exchanging Shares.

By check. If you have not chosen another redemption method, Vanguard will mail you a redemption check, generally payable to all registered account owners, normally within two business days of your trade date, and generally to the address of record.

Trade Date

The trade date for any redemption request received in good order will depend on the day and time Vanguard receives your request and the manner in which you are redeeming. Your redemption will be executed using the NAV as calculated on the trade date. NAVs are calculated only on days that the NYSE is open for trading (a business day). In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, NAVs will be calculated as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable, as determined at Vanguard’s discretion), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. The time selected for NAV calculation in this rare event shall also serve as the conclusion of the trading day. See Share Price.

For redemptions by check, exchange, or wire: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.

• Note on timing of wire redemptions from money market funds: For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day before 10:45 a.m., Eastern time (2 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund; 12:30 p.m., Eastern time, for Vanguard Federal Money Market Fund), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business the same day. For telephone requests received by Vanguard on a business day after those cut-off times, or on a nonbusiness day, and for all requests other than by telephone, the redemption proceeds

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generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day.

• Note on timing of wire redemptions from all other funds: For requests received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the next business day. For requests received by Vanguard on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the redemption proceeds generally will leave Vanguard by the close of business on the second business day after Vanguard receives the request.

For redemptions by electronic bank transfer: If the redemption request is received by Vanguard on a business day before the close of regular trading on the NYSE (generally 4 p.m., Eastern time), the trade date will be the same day. If the redemption request is received on a business day after the close of regular trading on the NYSE, or on a nonbusiness day, the trade date will be the next business day.

If your redemption request is not accurate and complete, it may be rejected. If we are unable to send your redemption proceeds by wire or electronic bank transfer because the receiving institution rejects the transfer, Vanguard will make additional efforts to complete your transaction. If Vanguard is still unable to complete the transaction, we may send the proceeds of the redemption to you by check, generally payable to all registered account owners, or use your proceeds to purchase new shares of the fund from which you sold shares for the purpose of the wire or electronic bank transfer transaction. See Other Rules You Should Know—Good Order.

If your redemption request is received in good order, we typically expect that redemption proceeds will be paid by the Fund within one business day of the trade date; however, in certain circumstances, investors may experience a longer settlement period at the time of the transaction. For further information, see “Potentially disruptive redemptions” and “Emergency circumstances.”

For further information about redemption transactions, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.

Other Redemption Rules You Should Know

Documentation for certain accounts. Special documentation may be required to redeem from certain types of accounts, such as trust, corporate, nonprofit, or retirement accounts. Please call us before attempting to redeem from these types of accounts.

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Potentially disruptive redemptions. Vanguard reserves the right to pay all or part of a redemption in kind—that is, in the form of securities—if we reasonably believe that a cash redemption would negatively affect the fund’s operation or performance or that the shareholder may be engaged in market-timing or frequent trading. Under these circumstances, Vanguard also reserves the right to delay payment of the redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. By calling us before you attempt to redeem a large dollar amount, you may avoid in-kind or delayed payment of your redemption. Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations for information about Vanguard’s policies to limit frequent trading.

Recently purchased shares. Although you can redeem shares at any time, proceeds may not be made available to you until the fund collects payment for your purchase. This may take up to seven calendar days for shares purchased by check or by electronic bank transfer. If you have written a check on a fund in an account with checkwriting privileges, that check may be rejected if your fund account does not have a sufficient available balance.

Share certificates. Share certificates are no longer issued for Vanguard funds. Shares currently held in certificates cannot be redeemed, exchanged, converted, or transferred (reregistered) until you return the certificates (unsigned) to Vanguard by registered mail.

Address change. If you change your address online or by telephone, there may be up to a 14-day restriction (starting on the business day after your address is changed) on your ability to request check redemptions online and by telephone. You can request a redemption in writing (using a form available online) at any time. Confirmations of address changes are sent to both the old and new addresses.

Payment to a different person or address. At your request, we can make your redemption check payable, or wire your redemption proceeds, to a different person or send it to a different address. However, this generally requires the written consent of all registered account owners and may require additional documentation, such as a signature guarantee or a notarized signature. You may obtain a signature guarantee from some commercial or savings banks, credit unions, trust companies, or member firms of a U.S. stock exchange.

No cancellations. Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any redemption request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing a redemption request.

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Emergency circumstances. Vanguard funds can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, Vanguard funds can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days at times when the NYSE is closed or during emergency circumstances, as determined by the SEC.

Exchanging Shares

An exchange occurs when you use the proceeds from the redemption of shares of one Vanguard fund to simultaneously purchase shares of a different Vanguard fund. You can make exchange requests online (if you are registered for online access), by telephone, or by mail. See Purchasing Shares and Redeeming Shares.

If the NYSE is open for regular trading (generally until 4 p.m., Eastern time, on a business day) at the time an exchange request is received in good order, the trade date generally will be the same day. See Other Rules You Should Know—Good Order for additional information on all transaction requests.

Vanguard will not accept your request to cancel any exchange request once processing has begun. Please be careful when placing an exchange request.

Call Vanguard before attempting to exchange a large dollar amount. By calling us before you attempt to exchange a large dollar amount, you may avoid delayed or rejected transactions.

Please note that Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise or terminate the exchange privilege, limit the amount of any exchange, or reject an exchange, at any time, for any reason. See Frequent-Trading Limitations for additional restrictions on exchanges.

Frequent-Trading Limitations

Because excessive transactions can disrupt management of a fund and increase the fund’s costs for all shareholders, the board of trustees of each Vanguard fund places certain limits on frequent trading in the funds. Each Vanguard fund (other than money market funds and short-term bond funds, but including Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund) limits an investor’s purchases or exchanges into a fund account for 30 calendar days after the investor has redeemed or exchanged out of that fund account. ETF Shares are not subject to these frequent-trading limits.

For Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, the limitations apply to exchanges made online or by telephone.

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These frequent-trading limitations do not apply to the following:

• Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.

• Transactions through Vanguard’s Automatic Investment Plan, Automatic Exchange Service, Direct Deposit Service, Automatic Withdrawal Plan, Required Minimum Distribution Service, and Vanguard Small Business Online®.

• Discretionary transactions through Vanguard Personal Advisor Services®, Vanguard Institutional Advisory Services®, and Vanguard Digital Advisor™.

• Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.

• Redemptions of shares to remove excess shareholder contributions to certain types of retirement accounts (including, but not limited to, IRAs and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans).

• Transfers and reregistrations of shares within the same fund.

• Purchases of shares by asset transfer or direct rollover.

• Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.

• Checkwriting redemptions.

• Section 529 college savings plans.

• Certain approved institutional portfolios and asset allocation programs, as well as trades made by funds or trusts managed by Vanguard or its affiliates that invest in other Vanguard funds. (Please note that shareholders of Vanguard’s funds of funds are subject to the limitations.)

For participants in employer-sponsored defined contribution plans,* the frequent-trading limitations do not apply to:

• Purchases of shares with participant payroll or employer contributions or loan repayments.

• Purchases of shares with reinvested dividend or capital gains distributions.

• Distributions, loans, and in-service withdrawals from a plan.

• Redemptions of shares as part of a plan termination or at the direction of the plan.

• Transactions executed through the Vanguard Managed Account Program.

• Redemptions of shares to pay fund or account fees.

• Share or asset transfers or rollovers.

• Reregistrations of shares.

• Conversions of shares from one share class to another in the same fund.

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• Exchange requests submitted by written request to Vanguard. (Exchange requests submitted by fax, if otherwise permitted, are subject to the limitations.)

* The following Vanguard fund accounts are subject to the frequent-trading limitations: SEP-IRAs, SIMPLE IRAs, certain Individual 403(b)(7) Custodial Accounts, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.

Accounts Held by Institutions (Other Than Defined Contribution Plans)

Vanguard will systematically monitor for frequent trading in institutional clients’ accounts. If we detect suspicious trading activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action, which may include applying to a client’s accounts the 30-day policy previously described, prohibiting a client’s purchases of fund shares, and/or revoking the client’s exchange privilege.

Accounts Held by Intermediaries

When intermediaries establish accounts in Vanguard funds for the benefit of their clients, we cannot always monitor the trading activity of the individual clients. However, we review trading activity at the intermediary (omnibus) level, and if we detect suspicious activity, we will investigate and take appropriate action. If necessary, Vanguard may prohibit additional purchases of fund shares by an intermediary, including for the benefit of certain of the intermediary’s clients. Intermediaries also may monitor their clients’ trading activities with respect to Vanguard funds.

For those Vanguard funds that charge purchase and/or redemption fees, intermediaries will be asked to assess these fees on client accounts and remit these fees to the funds. The application of purchase and redemption fees and frequent-trading limitations may vary among intermediaries. There are no assurances that Vanguard will successfully identify all intermediaries or that intermediaries will properly assess purchase and redemption fees or administer frequent-trading limitations. If you invest with Vanguard through an intermediary, please read that firm’s materials carefully to learn of any other rules or fees that may apply.

Other Rules You Should Know

Prospectus and Shareholder Report Mailings

When two or more shareholders have the same last name and address, just one summary prospectus (or prospectus) and/or shareholder report may be sent in an attempt to eliminate the unnecessary expense of duplicate mailings. You may request individual prospectuses and reports by contacting our Client Services Department in writing, by telephone, or online. See Contacting Vanguard.

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Vanguard.com

Registration. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can review your account holdings; buy, sell, or exchange shares of most Vanguard funds; and perform most other transactions through our website. You must register for this service online.

Electronic delivery. Vanguard can deliver your account statements, transaction confirmations, prospectuses, certain tax forms, and shareholder reports electronically. If you are a registered user of vanguard.com, you can consent to the electronic delivery of these documents by logging on and changing your mailing preferences under “Account Maintenance.” You can revoke your electronic consent at any time through our website, and we will begin to send paper copies of these documents within 30 days of receiving your revocation.

Telephone Transactions

Automatic. When we set up your account, we will automatically enable you to do business with us by telephone, unless you instruct us otherwise in writing.

Tele-Account®. To obtain fund and account information through Vanguard’s automated telephone service, you must first establish a Personal Identification Number (PIN) by calling Tele-Account at 800-662-6273.

Proof of a caller’s authority. We reserve the right to refuse a telephone request if the caller is unable to provide the requested information or if we reasonably believe that the caller is not an individual authorized to act on the account. Before we allow a caller to act on an account, we may request the following information:

• Authorization to act on the account (as the account owner or by legal documentation or other means).

• Account registration and address.

• Fund name and account number, if applicable.

• Other information relating to the caller, the account owner, or the account.

Good Order

We reserve the right to reject any transaction instructions that are not in “good order.” Good order generally means that your instructions:

• Are provided by the person(s) authorized in accordance with Vanguard’s policies and procedures to access the account and request transactions.

• Include the fund name and account number.

• Include the amount of the transaction (stated in dollars, shares, or percentage).

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Written instructions also must generally be provided on a Vanguard form and include:

• Signature(s) and date from the authorized person(s).

• Signature guarantees or notarized signatures, if required for the type of transaction. (Call Vanguard for specific requirements.)

• Any supporting documentation that may be required.

Good order requirements may vary among types of accounts and transactions. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.

Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to revise the requirements for good order.

Future Trade-Date Requests

Vanguard does not accept requests to hold a purchase, conversion, redemption, or exchange transaction for a future date. All such requests will receive trade dates as previously described in Purchasing Shares, Converting Shares, Redeeming Shares, and Exchanging Shares. Vanguard reserves the right to return future-dated purchase checks.

Accounts With More Than One Owner

If an account has more than one owner or authorized person, Vanguard generally will accept instructions from any one owner or authorized person.

Responsibility for Fraud

You should take precautions to protect yourself from fraud. Keep your account-related information private, and review any account confirmations, statements, or other information that we provide to you as soon as you receive them. Let us know immediately if you discover unauthorized activity or see something on your account that you do not understand or that looks unusual.

Vanguard will not be responsible for losses that result from transactions by a person who we reasonably believe is authorized to act on your account.

Uncashed Checks

Please cash your distribution or redemption checks promptly. Vanguard will not pay interest on uncashed checks. Vanguard may be required to transfer assets related to uncashed checks to a state under the state’s abandoned property law.

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Dormant Accounts

If your account has no activity in it for a period of time, Vanguard may be required to transfer it to a state under the state’s abandoned property law, subject to potential federal or state withholding taxes.

Unusual Circumstances

If you experience difficulty contacting Vanguard online or by telephone, you can send us your transaction request on a Vanguard form by regular or express mail.

Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms

You may purchase or sell shares of most Vanguard funds through a financial intermediary, such as a bank, a broker, or an investment advisor. Please consult your financial intermediary to determine which, if any, shares are available through that firm and to learn about other rules that may apply. Your financial intermediary can provide you with account information and any required tax forms. You may be required to pay a commission on purchases of mutual fund shares made through a financial intermediary.

Please see Frequent-Trading Limitations—Accounts Held by Intermediaries for information about the assessment of any purchase or redemption fees and the monitoring of frequent trading for accounts held by intermediaries.

Account Service Fee

Vanguard may charge a $20 account service fee on fund accounts that have a balance below $10,000 for any reason, including market fluctuation. The account service fee may be applied to both retirement and nonretirement fund accounts and may be assessed on fund accounts in all Vanguard funds, regardless of the account minimum. The fee, which will be collected by redeeming fund shares in the amount of $20, will be deducted from fund accounts subject to the fee once per calendar year.

If you elect to receive your statements and other materials electronically (i.e., by e-delivery), the account service fee will not be charged, so long as your election remains in effect. You can make your e-delivery election on vanguard.com.

Beginning on January 1, 2021, you may elect to receive paper copies of shareholder reports free of charge as noted on the cover of this prospectus.

Certain account types have alternative fee structures, including SIMPLE IRAs, Vanguard Retirement Investment Program pooled plans, and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans.

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Low-Balance Accounts

The Fund reserves the right to liquidate a fund account whose balance falls below the account minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. This liquidation policy applies to nonretirement fund accounts and accounts that are held through intermediaries. Any such liquidation will be preceded by written notice to the investor.

Right to Change Policies

In addition to the rights expressly stated elsewhere in this prospectus, Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time and (2) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fee charged to a shareholder or a group of shareholders. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard believes they are in the best interest of a fund.

Account Restrictions

Vanguard reserves the right to: (1) redeem all or a portion of a fund/account to meet a legal obligation, including tax withholding, tax lien, garnishment order, or other obligation imposed on your account by a court or government agency; (2) redeem shares, close an account, or suspend account privileges, features, or options in the case of threatening conduct or activity; (3) redeem shares, close an account, or suspend account privileges, features, or options if Vanguard believes or suspects that not doing so could result in a suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal transaction; (4) place restrictions on the ability to redeem any or all shares in an account if it is required to do so by a court or government agency; (5) place restrictions on the ability to redeem any or all shares in an account if Vanguard believes that doing so will prevent fraud, financial exploitation or abuse, or to protect vulnerable investors; (6) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners; and (7) freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of an account owner.

Share Classes

Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to change the eligibility requirements of its share classes, including the types of clients who are eligible to purchase each share class.

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Fund and Account Updates

Confirmation Statements

We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) a confirmation of your trade date and the amount of your transaction when you buy, sell, exchange, or convert shares. However, we will not send confirmations reflecting only checkwriting redemptions or the reinvestment of dividend or capital gains distributions. For any month in which you had a checkwriting redemption, a Checkwriting Activity Statement will be sent to you itemizing the checkwriting redemptions for that month. Promptly review each confirmation statement that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on a confirmation statement, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.

Portfolio Summaries

We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) quarterly portfolio summaries to help you keep track of your accounts throughout the year. Each summary shows the market value of your account at the close of the statement period, as well as all distributions, purchases, redemptions, exchanges, transfers, and conversions for the current calendar quarter (or month). Promptly review each summary that we provide to you. It is important that you contact Vanguard immediately with any questions you may have about any transaction reflected on the summary, or Vanguard will consider the transaction properly processed.

Tax Information Statements

For most accounts, Vanguard (or your intermediary) is required to provide annual tax forms to assist you in preparing your income tax returns. These forms are generally available for each calendar year early in the following year. Registered users of vanguard.com can also view certain forms through our website. Vanguard (or your intermediary) may also provide you with additional tax-related documentation. For more information, consult our website at vanguard.com or see Contacting Vanguard.

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Annual and Semiannual Reports

We will send (or provide through our website, whichever you prefer) reports about Vanguard Explorer Fund twice a year, in June and December. These reports include overviews of the financial markets and provide the following specific Fund information:

• Performance assessments and comparisons with industry benchmarks.

• Reports from the advisors.

• Financial statements with listings of Fund holdings.

Portfolio Holdings

Please consult the Fund's Statement of Additional Information or our website for a description of the policies and procedures that govern disclosure of the Fund’s portfolio holdings.

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Employer-Sponsored Plans

Your plan administrator or your employee benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how to participate in your plan and how to elect the Fund as an investment option.

• If you have any questions about the Fund or Vanguard, including those about the Fund’s investment objective, strategies, or risks, contact Vanguard Participant Services toll-free at 800-523-1188 or visit our website at vanguard.com.

• If you have questions about your account, contact your plan administrator or the organization that provides recordkeeping services for your plan.

• Be sure to carefully read each topic that pertains to your transactions with Vanguard.

Vanguard reserves the right to change its policies without notice to shareholders.

Transactions

Processing times for your transaction requests may differ among recordkeepers or among transaction and funding types. Your plan’s recordkeeper (which may also be Vanguard) will determine the necessary processing time frames for your transaction requests prior to submission to the Fund. Consult your recordkeeper or plan administrator for more information.

If Vanguard is serving as your plan recordkeeper and if your transaction involves one or more investments with an early cut-off time for processing or another trading restriction, your entire transaction will be subject to the restriction when the trade date for your transaction is determined.

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Contacting Vanguard  

Web
Vanguard.com	For the most complete source of Vanguard news For fund, account, and service information For most account transactions For literature requests 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

 

Phone
Vanguard Tele-Account® 800-662-6273	For automated fund and account information Toll-free, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Investor Information 800-662-7447 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273)	For fund and service information For literature requests
Client Services 800-662-2739 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273)	For account information For most account transactions
Participant Services 800-523-1188 (Text telephone for people with hearing impairment at 800-749-7273)	For information and services for participants in employer-sponsored plans
Institutional Division 888-809-8102	For information and services for large institutional investors
Financial Advisor and Intermediary Sales Support 800-997-2798	For information and services for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies
Financial Advisory and Intermediary Trading Support 800-669-0498	For account information and trading support for financial intermediaries including financial advisors, broker-dealers, trust institutions, and insurance companies

Additional Information  

	Inception Date	Newspaper Abbreviation	Vanguard Fund Number	CUSIP Number
Explorer Fund
Investor Shares	12/11/1967	Explr	24	921926101
Admiral Shares	11/12/2001	ExplrAdml	5024	921926200

 
CGS identifiers have been provided by CUSIP Global Services, managed on behalf of the American Bankers Association by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services, LLC, and are not for use or dissemination in a manner that would serve as a substitute for any CUSIP service. The CUSIP Database, ©2021 American Bankers Association. “CUSIP” is a registered trademark of the American Bankers Association.

CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.

45

Glossary of Investment Terms

Capital Gains Distributions. Payments to mutual fund shareholders of gains realized on securities that a fund has sold at a profit, minus any realized losses.

Cash Equivalent Investments. Cash deposits, short-term bank deposits, and money market instruments that include U.S. Treasury bills and notes, bank certificates of deposit (CDs), repurchase agreements, commercial paper, and banker’s acceptances.

Common Stock. A security representing ownership rights in a corporation.

Dividend Distributions. Payments to mutual fund shareholders of income from interest or dividends generated by a fund's investments.

Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index. An index that represents the entire U.S. stock market and tracks more than 5,000 stocks, excluding shares of securities not available for public trading.

Expense Ratio. A fund's total annual operating expenses expressed as a percentage of the fund's average net assets. The expense ratio includes management and administrative expenses, but it does not include the transaction costs of buying and selling portfolio securities.

Inception Date. The date on which the assets of a fund (or one of its share classes) are first invested in accordance with the fund's investment objective. For funds with a subscription period, the inception date is the day after that period ends. Investment performance is generally measured from the inception date.

Joint Committed Credit Facility. The Fund participates, along with other funds managed by Vanguard, in a committed credit facility provided by a syndicate of lenders pursuant to a credit agreement that may be renewed annually; each Vanguard fund is individually liable for its borrowings, if any, under the credit facility. The amount and terms of the committed credit facility are subject to approval by the Fund's board of trustees and renegotiation with the lender syndicate on an annual basis.

Median Market Capitalization. An indicator of the size of companies in which a fund invests; the midpoint of market capitalization (market price x shares outstanding) of a fund's stocks, weighted by the proportion of the fund's assets invested in each stock. Stocks representing half of the fund's assets have market capitalizations above the median, and the rest are below it.

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Mutual Fund. An investment company that pools the money of many people and invests it in a variety of securities in an effort to achieve a specific objective over time.

New York Stock Exchange (NYSE). A stock exchange based in New York City that is open for regular trading on business days, Monday through Friday, from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., Eastern time.

Quantitative Process. An assessment of specific measurable factors, such as cost of capital; value of assets; and projections of sales, costs, earnings, and profits. The use of a quantitative process provides a systematic approach to investment decisions and portfolios.

Return of Capital. A return of capital occurs when a fund’s distributions exceed its earnings in a fiscal year. A return of capital is a return of all or part of your original investment or amounts paid in excess of your original investment in a fund. In general, reduces your cost basis in a fund’s shares and is not taxable to you until your cost basis has been reduced to zero.

Russell 2500 Growth Index. An index that measures the performance of those Russell 2500 companies with higher price/book ratios and higher predicted growth rates.

Securities. Stocks, bonds, money market instruments, and other investments.

Total Return. A percentage change, over a specified time period, in a mutual fund's net asset value, assuming the reinvestment of all distributions of dividends and capital gains.

Volatility. The fluctuations in value of a mutual fund or other security. The greater a fund's volatility, the wider the fluctuations in its returns.

Yield. Income (interest or dividends) earned by an investment, expressed as a percentage of the investment’s price.

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Connect with Vanguard® > vanguard.com

For More Information

If you would like more information about Vanguard Explorer Fund, the following documents are available free upon request:

Annual/Semiannual Reports to Shareholders

Additional information about the Fund's investments is available in the Fund's annual and semiannual reports to shareholders. In the annual report, you will find a discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during its last fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

The SAI provides more detailed information about the Fund and is incorporated by reference into (and thus legally a part of) this prospectus.

To receive a free copy of the latest annual or semiannual report or the SAI, or to request additional information about the Fund or other Vanguard funds, please visit vanguard.com or contact us as follows:

If you are an individual investor:
Telephone: 800-662-7447; Text telephone for people with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273

If you are a participant in an employer-sponsored plan:
Telephone: 800-523-1188; Text telephone for people
with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273

If you are a current Vanguard shareholder and would like information about your account, account transactions, and/or account statements, please call:

Client Services Department
Telephone: 800-662-2739; Text telephone for people with hearing impairment: 800-749-7273

Information Provided by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC)

Reports and other information about the Fund are available in the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov, or you can receive copies of this information, for a fee, by electronic request at the following email address: publicinfo@sec.gov.

Fund's Investment Company Act file number: 811-01530

© 2021 The Vanguard Group, Inc. All rights reserved.Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.P 024 022021

VANGUARD® EXPLORER™ FUND

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

February 26, 2021

This Statement of Additional Information is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s current prospectus (dated February 26, 2021). To obtain, without charge, a prospectus or the most recent Annual Report to Shareholders, which contains the Fund’s financial statements as hereby incorporated by reference, please contact The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard).

Phone: Investor Information Department at 800-662-7447
Online: vanguard.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS 

Description of the Trust	B-1
Fundamental Policies	B-4
Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies	B-4
Share Price	B-21
Purchase and Redemption of Shares	B-22
Management of the Fund	B-23
Investment Advisory and Other Services	B-35
Portfolio Transactions	B-46
Proxy Voting	B-47
Financial Statements	B-47
Appendix A	B-48
Appendix B	B-51

Description of the Trust

Vanguard Explorer Fund (the Trust) currently offers the following fund and share classes (identified by ticker symbol):  

	Share Classes1
Fund	Investor	Admiral
Vanguard Explorer Fund	VEXPX	VEXRX

1

Individually, a class; collectively, the classes.

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The Trust has the ability to offer additional funds or classes of shares. There is no limit on the number of full and fractional shares that may be issued for a single fund or class of shares.

Organization

The Trust was organized as a Delaware corporation in 1967 and reorganized as a Maryland corporation in 1973. It was subsequently reorganized as a Delaware statutory trust in 1998. Prior to its reorganization as a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust was known as Vanguard Explorer Fund, Inc. The Trust is registered with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the 1940 Act) as an open-end, management investment company. Vanguard Explorer Fund (the Fund) is classified as diversified within the meaning of the 1940 Act.

Service Providers

Custodian. State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111, serves as the Fund‘s custodian. The custodian is responsible for maintaining the Fund's assets, keeping all necessary accounts and records of Fund assets, and appointing any foreign subcustodians or foreign securities depositories.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, Two Commerce Square, Suite 1800, 2001 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19103-7042, serves as the Fund's independent registered public accounting firm. The independent registered public accounting firm audits the Fund's annual financial statements and provides other related services.

Transfer and Dividend-Paying Agent. The Fund's transfer agent and dividend-paying agent is Vanguard, P.O. Box 2600, Valley Forge, PA 19482.

Characteristics of the Fund's Shares

Restrictions on Holding or Disposing of Shares. There are no restrictions on the right of shareholders to retain or dispose of the Fund’s shares, other than those described in the Fund’s current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information. The Fund or class may be terminated by reorganization into another mutual fund or class or by liquidation and distribution of the assets of the Fund or class. Unless terminated by reorganization or liquidation, the Fund and share classes will continue indefinitely.

Shareholder Liability. The Trust is organized under Delaware law, which provides that shareholders of a statutory trust are entitled to the same limitations of personal liability as shareholders of a corporation organized under Delaware law. This means that a shareholder of the Fund generally will not be personally liable for payment of the Fund’s debts. Some state courts, however, may not apply Delaware law on this point. We believe that the possibility of such a situation arising is remote.

Dividend Rights. The shareholders of each class of the Fund are entitled to receive any dividends or other distributions declared by the Fund for each such class. No shares of the Fund have priority or preference over any other shares of the Fund with respect to distributions. Distributions will be made from the assets of the Fund and will be paid ratably to all shareholders of a particular class according to the number of shares of the class held by shareholders on the record date. The amount of dividends per share may vary between separate share classes of the Fund based upon differences in the net asset values of the different classes and differences in the way that expenses are allocated between share classes pursuant to a multiple class plan approved by the Fund's board of trustees.

Voting Rights. Shareholders are entitled to vote on a matter if (1) the matter concerns an amendment to the Declaration of Trust that would adversely affect to a material degree the rights and preferences of the shares of the Fund or any class; (2) the trustees determine that it is necessary or desirable to obtain a shareholder vote; (3) a merger or consolidation, share conversion, share exchange, or sale of assets is proposed and a shareholder vote is required by the 1940 Act to approve the transaction; or (4) a shareholder vote is required under the 1940 Act. The 1940 Act requires a shareholder vote under various circumstances, including to elect or remove trustees upon the written request of shareholders representing 10% or more of the Fund's net assets, to change any fundamental policy of the Fund (please see Fundamental Policies), and to enter into certain merger transactions. Unless otherwise required by applicable law, shareholders of the Fund receive one vote for each dollar of net asset value owned on the record date and a fractional vote for each fractional dollar of net asset value owned on the record date. However, only the shares of the Fund or the

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class affected by a particular matter are entitled to vote on that matter. In addition, each class has exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to that class, and each class has separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of another. Voting rights are noncumulative and cannot be modified without a majority vote by the shareholders.

Liquidation Rights. In the event that the Fund is liquidated, shareholders will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Fund's net assets. In the event that a class of shares is liquidated, shareholders of that class will be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the Fund’s net assets that are allocated to that class. Shareholders may receive cash, securities, or a combination of the two.

Preemptive Rights. There are no preemptive rights associated with the Fund's shares.

Conversion Rights. Fund shareholders may convert their shares to another class of shares of the same Fund upon the satisfaction of any then-applicable eligibility requirements as described in the Fund’s current prospectus.

Redemption Provisions. The Fund's redemption provisions are described in its current prospectus and elsewhere in this Statement of Additional Information.

Sinking Fund Provisions. The Fund has no sinking fund provisions.

Calls or Assessment. The Fund's shares, when issued, are fully paid and non-assessable.

Tax Status of the Fund

The Fund expects to qualify each year for treatment as a “regulated investment company” under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the IRC). This special tax status means that the Fund will not be liable for federal tax on income and capital gains distributed to shareholders. In order to preserve its tax status, the Fund must comply with certain requirements relating to the source of its income and the diversification of its assets. If the Fund fails to meet these requirements in any taxable year, the Fund will, in some cases, be able to cure such failure, including by paying a fund-level tax, paying interest, making additional distributions, and/or disposing of certain assets. If the Fund is ineligible to or otherwise does not cure such failure for any year, it will be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, will be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. In addition, the Fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest, and make substantial distributions before regaining its tax status as a regulated investment company.

Dividends received and distributed by the Fund on shares of stock of domestic corporations (excluding Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs)) and certain foreign corporations generally may be eligible to be reported by the Fund, and treated by individual shareholders, as “qualified dividend income” taxed at long-term capital gain rates instead of at higher ordinary income tax rates. Individuals must satisfy holding period and other requirements in order to be eligible for such treatment. Also, distributions attributable to income earned on the Fund’s securities lending transactions, including substitute dividend payments received by the Fund with respect to a security out on loan, will not be eligible for treatment as qualified dividend income.

Taxable ordinary dividends received and distributed by the Fund on its REIT holdings may be eligible to be reported by the Fund, and treated by individual shareholders, as “qualified REIT dividends” that are eligible for a 20% deduction on their federal income tax returns. Individuals must satisfy holding period and other requirements in order to be eligible for this deduction. Without further legislation, the deduction would sunset after 2025. Shareholders should consult their own tax professionals concerning their eligibility for this deduction.

Dividends received and distributed by the Fund on shares of stock of domestic corporations (excluding REITs) may be eligible for the dividends-received deduction applicable to corporate shareholders. Corporations must satisfy certain requirements in order to claim the deduction. Also, distributions attributable to income earned on the Fund's securities lending transactions, including substitute dividend payments received by the Fund with respect to a security out on loan, will not be eligible for the dividends-received deduction.

The Fund may declare a capital gain dividend consisting of the excess (if any) of net realized long-term capital gains over net realized short-term capital losses. Net capital gains for a fiscal year are computed by taking into account any capital loss carryforwards of the Fund. For Fund fiscal years beginning on or after December 22, 2010, capital losses may be carried forward indefinitely and retain their character as either short-term or long-term.

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Fundamental Policies

The Fund is subject to the following fundamental investment policies, which cannot be changed in any material way without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s shares. For these purposes, a “majority” of shares means shares representing the lesser of (1) 67% or more of the Fund's net assets voted, so long as shares representing more than 50% of the Fund’s net assets are present or represented by proxy or (2) more than 50% of the Fund's net assets.

Borrowing. The Fund may borrow money only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

Commodities. The Fund may invest in commodities only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

Diversification. With respect to 75% of its total assets, the Fund may not (1) purchase more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any one issuer or (2) purchase securities of any issuer if, as a result, more than 5% of the Fund’s total assets would be invested in that issuer’s securities. This limitation does not apply to obligations of the U.S. government or its agencies or instrumentalities.

Industry Concentration. The Fund will not concentrate its investments in the securities of issuers whose principal business activities are in the same industry or group of industries.

Investment Objective. The investment objective of the Fund may not be materially changed without a shareholder vote.

Loans. The Fund may make loans to another person only as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

Real Estate. The Fund may not invest directly in real estate unless it is acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent the Fund from investing in securities or other instruments (1) issued by companies that invest, deal, or otherwise engage in transactions in real estate or (2) backed or secured by real estate or interests in real estate.

Senior Securities. The Fund may not issue senior securities except as permitted by the 1940 Act or other governing statute, by the Rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund.

Underwriting. The Fund may not act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the 1933 Act), in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

Compliance with the fundamental policies previously described is generally measured at the time the securities are purchased. Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act (as is the case with borrowing), if a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time the investment is made, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in the market value of assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction. All fundamental policies must comply with applicable regulatory requirements. For more details, see Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies.

None of these policies prevent the Fund from having an ownership interest in Vanguard. As a part owner of Vanguard, the Fund may own securities issued by Vanguard, make loans to Vanguard, and contribute to Vanguard’s costs or other financial requirements. See Management of the Fund for more information.

Investment Strategies, Risks, and Nonfundamental Policies

Some of the investment strategies and policies described on the following pages and in the Fund's prospectus set forth percentage limitations on the Fund's investment in, or holdings of, certain securities or other assets. Unless otherwise required by law, compliance with these strategies and policies will be determined immediately after the acquisition of such securities or assets by the Fund. Subsequent changes in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with the Fund's investment strategies and policies.

The following investment strategies, risks, and policies supplement the Fund's investment strategies, risks, and policies set forth in the prospectus. With respect to the different investments discussed as follows, the Fund may acquire such investments to the extent consistent with its investment strategies and policies.

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Borrowing. A fund’s ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations; by the 1940 Act; and by applicable exemptions, no-action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by the SEC and its staff or any other regulatory authority with jurisdiction. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (i.e., total assets including borrowings, less liabilities exclusive of borrowings) of 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the fund’s total assets (at the time of borrowing) made for temporary or emergency purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% of the fund’s total assets must maintain continuous asset coverage. If the 300% asset coverage should decline as a result of market fluctuations or for other reasons, a fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and restore the 300% asset coverage, even though it may be disadvantageous from an investment standpoint to sell securities at that time.

Borrowing will tend to exaggerate the effect on net asset value of any increase or decrease in the market value of a fund’s portfolio. Money borrowed will be subject to interest costs that may or may not be recovered by earnings on the securities purchased with the proceeds of such borrowing. A fund also may be required to maintain minimum average balances in connection with a borrowing or to pay a commitment or other fee to maintain a line of credit; either of these requirements would increase the cost of borrowing over the stated interest rate.

The SEC takes the position that transactions that have a leveraging effect on the capital structure of a fund or are economically equivalent to borrowing can be viewed as constituting a form of borrowing by the fund for purposes of the 1940 Act. These transactions can include entering into reverse repurchase agreements; engaging in mortgage-dollar-roll transactions; selling securities short (other than short sales “against-the-box”); buying and selling certain derivatives (such as futures contracts); selling (or writing) put and call options; engaging in sale-buybacks; entering into firm-commitment and standby-commitment agreements; engaging in when-issued, delayed-delivery, or forward-commitment transactions; and participating in other similar trading practices. (Additional discussion about a number of these transactions can be found on the following pages.)

A borrowing transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund maintains an offsetting financial position; segregates liquid assets (with such liquidity determined by the advisor in accordance with procedures established by the board of trustees) equal (as determined on a daily mark-to-market basis) in value to the fund’s potential economic exposure under the borrowing transaction; or otherwise “covers” the transaction in accordance with applicable SEC guidance (collectively, “covers” the transaction). A fund may have to buy or sell a security at a disadvantageous time or price in order to cover a borrowing transaction. In addition, segregated assets may not be available to satisfy redemptions or to fulfill other obligations.

Common Stock. Common stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Common stock typically entitles the owner to vote on the election of directors and other important matters, as well as to receive dividends on such stock. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds, other debt holders, and owners of preferred stock take precedence over the claims of those who own common stock.

Convertible Securities. Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt securities or preferred stock that may be converted (on a voluntary or mandatory basis) within a specified period of time (normally for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. Convertible securities also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Other convertible securities with features and risks not specifically referred to herein may become available in the future. Convertible securities involve risks similar to those of both fixed income and equity securities. In a corporation’s capital structure, convertible securities are senior to common stock but are usually subordinated to senior debt obligations of the issuer.

The market value of a convertible security is a function of its “investment value” and its “conversion value.” A security’s “investment value” represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a nonconvertible debt security). The investment value may be determined by reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar nonconvertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer, and the seniority of the security in the issuer’s capital structure. A security’s “conversion value” is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like nonconvertible debt or preferred stock and its market value will not be influenced

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greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that circumstance, the convertible security takes on the characteristics of a bond, and its price moves in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is near or above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security. In that case, the convertible security’s price may be as volatile as that of common stock. Because both interest rates and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security generally is not as sensitive to interest rates as a similar debt security, nor is it as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying equity security. Convertible securities are often rated below investment-grade or are not rated, and they are generally subject to a high degree of credit risk.

Although all markets are prone to change over time, the generally high rate at which convertible securities are retired (through mandatory or scheduled conversions by issuers or through voluntary redemptions by holders) and replaced with newly issued convertible securities may cause the convertible securities market to change more rapidly than other markets. For example, a concentration of available convertible securities in a few economic sectors could elevate the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the specific risks of those sectors. Moreover, convertible securities with innovative structures, such as mandatory-conversion securities and equity-linked securities, have increased the sensitivity of the convertible securities market to the volatility of the equity markets and to the special risks of those innovations, which may include risks different from, and possibly greater than, those associated with traditional convertible securities. A convertible security may be subject to redemption at the option of the issuer at a price set in the governing instrument of the convertible security. If a convertible security held by a fund is subject to such redemption option and is called for redemption, the fund must allow the issuer to redeem the security, convert it into the underlying common stock, or sell the security to a third party.

Cybersecurity Risks. The increased use of technology to conduct business could subject a fund and its third-party service providers (including, but not limited to, investment advisors, transfer agents, and custodians) to risks associated with cybersecurity. In general, a cybersecurity incident can occur as a result of a deliberate attack designed to gain unauthorized access to digital systems. If the attack is successful, an unauthorized person or persons could misappropriate assets or sensitive information, corrupt data, or cause operational disruption. A cybersecurity incident could also occur unintentionally if, for example, an authorized person inadvertently released proprietary or confidential information. Vanguard has developed robust technological safeguards and business continuity plans to prevent, or reduce the impact of, potential cybersecurity incidents. Additionally, Vanguard has a process for assessing the information security and/or cybersecurity programs implemented by a fund’s third-party service providers, which helps minimize the risk of potential incidents that could impact a Vanguard fund or its shareholders. Despite these measures, a cybersecurity incident still has the potential to disrupt business operations, which could negatively impact a fund and/or its shareholders. Some examples of negative impacts that could occur as a result of a cybersecurity incident include, but are not limited to, the following: a fund may be unable to calculate its net asset value (NAV), a fund’s shareholders may be unable to transact business, a fund may be unable to process transactions, or a fund may be unable to safeguard its data or the personal information of its shareholders.

Debt Securities. A debt security, sometimes called a fixed income security, consists of a certificate or other evidence of a debt (secured or unsecured) upon which the issuer of the debt security promises to pay the holder a fixed, variable, or floating rate of interest for a specified length of time and to repay the debt on the specified maturity date. Some debt securities, such as zero-coupon bonds, do not make regular interest payments but are issued at a discount to their principal or maturity value. Debt securities include a variety of fixed income obligations, including, but not limited to, corporate bonds, government securities, municipal securities, convertible securities, mortgage-backed securities, and asset-backed securities. Debt securities include investment-grade securities, non-investment-grade securities, and unrated securities. Debt securities are subject to a variety of risks, such as interest rate risk, income risk, call risk, prepayment risk, extension risk, inflation risk, credit risk, liquidity risk, coupon deferral risk, lower recovery value risk, and (in the case of foreign securities) country risk and currency risk. The reorganization of an issuer under the federal bankruptcy laws or an out-of-court restructuring of an issuer’s capital structure may result in the issuer’s debt securities being cancelled without repayment, repaid only in part, or repaid in part or in whole through an exchange thereof for any combination of cash, debt securities, convertible securities, equity securities, or other instruments or rights in respect to the same issuer or a related entity.

Debt Securities—Non-Investment-Grade Securities. Non-investment-grade securities, also referred to as “high-yield securities” or “junk bonds,” are debt securities that are rated lower than the four highest rating categories by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization (e.g., lower than Baa3/P-2 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (Moody’s) or below BBB–/A-2 by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC (Standard & Poor’s)) or, if unrated, are determined to be of comparable quality by the fund’s advisor. These securities are generally considered to be, on

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balance, predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation, and they will generally involve more credit risk than securities in the investment-grade categories. Non-investment-grade securities generally provide greater income and opportunity for capital appreciation than higher quality securities, but they also typically entail greater price volatility and principal and income risk.

Analysis of the creditworthiness of issuers of high-yield securities may be more complex than for issuers of investment-grade securities. Thus, reliance on credit ratings in making investment decisions entails greater risks for high-yield securities than for investment-grade securities. The success of a fund’s advisor in managing high-yield securities is more dependent upon its own credit analysis than is the case with investment-grade securities.

Some high-yield securities are issued by smaller, less-seasoned companies, while others are issued as part of a corporate restructuring such as an acquisition, a merger, or a leveraged buyout. Companies that issue high-yield securities are often highly leveraged and may not have more traditional methods of financing available to them. Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of such issuers generally is greater than is the case with investment-grade securities. Some high-yield securities were once rated as investment-grade but have been downgraded to junk bond status because of financial difficulties experienced by their issuers.

The market values of high-yield securities tend to reflect individual issuer developments to a greater extent than do investment-grade securities, which in general react to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. High-yield securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are investment-grade securities. An actual or anticipated economic downturn or sustained period of rising interest rates, for example, could cause a decline in junk bond prices because the advent of a recession could lessen the ability of a highly leveraged company to make principal and interest payments on its debt securities. If an issuer of high-yield securities defaults, in addition to risking payment of all or a portion of interest and principal, a fund investing in such securities may incur additional expenses to seek recovery.

The secondary market on which high-yield securities are traded may be less liquid than the market for investment-grade securities. Less liquidity in the secondary trading market could adversely affect the ability of a fund’s advisor to sell a high-yield security or the price at which a fund’s advisor could sell a high-yield security, and it could also adversely affect the daily net asset value of fund shares. When secondary markets for high-yield securities are less liquid than the market for investment-grade securities, it may be more difficult to value the securities because such valuation may require more research, and elements of judgment may play a greater role in the valuation of the securities.

Except as otherwise provided in a fund’s prospectus, if a credit rating agency changes the rating of a portfolio security held by a fund, the fund may retain the portfolio security if the advisor deems it in the best interests of shareholders.

Depositary Receipts. Depositary receipts (also sold as participatory notes) are securities that evidence ownership interests in a security or a pool of securities that have been deposited with a “depository.” Depositary receipts may be sponsored or unsponsored and include American Depositary Receipts (ADRs), European Depositary Receipts (EDRs), and Global Depositary Receipts (GDRs). For ADRs, the depository is typically a U.S. financial institution, and the underlying securities are issued by a foreign issuer. For other depositary receipts, the depository may be a foreign or a U.S. entity, and the underlying securities may have a foreign or a U.S. issuer. Depositary receipts will not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as their underlying securities. Generally, ADRs are issued in registered form, denominated in U.S. dollars, and designed for use in the U.S. securities markets. Other depositary receipts, such as GDRs and EDRs, may be issued in bearer form and denominated in other currencies, and they are generally designed for use in securities markets outside the United States. Although the two types of depositary receipt facilities (sponsored and unsponsored) are similar, there are differences regarding a holder’s rights and obligations and the practices of market participants.

A depository may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by (or acquiescence of) the underlying issuer; typically, however, the depository requests a letter of nonobjection from the underlying issuer prior to establishing the facility. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of the facility. The depository usually charges fees upon the deposit and withdrawal of the underlying securities, the conversion of dividends into U.S. dollars or other currency, the disposition of noncash distributions, and the performance of other services. The depository of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the underlying issuer or to pass through voting rights to depositary receipt holders with respect to the underlying securities.

Sponsored depositary receipt facilities are created in generally the same manner as unsponsored facilities, except that sponsored depositary receipts are established jointly by a depository and the underlying issuer through a deposit agreement. The deposit agreement sets out the rights and responsibilities of the underlying issuer, the depository, and

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the depositary receipt holders. With sponsored facilities, the underlying issuer typically bears some of the costs of the depositary receipts (such as dividend payment fees of the depository), although most sponsored depositary receipt holders may bear costs such as deposit and withdrawal fees. Depositories of most sponsored depositary receipts agree to distribute notices of shareholder meetings, voting instructions, and other shareholder communications and information to the depositary receipt holders at the underlying issuer’s request.

For purposes of a fund’s investment policies, investments in depositary receipts will be deemed to be investments in the underlying securities. Thus, a depositary receipt representing ownership of common stock will be treated as common stock. Depositary receipts do not eliminate all of the risks associated with directly investing in the securities of foreign issuers.

Derivatives. A derivative is a financial instrument that has a value based on—or “derived from”—the values of other assets, reference rates, or indexes. Derivatives may relate to a wide variety of underlying references, such as commodities, stocks, bonds, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and related indexes. Derivatives include futures contracts and options on futures contracts, certain forward-commitment transactions, options on securities, caps, floors, collars, swap agreements, and certain other financial instruments. Some derivatives, such as futures contracts and certain options, are traded on U.S. commodity and securities exchanges, while other derivatives, such as swap agreements, may be privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter market (OTC Derivatives) or may be cleared through a clearinghouse (Cleared Derivatives) and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. As a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the Dodd-Frank Act), certain swap agreements, such as certain standardized credit default and interest rate swap agreements, must be cleared through a clearinghouse and traded on an exchange or swap execution facility. This could result in an increase in the overall costs of such transactions. While the intent of derivatives regulatory reform is to mitigate risks associated with derivatives markets, the regulations could, among other things, increase liquidity and decrease pricing for more standardized products while decreasing liquidity and increasing pricing for less standardized products. The risks associated with the use of derivatives are different from, and possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities or assets on which the derivatives are based.

Derivatives may be used for a variety of purposes, including—but not limited to—hedging, managing risk, seeking to stay fully invested, seeking to reduce transaction costs, seeking to simulate an investment in equity or debt securities or other investments, and seeking to add value by using derivatives to more efficiently implement portfolio positions when derivatives are favorably priced relative to equity or debt securities or other investments. Some investors may use derivatives primarily for speculative purposes while other uses of derivatives may not constitute speculation. There is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by a fund’s advisor will succeed. The other parties to a fund’s OTC Derivatives contracts (usually referred to as “counterparties”) will not be considered the issuers thereof for purposes of certain provisions of the 1940 Act and the IRC, although such OTC Derivatives may qualify as securities or investments under such laws. A fund’s advisor(s), however, will monitor and adjust, as appropriate, the fund’s credit risk exposure to OTC Derivative counterparties.

Derivative products are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques and risk analyses different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of a derivative requires an understanding not only of the underlying instrument but also of the derivative itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the derivative under all possible market conditions.

When a fund enters into a Cleared Derivative, an initial margin deposit with a Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) is required. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a Cleared Derivative over a fixed period. If the value of the fund’s Cleared Derivatives declines, the fund will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. If the value of the fund’s Cleared Derivatives increases, the FCM will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to the fund to settle the change in value. This process is known as “marking-to-market” and is calculated on a daily basis.

For OTC Derivatives, a fund is subject to the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the contract. Additionally, the use of credit derivatives can result in losses if a fund’s advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit derivative is based.

Derivatives may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular derivative is difficult to purchase or sell. If a derivative transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with certain OTC Derivatives), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price.

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Derivatives may be subject to pricing or “basis” risk, which exists when a particular derivative becomes extraordinarily expensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity.

Because certain derivatives have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the derivative itself. Certain derivatives have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A derivative transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

Like most other investments, derivative instruments are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a fund’s interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other financial or economic factors in establishing derivative positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use a derivative as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the derivative will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving derivative instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many derivatives (in particular, OTC Derivatives) are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.

The Fund intends to comply with Rule 4.5 under the Commodity Exchange Act (CEA), under which a mutual fund may be excluded from the definition of the term Commodity Pool Operator (CPO) if the fund meets certain conditions such as limiting its investments in certain CEA-regulated instruments (e.g., futures, options, or swaps) and complying with certain marketing restrictions. Accordingly, Vanguard is not subject to registration or regulation as a CPO with respect to the Fund under the CEA. The Fund will only enter into futures contracts and futures options that are traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade, or similar entity or that are quoted on an automated quotation system.

Exchange-Traded Funds. A fund may purchase shares of exchange-traded funds (ETFs). Typically, a fund would purchase ETF shares for the same reason it would purchase (and as an alternative to purchasing) futures contracts: to obtain exposure to all or a portion of the stock or bond market. ETF shares enjoy several advantages over futures. Depending on the market, the holding period, and other factors, ETF shares can be less costly and more tax-efficient than futures. In addition, ETF shares can be purchased for smaller sums, offer exposure to market sectors and styles for which there is no suitable or liquid futures contract, and do not involve leverage.

An investment in an ETF generally presents the same principal risks as an investment in a conventional fund (i.e., one that is not exchange-traded) that has the same investment objective, strategies, and policies. The price of an ETF can fluctuate within a wide range, and a fund could lose money investing in an ETF if the prices of the securities owned by the ETF go down. In addition, ETFs are subject to the following risks that do not apply to conventional funds: (1) the market price of an ETF’s shares may trade at a discount or a premium to their net asset value; (2) an active trading market for an ETF’s shares may not develop or be maintained; and (3) trading of an ETF’s shares may be halted by the activation of individual or marketwide trading halts (which halt trading for a specific period of time when the price of a particular security or overall market prices decline by a specified percentage). Trading of an ETF’s shares may also be halted if the shares are delisted from the exchange without first being listed on another exchange or if the listing exchange’s officials determine that such action is appropriate in the interest of a fair and orderly market or for the protection of investors.

Most ETFs are investment companies. Therefore, a fund’s purchases of ETF shares generally are subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a fund’s investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading “Other Investment Companies.”

Foreign Securities. Typically, foreign securities are considered to be equity or debt securities issued by entities organized, domiciled, or with a principal executive office outside the United States, such as foreign corporations and governments. Securities issued by certain companies organized outside the United States may not be deemed to be foreign securities if the company’s principal operations are conducted from the United States or when the company’s equity securities trade principally on a U.S. stock exchange. Foreign securities may trade in U.S. or foreign securities markets. A fund may make foreign investments either directly by purchasing foreign securities or indirectly by

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purchasing depositary receipts or depositary shares of similar instruments (depositary receipts) for foreign securities. Direct investments in foreign securities may be made either on foreign securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter (OTC) markets. Investing in foreign securities involves certain special risk considerations that are not typically associated with investing in securities of U.S. companies or governments.

Because foreign issuers are not generally subject to uniform accounting, auditing, and financial reporting standards and practices comparable to those applicable to U.S. issuers, there may be less publicly available information about certain foreign issuers than about U.S. issuers. Evidence of securities ownership may be uncertain in many foreign countries. As a result, there are risks that could result in a loss to the fund, including, but not limited to, the risk that a fund’s trade details could be incorrectly or fraudulently entered at the time of a transaction. Securities of foreign issuers are generally more volatile and less liquid than securities of comparable U.S. issuers, and foreign investments may be effected through structures that may be complex or confusing. In certain countries, there is less government supervision and regulation of stock exchanges, brokers, and listed companies than in the United States. The risk that securities traded on foreign exchanges may be suspended, either by the issuers themselves, by an exchange, or by government authorities, is also heightened. In addition, with respect to certain foreign countries, there is the possibility of expropriation or confiscatory taxation, political or social instability, war, terrorism, nationalization, limitations on the removal of funds or other assets, or diplomatic developments that could affect U.S. investments in those countries. Additionally, economic or other sanctions imposed on the United States by a foreign country, or imposed on a foreign country or issuer by the United States, could impair a fund’s ability to buy, sell, hold, receive, deliver, or otherwise transact in certain investment securities. Sanctions could also affect the value and/or liquidity of a foreign security.

Although an advisor will endeavor to achieve the most favorable execution costs for a fund’s portfolio transactions in foreign securities under the circumstances, commissions and other transaction costs are generally higher than those on U.S. securities. In addition, it is expected that the custodian arrangement expenses for a fund that invests primarily in foreign securities will be somewhat greater than the expenses for a fund that invests primarily in domestic securities. Additionally, bankruptcy laws vary by jurisdiction and cash deposits may be subject to a custodian’s creditors. Certain foreign governments levy withholding or other taxes against dividend and interest income from, capital gains on the sale of, or transactions in foreign securities. Although in some countries a portion of these taxes is recoverable by the fund, the nonrecovered portion of foreign withholding taxes will reduce the income received from such securities.

The value of the foreign securities held by a fund that are not U.S. dollar-denominated may be significantly affected by changes in currency exchange rates. The U.S. dollar value of a foreign security generally decreases when the value of the U.S. dollar rises against the foreign currency in which the security is denominated, and it tends to increase when the value of the U.S. dollar falls against such currency (as discussed under the heading “Foreign Securities—Foreign Currency Transactions,” a fund may attempt to hedge its currency risks). In addition, the value of fund assets may be affected by losses and other expenses incurred from converting between various currencies in order to purchase and sell foreign securities, as well as by currency restrictions, exchange control regulations, currency devaluations, and political and economic developments.

Foreign Securities—Emerging Market Risk. Investing in emerging market countries involves certain risks not typically associated with investing in the United States, and it imposes risks greater than, or in addition to, risks of investing in more developed foreign countries. These risks include, but are not limited to, the following: nationalization or expropriation of assets or confiscatory taxation; currency devaluations and other currency exchange rate fluctuations; greater social, economic, and political uncertainty and instability (including amplified risk of war and terrorism); more substantial government involvement in the economy; less government supervision and regulation of the securities markets and participants in those markets and possible arbitrary and unpredictable enforcement of securities regulations and other laws; controls on foreign investment and limitations on repatriation of invested capital and on the fund’s ability to exchange local currencies for U.S. dollars; unavailability of currency-hedging techniques in certain emerging market countries; generally smaller, less seasoned, or newly organized companies; differences in, or lack of, auditing and financial reporting standards, which may result in unavailability of material information about issuers; difficulty in obtaining and/or enforcing a judgment in a court outside the United States; and greater price volatility, substantially less liquidity, and significantly smaller market capitalization of securities markets. Also, any change in the leadership or politics of emerging market countries, or the countries that exercise a significant influence over those countries, may halt the expansion of or reverse the liberalization of foreign investment policies now occurring and adversely affect existing investment opportunities. Furthermore, high rates of inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had, and may continue to have, negative effects on the economies and securities markets of certain emerging market countries. Custodial expenses and other investment-related costs are often more expensive in emerging market countries, which can reduce a fund’s income from investments in securities or debt instruments of emerging market country issuers.

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Foreign Securities—Foreign Currency Transactions. The value in U.S. dollars of a fund’s non-dollar-denominated foreign securities may be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations, and the fund may incur costs in connection with conversions between various currencies. To seek to minimize the impact of such factors on net asset values, a fund may engage in foreign currency transactions in connection with its investments in foreign securities. A fund will enter into foreign currency transactions only to attempt to “hedge” the currency risk associated with investing in foreign securities. Although such transactions tend to minimize the risk of loss that would result from a decline in the value of the hedged currency, they also may limit any potential gain that might result should the value of such currency increase.

Currency exchange transactions may be conducted either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the rate prevailing in the currency exchange market or through forward contracts to purchase or sell foreign currencies. A forward currency contract involves an obligation to purchase or sell a specific currency at a future date, which may be any fixed number of days from the date of the contract agreed upon by the parties, at a price set at the time of the contract. These contracts are entered into with large commercial banks or other currency traders who are participants in the interbank market. Currency exchange transactions also may be effected through the use of swap agreements or other derivatives.

Currency exchange transactions may be considered borrowings. A currency exchange transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

By entering into a forward contract for the purchase or sale of foreign currency involved in underlying security transactions, a fund may be able to protect itself against part or all of the possible loss between trade and settlement dates for that purchase or sale resulting from an adverse change in the relationship between the U.S. dollar and such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as “transaction hedging.” In addition, when the advisor reasonably believes that a particular foreign currency may suffer a substantial decline against the U.S. dollar, a fund may enter into a forward contract to sell an amount of foreign currency approximating the value of some or all of its portfolio securities denominated in such foreign currency. This practice is sometimes referred to as “portfolio hedging.” Similarly, when the advisor reasonably believes that the U.S. dollar may suffer a substantial decline against a foreign currency, a fund may enter into a forward contract to buy that foreign currency for a fixed dollar amount.

A fund may also attempt to hedge its foreign currency exchange rate risk by engaging in currency futures, options, and “cross-hedge” transactions. In cross-hedge transactions, a fund holding securities denominated in one foreign currency will enter into a forward currency contract to buy or sell a different foreign currency (one that the advisor reasonably believes generally tracks the currency being hedged with regard to price movements). The advisor may select the tracking (or substitute) currency rather than the currency in which the security is denominated for various reasons, including in order to take advantage of pricing or other opportunities presented by the tracking currency or to take advantage of a more liquid or more efficient market for the tracking currency. Such cross-hedges are expected to help protect a fund against an increase or decrease in the value of the U.S. dollar against certain foreign currencies.

A fund may hold a portion of its assets in bank deposits denominated in foreign currencies so as to facilitate investment in foreign securities as well as protect against currency fluctuations and the need to convert such assets into U.S. dollars (thereby also reducing transaction costs). To the extent these assets are converted back into U.S. dollars, the value of the assets so maintained will be affected favorably or unfavorably by changes in foreign currency exchange rates and exchange control regulations.

Forecasting the movement of the currency market is extremely difficult. Whether any hedging strategy will be successful is highly uncertain. Moreover, it is impossible to forecast with precision the market value of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward currency contract. Accordingly, a fund may be required to buy or sell additional currency on the spot market (and bear the expense of such transaction) if its advisor’s predictions regarding the movement of foreign currency or securities markets prove inaccurate. In addition, the use of cross-hedging transactions may involve special risks and may leave a fund in a less advantageous position than if such a hedge had not been established. Because forward currency contracts are privately negotiated transactions, there can be no assurance that a fund will have flexibility to roll over a forward currency contract upon its expiration if it desires to do so. Additionally, there can be no assurance that the other party to the contract will perform its services thereunder.

Foreign Securities—Foreign Investment Companies. Some of the countries in which a fund may invest may not permit, or may place economic restrictions on, direct investment by outside investors. Fund investments in such

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countries may be permitted only through foreign government-approved or authorized investment vehicles, which may include other investment companies. Such investments may be made through registered or unregistered closed-end investment companies that invest in foreign securities. Investing through such vehicles may involve layered fees or expenses and may also be subject to the limitations on, and the risks of, a fund’s investments in other investment companies, which are described under the heading “Other Investment Companies.”

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts. Futures contracts and options on futures contracts are derivatives. A futures contract is a standardized agreement between two parties to buy or sell at a specific time in the future a specific quantity of a commodity at a specific price. The commodity may consist of an asset, a reference rate, or an index. A security futures contract relates to the sale of a specific quantity of shares of a single equity security or a narrow-based securities index. The value of a futures contract tends to increase and decrease in tandem with the value of the underlying commodity. The buyer of a futures contract enters into an agreement to purchase the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be “long” the contract. The seller of a futures contract enters into an agreement to sell the underlying commodity on the settlement date and is said to be “short” the contract. The price at which a futures contract is entered into is established either in the electronic marketplace or by open outcry on the floor of an exchange between exchange members acting as traders or brokers. Open futures contracts can be liquidated or closed out by physical delivery of the underlying commodity or payment of the cash settlement amount on the settlement date, depending on the terms of the particular contract. Some financial futures contracts (such as security futures) provide for physical settlement at maturity. Other financial futures contracts (such as those relating to interest rates, foreign currencies, and broad-based securities indexes) generally provide for cash settlement at maturity. In the case of cash-settled futures contracts, the cash settlement amount is equal to the difference between the final settlement or market price for the relevant commodity on the last trading day of the contract and the price for the relevant commodity agreed upon at the outset of the contract. Most futures contracts, however, are not held until maturity but instead are “offset” before the settlement date through the establishment of an opposite and equal futures position.

The purchaser or seller of a futures contract is not required to deliver or pay for the underlying commodity unless the contract is held until the settlement date. However, both the purchaser and seller are required to deposit “initial margin” with a futures commission merchant (FCM) when the futures contract is entered into. Initial margin deposits are typically calculated as an amount equal to the volatility in market value of a contract over a fixed period. If the value of the fund’s position declines, the fund will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to the FCM to settle the change in value. If the value of the fund’s position increases, the FCM will be required to make additional “variation margin” payments to the fund to settle the change in value. This process is known as “marking-to-market” and is calculated on a daily basis. A futures transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

An option on a futures contract (or futures option) conveys the right, but not the obligation, to purchase (in the case of a call option) or sell (in the case of a put option) a specific futures contract at a specific price (called the “exercise” or “strike” price) any time before the option expires. The seller of an option is called an option writer. The purchase price of an option is called the premium. The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case, for example, if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is “in-the-money” at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying futures contract exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying futures contract. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer.

A fund that takes the position of a writer of a futures option is required to deposit and maintain initial and variation margin with respect to the option, as previously described in the case of futures contracts. A futures option transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

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Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts—Risks. The risk of loss in trading futures contracts and in writing futures options can be substantial because of the low margin deposits required, the extremely high degree of leverage involved in futures and options pricing, and the potential high volatility of the futures markets. As a result, a relatively small price movement in a futures position may result in immediate and substantial loss (or gain) for the investor. For example, if at the time of purchase, 10% of the value of the futures contract is deposited as margin, a subsequent 10% decrease in the value of the futures contract would result in a total loss of the margin deposit, before any deduction for the transaction costs, if the account were then closed out. A 15% decrease would result in a loss equal to 150% of the original margin deposit if the contract were closed out. Thus, a purchase or sale of a futures contract, and the writing of a futures option, may result in losses in excess of the amount invested in the position. In the event of adverse price movements, a fund would continue to be required to make daily cash payments to maintain its required margin. In such situations, if the fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell portfolio securities to meet daily margin requirements (and segregation requirements, if applicable) at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so. In addition, on the settlement date, a fund may be required to make delivery of the instruments underlying the futures positions it holds.

A fund could suffer losses if it is unable to close out a futures contract or a futures option because of an illiquid secondary market. Futures contracts and futures options may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market for such products. However, there can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures product at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close a futures or option position. Moreover, most futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day, and therefore does not limit potential losses because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of future positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses. The inability to close futures and options positions also could have an adverse impact on the ability to hedge a portfolio investment or to establish a substitute for a portfolio investment. U.S. Treasury futures are generally not subject to such daily limits.

A fund bears the risk that its advisor will incorrectly predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use a futures contract or a futures option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the futures position will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving futures products can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments.

A fund could lose margin payments it has deposited with its FCM if, for example, the FCM breaches its agreement with the fund or becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy. In that event, the fund may be entitled to return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the FCM’s other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the fund.

Interfund Borrowing and Lending. The SEC has granted an exemption permitting registered open-end Vanguard funds to participate in Vanguard’s interfund lending program. This program allows the Vanguard funds to borrow money from and lend money to each other for temporary or emergency purposes. The program is subject to a number of conditions, including, among other things, the requirements that (1) no fund may borrow or lend money through the program unless it receives a more favorable interest rate than is typically available from a bank for a comparable transaction, (2) no fund may lend money if the loan would cause its aggregate outstanding loans through the program to exceed 15% of its net assets at the time of the loan, and (3) a fund’s interfund loans to any one fund shall not exceed 5% of the lending fund’s net assets. In addition, a Vanguard fund may participate in the program only if and to the extent that such participation is consistent with the fund’s investment objective and investment policies. The boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds are responsible for overseeing the interfund lending program. Any delay in repayment to a lending fund could result in a lost investment opportunity or additional borrowing costs.

Investing for Control. Each Vanguard fund invests in securities and other instruments for the sole purpose of achieving a specific investment objective. As such, a Vanguard fund does not seek to acquire, individually or collectively with any other Vanguard fund, enough of a company’s outstanding voting stock to have control over management decisions. A Vanguard fund does not invest for the purpose of controlling a company’s management.

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Market Disruption. Significant market disruptions, such as those caused by pandemics, natural or environmental disasters, war, acts of terrorism, or other events, can adversely affect local and global markets and normal market operations. Market disruptions may exacerbate political, social, and economic risks discussed above and in a fund’s prospectus. Additionally, market disruptions may result in increased market volatility; regulatory trading halts; closure of domestic or foreign exchanges, markets, or governments; or market participants operating pursuant to business continuity plans for indeterminate periods of time. Such events can be highly disruptive to economies and markets and significantly impact individual companies, sectors, industries, markets, currencies, interest and inflation rates, credit ratings, investor sentiment, and other factors affecting the value of a fund’s investments and operation of a fund. These events could also result in the closure of businesses that are integral to a fund’s operations or otherwise disrupt the ability of employees of fund service providers to perform essential tasks on behalf of a fund.

Options. An option is a derivative. An option on a security (or index) is a contract that gives the holder of the option, in return for the payment of a “premium,” the right, but not the obligation, to buy from (in the case of a call option) or sell to (in the case of a put option) the writer of the option the security underlying the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified exercise price prior to the expiration date of the option. The writer of an option on a security has the obligation upon exercise of the option to deliver the underlying security upon payment of the exercise price (in the case of a call option) or to pay the exercise price upon delivery of the underlying security (in the case of a put option). The writer of an option on an index has the obligation upon exercise of the option to pay an amount equal to the cash value of the index minus the exercise price, multiplied by the specified multiplier for the index option. The multiplier for an index option determines the size of the investment position the option represents. Unlike exchange-traded options, which are standardized with respect to the underlying instrument, expiration date, contract size, and strike price, the terms of over-the-counter (OTC) options (options not traded on exchanges) generally are established through negotiation with the other party to the option contract. Although this type of arrangement allows the purchaser or writer greater flexibility to tailor an option to its needs, OTC options generally involve credit risk to the counterparty, whereas for exchange-traded, centrally cleared options, credit risk is mutualized through the involvement of the applicable clearing house.

The buyer (or holder) of an option is said to be “long” the option, while the seller (or writer) of an option is said to be “short” the option. A call option grants to the holder the right to buy (and obligates the writer to sell) the underlying security at the strike price, which is the predetermined price at which the option may be exercised. A put option grants to the holder the right to sell (and obligates the writer to buy) the underlying security at the strike price. The purchase price of an option is called the “premium.” The potential loss to an option buyer is limited to the amount of the premium plus transaction costs. This will be the case if the option is held and not exercised prior to its expiration date. Generally, an option writer sells options with the goal of obtaining the premium paid by the option buyer, but that person could also seek to profit from an anticipated rise or decline in option prices. If an option sold by an option writer expires without being exercised, the writer retains the full amount of the premium. The option writer, however, has unlimited economic risk because its potential loss, except to the extent offset by the premium received when the option was written, is equal to the amount the option is “in-the-money” at the expiration date. A call option is in-the-money if the value of the underlying position exceeds the exercise price of the option. A put option is in-the-money if the exercise price of the option exceeds the value of the underlying position. Generally, any profit realized by an option buyer represents a loss for the option writer. The writing of an option will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

If a trading market, in particular options, were to become unavailable, investors in those options (such as the funds) would be unable to close out their positions until trading resumes, and they may be faced with substantial losses if the value of the underlying instrument moves adversely during that time. Even if the market were to remain available, there may be times when options prices will not maintain their customary or anticipated relationships to the prices of the underlying instruments and related instruments. Lack of investor interest, changes in volatility, or other factors or conditions might adversely affect the liquidity, efficiency, continuity, or even the orderliness of the market for particular options.

A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately predict future market trends. If the advisor attempts to use an option as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the option will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation with the portfolio investment, which could cause substantial

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losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving options can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many options, in particular OTC options, are complex and often valued based on subjective factors. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.

OTC Swap Agreements. An over-the-counter (OTC) swap agreement, which is a type of derivative, is an agreement between two parties (counterparties) to exchange payments at specified dates (periodic payment dates) on the basis of a specified amount (notional amount) with the payments calculated with reference to a specified asset, reference rate, or index.

Examples of OTC swap agreements include, but are not limited to, interest rate swaps, credit default swaps, equity swaps, commodity swaps, foreign currency swaps, index swaps, excess return swaps, and total return swaps. Most OTC swap agreements provide that when the periodic payment dates for both parties are the same, payments are netted and only the net amount is paid to the counterparty entitled to receive the net payment. Consequently, a fund’s current obligations (or rights) under an OTC swap agreement will generally be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement, based on the relative values of the positions held by each counterparty. OTC swap agreements allow for a wide variety of transactions. For example, fixed rate payments may be exchanged for floating rate payments; U.S. dollar-denominated payments may be exchanged for payments denominated in a different currency; and payments tied to the price of one asset, reference rate, or index may be exchanged for payments tied to the price of another asset, reference rate, or index.

An OTC option on an OTC swap agreement, also called a “swaption,” is an option that gives the buyer the right, but not the obligation, to enter into a swap on a future date in exchange for paying a market-based “premium.” A receiver swaption gives the owner the right to receive the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. A payer swaption gives the owner the right to pay the total return of a specified asset, reference rate, or index. Swaptions also include options that allow an existing swap to be terminated or extended by one of the counterparties.

The use of OTC swap agreements by a fund entails certain risks, which may be different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the securities and other investments that are the referenced asset for the swap agreement. OTC swaps are highly specialized instruments that require investment techniques, risk analyses, and tax planning different from those associated with stocks, bonds, and other traditional investments. The use of an OTC swap requires an understanding not only of the referenced asset, reference rate, or index but also of the swap itself, without the benefit of observing the performance of the swap under all possible market conditions.

OTC swap agreements may be subject to liquidity risk, which exists when a particular swap is difficult to purchase or sell. If an OTC swap transaction is particularly large or if the relevant market is illiquid (as is the case with many OTC swaps), it may not be possible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position at an advantageous time or price, which may result in significant losses. In addition, OTC swap transactions may be subject to a fund’s limitation on investments in illiquid securities.

OTC swap agreements may be subject to pricing risk, which exists when a particular swap becomes extraordinarily expensive or inexpensive relative to historical prices or the prices of corresponding cash market instruments. Under certain market conditions, it may not be economically feasible to initiate a transaction or liquidate a position in time to avoid a loss or take advantage of an opportunity or to realize the intrinsic value of the OTC swap agreement.

Because certain OTC swap agreements have a leverage component, adverse changes in the value or level of the underlying asset, reference rate, or index can result in a loss substantially greater than the amount invested in the swap itself. Certain OTC swaps have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the initial investment. A leveraged OTC swap transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

Like most other investments, OTC swap agreements are subject to the risk that the market value of the instrument will change in a way detrimental to a fund’s interest. A fund bears the risk that its advisor will not accurately forecast future market trends or the values of assets, reference rates, indexes, or other economic factors in establishing OTC swap positions for the fund. If the advisor attempts to use an OTC swap as a hedge against, or as a substitute for, a portfolio investment, the fund will be exposed to the risk that the OTC swap will have or will develop imperfect or no correlation

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with the portfolio investment. This could cause substantial losses for the fund. Although hedging strategies involving OTC swap instruments can reduce the risk of loss, they can also reduce the opportunity for gain or even result in losses by offsetting favorable price movements in other fund investments. Many OTC swaps are complex and often valued subjectively. Improper valuations can result in increased cash payment requirements to counterparties or a loss of value to a fund.

The use of an OTC swap agreement also involves the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the insolvency or bankruptcy of the counterparty or the failure of the counterparty to make required payments or otherwise comply with the terms of the agreement. Additionally, the use of credit default swaps can result in losses if a fund’s advisor does not correctly evaluate the creditworthiness of the issuer on which the credit swap is based.

Other Investment Companies. A fund may invest in other investment companies to the extent permitted by applicable law or SEC exemption. Under Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act, a fund may invest up to 10% of its assets in shares of investment companies generally and up to 5% of its assets in any one investment company, as long as no investment represents more than 3% of the voting stock of an acquired investment company. In addition, no funds for which Vanguard acts as an advisor may, in the aggregate, own more than 10% of the voting stock of a closed-end investment company. The 1940 Act and related rules provide certain exemptions from these restrictions, for example, for funds that invest in other funds within the same group of investment companies. If a fund invests in other investment companies, shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the fund’s expenses (including operating expenses and the fees of the advisor), but they also may indirectly bear similar expenses of the underlying investment companies. Certain investment companies, such as business development companies (BDCs), are more akin to operating companies and, as such, their expenses are not direct expenses paid by fund shareholders and are not used to calculate the fund’s net asset value. SEC rules nevertheless require that any expenses incurred by a BDC be included in a fund’s expense ratio as “Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses.” The expense ratio of a fund that holds a BDC will thus overstate what the fund actually spends on portfolio management, administrative services, and other shareholder services by an amount equal to these Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses. The Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are not included in a fund’s financial statements, which provide a clearer picture of a fund’s actual operating expenses. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only with the investments of the fund but also with the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies. Certain types of investment companies, such as closed-end investment companies, issue a fixed number of shares that typically trade on a stock exchange or over-the-counter at a premium or discount to their net asset value. Others are continuously offered at net asset value but also may be traded on the secondary market.

A fund may be limited to purchasing a particular share class of other investment companies (underlying funds). In certain cases, an investor may be able to purchase lower-cost shares of such underlying funds separately, and therefore be able to construct, and maintain over time, a similar portfolio of investments while incurring lower overall expenses.

Preferred Stock. Preferred stock represents an equity or ownership interest in an issuer. Preferred stock normally pays dividends at a specified rate and has precedence over common stock in the event the issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy. However, in the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of bonds take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred and common stock. Preferred stock, unlike common stock, often has a stated dividend rate payable from the corporation’s earnings. Preferred stock dividends may be cumulative or noncumulative, participating, or auction rate. “Cumulative” dividend provisions require all or a portion of prior unpaid dividends to be paid before dividends can be paid to the issuer’s common stock. “Participating” preferred stock may be entitled to a dividend exceeding the stated dividend in certain cases. If interest rates rise, the fixed dividend on preferred stocks may be less attractive, causing the price of such stocks to decline. Preferred stock may have mandatory sinking fund provisions, as well as provisions allowing the stock to be called or redeemed, which can limit the benefit of a decline in interest rates. Preferred stock is subject to many of the risks to which common stock and debt securities are subject. In addition, preferred stock may be subject to more abrupt or erratic price movements than common stock or debt securities because preferred stock may trade with less frequency and in more limited volume.

Reliance on Service Providers, Data Providers, and Other Technology. Vanguard funds rely upon the performance of service providers to execute several key functions, which may include functions integral to a fund’s operations. Failure by any service provider to carry out its obligations to a fund could disrupt the business of the fund and could have an adverse effect on the fund’s performance. A fund’s service providers’ reliance on certain technology or

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information vendors (e.g., trading systems, investment analysis tools, benchmark analytics, and tax and accounting tools) could also adversely affect a fund and its shareholders. For example, a fund’s investment advisor may use models and/or data with respect to potential investments for the fund. When models or data prove to be incorrect or incomplete, any decisions made in reliance upon such models or data expose a fund to potential risks.

Repurchase Agreements. A repurchase agreement is an agreement under which a fund acquires a debt security (generally a security issued by the U.S. government or an agency thereof, a banker’s acceptance, or a certificate of deposit) from a bank, a broker, or a dealer and simultaneously agrees to resell such security to the seller at an agreed-upon price and date (normally, the next business day). Because the security purchased constitutes collateral for the repurchase obligation, a repurchase agreement may be considered a loan that is collateralized by the security purchased. The resale price reflects an agreed-upon interest rate effective for the period the instrument is held by a fund and is unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying instrument. In these transactions, the securities acquired by a fund (including accrued interest earned thereon) must have a total value in excess of the value of the repurchase agreement and be held by a custodian bank until repurchased. In addition, the investment advisor will monitor a fund’s repurchase agreement transactions generally and will evaluate the creditworthiness of any bank, broker, or dealer party to a repurchase agreement relating to a fund. The aggregate amount of any such agreements is not limited, except to the extent required by law.

The use of repurchase agreements involves certain risks. One risk is the seller’s ability to pay the agreed-upon repurchase price on the repurchase date. If the seller defaults, the fund may incur costs in disposing of the collateral, which would reduce the amount realized thereon. If the seller seeks relief under bankruptcy laws, the disposition of the collateral may be delayed or limited. For example, if the other party to the agreement becomes insolvent and subject to liquidation or reorganization under bankruptcy or other laws, a court may determine that the underlying security is collateral for a loan by the fund not within its control, and therefore the realization by the fund on such collateral may be automatically stayed. Finally, it is possible that the fund may not be able to substantiate its interest in the underlying security and may be deemed an unsecured creditor of the other party to the agreement.

Restricted and Illiquid Securities/Investments. Illiquid securities/investments are investments that a fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment. The SEC generally limits aggregate holdings of illiquid securities/investments by a mutual fund to 15% of its net assets (5% for money market funds). A fund may experience difficulty valuing and selling illiquid securities/investments and, in some cases, may be unable to value or sell certain illiquid securities for an indefinite period of time. Illiquid securities may include a wide variety of investments, such as (1) repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days (unless the agreements have demand/redemption features), (2) OTC options contracts and certain other derivatives (including certain swap agreements), (3) fixed time deposits that are not subject to prepayment or do not provide for withdrawal penalties upon prepayment (other than overnight deposits), (4) certain loan interests and other direct debt instruments, (5) certain municipal lease obligations, (6) private equity investments, (7) commercial paper issued pursuant to Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, and (8) securities whose disposition is restricted under the federal securities laws. Illiquid securities/investments may include restricted, privately placed securities that, under the federal securities laws, generally may be resold only to qualified institutional buyers. If a market develops for a restricted security held by a fund, it may be treated as a liquid security in accordance with guidelines approved by the board of trustees.

Reverse Repurchase Agreements. In a reverse repurchase agreement, a fund sells a security to another party, such as a bank or broker-dealer, in return for cash and agrees to repurchase that security at an agreed-upon price and time. Under a reverse repurchase agreement, the fund continues to receive any principal and interest payments on the underlying security during the term of the agreement. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the market value of securities retained by the fund may decline below the repurchase price of the securities sold by the fund that it is obligated to repurchase. In addition to the risk of such a loss, fees charged to the fund may exceed the return the fund earns from investing the proceeds received from the reverse repurchase agreement transaction. A reverse repurchase agreement may be considered a borrowing transaction for purposes of the 1940 Act. A reverse repurchase agreement transaction will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by a fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.” A fund will enter into reverse repurchase agreements only with parties whose creditworthiness has been reviewed and found satisfactory by the advisor. If the buyer in a

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reverse repurchase agreement becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, a fund’s use of proceeds from the sale may be restricted while the other party or its trustee or receiver determines if it will honor the fund’s right to repurchase the securities. If the fund is unable to recover the securities it sold in a reverse repurchase agreement, it would realize a loss equal to the difference between the value of the securities and the payment it received for them.

Securities Lending. A fund may lend its securities to financial institutions (typically brokers, dealers, and banks) to generate income for the fund. There are certain risks associated with lending securities, including counterparty, credit, market, regulatory, and operational risks. The advisor considers the creditworthiness of the borrower, among other factors, in making decisions with respect to the lending of securities, subject to oversight by the board of trustees. If the borrower defaults on its obligation to return the securities lent because of insolvency or other reasons, a fund could experience delays and costs in recovering the securities lent or in gaining access to the collateral. These delays and costs could be greater for certain types of foreign securities, as well as certain types of borrowers that are subject to global regulatory regimes. If a fund is not able to recover the securities lent, the fund may sell the collateral and purchase a replacement security in the market. Collateral investments are subject to market appreciation or depreciation. The value of the collateral could decrease below the value of the replacement investment by the time the replacement investment is purchased. Currently, a fund invests cash collateral into Vanguard Market Liquidity Fund, an affiliated money market fund that invests in high-quality, short-term money market instruments.

The terms and the structure of the loan arrangements, as well as the aggregate amount of securities loans, must be consistent with the 1940 Act and the rules or interpretations of the SEC thereunder. These provisions limit the amount of securities a fund may lend to 33⅓% of the fund’s total assets and require that (1) the borrower pledge and maintain with the fund collateral consisting of cash, an irrevocable letter of credit, or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government having at all times not less than 100% of the value of the securities lent; (2) the borrower add to such collateral whenever the price of the securities lent rises (i.e., the borrower “marks to market” on a daily basis); (3) the loan be made subject to termination by the fund at any time; and (4) the fund receives reasonable interest on the loan (which may include the fund investing any cash collateral in interest-bearing short-term investments), any distribution on the lent securities, and any increase in their market value. Loan arrangements made by a fund will comply with any other applicable regulatory requirements. At the present time, the SEC does not object if an investment company pays reasonable negotiated fees in connection with lent securities, so long as such fees are set forth in a written contract and approved by the investment company’s trustees. In addition, voting rights pass with the lent securities, but if a fund has knowledge that a material event will occur affecting securities on loan, and in respect to which the holder of the securities will be entitled to vote or consent, the lender must be entitled to call the loaned securities in time to vote or consent. A fund bears the risk that there may be a delay in the return of the securities, which may impair the fund’s ability to vote on such a matter. See Tax Status of the Fund for information about certain tax consequences related to a fund’s securities lending activities.

Pursuant to Vanguard’s securities lending policy, Vanguard’s fixed income and money market funds are not permitted to, and do not, lend their investment securities.

Tax Matters—Federal Tax Discussion. Discussion herein of U.S. federal income tax matters summarizes some of the important, generally applicable U.S. federal tax considerations relevant to investment in a fund based on the IRC, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authorities. These authorities are subject to change by legislative, administrative, or judicial action, possibly with retroactive effect. The Fund has not requested and will not request an advance ruling from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) as to the U.S. federal income tax matters discussed in this Statement of Additional Information. In some cases, a fund’s tax position may be uncertain under current tax law and an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to such a position could adversely affect the fund and its shareholders, including the fund’s ability to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company or to continue to pursue its current investment strategy. A shareholder should consult his or her tax professional for information regarding the particular situation and the possible application of U.S. federal, state, local, foreign, and other taxes.

Tax Matters—Federal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions. A fund’s transactions in derivative instruments (including, but not limited to, options, futures, forward contracts, and swap agreements), as well as any of the fund’s hedging, short sale, securities loan, or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules that 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, or convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing, and character of distributions to shareholders.

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Because these and other tax rules applicable to these types of transactions are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the relevant requirements, to maintain its qualification as a regulated investment company and avoid a fund-level tax.

Tax Matters—Federal Tax Treatment of Futures Contracts. For federal income tax purposes, a fund generally must recognize, as of the end of each taxable year, any net unrealized gains and losses on certain futures contracts, as well as any gains and losses actually realized during the year. In these cases, any gain or loss recognized with respect to a futures contract is considered to be 60% long-term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss, without regard to the holding period of the contract. Gains and losses on certain other futures contracts (primarily non-U.S. futures contracts) are not recognized until the contracts are closed and are treated as long-term or short-term, depending on the holding period of the contract. Sales of futures contracts that are intended to hedge against a change in the value of securities held by a fund may affect the holding period of such securities and, consequently, the nature of the gain or loss on such securities upon disposition. A fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on one position, such as futures contracts, to the extent of any unrecognized gains on a related offsetting position held by the fund.

A fund will distribute to shareholders annually any net capital gains that have been recognized for federal income tax purposes on futures transactions. Such distributions will be combined with distributions of capital gains realized on the fund’s other investments, and shareholders will be advised on the nature of the distributions.

Tax Matters—Federal Tax Treatment of Non-U.S. Currency Transactions. Special rules generally govern the federal income tax treatment of a fund’s transactions in the following: non-U.S. currencies; non-U.S. currency-denominated debt obligations; and certain non-U.S. currency options, futures contracts, forward contracts, and similar instruments. Accordingly, if a fund engages in these types of transactions it may have ordinary income or loss to the extent that such income or loss results from fluctuations in the value of the non-U.S. currency concerned. Such ordinary income could accelerate fund distributions to shareholders and increase the distributions taxed to shareholders as ordinary income. Any ordinary loss so created will generally reduce ordinary income distributions and, in some cases, could require the recharacterization of prior ordinary income distributions. Net ordinary losses cannot be carried forward by the fund to offset income or gains realized in subsequent taxable years.

Any gain or loss attributable to the non-U.S. currency component of a transaction engaged in by a fund that is not subject to these special currency rules (such as foreign equity investments other than certain preferred stocks) will generally be treated as a capital gain or loss and will not be segregated from the gain or loss on the underlying transaction.

To the extent a fund engages in non-U.S. currency hedging, the fund may elect or be required to apply other rules that could affect the character, timing, or amount of the fund’s gains and losses. For more information, see “Tax Matters—Federal Tax Treatment of Derivatives, Hedging, and Related Transactions.”

Tax Matters—Foreign Tax Credit. Foreign governments may withhold taxes on dividends and interest paid with respect to foreign securities held by a fund. Foreign governments may also impose taxes on other payments or gains with respect to foreign securities. If, at the close of its fiscal year, more than 50% of a fund’s total assets are invested in securities of foreign issuers, the fund may elect to pass through to shareholders the ability to deduct or, if they meet certain holding period requirements, take a credit for foreign taxes paid by the fund. Similarly, if at the close of each quarter of a fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of its total assets consist of interests in other regulated investment companies, the fund is permitted to elect to pass through to its shareholders the foreign income taxes paid by the fund in connection with foreign securities held directly by the fund or held by a regulated investment company in which the fund invests that has elected to pass through such taxes to shareholders.

Tax Matters—Passive Foreign Investment Companies. To the extent that a fund invests in stock in a foreign company, such stock may constitute an equity investment in a passive foreign investment company (PFIC). A foreign company is generally a PFIC if 75% or more of its gross income is passive or if 50% or more of its assets produce passive income. Capital gains on the sale of an interest in a PFIC will be deemed ordinary income regardless of how long a fund held it. Also, a fund may be subject to corporate income tax and an interest charge on certain dividends and capital gains earned in respect to PFIC interests, whether or not such amounts are distributed to shareholders. To avoid such tax and interest, a fund may elect to “mark to market” its PFIC interests, that is, to treat such interests as sold on the last day of a fund’s fiscal year, and to recognize any unrealized gains (or losses, to the extent of previously recognized gains) as ordinary income (or loss) each year. Distributions from a fund that are attributable to income or gains earned in respect to PFIC interests are characterized as ordinary income.

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Tax Matters—Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits. If a fund invests directly or indirectly, including through a REIT or other pass-through entity, in residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (REMICs) or equity interests in taxable mortgage pools (TMPs), a portion of the fund’s income that is attributable to a residual interest in a REMIC or an equity interest in a TMP (such portion referred to in the IRC as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to U.S. federal income tax in all events—including potentially at the fund level—under a notice issued by the IRS in October 2006 and U.S. Treasury regulations that have yet to be issued but may apply retroactively. This notice also provides, and the regulations are expected to provide, that excess inclusion income of a regulated investment company will be allocated to shareholders of the regulated investment company in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related interest directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (1) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions); (2) will constitute unrelated business taxable income (UBTI) to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan, or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on UBTI, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income; and (3) in the case of a non-U.S. investor, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. A shareholder will be subject to U.S. federal income tax on such inclusions notwithstanding any exemption from such income tax otherwise available under the IRC. As a result, a fund investing in such interests may not be suitable for charitable remainder trusts. See “Tax Matters—Tax-Exempt Investors.”

Tax Matters—Tax Considerations for Non-U.S. Investors. U.S. withholding and estate taxes and certain U.S. tax reporting requirements may apply to any investments made by non-U.S. investors in Vanguard funds. Certain properly reported distributions of qualifying interest income or short-term capital gain made by a fund to its non-U.S. investors are exempt from U.S. withholding taxes, provided the investors furnish valid tax documentation (i.e., IRS Form W-8) certifying as to their non-U.S. status.

A fund is permitted, but is not required, to report any of its distributions as eligible for such relief, and some distributions (e.g., distributions of interest a fund receives from non-U.S. issuers) are not eligible for this relief. For some funds, Vanguard has chosen to report qualifying distributions and apply the withholding exemption to those distributions when made to non-U.S. shareholders who invest directly with Vanguard. For other funds, Vanguard may choose not to apply the withholding exemption to qualifying fund distributions made to direct shareholders, but may provide the reporting to such shareholders. In these cases, a shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax directly from the IRS.

If shareholders hold fund shares (including ETF shares) through a broker or intermediary, their broker or intermediary may apply this relief to properly reported qualifying distributions made to shareholders with respect to those shares. If a shareholder’s broker or intermediary instead collects withholding tax where the fund has provided the proper reporting, the shareholder may be able to reclaim such withholding tax from the IRS. Please consult your broker or intermediary regarding the application of these rules.

This relief does not apply to any withholding required under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which generally requires a fund to obtain information sufficient to identify the status of each of its shareholders. If a shareholder fails to provide this information or otherwise fails to comply with FATCA, a fund may be required to withhold under FATCA at a rate of 30% with respect to that shareholder on fund distributions. Please consult your tax advisor for more information about these rules.

Tax Matters—Tax-Exempt Investors. Income of a fund that would be UBTI if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity will not generally be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt shareholder of the fund. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of IRC Section 514(b).

A tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if a fund recognizes “excess inclusion income” derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. See “Tax Matters—Real Estate Mortgage Investment Conduits.”

In addition, special tax consequences apply to charitable remainder trusts that invest in a fund that invests directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or equity interests in TMPs. Charitable remainder trusts and other tax-exempt investors are urged to consult their tax advisors concerning the consequences of investing in a fund.

Time Deposits. Time deposits are subject to the same risks that pertain to domestic issuers of money market instruments, most notably credit risk (and, to a lesser extent, income risk, market risk, and liquidity risk). Additionally, time deposits of foreign branches of U.S. banks and foreign branches of foreign banks may be subject to certain

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sovereign risks. One such risk is the possibility that a sovereign country might prevent capital, in the form of U.S. dollars, from flowing across its borders. Other risks include adverse political and economic developments, the extent and quality of government regulation of financial markets and institutions, the imposition of foreign withholding taxes, and expropriation or nationalization of foreign issuers. However, time deposits of such issuers will undergo the same type of credit analysis as domestic issuers in which a Vanguard fund invests and will have at least the same financial strength as the domestic issuers approved for the fund.

Warrants. Warrants are instruments that give the holder the right, but not the obligation, to buy an equity security at a specific price for a specific period of time. Changes in the value of a warrant do not necessarily correspond to changes in the value of its underlying security. The price of a warrant may be more volatile than the price of its underlying security, and a warrant may offer greater potential for capital appreciation as well as capital loss. Warrants do not entitle a holder to dividends or voting rights with respect to the underlying security and do not represent any rights in the assets of the issuing company. A warrant ceases to have value if it is not exercised prior to its expiration date. These factors can make warrants more speculative than other types of investments.

When-Issued, Delayed-Delivery, and Forward-Commitment Transactions. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions involve a commitment to purchase or sell specific securities at a predetermined price or yield in which payment and delivery take place after the customary settlement period for that type of security. Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered. When purchasing securities pursuant to one of these transactions, payment for the securities is not required until the delivery date. However, the purchaser assumes the rights and risks of ownership, including the risks of price and yield fluctuations and the risk that the security will not be issued as anticipated. When a fund has sold a security pursuant to one of these transactions, the fund does not participate in further gains or losses with respect to the security. If the other party to a delayed-delivery transaction fails to deliver or pay for the securities, the fund could miss a favorable price or yield opportunity or suffer a loss. A fund may renegotiate a when-issued or forward-commitment transaction and may sell the underlying securities before delivery, which may result in capital gains or losses for the fund. When-issued, delayed-delivery, and forward-commitment transactions will not be considered to constitute the issuance, by a fund, of a “senior security,” as that term is defined in Section 18(g) of the 1940 Act, and therefore such transaction will not be subject to the 300% asset coverage requirement otherwise applicable to borrowings by the fund, if the fund covers the transaction in accordance with the requirements described under the heading “Borrowing.”

Regulatory restrictions in India. Shares of Vanguard Explorer Fund have not been, and will not be, registered under the laws of India and are not intended to benefit from any laws in India promulgated for the protection of shareholders. As a result of regulatory requirements in India, shares of the Fund shall not be knowingly offered to (directly or indirectly) or sold or delivered to (within India); transferred to or purchased by; or held by, for, on the account of, or for the benefit of (i) a “person resident in India” (as defined under applicable Indian law), (ii) an “overseas corporate body” or a “person of Indian origin” (as defined under applicable Indian law), or (iii) any other entity or person disqualified or otherwise prohibited from accessing the Indian securities market under applicable laws, as may be amended from time to time. Investors, prior to purchasing shares of the Fund, must satisfy themselves regarding compliance with these requirements.

Share Price

Multiple-class funds do not have a single share price. Rather, each class has a share price, called its net asset value, or NAV, that is calculated as of the close of regular trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time, on each day that the NYSE is open for business (a business day). In the rare event the NYSE experiences unanticipated disruptions and is unavailable at the close of the trading day, the Fund reserves the right to treat such day as a business day and calculate NAVs as of the close of regular trading on the Nasdaq (or another alternate exchange if the Nasdaq is unavailable, as determined at Vanguard’s discretion), generally 4 p.m., Eastern time. The NAV per share is computed by dividing the total assets, minus liabilities, allocated to the share class by the number of Fund shares outstanding for that class. On U.S. holidays or other days when the NYSE is closed, the NAV is not calculated, and the Fund does not sell or redeem shares. However, on those days the value of the Fund’s assets may be affected to the extent that the Fund holds securities that change in value on those days (such as foreign securities that trade on foreign markets that are open).

The NYSE typically observes the following holidays: New Year’s Day; Martin Luther King, Jr., Day; Presidents’ Day (Washington’s Birthday); Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Thanksgiving Day; and Christmas Day. Although the Fund expects the same holidays to be observed in the future, the NYSE may modify its holiday schedule or hours of operation at any time.

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Purchase and Redemption of Shares

Purchase of Shares

The purchase price of shares of the Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the purchase request is received in good order, as defined in the Fund's prospectus.

Exchange of Securities for Shares of the Fund. Shares of the Fund may be purchased “in kind” (i.e., in exchange for securities, rather than for cash) at the discretion of the Fund’s portfolio manager. Such securities must not be restricted as to transfer and must have a value that is readily ascertainable. Securities accepted by the Fund will be valued, as set forth in the Fund’s prospectus, as of the time of the next determination of NAV after such acceptance. All dividend, subscription, or other rights that are reflected in the market price of accepted securities at the time of valuation become the property of the Fund and must be delivered to the Fund by the investor upon receipt from the issuer. A gain or loss for federal income tax purposes, depending upon the cost of the securities tendered, would be realized by the investor upon the exchange. Investors interested in purchasing fund shares in kind should contact Vanguard.

Redemption of Shares

The redemption price of shares of the Fund is the NAV per share next determined after the redemption request is received in good order, as defined in the Fund’s prospectus.

The Fund can postpone payment of redemption proceeds for up to seven calendar days. In addition, the Fund can suspend redemptions and/or postpone payments of redemption proceeds beyond seven calendar days (1) during any period that the NYSE is closed or trading on the NYSE is restricted as determined by the SEC; (2) during any period when an emergency exists, as defined by the SEC, as a result of which it is not reasonably practicable for the Fund to dispose of securities it owns or to fairly determine the value of its assets; or (3) for such other periods as the SEC may permit.

The Trust has filed a notice of election with the SEC to pay in cash all redemptions requested by any shareholder of record limited in amount during any 90-day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the net assets of the Fund at the beginning of such period.

If Vanguard determines that it would be detrimental to the best interests of the remaining shareholders of the Fund to make payment wholly or partly in cash, the Fund may pay the redemption price in whole or in part by a distribution in kind of readily marketable securities held by the Fund in lieu of cash in conformity with applicable rules of the SEC and in accordance with procedures adopted by the Fund's board of trustees. Investors may incur brokerage charges on the sale of such securities received in payment of redemptions.

The Fund does not charge a redemption fee. Shares redeemed may be worth more or less than what was paid for them, depending on the market value of the securities held by the Fund.

Vanguard processes purchase and redemption requests through a pooled account. Pending investment direction or distribution of redemption proceeds, the assets in the pooled account are invested and any earnings (the “float”) are allocated proportionately among the Vanguard funds in order to offset fund expenses. Other than the float, Vanguard treats assets held in the pooled account as the assets of each shareholder making such purchase or redemption request.

Right to Change Policies

Vanguard reserves the right, without notice, to (1) alter, add, or discontinue any conditions of purchase (including eligibility requirements), redemption, exchange, conversion, service, or privilege at any time and (2) alter, impose, discontinue, or waive any purchase fee, redemption fee, account service fee, or other fee charged to a shareholder or a group of shareholders. Changes may affect any or all investors. These actions will be taken when, at the sole discretion of Vanguard management, Vanguard believes they are in the best interest of a fund.

Account Restrictions

Vanguard reserves the right to: (1) redeem all or a portion of a fund/account to meet a legal obligation, including tax withholding, tax lien, garnishment order, or other obligation imposed on your account by a court or government agency; (2) redeem shares, close an account, or suspend account privileges, features, or options in the case of threatening

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conduct or activity; (3) redeem shares, close an account, or suspend account privileges, features, or options if Vanguard believes or suspects that not doing so could result in a suspicious, fraudulent, or illegal transaction; (4) place restrictions on the ability to redeem any or all shares in an account if it is required to do so by a court or government agency; (5) place restrictions on the ability to redeem any or all shares in an account if Vanguard believes that doing so will prevent fraud, financial exploitation or abuse, or to protect vulnerable investors; (6) freeze any account and/or suspend account services if Vanguard has received reasonable notice of a dispute regarding the assets in an account, including notice of a dispute between the registered or beneficial account owners; and (7) freeze any account and/or suspend account services upon initial notification to Vanguard of the death of an account owner.

Investing With Vanguard Through Other Firms

The Fund has authorized certain agents to accept on its behalf purchase and redemption orders, and those agents are authorized to designate other intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund’s behalf (collectively, Authorized Agents). The Fund will be deemed to have received a purchase or redemption order when an Authorized Agent accepts the order in accordance with the Fund’s instructions. In most instances, a customer order that is properly transmitted to an Authorized Agent will be priced at the NAV per share next determined after the order is received by the Authorized Agent.

Management of the Fund

Vanguard

The Fund is part of the Vanguard group of investment companies, which consists of over 200 funds. Each fund is a series of a Delaware statutory trust. The funds obtain virtually all of their corporate management, administrative, and distribution services through the trusts’ jointly owned subsidiary, Vanguard. Vanguard may contract with certain third-party service providers to assist Vanguard in providing certain administrative and/or accounting services with
respect to the funds, subject to Vanguard’s oversight. Vanguard also provides investment advisory services to certain Vanguard funds. All of these services are provided at Vanguard’s total cost of operations pursuant to the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement (the Agreement).

Vanguard employs a supporting staff of management and administrative personnel needed to provide the requisite services to the funds and also furnishes the funds with necessary office space, furnishings, and equipment. Each fund (other than a fund of funds) pays its share of Vanguard’s total expenses, which are allocated among the funds under methods approved by the board of trustees of each fund. In addition, each fund bears its own direct expenses, such as legal, auditing, and custodial fees.

 

Pursuant to an agreement between Vanguard and State Street Bank and Trust Company (State Street), State Street provides services for the Fund. These services include, but are not limited to: (i) the calculation of the fund’s daily NAVs and (ii) the furnishing of financial reports. The fees paid to State Street under this agreement are based on a combination of flat and asset based fees. As of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, State Street had received fees from the Fund for administrative services rendered as follows: $3,000.

The funds’ officers are also employees of Vanguard.

Vanguard, Vanguard Marketing Corporation (VMC), the funds, and the funds’ advisors have adopted codes of ethics designed to prevent employees who may have access to nonpublic information about the trading activities of the funds (access persons) from profiting from that information. The codes of ethics permit access persons to invest in securities for their own accounts, including securities that may be held by a fund, but place substantive and procedural restrictions on the trading activities of access persons. For example, the codes of ethics require that access persons receive advance approval for most securities trades to ensure that there is no conflict with the trading activities of the funds.

Vanguard was established and operates under the Agreement. The Agreement provides that each Vanguard fund may be called upon to invest up to 0.40% of its net assets in Vanguard. The amounts that each fund has invested are adjusted from time to time in order to maintain the proportionate relationship between each fund’s relative net assets and its contribution to Vanguard’s capital.

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As of October 31, 2020, the Fund had contributed capital to Vanguard as follows:  

Vanguard Fund	Capital Contribution to Vanguard	Percentage of Fund’s Average Net Assets	Percent of Vanguard Funds’ Contribution
Explorer Fund	$ 693,000	Less than 0.01%	0.28%

Management. Corporate management and administrative services include (1) executive staff, (2) accounting and financial, (3) legal and regulatory, (4) shareholder account maintenance, (5) monitoring and control of custodian relationships, (6) shareholder reporting, and (7) review and evaluation of advisory and other services provided to the funds by third parties.

Distribution. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355, a wholly owned subsidiary of Vanguard, is the principal underwriter for the funds and in that capacity performs and finances marketing, promotional, and distribution activities (collectively, marketing and distribution activities) that are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds’ shares. VMC offers shares of each fund for sale on a continuous basis and will use all reasonable efforts in connection with the distribution of shares of the funds. VMC performs marketing and distribution activities in accordance with the conditions of a 1981 SEC exemptive order that permits the Vanguard funds to internalize and jointly finance the marketing, promotion, and distribution of their shares. The funds’ trustees review and approve the marketing and distribution expenses incurred by the funds, including the nature and cost of the activities and the desirability of each fund’s continued participation in the joint arrangement.

To ensure that each fund’s participation in the joint arrangement falls within a reasonable range of fairness, each fund contributes to VMC’s marketing and distribution expenses in accordance with an SEC-approved formula. Under that formula, one half of the marketing and distribution expenses are allocated among the funds based upon their relative net assets. The remaining half of those expenses is allocated among the funds based upon each fund’s sales for the preceding 24 months relative to the total sales of the funds as a group, provided, however, that no fund’s aggregate quarterly rate of contribution for marketing and distribution expenses shall exceed 125% of the average marketing and distribution expense rate for Vanguard and that no fund shall incur annual marketing and distribution expenses in excess of 0.20% of its average month-end net assets. Each fund’s contribution to these marketing and distribution expenses helps to maintain and enhance the attractiveness and viability of the Vanguard complex as a whole, which benefits all of the funds and their shareholders.

VMC’s principal marketing and distribution expenses are for advertising, promotional materials, and marketing personnel. Other marketing and distribution activities of an administrative nature that VMC undertakes on behalf of the funds may include, but are not limited to:

■ Conducting or publishing Vanguard-generated research and analysis concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.

■ Providing views, opinions, advice, or commentary concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.

■ Providing analytical, statistical, performance, or other information concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy.

■ Providing administrative services in connection with investments in the funds or other investments, including, but not limited to, shareholder services, recordkeeping services, and educational services.

■ Providing products or services that assist investors or financial service providers (as defined below) in the investment decision-making process.

■ Providing promotional discounts, commission-free trading, fee waivers, and other benefits to clients of Vanguard Brokerage Services® who maintain qualifying investments in the funds.

VMC performs most marketing and distribution activities itself. Some activities may be conducted by third parties pursuant to shared marketing arrangements under which VMC agrees to share the costs and performance of marketing and distribution activities in concert with a financial service provider. Financial service providers include, but are not limited to, investment advisors, broker-dealers, financial planners, financial consultants, banks, and insurance companies. Under these cost- and performance-sharing arrangements, VMC may pay or reimburse a financial service provider (or a third party it retains) for marketing and distribution activities that VMC would otherwise perform. VMC’s

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cost- and performance-sharing arrangements may be established in connection with Vanguard investment products or services offered or provided to or through the financial service providers. VMC’s arrangements for shared marketing and distribution activities may vary among financial service providers, and its payments or reimbursements to financial service providers in connection with shared marketing and distribution activities may be significant.

VMC, as a matter of policy, does not pay asset-based fees, sales-based fees, or account-based fees to financial service providers in connection with its marketing and distribution activities for the Vanguard funds. VMC does make fixed dollar payments to financial service providers when sponsoring, jointly sponsoring, financially supporting, or participating in conferences, programs, seminars, presentations, meetings, or other events involving fund shareholders, financial service providers, or others concerning the funds, other investments, the financial markets, or the economy, such as industry conferences, prospecting trips, due diligence visits, training or education meetings, and sales presentations. VMC also makes fixed dollar payments to financial service providers for data regarding funds, such as statistical information regarding sales of fund shares. In addition, VMC makes one-time fixed dollar payments for setup expenses associated with financial service providers’ use of Vanguard’s model portfolios comprised of funds.

In connection with its marketing and distribution activities, VMC may give financial service providers (or their representatives) (1) promotional items of nominal value that display Vanguard’s logo, such as golf balls, shirts, towels, pens, and mouse pads; (2) gifts that do not exceed $100 per person annually and are not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; (3) an occasional meal, a ticket to a sporting event or the theater, or comparable entertainment that is neither so frequent nor so extensive as to raise any question of propriety and is not preconditioned on achievement of a sales target; and (4) reasonable travel and lodging accommodations to facilitate participation in marketing and distribution activities.

VMC policy prohibits marketing and distribution activities that are intended, designed, or likely to compromise suitability determinations by, or the fulfillment of any fiduciary duties or other obligations that apply to, financial service providers. Nonetheless, VMC’s marketing and distribution activities are primarily intended to result in the sale of the funds’ shares, and as such, its activities, including shared marketing and distribution activities and fixed dollar payments as described above, may influence applicable financial service providers (or their representatives) to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. In addition, Vanguard or any of its subsidiaries may retain a financial service provider to provide consulting or other services, and that financial service provider also may provide services to investors. Investors should consider the possibility that any of these activities, relationships, or payments may influence a financial service provider’s (or its representatives’) decision to recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class. Each financial service provider should consider its suitability determinations, fiduciary duties, and other legal obligations (or those of its representatives) in connection with any decision to consider, recommend, promote, include, or invest in a Vanguard fund or share class.

The following table describes the expenses of Vanguard and VMC that are incurred by the Fund. Amounts captioned “Management and Administrative Expenses” include the Fund's allocated share of expenses associated with the management, administrative, and transfer agency services Vanguard provides to the Vanguard funds. Amounts captioned “Marketing and Distribution Expenses” include the Fund's allocated share of expenses associated with the marketing and distribution activities that VMC conducts on behalf of the Vanguard funds.

As is the case with all mutual funds, transaction costs incurred by the Fund for buying and selling securities are not reflected in the table. Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses are based on expenses incurred in the fiscal years ended October 31, 2018, 2019, and 2020, and are presented as a percentage of the Fund's average month-end net assets.  

Annual Shared Fund Operating Expenses (Shared Expenses Deducted From Fund Assets)
Vanguard Fund	2018	2019	2020
Vanguard Explorer Fund
Management and Administrative Expenses	0.15%	0.15%	0.15%
Marketing and Distribution Expenses	0.01	0.01	0.01

The Fund’s investment advisors may direct certain security trades, subject to obtaining the best price and execution, to brokers who have agreed to rebate to the Fund part of the commissions generated. Such rebates are used solely to reduce the Fund‘s management and administrative expenses and are not reflected in these totals.

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Officers and Trustees

Each Vanguard fund is governed by the board of trustees of its trust and a single set of officers. Consistent with the board’s corporate governance principles, the trustees believe that their primary responsibility is oversight of the management of each fund for the benefit of its shareholders, not day-to-day management. The trustees set broad policies for the funds; select investment advisors; monitor fund operations, regulatory compliance, performance, and costs; nominate and select new trustees; and elect fund officers. Vanguard manages the day-to-day operations of the funds under the direction of the board of trustees.

The trustees play an active role, as a full board and at the committee level, in overseeing risk management for the funds. The trustees delegate the day-to-day risk management of the funds to various groups, including portfolio review, investment management, risk management, compliance, legal, fund accounting, and fund financial services. These groups provide the trustees with regular reports regarding investment, valuation, liquidity, and compliance, as well as the risks associated with each. The trustees also oversee risk management for the funds through regular interactions with the funds’ internal and external auditors.

The full board participates in the funds’ risk oversight, in part, through the Vanguard funds’ compliance program, which covers the following broad areas of compliance: investment and other operations; recordkeeping; valuation and pricing; communications and disclosure; reporting and accounting; oversight of service providers; fund governance; and codes of ethics, insider trading controls, and protection of nonpublic information. The program seeks to identify and assess risk through various methods, including through regular interdisciplinary communications between compliance professionals and business personnel who participate on a daily basis in risk management on behalf of the funds. The funds’ chief compliance officer regularly provides reports to the board in writing and in person.

The audit committee of the board, which is composed of F. Joseph Loughrey, Mark Loughridge, Sarah Bloom Raskin, and Peter F. Volanakis, each of whom is an independent trustee, oversees management of financial risks and controls. The audit committee serves as the channel of communication between the independent auditors of the funds and the board with respect to financial statements and financial reporting processes, systems of internal control, and the audit process. Vanguard’s head of internal audit reports directly to the audit committee and provides reports to the committee in writing and in person on a regular basis. Although the audit committee is responsible for overseeing the management of financial risks, the entire board is regularly informed of these risks through committee reports.

All of the trustees bring to each fund’s board a wealth of executive leadership experience derived from their service as executives (in many cases chief executive officers), board members, and leaders of diverse public operating companies, academic institutions, and other organizations. In determining whether an individual is qualified to serve as a trustee of the funds, the board considers a wide variety of information about the trustee, and multiple factors contribute to the board’s decision. Each trustee is determined to have the experience, skills, and attributes necessary to serve the funds and their shareholders because each trustee demonstrates an exceptional ability to consider complex business and financial matters, evaluate the relative importance and priority of issues, make decisions, and contribute effectively to the deliberations of the board. The board also considers the individual experience of each trustee and determines that the trustee’s professional experience, education, and background contribute to the diversity of perspectives on the board. The business acumen, experience, and objective thinking of the trustees are considered invaluable assets for Vanguard management and, ultimately, the Vanguard funds’ shareholders. The specific roles and experience of each board member that factor into this determination are presented on the following pages. The mailing address of the trustees and officers is P.O. Box 876, Valley Forge, PA 19482.  

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Name, Year of Birth	Position(s) Held With Fund	Vanguard Funds’ Trustee/ Officer Since	Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years, Outside Directorships, and Other Experience	Number of Vanguard Funds Overseen by Trustee/Officer
Interested Trustee1
Mortimer J. Buckley (1969)	Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President	January 2018	Chairman of the board (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; chief executive officer (2018–present) of Vanguard; chief executive officer, president, and trustee (2018–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard; president and director (2017–present) of Vanguard; and president (2018–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Chief investment officer (2013–2017), managing director (2002–2017), head of the Retail Investor Group (2006–2012), and chief information officer (2001–2006) of Vanguard. Chairman of the board (2011–2017) and trustee (2009–2017) of the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; and trustee (2018–present) and vice chair (2019–present) of The Shipley School.	211
1 Mr. Buckley is considered an “interested person” as defined in the 1940 Act because he is an officer of the Trust.
Independent Trustees
Emerson U. Fullwood (1948)	Trustee	January 2008	Executive chief staff and marketing officer for North America and corporate vice president (retired 2008) of Xerox Corporation (document management products and services). Former president of the Worldwide Channels Group, Latin America, and Worldwide Customer Service and executive chief staff officer of Developing Markets of Xerox. Executive in residence and 2009–2010 Distinguished Minett Professor at the Rochester Institute of Technology. Director of SPX FLOW, Inc. (multi-industry manufacturing). Director of the University of Rochester Medical Center, the Monroe Community College Foundation, the United Way of Rochester, North Carolina A&T University, and Roberts Wesleyan College. Trustee of the University of Rochester.	211
Amy Gutmann (1949)	Trustee	June 2006	President (2004–present) of the University of Pennsylvania. Christopher H. Browne Distinguished Professor of Political Science, School of Arts and Sciences, and professor of communication, Annenberg School for Communication, with secondary faculty appointments in the Department of Philosophy, School of Arts and Sciences, and at the Graduate School of Education, University of Pennsylvania.	211
F. Joseph Loughrey (1949)	Trustee	October 2009	President and chief operating officer (retired 2009) and vice chairman of the board (2008–2009) of Cummins Inc. (industrial machinery). Chairman of the board of Hillenbrand, Inc. (specialized consumer services). Director of the V Foundation. Member of the advisory council for the College of Arts and Letters and chair of the advisory board to the Kellogg Institute for International Studies, both at the University of Notre Dame. Chairman of the board of Saint Anselm College.	211
Mark Loughridge (1953)	Lead Independent Trustee	March 2012	Senior vice president and chief financial officer (retired 2013) of IBM (information technology services). Fiduciary member of IBM’s Retirement Plan Committee (2004–2013), senior vice president and general manager (2002–2004) of IBM Global Financing, vice president and controller (1998–2002) of IBM, and a variety of other prior management roles at IBM. Member of the Council on Chicago Booth.	211

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Name, Year of Birth	Position(s) Held With Fund	Vanguard Funds’ Trustee/ Officer Since	Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years, Outside Directorships, and Other Experience	Number of Vanguard Funds Overseen by Trustee/Officer
Scott C. Malpass (1962)	Trustee	March 2012	Chief investment officer and vice president of the University of Notre Dame (retired June 2020). Assistant professor of finance at the Mendoza College of Business, University of Notre Dame (retired June 2020), and member of the Notre Dame 403(b) Investment Committee. Member of the board of Catholic Investment Services, Inc. (investment advisors) and the board of superintendence of the Institute for the Works of Religion.	211
Deanna Mulligan (1963)	Trustee	January 2018	Board chair (2020), chief executive officer (2011–2020), and president (2010–2019) of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Chief operating officer (2010–2011) and executive vice president (2008–2010) of Individual Life and Disability of The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America. Member of the board of the Economic Club of New York. Trustee of the Partnership for New York City (business leadership), the Chief Executives for Corporate Purpose, the New York-Presbyterian Hospital, and the Bruce Museum (arts and science). Member of the Advisory Council for the Stanford Graduate School of Business.	211
André F. Perold (1952)	Trustee	December 2004	George Gund Professor of Finance and Banking, Emeritus at the Harvard Business School (retired 2011). Chief investment officer and co-managing partner of HighVista Strategies LLC (private investment firm). Board member (2018–present) of RIT Capital Partners (investment firm); investment committee member of Partners Health Care System.	211
Sarah Bloom Raskin (1961)	Trustee	January 2018	Deputy secretary (2014–2017) of the United States Department of the Treasury. Governor (2010–2014) of the Federal Reserve Board. Commissioner (2007–2010) of financial regulation for the State of Maryland. Director (2017–present) of i(x) Investments, LLC. Rubenstein Fellow (2017–2020) of Duke University; trustee (2017–present) of Amherst College; and member of Amherst College Investment Committee (2019–present).	211
Peter F. Volanakis (1955)	Trustee	July 2009	President and chief operating officer (retired 2010) of Corning Incorporated (communications equipment) and director of Corning Incorporated (2000–2010) and Dow Corning (2001–2010). Director (2012) of SPX Corporation (multi-industry manufacturing). Overseer of the Amos Tuck School of Business Administration, Dartmouth College (2001–2013). Chairman of the board of trustees of Colby-Sawyer College. Member of the BMW Group Mobility Council.	211
Executive Officers
John Bendl (1970)	Chief Financial Officer	October 2019	Principal of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Chief accounting officer, treasurer, and controller of Vanguard (2017–present). Partner (2003–2016) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).	211
Christine M. Buchanan (1970)	Treasurer	November 2017	Principal of Vanguard. Treasurer (2017–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Partner (2005–2017) at KPMG (audit, tax, and advisory services).	211

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Name, Year of Birth	Position(s) Held With Fund	Vanguard Funds’ Trustee/ Officer Since	Principal Occupation(s) During the Past Five Years, Outside Directorships, and Other Experience	Number of Vanguard Funds Overseen by Trustee/Officer
David Cermak (1960)	Finance Director	October 2019	Principal of Vanguard. Finance director (2019–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director and head (2017–present) of Vanguard Investments Singapore. Managing director and head (2017–2019) of Vanguard Investments Hong Kong. Representative director and head (2014–2017) of Vanguard Investments Japan.	211
John Galloway (1973)	Investment Stewardship Officer	September 2020	Principal of Vanguard. Investment stewardship officer (September 2020–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of Investor Advocacy (February 2020–present) and head of Marketing Strategy and Planning (2017–2020) at Vanguard. Deputy Assistant to the President of the United States (2015).	211
Peter Mahoney (1974)	Controller	May 2015	Principal of Vanguard. Controller (2015–present) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Head of International Fund Services (2008– 2014) at Vanguard.	211
Anne E. Robinson (1970)	Secretary	September 2016	General counsel (2016–present) of Vanguard. Secretary (2016–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Managing director and general counsel of Global Cards and Consumer Services (2014–2016) at Citigroup. Counsel (2003–2014) at American Express.	211
Michael Rollings (1963)	Finance Director	February 2017	Finance director (2017–present) and treasurer (2017) of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Managing director (2016–present) of Vanguard. Chief financial officer (2016–present) of Vanguard. Director (2016–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation. Executive vice president and chief financial officer (2006–2016) of MassMutual Financial Group.	211
John E. Schadl (1972)	Chief Compliance Officer	March 2019	Principal of Vanguard. Chief compliance officer (2019–present) of Vanguard and of each of the investment companies served by Vanguard. Assistant vice president (2019–present) of Vanguard Marketing Corporation.	211

All but one of the trustees are independent. The independent trustees designate a lead independent trustee. The lead independent trustee is a spokesperson and principal point of contact for the independent trustees and is responsible for coordinating the activities of the independent trustees, including calling regular executive sessions of the independent trustees; developing the agenda of each meeting together with the chairman; and chairing the meetings of the independent trustees. The lead independent trustee also chairs the meetings of the audit, compensation, and nominating committees. The board also has two investment committees, which consist of independent trustees and the sole interested trustee.

The independent trustees appoint the chairman of the board. The roles of chairman of the board and chief executive officer currently are held by the same person; as a result, the chairman of the board is an “interested” trustee. The independent trustees generally believe that the Vanguard funds’ chief executive officer is best qualified to serve as chairman and that fund shareholders benefit from this leadership structure through accountability and strong day-to-day leadership.

Board Committees: The Trust's board has the following committees:

■ Audit Committee: This committee oversees the accounting and financial reporting policies, the systems of internal controls, and the independent audits of each fund. The following independent trustees serve as members of the committee: Mr. Loughrey, Mr. Loughridge, Ms. Raskin, and Mr. Volanakis. The committee held six meetings during the Trust's fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

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■ Compensation Committee: This committee oversees the compensation programs established by each fund for the benefit of its trustees. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held one meeting during the Trust's fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

■ Investment Committees: These committees assist the board in its oversight of investment advisors to the funds and in the review and evaluation of materials relating to the board’s consideration of investment advisory agreements with the funds. Each trustee serves on one of two investment committees. Each investment committee held four meetings during the Trust's fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

■ Nominating Committee: This committee nominates candidates for election to the board of trustees of each fund. The committee also has the authority to recommend the removal of any trustee. All independent trustees serve as members of the committee. The committee held one meeting during the Trust's fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

The Nominating Committee will consider shareholder recommendations for trustee nominees. Shareholders may send recommendations to Mr. Loughridge, chairman of the committee.

Trustee Compensation

The same individuals serve as trustees of all Vanguard funds and each fund pays a proportionate share of the trustees’ compensation. Vanguard funds also employ their officers on a shared basis; however, officers are compensated by Vanguard, not the funds.

Independent Trustees. The funds compensate their independent trustees (i.e., the ones who are not also officers of the funds) in three ways:

■ The independent trustees receive an annual fee for their service to the funds, which is subject to reduction based on absences from scheduled board meetings.

■ The independent trustees are reimbursed for the travel and other expenses that they incur in attending board meetings.

■ Upon retirement (after attaining age 65 and completing five years of service), the independent trustees who began their service prior to January 1, 2001, receive a retirement benefit under a separate account arrangement. As of January 1, 2001, the opening balance of each eligible trustee’s separate account was generally equal to the net present value of the benefits he or she had accrued under the trustees’ former retirement plan. Each eligible trustee’s separate account will be credited annually with interest at a rate of 7.5% until the trustee receives his or her final distribution. Those independent trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the plan.

“Interested” Trustee. Mr. Buckley serves as a trustee, but is not paid in this capacity. He is, however, paid in his role as an officer of Vanguard.

Compensation Table. The following table provides compensation details for each of the trustees. We list the amounts paid as compensation and accrued as retirement benefits by the Fund for each trustee. In addition, the table shows the total amount of benefits that we expect each trustee to receive from all Vanguard funds upon retirement and the total amount of compensation paid to each trustee by all Vanguard funds.

VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
TRUSTEES’ COMPENSATION TABLE  

Trustee	Aggregate Compensation From the Funds1	Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of the Funds’ Expenses1	Accrued Annual Retirement Benefit at January 1, 20212	Total Compensation From All Vanguard Funds Paid to Trustees3
Mortimer J. Buckley	—	—	—	—
Emerson U. Fullwood	$ 2,716	—	—	$ 287,500
Amy Gutmann	2,716	—	—	287,500
F. Joseph Loughrey	2,905	—	—	307,500
Mark Loughridge	3,377	—	—	357,500
Scott C. Malpass	2,716	—	—	287,500
Deanna Mulligan	2,716	—	—	287,500
André F. Perold	2,716	—	—	287,500
Sarah Bloom Raskin	2,905	—	—	307,500

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Trustee	Aggregate Compensation From the Funds1	Pension or Retirement Benefits Accrued as Part of the Funds’ Expenses1	Accrued Annual Retirement Benefit at January 1, 20212	Total Compensation From All Vanguard Funds Paid to Trustees3
Peter F. Volanakis	2,905	—	—	307,500

1

The amounts shown in this column are based on the Trust's fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

2

Each trustee is eligible to receive retirement benefits only after completing at least 5 years (60 consecutive months) of service as a trustee for the Vanguard funds. The annual retirement benefit will be paid in monthly installments, beginning with the month following the trustee’s retirement from service, and will cease after 10 years of payments (120 monthly installments). Trustees who began their service on or after January 1, 2001, are not eligible to participate in the retirement benefit plan.

3

The amounts reported in this column reflect the total compensation paid to each trustee for his or her service as trustee of 211 Vanguard funds for the 2020 calendar year.

Ownership of Fund Shares

All current trustees allocate their investments among the various Vanguard funds based on their own investment needs. The following table shows each trustee’s ownership of shares of the Fund and of all Vanguard funds served by the trustee as of December 31, 2020.

VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND  

Vanguard Fund	Trustee	Dollar Range of Fund Shares Owned by Trustee	Aggregate Dollar Range of Vanguard Fund Shares Owned by Trustee
Vanguard Explorer Fund	Mortimer J. Buckley	—	Over $100,000
	Emerson U. Fullwood	—	Over $100,000
	Amy Gutmann	—	Over $100,000
	F. Joseph Loughrey	—	Over $100,000
	Mark Loughridge	—	Over $100,000
	Scott C. Malpass	—	Over $100,000
	Deanna Mulligan	—	Over $100,000
	André F. Perold	—	Over $100,000
	Sarah Bloom Raskin	—	Over $100,000
	Peter F. Volanakis	Over $100,000	Over $100,000

As of January 31, 2021, the trustees and officers of the funds owned, in the aggregate, less than 1% of each class of each fund’s outstanding shares.

As of January 31, 2021, the following owned of record 5% or more of the outstanding shares of each class:  

Vanguard Fund	Share Class	Owner and Address	Percentage of Ownership
Vanguard Explorer Fund	Investor Shares	VANGUARD STAR FUND VALLEY FORGE, PA	25.53%
		VANGUARD DIVERSITY EQUITY FUND VALLEY FORGE, PA	5.92%
	Admiral Shares	FIDELITY INVESTMENTS INSTITUTIONAL OPERATIONS CO INC COVINGTON, KY	13.07%

Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures

Introduction

Vanguard and the boards of trustees of the Vanguard funds (the Boards) have adopted Portfolio Holdings Disclosure Policies and Procedures (Policies and Procedures) to govern the disclosure of the portfolio holdings of each Vanguard fund. Vanguard and the Boards considered each of the circumstances under which Vanguard fund portfolio holdings may be disclosed to different categories of persons under the Policies and Procedures. Vanguard and the Boards also considered actual and potential material conflicts that could arise in such circumstances between the interests of

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Vanguard fund shareholders, on the one hand, and those of the fund’s investment advisor, distributor, or any affiliated person of the fund, its investment advisor, or its distributor, on the other. After giving due consideration to such matters and after the exercise of their fiduciary duties and reasonable business judgment, Vanguard and the Boards determined that the Vanguard funds have a legitimate business purpose for disclosing portfolio holdings to the persons described in each of the circumstances set forth in the Policies and Procedures and that the Policies and Procedures are reasonably designed to ensure that disclosure of portfolio holdings and information about portfolio holdings is in the best interests of fund shareholders and appropriately addresses the potential for material conflicts of interest.

The Boards exercise continuing oversight of the disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings by (1) overseeing the implementation and enforcement of the Policies and Procedures, the Code of Ethics, and the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information (collectively, the portfolio holdings governing policies) by the chief compliance officer of Vanguard and the Vanguard funds; (2) considering reports and recommendations by the chief compliance officer concerning any material compliance matters (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act and Rule 206(4)-7 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940) that may arise in connection with any portfolio holdings governing policies; and (3) considering whether to approve or ratify any amendment to any portfolio holdings governing policies.

Vanguard and the Boards reserve the right to amend the Policies and Procedures at any time and from time to time without prior notice at their sole discretion. For purposes of the Policies and Procedures, the term “portfolio holdings” means the equity and debt securities (e.g., stocks and bonds) held by a Vanguard fund and does not mean the cash investments, derivatives, and other investment positions (collectively, other investment positions) held by the fund.

Online Disclosure of Ten Largest Stock Holdings

Each actively managed Vanguard fund generally will seek to disclose the fund’s ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the fund’s total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter (quarter-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the fund’s ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the percentage of the fund’s total assets that each of these holdings represents as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings with weightings) online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. In addition, Vanguard funds generally will seek to disclose the fund’s ten largest stock portfolio holdings and the aggregate percentage of the fund’s total assets (and, for balanced funds, the aggregate percentage of the fund’s equity securities) that these holdings represent as of the end of the most recent month (month-end ten largest stock holdings) online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 10 business days after the end of the month. Together, the quarter-end and month-end ten largest stock holdings are referred to as the ten largest stock holdings. Online disclosure of the ten largest stock holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons.

Online Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings

Each actively managed Vanguard fund, unless otherwise stated, generally will seek to disclose the fund’s complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 30 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. In accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act, each of the Vanguard money market funds will disclose the fund’s complete portfolio holdings as of the last business day of the prior month online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, no later than the fifth business day of the current month. The complete portfolio holdings information for money market funds will remain available online for at least six months after the initial posting. Vanguard Market Neutral Fund and Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund generally will seek to disclose the Fund’s complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent calendar quarter online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the Fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 60 calendar days after the end of the calendar quarter. Each Vanguard index fund generally will seek to disclose the fund’s complete portfolio holdings as of the end of the most recent month online at vanguard.com, in the “Portfolio” section of the fund’s Portfolio & Management page, 15 calendar days after the end of the month. Online disclosure of complete portfolio holdings is made to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries, third-party service providers, rating and

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ranking organizations, affiliated persons of a Vanguard fund, and all other persons. Vanguard will review complete portfolio holdings before disclosure is made and, except with respect to the complete portfolio holdings of the Vanguard money market funds, may withhold any portion of the fund’s complete portfolio holdings from disclosure when deemed to be in the best interests of the fund after consultation with a Vanguard fund’s investment advisor.

Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Service Providers Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions

Vanguard, for legitimate business purposes, may disclose Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings at times it deems necessary and appropriate to rating and ranking organizations; financial printers; proxy voting service providers; pricing information vendors; issuers of guaranteed investment contracts for stable value portfolios; third parties that deliver analytical, statistical, or consulting services; and other third parties that provide services (collectively, Service Providers) to Vanguard, Vanguard subsidiaries, and/or the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider is conditioned on the Service Provider being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information.

The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed to a Service Provider, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the Service Provider, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to a Service Provider varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings by Vanguard to a Service Provider must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department or Legal and Compliance Division. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to a Service Provider as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives.

Currently, Vanguard discloses complete portfolio holdings to the following Service Providers as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Abel/Noser Corporation; Advisor Software, Inc.; Alcom Printing Group, Inc.; Apple Press, L.C.; Bloomberg L.P.; Brilliant Graphics, Inc.; Broadridge Financial Solutions, Inc.; Brown Brothers Harriman & Co.; Canon Business Process Services; Charles River Systems, Inc.; FactSet Research Systems Inc.; Innovation Printing & Communications; Institutional Shareholder Services, Inc.; Intelligencer Printing Company; Investment Technology Group, Inc.; Lipper, Inc.; Markit WSO Corporation; McMunn Associates, Inc.; Reuters America Inc.; R.R. Donnelley, Inc.; State Street Bank and Trust Company; and Trade Informatics LLC.

Disclosure of Complete Portfolio Holdings to Vanguard Affiliates and Certain Fiduciaries Subject to Confidentiality and Trading Restrictions

Vanguard may disclose complete portfolio holdings between and among the following persons (collectively, Affiliates and Fiduciaries) for legitimate business purposes within the scope of their official duties and responsibilities, subject to such persons’ continuing legal duty of confidentiality and legal duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information, as such duties are imposed under the Code of Ethics, the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information, by agreement, or under applicable laws, rules, and regulations: (1) persons who are subject to the Code of Ethics or the Policies and Procedures Designed to Prevent the Misuse of Inside Information; (2) an investment advisor, distributor, administrator, transfer agent, or custodian to a Vanguard fund; (3) an accounting firm, an auditing firm, or outside legal counsel retained by Vanguard, a Vanguard subsidiary, or a Vanguard fund; (4) an investment advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed for due diligence purposes when the advisor is in merger or acquisition talks with a Vanguard fund’s current advisor; and (5) a newly hired investment advisor or sub-advisor to whom complete portfolio holdings are disclosed prior to the time it commences its duties.

The frequency with which complete portfolio holdings may be disclosed between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed between and among the Affiliates and Fiduciaries, is determined by such Affiliates and Fiduciaries based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure between and among Affiliates and Fiduciaries varies and may be as frequent as daily, with no

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lag. Any disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings to any Affiliates and Fiduciaries as previously described may also include a list of the other investment positions that make up the fund, such as cash investments and derivatives. Disclosure of Vanguard fund complete portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, VMC, or a Vanguard fund to Affiliates and Fiduciaries must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.

Currently, Vanguard discloses complete portfolio holdings to the following Affiliates and Fiduciaries as part of ongoing arrangements that serve legitimate business purposes: Vanguard and each investment advisor, custodian, and independent registered public accounting firm identified in each fund’s Statement of Additional Information.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings to Broker-Dealers in the Normal Course of Managing a Fund’s Assets

An investment advisor, administrator, or custodian for a Vanguard fund may, for legitimate business purposes within the scope of its official duties and responsibilities, disclose portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up the fund to one or more broker-dealers during the course of, or in connection with, normal day-to-day securities and derivatives transactions with or through such broker-dealers subject to the broker-dealer’s legal obligation not to use or disclose material nonpublic information concerning the fund’s portfolio holdings, other investment positions, securities transactions, or derivatives transactions without the consent of the fund or its agents. The Vanguard funds have not given their consent to any such use or disclosure and no person or agent of Vanguard is authorized to give such consent except as approved in writing by the Boards of the Vanguard funds. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard to broker-dealers must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.

Disclosure of Nonmaterial Information

The Policies and Procedures permit Vanguard fund officers, Vanguard fund portfolio managers, and other Vanguard representatives (collectively, Approved Vanguard Representatives) to disclose any views, opinions, judgments, advice, or commentary, or any analytical, statistical, performance, or other information, in connection with or relating to a Vanguard fund or its portfolio holdings and/or other investment positions (collectively, commentary and analysis) or any changes in the portfolio holdings of a Vanguard fund that occurred after the end of the most recent calendar quarter (recent portfolio changes) to any person if (1) such disclosure serves a legitimate business purpose, (2) such disclosure does not effectively result in the disclosure of the complete portfolio holdings of any Vanguard fund (which can be disclosed only in accordance with the Policies and Procedures), and (3) such information does not constitute material nonpublic information. Disclosure of commentary and analysis or recent portfolio changes by Vanguard, VMC, or a Vanguard fund must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.

An Approved Vanguard Representative must make a good faith determination whether the information constitutes material nonpublic information, which involves an assessment of the particular facts and circumstances. Vanguard believes that in most cases recent portfolio changes that involve a few or even several securities in a diversified portfolio or commentary and analysis would be immaterial and would not convey any advantage to a recipient in making an investment decision concerning a Vanguard fund. Nonexclusive examples of commentary and analysis about a Vanguard fund include (1) the allocation of the fund’s portfolio holdings and other investment positions among various asset classes, sectors, industries, and countries; (2) the characteristics of the stock and bond components of the fund’s portfolio holdings and other investment positions; (3) the attribution of fund returns by asset class, sector, industry, and country; and (4) the volatility characteristics of the fund. Approved Vanguard Representatives may, at their sole discretion, deny any request for information made by any person, and may do so for any reason or for no reason. Approved Vanguard Representatives include, for purposes of the Policies and Procedures, persons employed by or associated with Vanguard or a subsidiary of Vanguard who have been authorized by Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department to disclose recent portfolio changes and/or commentary and analysis in accordance with the Policies and Procedures.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings Related Information to the Issuer of a Security for Legitimate Business Purposes

Vanguard, at its sole discretion, may disclose portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security if the issuer presents, to the satisfaction of Vanguard’s Fund Financial Services unit, convincing evidence that the issuer has a legitimate business purpose for such information. Disclosure of this information to an issuer is conditioned on the issuer being subject to a written agreement imposing a duty of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on the basis of any material nonpublic information. The frequency with

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which portfolio holdings information concerning a security may be disclosed to the issuer of such security, and the length of the lag, if any, between the date of the information and the date on which the information is disclosed to the issuer, is determined based on the facts and circumstances, including, without limitation, the nature of the portfolio holdings information to be disclosed, the risk of harm to the funds and their shareholders, and the legitimate business purposes served by such disclosure. The frequency of disclosure to an issuer cannot be determined in advance of a specific request and will vary based upon the particular facts and circumstances and the legitimate business purposes, but in unusual situations could be as frequent as daily, with no lag. Disclosure of portfolio holdings information concerning a security held by one or more Vanguard funds to the issuer of such security must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal in Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department or Legal and Compliance Division.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings as Required by Applicable Law

Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (whether partial portfolio holdings or complete portfolio holdings) and other investment positions that make up a fund shall be disclosed to any person as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations. Examples of such required disclosure include, but are not limited to, disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings (1) in a filing or submission with the SEC or another regulatory body, (2) in connection with seeking recovery on defaulted bonds in a federal bankruptcy case, (3) in connection with a lawsuit, or (4) as required by court order. Disclosure of portfolio holdings or other investment positions by Vanguard, VMC, or a Vanguard fund as required by applicable laws, rules, and regulations must be authorized by a Vanguard fund officer or a Principal of Vanguard.

Prohibitions on Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

No person is authorized to disclose Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions (whether online at vanguard.com, in writing, by fax, by email, orally, or by other means) except in accordance with the Policies and Procedures. In addition, no person is authorized to make disclosure pursuant to the Policies and Procedures if such disclosure is otherwise unlawful under the antifraud provisions of the federal securities laws (as defined in Rule 38a-1 under the 1940 Act). Furthermore, Vanguard’s management, at its sole discretion, may determine not to disclose portfolio holdings or other investment positions that make up a Vanguard fund to any person who would otherwise be eligible to receive such information under the Policies and Procedures, or may determine to make such disclosures publicly as provided by the Policies and Procedures.

Prohibitions on Receipt of Compensation or Other Consideration

The Policies and Procedures prohibit a Vanguard fund, its investment advisor, and any other person or entity from paying or receiving any compensation or other consideration of any type for the purpose of obtaining disclosure of Vanguard fund portfolio holdings or other investment positions. “Consideration” includes any agreement to maintain assets in the fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the investment advisor or by any affiliated person of the investment advisor.

Investment Advisory and Other Services

The Trust currently uses five investment advisors:

■ ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC (ArrowMark Partners) provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund.

■ ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge) provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund.

■ Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC (SIMG) provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund.

■ Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington Management) provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund.

■ Vanguard provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund.

Chartwell Investment Partners, LLC, provided investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund from 1997 until December 2016. Granahan Investment Management, Inc., provided investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund from 1990 until March 2017. Kalmar Investment Advisers provided investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund from 2005 until March 2017.

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For funds that are advised by independent third-party advisory firms unaffiliated with Vanguard, the board of trustees of each fund hires investment advisory firms, not individual portfolio managers, to provide investment advisory services to such funds. Vanguard negotiates each advisory agreement, which contains advisory fee arrangements, on an arm’s length basis with the advisory firm. Each advisory agreement is reviewed annually by each fund’s board of trustees, taking into account numerous factors, which include, without limitation, the nature, extent, and quality of the services provided; investment performance; and the fair market value of the services provided. Each advisory agreement is between the Trust and the advisory firm, not between the Trust and the portfolio manager. The structure of the advisory fee paid to each unaffiliated investment advisory firm is described in the following sections. In addition, each firm has established policies and procedures designed to address the potential for conflicts of interest. Each firm’s compensation structure and management of potential conflicts of interest are summarized by the advisory firm in the following sections for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

A fund is a party to an investment advisory agreement with each of its independent third-party advisors whereby the advisor manages the investment and reinvestment of the portion of the fund’s assets that the fund’s board of trustees determines to assign to the advisor. In this capacity, each advisor continuously reviews, supervises, and administers the investment program for its portion of the fund’s assets. Hereafter, each portion is referred to as the advisor's Portfolio. Each advisor discharges its responsibilities subject to the supervision and oversight of Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department and the officers and trustees of the fund. Vanguard’s Portfolio Review Department is responsible for recommending changes in a fund’s advisory arrangements to the fund’s board of trustees, including changes in the amount of assets allocated to each advisor and recommendations to hire, terminate, or replace an advisor.

The Fund pays each of its independent third-party investment advisors a base fee plus or minus a performance adjustment. The base fee, which is paid quarterly, is a percentage of average daily net assets managed by the advisor during the most recent fiscal quarter. The base fee has breakpoints, which means that the percentage declines as assets go up. The performance adjustment, also paid quarterly, is based on the cumulative total return of each advisor’s portion of the Fund relative to that of the Russell 2500 Growth Index over the preceding 36-month period (60-month period for ArrowMark Partners and SIMG). Vanguard provides investment advisory services for a portion of the Fund on an at-cost basis.

During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2018, 2019, and 2020, Vanguard Explorer Fund incurred aggregate investment advisory fees and expenses of approximately $25,314,000 (before a performance-based increase of $2,247,000), $26,880,000 (before a performance-based increase of $5,332,000), and $27,410,000 (before a performance-based decrease of $926,000) respectively.

Of the aggregate fees and expenses previously described, the investment advisory expenses paid to Vanguard for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, were $628,000 (representing an effective annual rate of 0.01%). The investment advisory fees paid to the remaining advisors for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, were $25,856,000 (representing an effective annual rate of 0.15%).

A. ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC (ArrowMark Partners)

ArrowMark Partners, located in Denver, Colorado, is an investment advisory firm founded in 2007.

1. Other Accounts Managed

The following table provides information relating to the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers of the Portfolio as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted):  

Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
Chad Meade	Registered investment companies1	7	$ 21.8 B	2	$ 17.5B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	31	$ 1.7 B	2	$ 97.2M
Brian Schaub	Registered investment companies1	7	$ 21.8 B	2	$ 17.5B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	31	$ 1.7 B	2	$ 97.2M

1

Includes Vanguard Explorer Fund which held assets of $16.6 billion as of October 31, 2020.

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2. Material Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts could include a portfolio manager’s knowledge about the size, timing, and possible market impact of a Fund’s trades, whereby the portfolio manager could use this information to the advantage or disadvantage of another Fund. A Fund’s portfolio managers may be able to select or otherwise influence the selection of the brokers and dealers that are used to execute securities transactions for a Fund. In addition to executing trades, some brokers and dealers provide managers with brokerage research services, which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. Although the payment of brokerage commissions is subject to the requirement that the portfolio manager determine in good faith that the commissions are reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided to a Fund, a portfolio manager’s decision as to the selection of brokers and dealers could potentially yield disproportionate costs and benefits among the individual funds.

A Fund’s portfolio managers and analysts may also face other potential conflicts of interest in managing the Funds, and the description above is not a complete description of every conflict that could be deemed to exist in managing both the funds and other accounts. In addition, the portfolio managers or analysts may also manage other accounts (including their personal assets or the assets of family members) in their personal capacity. The management of these accounts may also involve certain of the potential conflicts described above. Investment personnel, including the portfolio managers and analysts, are subject to restrictions on engaging in personal securities transactions pursuant to a Code of Ethics adopted by ArrowMark Partners and the Funds. Although the potential for conflicts of interest may exist, the Funds and ArrowMark Partners believe that they have established policies and procedures that seek to minimize potential conflicts of interest and to ensure that the purchase and sale of securities among all managed accounts are fairly and equitably executed and allocated.

3. Description of Compensation

Compensation for portfolio managers is designed to link the performance of each portfolio manager to shareholder objectives. All portfolio manager compensation through a base salary and bonus is paid by ArrowMark. The total compensation of a portfolio manager will be based on a combination of the pre-tax performance of each fund managed by the portfolio manager against applicable benchmark(s) as well as against its relevant peer group, with primary emphasis given to three year performance. Peer groups may include Lipper, Morningstar, and other customized universes of funds managed. Portfolio managers are incentivized for outperformance, but receive no extra compensation for being top decile performers, which minimizes the possibility of portfolio managers taking undue risk to be top performers.

4. Ownership of Securities

As of October 31, 2020, Mr. Meade and Mr. Schaub did not own any shares of the Fund.

B. ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge)

ClearBridge, headquartered in New York, New York, is a global investment management firm rebranded in 2005, with a legacy dating back to 1962. The firm is an independently managed, wholly owned subsidiary of Franklin Resources, Inc. ClearBridge manages assets across domestic, international, global, and specialty equity strategies. The firm also has offices in Baltimore, London, San Francisco, Sydney, and Wilmington.

1. Other Accounts Managed

The following table provides information relating to the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers of the Fund as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted).  

Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
Brian Angerame	Registered investment companies1	5	$ 18.9B	1	$ 16.6B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	2	$ 37.3M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	3,963	$ 871.8M	0	$ 0
Aram Green	Registered investment companies1	6	$ 23.4B	1	$ 16.6B

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Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
	Other pooled investment vehicles	3	$ 87.2M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	1,334	$ 631.2M	0	$ 0
Matthew Lilling	Registered investment companies1	5	$ 18.9B	1	$ 16.6B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	2	$ 37.3M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	3,963	$ 871.8M	0	$ 0
Jeffrey Russell	Registered investment companies1	4	$ 21.8B	1	$ 16.6B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	2	$ 78.3M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	1,334	$ 631.2M	0	$ 0

1 Includes Vanguard Explorer Fund which held assets of $16.6 billion as of October 31, 2020.

2. Material Conflicts of Interest

Potential conflicts of interest may arise when the fund’s portfolio managers also have day-to-day management responsibilities with respect to one or more other funds or other accounts, as is the case for the fund’s portfolio managers.

ClearBridge has adopted compliance policies and procedures that are designed to address various conflicts of interest that may arise for ClearBridge as subadviser and the individuals that each employs. For example, ClearBridge seeks to minimize the effects of competing interests for the time and attention of portfolio managers by assigning portfolio managers to manage funds and accounts that share a similar investment style. ClearBridge has also adopted trade allocation procedures that are designed to facilitate the fair allocation of investment opportunities among multiple funds and accounts. There is no guarantee, however, that the policies and procedures adopted by ClearBridge will be able to detect and/or prevent every situation in which an actual or potential conflict may appear.

These potential conflicts include:

Allocation of Limited Time and Attention. A portfolio manager who is responsible for managing multiple funds and/or accounts may devote unequal time and attention to the management of those funds and/or accounts. The effects of this potential conflict may be more pronounced where funds and/or accounts overseen by a particular portfolio manager have different investment strategies.

Allocation of Investment Opportunities. If a portfolio manager identifies an investment opportunity that may be suitable for multiple funds and/or accounts, the opportunity may be allocated among these several funds or accounts, which may limit a fund’s ability to take full advantage of the investment opportunity. ClearBridge has adopted policies and procedures to ensure that all accounts, including the fund, are treated equitably.

Pursuit of Differing Strategies. At times, a portfolio manager may determine that an investment opportunity may be appropriate for only some of the funds and/or accounts for which he or she exercises investment responsibility, or may decide that certain of the funds and/or accounts should take differing positions with respect to a particular security. In these cases, the portfolio manager may place separate transactions for one or more funds or accounts, which may affect the market price of the security or the execution of the transaction, or both, to the detriment or benefit of one or more other funds and/or accounts.

Selection of Broker/Dealers. In addition to executing trades, some broker/dealers provide brokerage and research services (as those terms are defined in Section 28(e) of the 1934 Act), which may result in the payment of higher brokerage fees than might have otherwise been available. These services may be more beneficial to certain funds or accounts than to others. For this reason, ClearBridge has formed a brokerage committee that reviews, among other things, the allocation of brokerage to broker/dealers, best execution, and soft dollar usage.

Variation in Compensation. A conflict of interest may arise where the financial or other benefits available to the portfolio manager differ among the funds and/or accounts that he or she manages. If the structure of the manager’s management fee (and the percentage paid to ClearBridge) differs among funds and/or accounts (such as where certain funds or accounts pay higher management fees or performance-based management fees), the portfolio manager might be motivated to help certain funds and/or accounts over others. The portfolio manager might be motivated to favor

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funds and/or accounts in which he or she has an interest or in which the manager and/or its affiliates have interests. Similarly, the desire to maintain assets under management or to enhance the portfolio manager’s performance record or to derive other rewards, financial or otherwise, could influence the portfolio manager in affording preferential treatment to those funds and/or accounts that could most significantly benefit the portfolio manager.

3. Description of Compensation

ClearBridge’s portfolio managers participate in a competitive compensation program that is designed to attract and retain outstanding investment professionals and closely align the interests of its investment professionals with those of its clients and overall firm results. The total compensation program includes a significant incentive component that rewards high performance standards, integrity, and collaboration consistent with the firm’s values. Portfolio manager compensation is reviewed and modified each year as appropriate to reflect changes in the market and to ensure the continued alignment with the goals stated above. ClearBridge’s portfolio managers and other investment professionals receive a combination of base compensation and discretionary compensation, comprising a cash incentive award and deferred incentive plans described below.

Base salary compensation. Base salary is fixed and primarily determined based on market factors and the experience and responsibilities of the investment professional within the firm.

Discretionary compensation. In addition to base compensation, managers may receive discretionary compensation.

Discretionary compensation can include:

■ Cash Incentive Award

■ ClearBridge’s Deferred Incentive Plan (“CDIP”) – a mandatory program that typically defers 15% of discretionary yearend compensation into ClearBridge managed products. For portfolio managers, one-third of this deferral tracks the performance of their primary managed product, one-third tracks the performance of a composite portfolio of the firm’s new products, and one-third can be elected to track the performance of one or more of ClearBridge managed funds. Consequently, portfolio managers can have two-thirds of their CDIP award tracking the performance of their primary managed product.
 
For research analysts, two-thirds of their deferral is elected to track the performance of one or more of ClearBridge managed funds, while one-third tracks the performance of the new product composite.
 
ClearBridge then makes a company investment in the proprietary managed funds equal to the deferral amounts by fund. This investment is a company asset held on the balance sheet and paid out to the employees in shares subject to vesting requirements.
 

■ Franklin Resources, Inc. Restricted Stock Deferral – a mandatory program that typically defers 5% of discretionary year-end compensation into Franklin Resources, Inc. restricted stock. The award is paid out to employees in shares subject to vesting requirements.

Several factors are considered by ClearBridge Senior Management when determining discretionary compensation for portfolio managers. These include but are not limited to:

■ Investment performance. A portfolio manager’s compensation is linked to the pre-tax investment performance of the fund/accounts managed by the portfolio manager. Investment performance is calculated for 1-, 3-, and 5-year periods measured against the applicable product benchmark (e.g., a securities index and, with respect to a fund, the benchmark set forth in the fund’s Prospectus) and relative to applicable industry peer groups. The greatest weight is generally placed on 3- and 5-year performance.

■ Appropriate risk positioning that is consistent with ClearBridge’s investment philosophy and the Investment Committee/CIO approach to generation of alpha;

■ Overall firm profitability and performance;

■ Amount and nature of assets managed by the portfolio manager;

■ Contributions for asset retention, gathering, and client satisfaction;

■ Contribution to mentoring, coaching, and/or supervising;

■ Contribution and communication of investment ideas in ClearBridge’s Investment Committee meetings and on a day to day basis; and

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■ Market compensation survey research by independent third parties.

The benchmark used to measure the performance of the portfolio managers for the SMID Cap Growth strategy is the Russell 2500 Growth Index.

4. Ownership of Securities

As of October 31, 2020, Mr. Angerame, Mr. Green, Mr. Lilling, and Mr. Russell did not own any shares of the Fund.

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C. Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC (SIMG)

SIMG, located in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a subsidiary of Stephens Investments Holdings, a privately held and family owned company.

1. Other Accounts Managed

The following table provides information relating to the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers of the Fund as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted).  

Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
Ryan E. Crane	Registered investment companies1	5	$ 20.5 B	1	$ 16.6 B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	60	$ 1.7 B	0	$ 0

1 Includes Vanguard Explorer Fund which held assets of $16.6 billion as of October 31, 2020.

2. Material Conflicts of Interest

SIMG manages a number of separate accounts and three other registered investment companies, which utilize similar investment strategies as the Fund. These separate accounts are charged an asset based fee by SIMG. The firm has established policies and procedures to address the potential conflicts of interest inherent in managing portfolios for multiple clients. These policies and procedures are designed to prevent and detect favorable treatment of one account over another, and include policies for allocating trades equitably across multiple accounts, monitoring the composition of client portfolios to ensure that each reflects the investment profile of that client, and reviewing the performance of accounts of similar styles. Additionally, each employee of SIMG is bound by its Code of Ethics, which establishes policies and procedures designed to ensure that clients’ interests are placed before those of an individual or the firm.

3. Description of Compensation

All of the Portfolio Managers receive compensation in the form of a fixed salary and performance bonus. The performance bonus can represent a significant portion of the total compensation. The amount of a portfolio manager’s bonus is a function of our products’ asset weighted one-, three-, and five-year performance relative to the appropriate benchmark and peer group. Portfolio Managers with sector specific responsibilities receive a portion of their bonus based on performance contribution and attribution analysis based on each individual’s performance within their respective sectors. Mr. Crane’s bonus as team leader is more a function of the product’s performance (in the manner described above), and less sensitive to individual stock picks. His bonus also has a subjective portion that is related in part to our firm’s level of profitability. Each member of the portfolio management team participates in the firm’s annual profits on a pro-rata basis and receives a portion of the overall net profits of SIMG. Performance is measured over the most recent calendar year.

4. Ownership of Securities

As of October 31, 2020, Mr. Crane owned shares of the Fund within the $50,001-$100,000 range.

D. Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington Management)

Wellington Management is a Delaware limited liability partnership with principal offices at 280 Congress Street, Boston, MA 02210. As of September 30, 2020, the firm is owned by 172 partners, all fully active in the business of the firm. Wellington Management is a professional investment counseling firm that provides investment services to investment companies, employee benefit plans, endowments, foundations, and other institutions. Wellington Management and its predecessor organizations have provided investment advisory services for over 80 years. Wellington Management is owned by the partners of Wellington Management Group LLP, a Massachusetts limited liability partnership.

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1. Other Accounts Managed

The following table provides information relating to the other accounts managed by the portfolio manager of the Fund as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted).  

Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
Daniel Fitzpatrick	Registered investment companies1	3	$ 16.9B	1	$ 16.6B
	Other pooled investment vehicles	4	$ 818M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	10	$ 2.1B	2	$ 92B

1 Includes Vanguard Explorer Fund which held assets of $16.6 million as of October 31, 2020.

2. Material Conflicts of Interest

Individual investment professionals at Wellington Management manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. These accounts may include mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions, such as pension funds, insurance companies, foundations, or separately managed account programs sponsored by financial intermediaries), bank common trust accounts, and hedge funds. The Wellington Management Portfolio’s or Fund’s manager listed in the prospectus who is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund (Portfolio Manager) generally manages accounts in several different investment styles. These accounts may have investment objectives, strategies, time horizons, tax considerations, and risk profiles that differ from those of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund. The Portfolio Manager makes investment decisions for each account, including the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund, based on the investment objectives, policies, practices, benchmarks, cash flows, tax, and other relevant investment considerations applicable to that account. Consequently, the Portfolio Manager may purchase or sell securities, including initial public offerings (IPOs), for one account and not another account, and the performance of securities purchased for one account may vary from the performance of securities purchased for other accounts. Alternatively, these accounts may be managed in a similar fashion to the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund and thus the accounts may have similar—and in some cases nearly identical—objectives, strategies, and/or holdings to those of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund.

The Portfolio Manager or other investment professionals at Wellington Management may place transactions on behalf of other accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made on behalf of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund, or make investment decisions that are similar to those made for the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund, both of which have the potential to adversely impact the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund depending on market conditions. For example, an investment professional may purchase a security in one account while appropriately selling that same security in another account. Similarly, the Portfolio Manager may purchase the same security for the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund and one or more other accounts at or about the same time. In those instances, the other accounts will have access to their respective holdings prior to the public disclosure of the Wellington Management Portfolio’s or Fund’s holdings. In addition, some of these accounts have fee structures, including performance fees, which are or have the potential to be higher, in some cases significantly higher, than the fees Wellington Management receives for managing the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund. Mr. Fitzpatrick also manages accounts which pay performance allocations to Wellington Management or its affiliates. Because incentive payments paid by Wellington Management to the Portfolio Manager are tied to revenues earned by Wellington Management and, where noted, to the performance achieved by the manager in each account, the incentives associated with any given account may be significantly higher or lower than those associated with other accounts managed by a given Portfolio Manager. Finally, the Portfolio Manager may hold shares or investments in the other pooled investment vehicles and/or other accounts identified above.

Wellington Management’s goal is to meet its fiduciary obligation to treat all clients fairly and provide high-quality investment services to all of its clients. Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures, including brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which it believes address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, Wellington Management monitors a variety of areas, including compliance with primary account guidelines, the allocation of IPOs, and compliance with the firm’s Code of Ethics, and places additional investment restrictions on investment professionals who manage hedge funds and certain other accounts. Furthermore, senior investment and business personnel at Wellington Management

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periodically review the performance of Wellington Management’s investment professionals. Although Wellington Management does not track the time an investment professional spends on a single account, Wellington Management does periodically assess whether an investment professional has adequate time and resources to effectively manage the investment professional’s various client mandates.

3. Description of Compensation

Wellington Management receives a fee based on the assets under management of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund as set forth in the Investment Advisory Agreement between Wellington Management and the Trust on behalf of the Fund. Wellington Management pays its investment professionals out of its total revenues, including the advisory fees earned with respect to the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund. The following relates to the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.

Wellington Management’s compensation structure is designed to attract and retain high-caliber investment professionals necessary to deliver high-quality investment management services to its clients. Wellington Management’s compensation of the Wellington Management Portfolio’s or Fund’s manager listed in the prospectus who is primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Wellington Management Portfolio or Fund includes a base salary and incentive components. The base salary for the Portfolio Manager who is a partner (a “Partner”) of Wellington Management Group LLP, the ultimate holding company of Wellington Management, is generally a fixed amount that is determined by the managing partners of Wellington Management Group LLP.

The Portfolio Manager is eligible to receive an incentive payment based on the revenues earned by Wellington Management from the Wellington Management Portfolio and generally each other account managed by the Portfolio Manager. The Portfolio Manager’s incentive payment relating to the Wellington Management Portfolio is linked to the net pre-tax performance of the Wellington Management Portfolio managed by the Portfolio Manager compared to the Russell 2500 Growth Index over one-, three-, and five-year periods, with an emphasis on five-year results. Wellington Management applies similar incentive compensation structures (although the benchmarks or peer groups, time periods, and rates may differ) to other accounts managed by the Portfolio Manager, including accounts with performance fees.

Portfolio-based incentives across all accounts managed by an investment professional can, and typically do, represent a significant portion of an investment professional’s overall compensation; incentive compensation varies significantly by individual and can vary significantly from year to year. The Portfolio Manager may also be eligible for bonus payments based on his overall contribution to Wellington Management’s business operations. Senior management at Wellington Management may reward individuals as it deems appropriate based on other factors. Each Partner is eligible to participate in a Partner-funded tax-qualified retirement plan, the contributions to which are made pursuant to an actuarial formula. Mr. Fitzpatrick is a Partner.

4. Ownership of Securities

As of October 31, 2020, Mr. Fitzpatrick owned shares of the Fund in the over $1,000,000 range.

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E. Vanguard

Vanguard, through its Quantitative Equity Group, provides investment advisory services for a portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund. The compensation and other expenses of Vanguard’s advisory staff are allocated among the funds utilizing Vanguard’s advisory services.

1. Other Accounts Managed

The following table provides information relating to the other accounts managed by the portfolio managers of the Fund as of the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020 (unless otherwise noted).  

Portfolio Manager		No. of accounts	Total assets	No. of accounts with performance-based fees	Total assets in accounts with performance-based fees
James P. Stetler	Registered investment companies1	13	$ 157B	0	$ 0
	Other pooled investment vehicles	2	$ 56M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Binbin Guo	Registered investment companies1	13	$ 5.2B	0	$ 0
	Other pooled investment vehicles	2	$ 55M	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
Cesar Orosco2	Registered investment companies	7	$ 174B	0	$ 0
	Other pooled investment vehicles	0	$ 0	0	$ 0
	Other accounts	0	$ 0	0	$ 0

1 Includes Vanguard Explorer Fund which held assets of $16.6 billion as of October 31, 2020.

2 Mr. Orosco began co-managing a portion of the Fund of February 26, 2021.

2. Material Conflicts of Interest

At Vanguard, individual portfolio managers may manage multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition to mutual funds, these accounts may include separate accounts, collective trusts, and offshore funds. Managing multiple funds or accounts may give rise to potential conflicts of interest including, for example, conflicts among investment strategies and conflicts in the allocation of investment opportunities. Vanguard manages potential conflicts between funds or accounts through allocation policies and procedures, internal review processes, and oversight by trustees and independent third parties. Vanguard has developed trade allocation procedures and controls to ensure that no one client, regardless of type, is intentionally favored at the expense of another. Allocation policies are designed to address potential conflicts in situations in which two or more funds or accounts participate in investment decisions involving the same securities.

3. Description of Compensation

All Vanguard portfolio managers are Vanguard employees. This section describes the compensation of the Vanguard employees who manage Vanguard mutual funds. As of October 31, 2020, a Vanguard portfolio manager’s compensation generally consists of base salary, bonus, and payments under Vanguard’s long-term incentive compensation program. In addition, portfolio managers are eligible for the standard retirement benefits and health and welfare benefits available to all Vanguard employees. Also, certain portfolio managers may be eligible for additional retirement benefits under several supplemental retirement plans that Vanguard adopted in the 1980s to restore dollar-for-dollar the benefits of management employees that had been cut back solely as a result of tax law changes. These plans are structured to provide the same retirement benefits as the standard retirement plans.

In the case of portfolio managers responsible for managing multiple Vanguard funds or accounts, the method used to determine their compensation is the same for all funds and investment accounts. A portfolio manager’s base salary is determined by the manager’s experience and performance in the role, taking into account the ongoing compensation benchmark analyses performed by Vanguard’s Human Resources Department. A portfolio manager’s base salary is generally a fixed amount that may change as a result of an annual review, upon assumption of new duties, or when a market adjustment of the position occurs.

A portfolio manager’s bonus is determined by a number of factors. One factor is gross, pre-tax performance of the fund relative to expectations for how the fund should have performed, given the fund’s investment objective, policies,

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strategies, and limitations, and the market environment during the measurement period. This performance factor is not based on the amount of assets held in any individual fund’s portfolio. For the portion of Vanguard Explorer Fund managed by Vanguard, the performance factor depends on how successfully the portfolio manager outperforms the Russell 2500 Growth Index and maintains the risk parameters of the Fund over a three-year period. Additional factors include the portfolio manager’s contributions to the investment management functions within the sub-asset class, contributions to the development of other investment professionals and supporting staff, and overall contributions to strategic planning and decisions for the investment group. The target bonus is expressed as a percentage of base salary. The actual bonus paid may be more or less than the target bonus, based on how well the manager satisfies the objectives previously described. The bonus is paid on an annual basis.

Under the long-term incentive compensation program, all full-time employees receive a payment from Vanguard’s long-term incentive compensation plan based on their years of service, job level, and, if applicable, management responsibilities. Each year, Vanguard’s independent directors determine the amount of the long-term incentive compensation award for that year based on the investment performance of the Vanguard funds relative to competitors and Vanguard’s operating efficiencies in providing services to the Vanguard funds.

4. Ownership of Securities

As of October 31, 2020, Mr. Guo, Mr. Stetler, and Mr. Orosco did not own any shares of the Fund.

Duration and Termination of Investment Advisory Agreements

The Fund's current investment advisory agreements with the unaffiliated advisors (other than ClearBridge) are renewable for successive one-year periods, only if (1) each renewal is specifically approved by a vote of the Fund’s board of trustees, including the affirmative votes of a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such approval, or (2) each renewal is specifically approved by a vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. An agreement is automatically terminated if assigned and may be terminated without penalty at any time either (1) by vote of the board of trustees of the Fund upon thirty (30) days’ written notice to the advisor, (2) by a vote of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities upon 30 days’ written notice to the advisor, or (3) by the advisor upon ninety (90) days’ written notice to the Fund.

The initial investment advisory agreement with ClearBridge is binding for a two-year period. At the end of that time, the agreement will become renewable for successive one-year periods, subject to the above conditions.

 

Vanguard provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the terms of the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement. This agreement will continue in full force and effect until terminated or amended by mutual agreement of the Vanguard funds and Vanguard.

Securities Lending

The following table describes the securities lending activities of each Fund during the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020.  

Vanguard Fund	Securities Lending Activities
Vanguard Explorer Fund
Gross income from securities lending activities	$7,924,488
Fees paid to securities lending agent from a revenue split	$0
Fees paid for any cash collateral management service (including fees deducted from a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle) that are not included in the revenue split	$10,203
Administrative fees not included in revenue split	$87,676
Indemnification fee not included in revenue split	$0
Rebate (paid to borrower)	$938,887
Other fees not included in revenue split (specify)	$0
Aggregate fees/compensation for securities lending activities	$1,036,766
Net income from securities lending activities	$6,887,722

The services provided by Brown Brothers Harriman & Co. and Vanguard, each acting separately as securities lending agents for certain Vanguard funds, include coordinating the selection of securities to be loaned to approved borrowers;

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negotiating the terms of the loan; monitoring the value of the securities loaned and corresponding collateral, marking to market daily; coordinating the investment of cash collateral in the funds’ approved cash collateral reinvestment vehicle; monitoring dividends and coordinating material proxy votes relating to loaned securities; and transferring, recalling, and arranging the return of loaned securities to the funds upon termination of the loan.

Portfolio Transactions

The advisor decides which securities to buy and sell on behalf of the Fund and then selects the brokers or dealers that will execute the trades on an agency basis or the dealers with whom the trades will be effected on a principal basis. For each trade, the advisor must select a broker-dealer that it believes will provide “best execution.” Best execution does not necessarily mean paying the lowest spread or commission rate available. In seeking best execution, the SEC has said that an advisor should consider the full range of a broker-dealer’s services. The factors considered by the advisor in seeking best execution include, but are not limited to, the broker-dealer’s execution capability, clearance and settlement services, commission rate, trading expertise, willingness and ability to commit capital, ability to provide anonymity, financial responsibility, reputation and integrity, responsiveness, access to underwritten offerings and secondary markets, and access to company management, as well as the value of any research provided by the broker-dealer. In assessing which broker-dealer can provide best execution for a particular trade, the advisor also may consider the timing and size of the order and available liquidity and current market conditions. Subject to applicable legal requirements, the advisor may select a broker based partly on brokerage or research services provided to the advisor and its clients, including the Fund. The advisor may cause the Fund to pay a higher commission than other brokers would charge if the advisor determines in good faith that the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of services provided. The advisor also may receive brokerage or research services from broker-dealers that are provided at no charge in recognition of the volume of trades directed to the broker. To the extent research services or products may be a factor in selecting brokers, services and products may include written research reports analyzing performance or securities, discussions with research analysts, meetings with corporate executives to obtain oral reports on company performance, market data, and other products and services that will assist the advisor in its investment decision-making process. The research services provided by brokers through which the Fund effects securities transactions may be used by the advisor in servicing all of its accounts, and some of the services may not be used by the advisor in connection with the Fund.

During the fiscal years ended October 31, 2018, 2019, and 2020, the Fund paid the following approximate amounts in brokerage commissions:  

Vanguard Fund	2018	2019	2020
Vanguard Explorer Fund	$ 5,150,000	$ 5,136,000	$ 5,394,000

Some securities that are considered for investment by the Fund may also be appropriate for other Vanguard funds or for other clients served by the advisors. If such securities are compatible with the investment policies of the Fund and one or more of an advisor’s other clients, and are considered for purchase or sale at or about the same time, then transactions in such securities may be aggregated by the advisor, and the purchased securities or sale proceeds may be allocated among the participating Vanguard funds and the other participating clients of the advisor in a manner deemed equitable by the advisor. Although there may be no specified formula for allocating such transactions, the allocation methods used, and the results of such allocations, will be subject to periodic review by the Fund's board of trustees.

The ability of Vanguard and external advisors to purchase or dispose of certain fund investments, or to exercise rights on behalf of the Fund, may be restricted or impaired because of limitations imposed by law, regulation, or by certain regulators or issuers. As a result, Vanguard and external advisors on behalf of the Fund may be required to limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise limit the exercise of shareholder rights by the Fund, including voting rights. These ownership restrictions and limitations can impact the Fund's performance. For index funds, this impact generally takes the form of tracking error, which can arise when a fund is not able to acquire its desired amount of a security. For actively managed funds, this impact can result, for example, in missed investment opportunities otherwise desired by a fund's investment advisor. If the Fund is required to limit its investment in a particular issuer, then the Fund may seek to obtain regulatory or corporate consents or ownership waivers. Other options the Fund may pursue include seeking to obtain economic exposure to that issuer through alternative means, such as through a derivative, which may be more costly than owning securities of the issuer directly, or through investment in a wholly-owned subsidiary.

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As of October 31, 2020, the Fund held securities of its “regular brokers or dealers,” as that term is defined in Rule 10b-1 of the 1940 Act, as follows:  

Vanguard Fund	Regular Broker or Dealer (or Parent)	Aggregate Holdings
Vanguard Explorer Fund	Deutsche Bank Securities Inc.	$ 9,700,000

Proxy Voting

I. Proxy Voting Policies

Each Vanguard fund advised by Vanguard retains the authority to vote proxies received with respect to the shares of equity securities held in a portfolio advised by Vanguard. The Board of Trustees of the Vanguard-advised funds (the Board) has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern proxy voting for each portfolio retaining proxy voting authority, which are summarized in Appendix A. The Board of each Vanguard fund advised by a manager not affiliated with Vanguard has delegated the authority to vote proxies related to the portfolio securities held by each fund to its respective advisor(s). Each advisor will vote such proxies in accordance with its own proxy voting policies and procedures, which are summarized in Appendix B.

Vanguard has entered into agreements with various state, federal, and non-U.S. regulators and with certain issuers that limit the amount of shares that the funds may vote at their discretion for particular securities. For these securities, the funds are able to vote a limited portion of the shares at their discretion. Any additional shares generally are voted in the same proportion as votes cast by the issuer’s entire shareholder base (i.e., mirror voted), or the fund is not permitted to vote such shares. Further, the Board has adopted policies that will result in certain funds mirror voting a higher proportion of the shares they own in a regulated issuer in order to permit certain other funds (generally advised by managers not affiliated with Vanguard) to mirror vote none, or a lower proportion, of their shares in such regulated issuer.

II. Securities Lending

There may be occasions when Vanguard needs to restrict lending of and/or recall securities that are out on loan in order to vote the full position at a shareholder meeting. For the funds managed by Vanguard, Vanguard has processes to monitor securities on loan and to evaluate any circumstances that may require it to restrict and/or attempt to recall the security based on the criteria set forth in Appendix A. Additionally, Vanguard has processes in place for advisors unaffiliated with Vanguard who have been delegated authority to vote proxies on behalf of certain Vanguard funds to inform Vanguard of an upcoming vote the advisor deems to be material in accordance with such advisor’s proxy voting policies and procedures in order for Vanguard to instruct the recall of the security.

To obtain a free copy of a report that details how the funds voted the proxies relating to the portfolio securities held by the funds for the prior 12-month period ended June 30, log on to vanguard.com or visit the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

Financial Statements

The Fund’s Financial Statements for the fiscal year ended October 31, 2020, appearing in the Fund's 2020 Annual Report to Shareholders, and the report thereon of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP, an independent registered public accounting firm, also appearing therein, are incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information. For a more complete discussion of the Fund’s performance, please see the Fund's Annual and Semiannual Reports to Shareholders, which may be obtained without charge.

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Appendix A

Vanguard-Advised Funds Proxy Voting Policy

Each Vanguard fund advised by Vanguard retains authority to vote proxies received with respect to the shares of equity securities held in a portfolio advised by Vanguard. The Board of Trustees (the Board) for the Vanguard-advised funds has adopted proxy voting procedures and guidelines to govern proxy voting for each portfolio retaining proxy voting authority.

The Investment Stewardship Oversight Committee (the Committee), made up primarily of fund officers and subject to the procedures described below, oversees the Vanguard-advised funds' proxy voting. The Committee reports directly to the Board. Vanguard is subject to these procedures and the proxy voting guidelines to the extent that they call for Vanguard to administer the voting process and implement the resulting voting decisions, and for these purposes the guidelines have also been approved by the Board of Directors of Vanguard.

The voting principles and guidelines adopted by the Board provide a framework for assessing each proposal and seek to ensure that each vote is cast in the best interests of each fund. Under the guidelines, each proposal is evaluated on its merits, based on the particular facts and circumstances as presented. For more information on the funds' proxy voting guidelines, please visit about.vanguard.com/investment-stewardship.

I. Investment Stewardship Team

The Investment Stewardship Team administers the day-to-day operation of the funds' proxy voting process, overseen by the Committee. The Investment Stewardship Team performs the following functions: (1) managing and conducting due diligence of proxy voting vendors; (2) reconciling share positions; (3) analyzing proxy proposals using factors described in the guidelines; (4) determining and addressing potential or actual conflicts of interest that may be presented by a particular proxy; and (5) voting proxies. The Investment Stewardship Team also prepares periodic and special reports to the Board, and proposes amendments to the procedures and guidelines. In addition, at any time, the Board may elect to exercise its discretionary authority to vote proxies.

II. Investment Stewardship Oversight Committee

The Board, including a majority of the independent trustees, appoints the members of the Committee (which is comprised primarily of fund officers). The Committee works with the Investment Stewardship Team to provide reports and other guidance to the Board regarding proxy voting by the funds. The Committee has an obligation to exercise its decision-making authority in accordance with the Board’s instructions as set forth in the funds’ proxy voting procedures and guidelines and subject to the fiduciary standards of good faith, fairness, and Vanguard's Code of Ethics. The Committee may advise the Investment Stewardship Team on how to best apply the Board’s instructions as set forth in the guidelines or refer the matter to the Board, which has ultimate decision-making authority for the funds. The Board reviews the procedures and guidelines annually and modifies them from time to time upon the recommendation of the Committee and in consultation with the Investment Stewardship Team.

III. Proxy Voting Principles

Vanguard's investment stewardship activities are grounded in four principles of good governance:

1) Board composition: We believe good governance begins with a great board of directors. Our primary interest is to ensure that the individuals who represent the interests of all shareholders are independent, committed, capable, and appropriately experienced.

2) Oversight of strategy and risk: We believe that boards are responsible for effective oversight of a company's long-term strategy and any relevant and material risks.

3) Executive compensation: We believe that performance-linked compensation (or remuneration) policies and practices are fundamental drivers of sustainable, long-term value.

4) Governance structures: We believe that companies should have in place governance structures to ensure that boards and management serve in the best interests of the shareholders they represent.

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IV. Evaluation of Proxies

For ease of reference, the procedures and guidelines often refer to all funds. However, the processes and practices seek to ensure that proxy voting decisions are suitable for individual funds. For most proxy proposals, particularly those involving corporate governance, the evaluation could result in the funds having a common interest in the matter and, accordingly, each fund casting votes in the same manner. In other cases, however, a fund may vote differently from other funds if doing so is in the best interest of the individual fund.

The guidelines do not permit the Board to delegate voting discretion to a third party that does not serve as a fiduciary for the funds. Because many factors bear on each decision, the guidelines incorporate factors that should be considered in each voting decision. A fund may refrain from voting some or all of its shares or vote in a particular way if doing so would be in the fund's and its shareholders' best interests. These circumstances may arise, for example, if the expected cost of voting exceeds the expected benefits of voting, if exercising the vote would result in the imposition of trading or other restrictions, or if a fund (or all Vanguard funds in the aggregate) were to own more than the permissible maximum percentage of a company's stock (as determined by the company's governing documents or by applicable law, regulation, or regulatory agreement).

In evaluating proxy proposals, we consider information from many sources, which could include, but is not limited to, an investment advisor unaffiliated with Vanguard that has investment and proxy voting authority with respect to Vanguard funds that hold shares in the applicable company, the management or shareholders of a company presenting a proposal, and independent proxy research services. We will give substantial weight to the recommendations of the company's board, absent guidelines or other specific facts that would support a vote against management. Additionally, data and recommendations from proxy advisors serve as one of many inputs into our research process. The funds may utilize automated voting for matters that are clearly addressed by the fund's procedures and guidelines.

While serving as a framework, the guidelines cannot contemplate all possible proposals with which a fund may be presented. In the absence of a specific guideline for a particular proposal (e.g., in the case of a transactional issue or contested proxy), the Investment Stewardship Team, under the supervision of the Committee, will evaluate the matter and cast the fund's vote in a manner that is in the fund's best interest, subject to the individual circumstances of the fund.

V. Conflicts of Interest

Vanguard takes seriously its commitment to avoid potential conflicts of interest. Vanguard funds invest in thousands of publicly listed companies worldwide. Those companies may include clients, potential clients, vendors, or competitors. Some companies may employ Vanguard trustees, former Vanguard executives, or family members of Vanguard personnel who have direct involvement in Vanguard's Investment Stewardship program.

Vanguard's approach to mitigating conflicts of interest begins with the funds' proxy voting procedures. The procedures require that voting personnel act as fiduciaries, and must conduct their activities at all times in accordance with the following standards: (i) fund shareholders' interests come first; (ii) conflicts of interest must be avoided; (iii) and compromising situations must be avoided.

We maintain an important separation between Vanguard's Investment Stewardship Team and other groups within Vanguard that are responsible for sales, marketing, client service, and vendor/partner relationships. Proxy voting personnel are required to disclose potential conflicts of interest, and must recuse themselves from all voting decisions and engagement activities in such instances. In certain circumstances, Vanguard may refrain from voting shares of a company, or may engage an independent third-party fiduciary to vote proxies.

Each externally managed fund has adopted the proxy voting guidelines of its advisor(s) and votes in accordance with the external advisors' guidelines and procedures. Each advisor has its own procedures for managing conflicts of interest in the best interests of fund shareholders.

VI. Environmental and Social Proposals

Proposals in this category, initiated primarily by shareholders, typically request that a company enhance its disclosure or amend certain business practices. These resolutions are evaluated in the context of the general corporate governance principle that a company's board has ultimate responsibility for providing effective ongoing oversight of relevant sector- and company-specific risks, including those related to environmental and social matters. Each proposal is evaluated on

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its merits and supported when there is a logically demonstrable linkage between the specific proposal and long-term shareholder value of the company. Some of the factors considered when evaluating these proposals include the materiality of the issue, the quality of the current disclosures/business practices, and any progress by the company toward the adoption of best practices and/or industry norms.

VII. Voting in Markets Outside the United States

Corporate governance standards, disclosure requirements, and voting mechanics vary greatly among the markets outside the United States in which the funds may invest. Each fund’s votes will be used, where applicable, to support improvements in governance and disclosure by each fund’s portfolio companies. Matters presented by non-U.S. portfolio companies will be evaluated in the foregoing context, as well as in accordance with local market standards and best practices. Votes are cast for each fund in a manner philosophically consistent with the guidelines, taking into account differing practices by market.

In many other markets, voting proxies will result in a fund being prohibited from selling the shares for a period of time due to requirements known as “share-blocking” or reregistration. Generally, the value of voting is unlikely to outweigh the loss of liquidity imposed by these requirements on the funds. In such instances, the funds will generally abstain from voting.

The costs of voting (e.g., custodian fees, vote agency fees) in other markets may be substantially higher than for U.S. holdings. As such, the fund may limit its voting on foreign holdings in instances in which the issues presented are unlikely to have a material impact on shareholder value.

VIII. Voting Shares of a Company Subject to an Ownership Limitation

Certain companies have provisions in their governing documents or other agreements that restrict stock ownership in excess of a specified limit. Typically, these ownership restrictions are included in the governing documents of real estate investment trusts, but may be included in other companies' governing documents. A company's governing documents normally allow the company to grant a waiver of these ownership limits, which would allow a fund to exceed the stated ownership limit. Sometimes a company will grant a waiver without restriction. From time to time, a company may grant a waiver only if a fund (or funds) agrees to not vote the company's shares in excess of the normal specified limit. In such a circumstance, a fund may refrain from voting shares if owning the shares beyond the company's specified limit is in the best interests of the fund and its shareholders.

In addition, applicable law may require prior regulatory approval to permit ownership of certain regulated issuers’ voting securities above certain limits or may impose other restrictions on owners of more than a certain percentage of a regulated issuer's voting shares. The Board has authorized the funds to vote shares above these limits in the same proportion as votes cast by the issuer's entire shareholder base (i.e., mirror vote), or to refrain from voting excess shares. Further, the Board has adopted policies that will result in certain funds mirror voting a higher proportion of the shares they own in a regulated issuer in order to permit certain other funds (generally advised by managers not affiliated with Vanguard) to mirror vote none, or a lower proportion, of their shares in such regulated issuer.

IX. Voting on a Fund's Holdings of Other Vanguard Funds

Certain Vanguard funds (owner funds) may, from time to time, own shares of other Vanguard funds (underlying funds). If an underlying fund submits a matter to a vote of its shareholders, votes for and against such matters on behalf of the owner funds will be cast in the same proportion as the votes of the other shareholders in the underlying fund.

X. Securities Lending

There may be occasions when Vanguard needs to restrict lending of and/or recall securities that are out on loan in order to vote in a shareholder meeting. Vanguard has processes to monitor securities on loan and to evaluate any circumstances that may require us to restrict and/or recall the stock. In making this decision, we consider:

■ The subject of the vote and whether, based on our knowledge and experience, we believe the topic is potentially material to the corporate governance and/or long-term performance of the company;

■ The Vanguard funds' individual and/or aggregate equity investment in a company, and whether we estimate that voting Vanguard funds' shares would affect the shareholder meeting outcome; and

■ The long-term impact to our fund shareholders, evaluating whether we believe the benefits of voting a company's shares would outweigh the benefits of stock lending revenues in a particular instance.

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Appendix B

ArrowMark Partners Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures

Issue

Rule 206(4)-6 under the Advisers Act requires every investment adviser who exercises voting authority with respect to client securities to adopt and implement written policies and procedures, reasonably designed to ensure that the adviser votes proxies in the best interest of its clients. The procedures must address material conflicts that may arise in connection with proxy voting. The Rule further requires the adviser to provide a concise summary of the adviser’s proxy voting process and offer to provide copies of the complete proxy voting policy and procedures to clients upon request. Lastly, the Rule requires that the adviser disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how the adviser voted their proxies.

ArrowMark votes proxies for all of its Clients, and therefore has adopted and implemented this Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures.

Risks

In developing this policy and procedures, ArrowMark considered numerous risks associated with its voting of Client proxies. This analysis includes risks such as:

■ ArrowMark does not maintain a written proxy voting policy as required by Rule 206(4)-6.

■ Proxies are not voted in Clients’ best interests.

■ Proxies are not identified and voted in a timely manner.

■ Conflicts between ArrowMark’s interests and the Client are not identified; therefore, proxies are not voted appropriately.

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

■ Proxy voting records and Client requests to review proxy votes are not maintained.

ArrowMark has established the following guidelines to effectuate and monitor its proxy voting policy and procedures.

Policy

It is the policy of ArrowMark to vote proxies in the best interest of its Clients. Proxies are an asset of a Client, which should be treated with the same care, diligence, and loyalty as any asset belonging to a Client. To that end, ArrowMark will vote in a way that it believes, consistent with its fiduciary duty, will cause the value of the issue to increase the most or decline the least. Consideration will be given to both the short and long term implications of the proposal to be voted on when considering the optimal vote.

ArrowMark may abstain from voting if it deems that abstaining is in its Clients’ best interests. For example, ArrowMark may be unable to vote securities that have been lent by the custodian. Also, proxy voting in certain countries involves “share blocking,” which limits ArrowMark’s ability to sell the affected security during a blocking period that can last for several weeks. ArrowMark believes that the potential consequences of being unable to sell a security usually outweigh the benefits of participating in a proxy vote, so ArrowMark generally abstains from voting when share blocking is required.

To assist ArrowMark in executing its voting responsibilities, we've engaged a third party proxy voting specialist, Glass Lewis & Co., LLC (“Glass Lewis” or the “Proxy Manager”). The services provided by Glass Lewis include in-depth research and voting recommendations intended to create shareholder value.

ArrowMark has reviewed the Proxy Manager’s Guidelines, and has determined that such Guidelines are consistent with its fiduciary responsibilities with respect to its Clients. ArrowMark will review any material amendments to such Guidelines.

Any general or specific proxy voting guidelines provided by an advisory Client or its designated agent in writing will supersede this policy.

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Procedures for Identification and Voting of Proxies

The Proxy Manager is responsible for ensuring that all proxies received are voted in a timely manner and voted consistently across all portfolios. Although many proxy proposals can be voted in accordance with the Proxy Manager’s established guidelines (the “Guidelines”), ArrowMark retains the right to vote any proposal in a manner differing from the Guidelines. Such deviations from the Guidelines must be approved by the CCO with a written explanation of the rationale for the deviation. ArrowMark, in conjunction with the custodian, is responsible for ensuring that all corporate actions received are addressed in a timely manner and consistent action is taken across all portfolios.

ArrowMark’s authority to vote proxies or act with respect to other corporate actions is established through the delegation of discretionary authority under its investment advisory agreements. Therefore, unless a Client specifically reserves the right, in writing, to vote its own proxies or to take shareholder action with respect to other corporate actions requiring shareholder actions, ArrowMark will vote all proxies and act on all other actions in a timely manner as part of its full discretionary authority over Clients in accordance with established policies and procedures.

Procedures for Glass Lewis Reconciliation

ArrowMark provides Glass Lewis with a daily holdings file representing all accounts in which ArrowMark has proxy voting authority. ArrowMark’s account master file is reconciled with Glass Lewis’ account master file at least quarterly.

The daily reconciliation process performed by Glass Lewis is as follows:

1. ArrowMark’s holdings files from QED Financial Systems are automatically uploaded daily into the Glass Lewis’ ViewPoint system (“ViewPoint”).

2. If ViewPoint doesn’t recognize security IDs contained in the holdings files, the rejected holdings are sent to Glass Lewis’ securities processing group to be investigated. If there are other errors in the holdings file, the securities processing group will alert the client service manager who will contact ArrowMark.

3. New Meeting Notices and Agendas are automatically uploaded into the ViewPoint system. Each meeting contains one or more security identifiers associated with it.

4. The ViewPoint reconciliation engine determines if there are matches between holdings and meetings for which Glass Lewis has not received ballots. These matches are displayed on the Ballot Reconciliation workbench for ViewPoint client service managers and audit team members.

5. The reconciliation tool can be used for the creation of ballots based on holdings information and the meeting and agenda information. This is a service Glass Lewis offers to clients with accounts that are not contracted with a proxy distribution service, such as Broadridge (“BFS”) or GPD, for the delivery of ballots electronically. The ballots created by Glass Lewis are transmitted directly via email or fax to the custodians once investors’ vote execution instructions are carried out.

6. If reconciliation records are generated for positions in U.S. companies and/or positions in global companies held in accounts custodied at banks that do contract with a proxy distribution service for the delivery of proxy materials, Glass Lewis will consider these records as “missing ballots” if a ballot has not been received by 10 business days prior to meeting date.

7. Multiple times a week Glass Lewis sends an automated reconciliation file to BFS with all of our clients’ “open records.” 24 hours later BFS provides us with a response file containing control numbers or further account setup and/or reconciliation instructions. Control numbers are uploaded immediately into VP by the Ballot Reconciliation team. All remaining open records are researched by individual client service managers (i.e., ballot reconciliation and account setup requests/inquiries are sent by email to the custodian).

8. Once a ballot is created, the corresponding reconciliation record is automatically closed. A record can be closed manually if no ballot is created when the investigation of the issue determines that no ballot will be delivered.

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Proxy Review Procedures

On a monthly basis, Glass Lewis provides ArrowMark with two reports: the Proxy Voting Report (“PVR”) and Analyze Voting Activity Report (“AVA”). The CCO or designee will review these reports monthly.

A PVR provides a snapshot of each meeting voted in a given time period and includes but isn’t limited to the following:

■ Agenda Items

■ Management Recommendations

■ Glass Lewis Recommendations

■ ArrowMark’s Policy Recommendations

■ Vote Cast

The AVA can be used to get a broad look at ballot data or can be narrowed down very specifically to only include certain data points. These include:

■ Meeting Types

■ Vote Decisions (with or against management/policy/Glass Lewis)

■ Country of Issue

■ Specific Meeting Issues

■ Proposal Categories

Both the PVR and AVA are able to show the vote recommendations generated by ArrowMark’s Policy, as well as the final vote decision.

Conflicts of Interest

ArrowMark is responsible for monitoring situations where the voting of proxies may present actual or perceived conflicts of interest between itself and Clients.

The following is a non-exhaustive list of potential conflicts of interests that could influence the proxy voting process:

■  Conflict: ArrowMark retains an institutional Client, or is in the process of retaining an institutional Client that is affiliated with an issuer that is held in ArrowMark’s Client portfolios. For example, ArrowMark may be retained to manage Company A’s pension fund. Company A is a public company and ArrowMark Client accounts hold shares of Company A. This type of relationship may influence ArrowMark to vote with management on proxies to gain favor with management. Such favor may influence Company A’s decision to continue its advisory relationship with ArrowMark.

■  Conflict: ArrowMark retains a Client, or is in the process of retaining a Client that is an officer or director of an issuer that is held in ArrowMark’s Client portfolios. The similar conflicts of interest exist in this relationship as discussed above.

■  Conflict: ArrowMark’s Employees maintain a personal and/or business relationship (not an advisory relationship) with issuers or individuals that serve as officers or directors of issuers. For example, the spouse of an Employee may be a high-level executive of an issuer that is held in ArrowMark’s Client portfolios. The spouse could attempt to influence ArrowMark to vote in favor of management.

■  Conflict: ArrowMark or an Employee(s) personally owns a significant number of an issuer’s securities that are also held in ArrowMark’s Client portfolios. For any number of reasons, an Employee(s) may seek to vote proxies in a different direction for his/her personal holdings than would otherwise be warranted by the proxy voting policy. The Employee(s) could oppose voting the proxies according to the policy and successfully influence ArrowMark to vote proxies in contradiction to the policy.

Where a proxy proposal raises a material conflict of interest between ArrowMark’s interests and that of one or more its Clients, including a mutual fund client, the Glass Lewis recommendations will be followed.

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Glass Lewis Oversight

In addition to oversight elements included in the Review of Third-Party Service Providers Section, ArrowMark will routinely review Glass Lewis’ Conflict of Interest disclosures including their Conflict of Interest Disclosure list and Conflict Avoidance Procedures. See website for conflict information (http://www.glasslewis.com/about-glass-lewis/disclosure-of-conflict/).

Procedures for ArrowMark’s Receipt of Class Actions

ArrowMark recognizes that as a fiduciary it has a duty to act with the highest obligation of good faith, loyalty, fair dealing and due care. When a recovery is achieved in a class action, investors who owned shares in the company subject to the action have the option to either: (1) opt out of the class action and pursue their own remedy; or (2) participate in the recovery achieved via the class action. Collecting the recovery involves the completion of a Proof of Claim form which is submitted to the Claims Administrator. After the Claims Administrator receives all Proof of Claims, it dispenses the money from the settlement fund to those persons and entities with valid claims.

ArrowMark has engaged an independent class action service, Battea, to handle all class action proceedings.

Recordkeeping

In accordance with Rule 204-2 under the Advisers Act, ArrowMark will maintain for the time periods set forth in the Rule

(i) These proxy voting procedures and policies, and all amendments thereto;

(ii) All proxy statements received regarding Client securities (provided however, that the we may rely on the proxy statement filed on EDGAR as its records);

(iii) A record of all votes cast on behalf of Clients;

(iv) Records of all Client requests and subsequent responses regarding proxy voting information;

(v) Any documents prepared by ArrowMark that were material to making a decision how to vote or that memorialized the basis for the decision; and

(vi) All records relating to requests made to Clients regarding conflicts of interest in voting the proxy.

Such records will be maintained in a readily accessible manner for a period of at least seven years. Proxy statements on file with EDGAR or maintained by the Proxy Manager are not subject to these retention requirements.

Disclosure

ArrowMark will ensure that Part 2 of Form ADV and/or the Fund documents are updated as necessary to reflect: (i) all material changes to the Proxy Voting Policy and Procedures; and (ii) information about how Clients may obtain information on how ArrowMark voted their securities.

ArrowMark will enter into arrangements with all mutual fund clients to provide any information required to be filed by such mutual fund on Form N-PX 60 days after June 30 of each year, and will provide information as requested by the client mutual funds' board of directors.

Proxy Solicitation

As a matter of practice, it is ArrowMark’s policy to not reveal or disclose to any Client how ArrowMark may have voted (or intends to vote) on a particular proxy until after such proxies have been counted at a shareholder’s meeting. ArrowMark will never disclose such information to unrelated third parties.

The CCO are to be promptly informed of the receipt of any solicitation from any person to vote proxies on behalf of Clients. At no time may any Employee accept any remuneration in the solicitation of proxies. The CCO should handle all responses to such solicitations.

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ClearBridge Investments, LLC Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

ClearBridge is subject to the Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures that it has adopted to seek to ensure that it votes proxies relating to equity securities in the best interest of client accounts. The following is a brief overview of the policies.

ClearBridge votes proxies for each client account with respect to which it has been authorized or is required by law to vote proxies. In voting proxies, ClearBridge is guided by general fiduciary principles and seeks to act prudently and solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of the accounts it manages. ClearBridge attempts to consider all factors that could affect the value of the investment and will vote proxies in the manner that it believes will be consistent with efforts to maximize shareholder values. ClearBridge may utilize an external service provider to provide it with information and/or a recommendation with regard to proxy votes. However, such recommendations do not relieve ClearBridge of its responsibility for the proxy vote.

In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a stated position in the policies, ClearBridge generally votes in accordance with such stated position. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge considers those factors and votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. In the case of a proxy issue for which there is no stated position or list of factors that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issue, ClearBridge votes on a case-by-case basis in accordance with the general principles set forth above. Issues for which there is a stated position set forth in the policies or for which there is a list of factors set forth in the policies that ClearBridge considers in voting on such issues fall into a variety of categories, including election of directors, ratification of auditors, proxy and tender offer defenses, capital structure issues, executive and director compensation, mergers and corporate restructuring, and social and environmental issues. The stated position on an issue set forth in the policies can always be superseded, subject to the duty to act solely in the best interest of the beneficial owners of accounts, by the investment management professionals responsible for the account whose shares are being voted. There may be occasions when different investment teams vote differently on the same issue. In addition, in the case of Taft-Hartley clients, ClearBridge will comply with a client direction to vote proxies in accordance with Institutional Shareholder Services’ (ISS) PVS Voting guidelines, which ISS represents to be fully consistent with AFL-CIO guidelines.

In furtherance of ClearBridge’s goal to vote proxies in the best interest of clients, ClearBridge follows procedures designed to identify and address material conflicts that may arise between ClearBridge’s interests and those of its clients before voting proxies on behalf of such clients. To seek to identify conflicts of interest, ClearBridge periodically notifies ClearBridge employees in writing that they are under an obligation (i) to be aware of the potential for conflicts of interest on the part of ClearBridge with respect to voting proxies on behalf of client accounts both as a result of their personal relationships or ClearBridge’s business relationships and (ii) to bring conflicts of interest of which they become aware to the attention of ClearBridge’s General Counsel/Chief Compliance Officer. ClearBridge also maintains and considers a list of significant ClearBridge relationships that could present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies.

ClearBridge generally takes the position that non-ClearBridge relationships between a Legg Mason affiliate and an issuer do not present a conflict of interest for ClearBridge in voting proxies with respect to such issuer. Such position is based on the fact that ClearBridge is operated as an independent business unit from other Legg Mason business units as well as on the existence of information barriers between ClearBridge and certain other Legg Mason business units.

ClearBridge’s Proxy Committee reviews and addresses conflicts of interest. A proxy issue that will be voted in accordance with a stated ClearBridge position on such issue or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party is not brought to the attention of the Proxy Committee for a conflict of interest review because ClearBridge’s position is that to the extent a conflict of interest issue exists, it is resolved by voting in accordance with a pre-determined policy or in accordance with the recommendation of an independent third party. With respect to a conflict of interest brought to its attention, the Proxy Committee first determines whether such conflict of interest is material. A conflict of interest is considered material to the extent that it is determined that such conflict is likely to influence, or appear to influence, ClearBridge’s decision-making in voting proxies. If it is determined by the Proxy Committee that a conflict of interest is not material, ClearBridge may vote proxies notwithstanding the existence of the conflict.

If it is determined by the Proxy Committee that a conflict of interest is material, the Proxy Committee is responsible for determining an appropriate method to resolve such conflict of interest before the proxy affected by the conflict of interest is voted. Such determination is based on the particular facts and circumstances, including the importance of the proxy issue and the nature of the conflict of interest.

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Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures

Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC (“SIMG”) has adopted the policies and procedures set out below regarding the voting of proxies on securities held in client accounts advised by SIMG (the “Policy”). This Policy is designed by SIMG to comply with its legal, fiduciary and contractual obligations in situations where SIMG has undertaken and agreed to vote client proxies. SIMG is a fiduciary and owes each of its clients a duty of care and loyalty with respect to the services it has undertaken on the client’s behalf, including the voting of proxies. It is the policy of SIMG to vote all proxies on securities held in client investment advisory accounts over which the client has given SIMG voting authority (the “Proxies”) in the best interests of its clients.

RESPONSIBILITY

SIMG’s Board of Managers has responsibility for determining SIMG’s Proxy Voting Policies and Procedures, exceptions to the procedures and the framework for how SIMG will vote Proxies in accordance with these procedures. SIMG’s Proxy Committee consists of the Chief Investment Officer, the Chief Compliance Officer, the Senior Portfolio Manager, Chief Operating Officer, and the Operations Administrator who collectively have a broad and diverse range of experience in the financial services industry.

The responsibility for monitoring the Policy and the practices, disclosures and recordkeeping relating to SIMG’s Proxy voting will be coordinated through SIMG’s compliance department. Regular reports of proxy votes will be provided to SIMG’s Board of Managers. SIMG’s Board of Managers shall review proxy voting on an ongoing basis at the Quarterly Board of Manager meetings.

PROCEDURES

SIMG has established procedures related to Proxy voting to implement the Policy set forth herein. The Policy and procedures may be amended or updated from time to time as appropriate.

Determining Responsibility to Vote Proxies. At the opening of each investment advisory client relationship, proxy voting responsibility, including any applicable regulatory requirements, will be determined, and any client proxy policies and/or guidelines regarding proxy voting will be ascertained. SIMG’s investment management agreements typically specify that SIMG will assume proxy voting authority, unless a client retains such authority.

Retaining Services of A Third Party Proxy Advisory Firm. SIMG’s Proxy Committee has determined that SIMG will utilize the services of a third party proxy advisory firm. In selecting a proxy advisory firm, SIMG will assess whether or not the proxy advisory firm has the necessary capacity and competence to adequately analyze proxy issues. In making this determination, SIMG will consider among other things the adequacy and quality of the proxy advisory firm’s staffing and personnel and the robustness of the proxy advisory firm’s policies and procedures regarding its ability to (i) ensure that its proxy voting recommendations are based on current and accurate information and (ii) identify and address any conflicts of interest and other considerations believed by SIMG to be appropriate considering the nature and quality of the services to be provided to SIMG.

Voting and Voting Guidelines. SIMG has selected Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. (“ISS”), an independent proxy-advisory firm, to provide research, recommendations and other proxy voting services for client Proxies. Absent a determination by SIMG’s Proxy Committee to override ISS’s guidelines and/or recommendations, SIMG will vote all client Proxies in accordance with ISS guidelines and recommendations. SIMG has also retained ISS for its voting agent service to administer its Proxy voting operation. As such, ISS is responsible for submitting all Proxies in a timely manner and for maintaining appropriate records of Proxy votes. SIMG may choose to hire other service providers or replace or supplement any of the services SIMG currently receives from ISS.

ISS maintains Proxy Voting Guidelines and Policies (the “Guidelines”) that address a wide variety of individual topics, including, among others, shareholder voting rights, anti-takeover defenses, board structures, the election of directors, executive compensation, reorganizations, mergers and various shareholder proposals. These Guidelines may be amended by ISS from time to time.

Overrides. While it is generally SIMG’s policy to follow the most current version of the Guidelines and recommendations from ISS, SIMG retains the authority to adopt guidelines from time to time that differ from the

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Guidelines. In addition, SIMG retains the authority on any particular Proxy vote to vote differently from the Guidelines or a related ISS recommendation. Such authority may be exercised only by the Proxy Committee. With respect to changing any voting guidelines from the ISS Guidelines, the Proxy Committee will consider the reasons for changing the guidelines and will create and maintain a written record reflecting its reasons for adopting the changed guidelines.

Copies of upcoming proxy votes will be circulated to the Proxy Committee along with ISS’s recommendation for each proxy vote. Each Proxy Committee member will review the upcoming votes, and if any member of the Proxy Committee wishes to override ISS’s voting recommendation, a meeting of the Proxy Committee shall be convened to discuss whether to override ISS’s recommendation. The Proxy Committee shall:

(i) consider the reasons for voting in a manner different from the ISS recommendation;

(ii) consider whether there is a material conflict of interest between SIMG and its advisory clients or between the third party proxy advisory firm and any person that would make it inappropriate for the Proxy Committee to vote in a manner different from the ISS recommendations;

(iii) exercise its judgment to vote the Proxy in the best interests of SIMG’s investment advisory clients; and

(iv) create and maintain a written record reflecting the basis for its judgment as to such Proxy vote.

In the event that any member of the Proxy Committee has any material pecuniary interest (direct or indirect) in a Proxy matter that is separate and distinct from that of a shareholder of the Proxy issuer, then the member shall recuse himself from the Proxy Committee’s deliberations regarding that matter.

Input from Others. The Proxy Committee may, with respect to any particular proxy matter under consideration, solicit and/or receive input from any employee of SIMG or its affiliates (e.g., an employee with the Stephens Inc. Research Department), so long as neither the individual nor his or her department have a material interest in the outcome of the proxy matter under consideration that would potentially conflict with the economic interests of SIMG’s advisory clients. For example, the Proxy Committee should not solicit input from a Stephens Inc. investment banker with respect to a proxy matter if Stephens Inc. investment bankers are advising the issuer on the transaction underlying the proxy.

Conflicts of Interest. SIMG is part of a large financial services organization that has investment banking and other business relationships with, and/or ownership interests in, many issuers of securities. Such relationships may, from time to time, create or give rise to the appearance of a conflict of interest between SIMG (or its affiliates) and its clients. For example, an affiliate of SIMG may have an investment banking relationship with an issuer of voting securities that could create the potential for a conflict with SIMG’s duty, in the Proxy voting process, to act in the best economic interest of its investment advisory clients. SIMG has implemented procedures designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing its Proxy voting decisions. These procedures include information barriers and, most significantly, the use of an independent third party proxy advisory firm to assist SIMG in the Proxy voting process.

Recordkeeping. SIMG shall maintain relevant records, in paper or electronic format, through EDGAR or ISS, including Proxy statements, related research materials, Proxy ballots and votes, on an issue and client basis. SIMG shall also maintain copies of any written client request for Proxy voting information regarding investment advisory client securities and any written responses thereto.

Periodic Review. SIMG will provide ongoing oversight over any third party proxy advisory firm it retains to ensure that SIMG, through the third party, continues to vote proxies in the best interests of SIMG’s clients. Proxy voting for the most recent quarterly period will be presented to SIMG’s Board of Managers and reviewed by them each quarter.

Annually, SIMG shall review this proxy voting policy and its implementation over the past 12 month period. SIMG, as part of this review, shall assess its third party proxy voting advisory firm’s actions and recommendations.

In this review, SIMG shall consider and determine:

• whether or not proxies have been voted in SIMG client best interests and in accordance with SIMG’s proxy voting policy;

• whether or not any conflict of interest was identified in connection with proxy voting;

• whether or not any business changes or other factors have influenced SIMG’s third party proxy advisory firm’s continued effectiveness and independence;

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• whether or not SIMG’s proxy advisory firm continues to have the capacity, the systems, technology, controls, staffing and expertise to evaluate relevant company related issues;

• whether SIMG’s proxy advisory firm has an effective process for seeking timely input from issuers and its own clients with respect to its proxy voting policies, methodologies and peer group constructions (including say-on-pay votes).

• whether SIMG’s proxy advisory firm has adequately disclosed its methodologies in formulating voting recommendations such that the SIMG can understand the factors underlying the proxy advisory firm’s voting recommendations; and

• how SIMG’s proxy advisory firm addresses conflicts of interest.

Wellington Management Global Proxy Policy and Procedures

Wellington Management has adopted and implemented policies and procedures that it believes are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of clients for whom it exercises proxy-voting discretion.

Wellington Management’s Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) set forth broad guidelines and positions on common proxy issues that Wellington Management uses in voting on proxies. In addition, Wellington Management also considers each proposal in the context of the issuer, industry and country or countries in which the issuer’s business is conducted. The Guidelines are not rigid rules and the merits of a particular proposal may cause Wellington Management to enter a vote that differs from the Guidelines. Wellington Management seeks to vote all proxies with the goal of increasing long-term client value and, while client investment strategies may differ, applying this common set of guidelines is consistent with the investment objective of achieving positive long-term investment performance for each client.

Statement of Policy

Wellington Management:

1) Votes client proxies for which clients have affirmatively delegated proxy-voting authority, in writing, unless it has arranged in advance with the client to limit the circumstances in which it would exercise voting authority or determines that it is in the best interest of one or more clients to refrain from voting a given proxy.

2) Votes all proxies in the best interests of the client for whom it is voting.

3) Identifies and resolves all material proxy-related conflicts of interest between the firm and its clients in the best interests of the client.

Responsibility and Oversight

The Investment Research Group (“Investment Research”) monitors regulatory requirements with respect to proxy voting and works with the firm’s Legal and Compliance Group and the Investment Stewardship Committee to develop practices that implement those requirements. Investment Research also acts as a resource for portfolio managers and research analysts on proxy matters as needed. Day-to-day administration of the proxy voting process is the responsibility of Investment Research. The Investment Stewardship Committee is responsible for oversight of the implementation of the Global Proxy Policy and Procedures, review and approval of the Guidelines, identification and resolution of conflicts of interest, and for providing advice and guidance on specific proxy votes for individual issuers. The Investment Stewardship Committee reviews the Global Proxy Policy and Procedures annually.

Procedures

Use of Third-Party Voting Agent

Wellington Management uses the services of a third-party voting agent for research, voting recommendations, and to manage the administrative aspects of proxy voting. The voting agent processes proxies for client accounts, casts votes based on the Guidelines and maintains records of proxies voted. Wellington Management complements the research received by its primary voting agent with research from another voting agent.

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Receipt of Proxy

If a client requests that Wellington Management votes proxies on its behalf, the client must instruct its custodian bank to deliver all relevant voting material to Wellington Management or its voting agent.

Reconciliation

Each public security proxy received by electronic means is matched to the securities eligible to be voted and a reminder is sent to any custodian or trustee that has not forwarded the proxies as due. This reconciliation is performed at the ballot level. Although proxies received for private securities, as well as those received in non- electronic format, are voted as received, Wellington Management is not able to reconcile these ballots, nor does it notify custodians of non-receipt.

Research

In addition to proprietary investment research undertaken by Wellington Management investment professionals, Investment Research conducts proxy research internally, and uses the resources of a number of external sources including third-party voting agents to keep abreast of developments in corporate governance and of current practices of specific companies.

Proxy Voting

Following the reconciliation process, each proxy is compared against the Guidelines, and handled as follows:

■ Generally, issues for which explicit proxy voting guidance is provided in the Guidelines (i.e., “For”, “Against”, “Abstain”) are voted in accordance with the Guidelines.

■ Issues identified as “case-by-case” in the Guidelines are further reviewed by Investment Research. In certain circumstances, further input is needed, so the issues are forwarded to the relevant research analyst and/or portfolio manager(s) for their input.

■ Absent a material conflict of interest, the portfolio manager has the authority to decide the final vote. Different portfolio managers holding the same securities may arrive at different voting conclusions for their clients' proxies.

Wellington Management reviews a subset of the voting record to ensure that proxies are voted in accordance with these Global Proxy Policy and Procedures and the Guidelines; and ensures that documentation and reports, for clients and for internal purposes, relating to the voting of proxies are promptly and properly prepared and disseminated.

Material Conflict of Interest Identification and Resolution Processes

Wellington Management’s broadly diversified client base and functional lines of responsibility serve to minimize the number of, but not prevent, material conflicts of interest it faces in voting proxies. Annually, the Investment Stewardship Committee sets standards for identifying material conflicts based on client, vendor, and lender relationships, and publishes those standards to individuals involved in the proxy voting process. In addition, the Investment Stewardship Committee encourages all personnel to contact Investment Research about apparent conflicts of interest, even if the apparent conflict does not meet the published materiality criteria. Apparent conflicts are reviewed by designated members of the Investment Stewardship Committee to determine if there is a conflict and if so whether the conflict is material.

If a proxy is identified as presenting a material conflict of interest, the matter must be reviewed by designated members of the Investment Stewardship Committee, who will resolve the conflict and direct the vote. In certain circumstances, the designated members may determine that the full Investment Stewardship Committee should convene.

Other Considerations

In certain instances, Wellington Management may be unable to vote or may determine not to vote a proxy on behalf of one or more clients. While not exhaustive, the following are potential instances in which a proxy vote might not be entered.

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Securities Lending

In general, Wellington Management does not know when securities have been lent out pursuant to a client’s securities lending program and are therefore unavailable to be voted. Efforts to recall loaned securities are not always effective, but, in rare circumstances, Wellington Management may determine voting would outweigh the benefit to the client resulting from use of securities for lending and recommend that a client attempt to have its custodian recall the security to permit voting of related proxies.

Share Blocking and Re-registration

Certain countries impose trading restrictions or requirements regarding re-registration of securities held in omnibus accounts in order for shareholders to vote a proxy. The potential impact of such requirements is evaluated when determining whether to vote such proxies.

Lack of Adequate Information, Untimely Receipt of Proxy Materials, or Excessive Costs

Wellington Management may abstain from voting a proxy when the proxy statement or other available information is inadequate to allow for an informed vote, when the proxy materials are not delivered in a timely fashion or when, in Wellington Management's judgment, the costs exceed the expected benefits to clients (such as when powers of attorney or consularization are required).

Additional Information

Wellington Management maintains records related to proxies pursuant to Rule 204-2 of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (the “Advisers Act”), the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, as amended (“ERISA”), and other applicable laws. In addition, Wellington Management discloses annually how it has exercised its voting rights for significant votes, as required by the EU Shareholder Rights Directive II (“SRD II”).

Wellington Management provides clients with a copy of its Global Proxy Policy and Procedures, including the Guidelines, upon written request. In addition, Wellington Management will provide specific client information relating to proxy voting to a client upon written request.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

SAI 024 022021

PART C
VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28. Exhibits  

(a)	Articles of Incorporation, Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 85 dated February 20, 2009, is hereby incorporated by reference.
(b)	By-Laws, Amended and Re-stated By-Laws, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 dated February 23, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference.
(c)	Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holders, reference is made to Articles III and V of the Registrant’s Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, refer to Exhibit (a) above.
(d)	Investment Advisory Contracts, for Wellington Management Company LLP, filed with Post- Effective Amendment No. 92 on March 23, 2011; for Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 101 dated February 24, 2014; for ClearBridge Investments, LLC, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 112 on March 20, 2017; and for ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 113 dated May 19, 2017, are hereby incorporated by reference. The Vanguard Group, Inc., provides investment advisory services to the Fund pursuant to the Fifth Amended and Restated Funds' Service Agreement, refer to Exhibit (h) below.
(e)	Underwriting Contracts, not applicable.
(f)	Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts, reference is made to the section entitled “Management of the Funds” in Part B of this Registration Statement.
(g)	Custodian Agreement, for State Street Bank and Trust Company, is filed herewith.
(h)	Other Material Contracts, Fifth Amended and Restated Funds’ Service Agreement, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 121, dated February 27, 2020, is hereby incorporated by reference.
(i)	Legal Opinion, not applicable.
(j)	Other Opinions, Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm, is filed herewith.
(k)	Omitted Financial Statements, not applicable.
(l)	Initial Capital Agreements, not applicable.
(m)	Rule 12b-1 Plan, not applicable.
(n)	Rule 18f-3 Plan, is filed herewith.
(o)	Reserved.
(p)	Codes of Ethics, for The Vanguard Group, Inc., filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 119 dated February 26, 2019, is hereby incorporated by reference.; for Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 108 dated February 25, 2016, is hereby incorporated by reference; for Wellington Management Company LLP, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 116 dated February 23, 2018, is hereby incorporated by reference; and for ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC, and for ClearBridge Investments, LLC, filed with Post-Effective Amendment No. 119 dated February 26, 2019, is hereby incorporated by reference.

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or under Common Control with Registrant

None.

Item 30. Indemnification

The Registrant’s organizational documents contain provisions indemnifying Trustees and officers against liability incurred in their official capacities. Article VII, Section 2 of the Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust provides that the Registrant may indemnify and hold harmless each and every Trustee and officer from and against any and all claims, demands, costs, losses, expenses, and damages whatsoever arising out of or related to the performance of his or her duties as a Trustee or officer. Article VI of the By-Laws generally provides that the Registrant shall indemnify its

C-1

Trustees and officers from any liability arising out of their past or present service in that capacity. Among other things, this provision excludes any liability arising by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or the reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Trustee’s or officer’s office with the Registrant.

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933 (the Securities Act) may be permitted for directors, officers, or persons controlling the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, the Registrant has been informed that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission, such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the Securities Act and is therefore unenforceable.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser

Wellington Management Company LLP (Wellington Management) is an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the Advisers Act). The list required by this Item 31 of officers and partners of Wellington Management, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and partners during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Wellington Management pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-15908).

The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of Vanguard, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by Vanguard pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-11953).

Stephens Investment Management Group, LLC (SIMG) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of SIMG, together with any information as to any business profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by SIMG pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-64675).

ArrowMark Colorado Holdings, LLC (ArrowMark Partners) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and members of ArrowMark Partners, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and members during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by ArrowMark Partners pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File no. 801-69868).

ClearBridge Investments, LLC (ClearBridge) is an investment adviser registered under the Advisers Act. The list required by this Item 31 of officers and directors of ClearBridge, together with any information as to any business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature engaged in by such officers and directors during the past two years, is incorporated herein by reference from Form ADV filed by ClearBridge pursuant to the Advisers Act (SEC File No. 801-64710).

Item 32. Principal Underwriters  

(a)	Vanguard Marketing Corporation, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Vanguard Group, Inc., is the principal underwriter of each fund within the Vanguard group of investment companies, a family of over 200 funds.
(b)	The principal business address of each named director and officer of Vanguard Marketing Corporation is 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355.

 

Name	Positions and Office with Underwriter	Positions and Office with Funds
Matthew Benchener	Chairman, Director, Principal, and Chief Executive Officer Designee	None
Karin A. Risi	Director and Principal	None
Scott A. Conking	Director and Principal	None
Thomas M. Rampulla	Director and Principal	None
Michael Rollings	Director and Principal	Finance Director
Caroline Cosby	Director, Principal, General Counsel, and Assistant Secretary	None

C-2

Name	Positions and Office with Underwriter	Positions and Office with Funds
Matthew C. Brancato	Director and Principal	None
Mortimer J. Buckley	President	Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Chief Executive Officer, and President
John E. Schadl	Assistant Vice President	Chief Compliance Officer
Beth Morales Singh	Secretary	None
Erica Green	Chief Compliance Officer	None
John T. Marcante	Chief Information Officer	None
Alonzo Ellis	Chief Information Security Officer	None
Salvatore L. Pantalone	Financial and Operations Principal and Treasurer	None
Celeste Hagerty	Financial and Operations Principal	None
Danielle Corey	Annuity and Insurance Officer	None
Jeff Seglem	Annuity and Insurance Officer	None
John Bendl	Principal	Chief Financial Officer
Barbara Bock	Principal	None
Saundra K. Cusumano	Principal	None
James M. Delaplane Jr.	Principal	None
Andrew Kadjeski	Principal	None
Michael V. Lucci	Principal	None
Brian P. McCarthy	Principal	None
Matthew P. McCarthy	Principal	None
Douglas R. Mento	Principal	None
Jim O’Rourke	Principal	None
David Petty	Principal	None
Monica Verma	Principal	None

 

(c) Not applicable.

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

The books, accounts, and other documents required to be maintained by Section 31(a) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and the rules promulgated thereunder will be maintained at the offices of the Registrant, 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrant's Transfer Agent, The Vanguard Group, Inc., 100 Vanguard Boulevard, Malvern, PA 19355; the Registrant's Custodian, State Street Bank and Trust Company, One Lincoln Street, Boston, MA 02111; and the Registrant's investment advisors at their respective locations identified in this Registration Statement.

Item 34. Management Services

Other than as set forth in the section entitled “Management of the Funds” in Part B of this Registration Statement, the Registrant is not a party to any management-related service contract.

Item 35. Undertakings

Not applicable.

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SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant hereby certifies that it meets all requirements for effectiveness of this Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the Town of Valley Forge and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, on the 25th day of February, 2021.

Vanguard Explorer Fund

BY:

/s/ Mortimer J. Buckley*

Mortimer J. Buckley
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Post-Effective Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the date indicated:  

Signature	Title	Date
/s/ Mortimer J. Buckley* Mortimer J. Buckley	Chairman and Chief Executive Officer	February 25, 2021
/s/ Emerson U. Fullwood* Emerson U. Fullwood	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Amy Gutmann* Amy Gutmann	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Joseph Loughrey* Joseph Loughrey	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Mark Loughridge* Mark Loughridge	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Scott C. Malpass* Scott C. Malpass	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Deanna Mulligan* Deanna Mulligan	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ André F. Perold* André F. Perold	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Sarah Bloom Raskin* Sarah Bloom Raskin	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ Peter F. Volanakis* Peter F. Volanakis	Trustee	February 25, 2021
/s/ John Bendl* John Bendl	Chief Financial Officer	February 25, 2021

*By: /s/ Anne E. Robinson
Anne E. Robinson, pursuant to a Power of Attorney filed on December 18, 2020 (see File Number 33-64845), Incorporated by Reference.

EX-99

Amended and Restated Master Custodian Agreement 

This Agreement is made as of September 15, 2017 by and among each management investment company identified on Appendix A hereto (each such management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 19.5 below, shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Fund”), and State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”).  Each Fund and the Custodian agree that this Agreement merges, integrates and supersedes all prior agreements, side letters and understandings between the parties with respect to the matters contained herein; provided, however, that the continuation of any other agreements that may reference the Master Custodian Agreement between the Custodian and the Fund dated prior to the date hereof (“Prior Agreement”) is not intended to be affected by the fact of this amendment and restatement of the Master Custodian Agreement, and reference in such other agreements to a Prior Agreement shall be considered to be a reference to this Agreement effective as of the date of this Agreement (provided that matters relating to the time period prior to the date of this Agreement are governed by the terms of the Prior Agreement). 

Witnesseth: 

Whereas, each Fund is authorized to issue shares of common stock or shares of beneficial interest in separate series (“Shares”), with each such series representing interests in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets; 

Whereas, each Fund so authorized intends that this Agreement be applicable to each of its series set forth on Appendix A hereto (such series together with all other series subsequently established by the Fund and made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 19.6 below, shall hereinafter be referred to as the “Portfolio(s)”). 

Whereas, each Fund not so authorized intends that this Agreement be applicable to it and all references hereinafter to one or more “Portfolio(s)” shall be deemed to refer to such Fund(s); and 

Now, Therefore, in consideration of the mutual covenants and agreements hereinafter contained, the parties hereto intending to be legally bound hereby agree as follows:  

Section 1.Employment of Custodian and Property to be Held by It 

Each Fund hereby employs the Custodian as a custodian of assets of the Portfolios, including securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, desires to be held in places within the United States (“domestic securities”) and securities which the Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio desires to be held outside the United States (“foreign securities”). Each Fund, on behalf of its Portfolio(s), agrees to deliver to the Custodian all securities, other financial assets and cash of the Portfolios, and all payments of income, payments of principal or capital distributions received by it with respect to all securities or other financial assets owned by the Portfolio(s) from time to time, and the cash consideration received by it for such Shares as may be issued or sold from time to time. The Custodian shall not be responsible for any property of a Portfolio which is not received by it or which is delivered out in accordance with Proper Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 8 hereof) including, without limitation, Portfolio property (i) held by brokers, private bankers or other entities on behalf of the Portfolio (each a “Local Agent”), (ii) held by Special Sub-Custodians (as such term is defined in Section 6 hereof), (iii) held by entities which have advanced monies to or on behalf of the Portfolio and which have received Portfolio property as security for such advance(s) (each a “Pledgee

”), or (iv) delivered or otherwise removed from the custody of the Custodian (a) in connection with any Free Trade (as such term is defined in Sections 2.2(14) and 2.6(7) hereof) or (b) pursuant to Special Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 8 hereof). With respect to uncertificated shares (the “Underlying Shares”) of (i) registered “investment companies” (as defined in Section 3(a)(1) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended from time to time (the “1940 Act”)), whether in the same “group of investment companies” (as defined in Section 12(d)(1)(G)(ii) of the 1940 Act) or otherwise, including pursuant to Section 12(d)(1)(F) of the 1940 Act or (ii) investment companies or other pooled investment vehicles that are not registered pursuant to the 1940 Act (the entities listed in clauses (i) and (ii) being hereinafter sometimes referred to as the “Underlying Portfolios”) the holding of confirmation statements that identify the shares as being recorded in the Custodian’s name on behalf of the Portfolios will be deemed custody for purposes hereof. 

Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall from time to time employ one or more sub-custodians located in the United States for a Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s. The Custodian may place and maintain each Fund’s foreign securities with foreign banking institution sub-custodians employed by the Custodian and/or foreign securities depositories, all as designated in Schedules A and B hereto, but only in accordance with the applicable provisions of Sections 3 and 4 hereof.  

Section 2. Duties of the Custodian with Respect to Property of the Portfolios to be Held in the United States 

Section 2.1Holding Securities. The Custodian shall hold and physically segregate for the account of each Portfolio all non‑cash property, to be held by it in the United States, including all domestic securities owned by such Portfolio other than (a) securities which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.8 in a clearing agency which acts as a securities depository or in a book‑entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury (each, a “U.S. Securities System”) and (b) Underlying Shares owned by each Fund which are maintained pursuant to Section 2.10 hereof in an account with State Street Bank and Trust Company or such other entity which may from time to time act as a transfer agent for the Underlying Portfolios and with respect to which the Custodian is provided with Proper Instructions (the “Underlying Transfer Agent”). Except as precluded by Section 8-501(d) of the Uniform Commercial Code (“UCC”), the Custodian shall hold all securities and other financial assets, other than cash, of a Portfolio that are delivered to it in a “securities account” with the Custodian for and in the name of such Portfolio and shall treat all such assets other than cash as “financial assets” as those terms are used in the UCC. The Custodian shall identify on its books and records as belonging to a Portfolio the securities and other financial assets, constituting Portfolio assets held by (a) the Custodian, its delegates and sub-custodians, (b) a U.S. Securities System, or (c) an Underlying Transfer Agent in accordance with Section 2.10. To the extent that the Custodian or any of its sub-custodians holds securities constituting the Portfolio’s assets in an omnibus account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, the records of the Custodian shall identify which of such securities constitute a Portfolio’s assets.  

Section 2.2Delivery of Securities. The Custodian shall release and deliver domestic securities and other financial assets owned by a Portfolio held by the Custodian, in a U.S. Securities System account of the Custodian or in an account at the Underlying Transfer Agent, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases: 

1) Upon sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio in accordance with customary or established market practices and procedures, including, without limitation, delivery to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent of such purchaser or dealer) against expectation of receiving later payment; 

2)Upon the receipt of payment in connection with any repurchase agreement related to such securities entered into by the Portfolio; 

3)In the case of a sale effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the provisions of Section 2.8 hereof; 

4)To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for securities of the Portfolio; 

5)To the issuer thereof or its agent when such securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; provided that, in any such case, the cash or other consideration is to be delivered to the Custodian; 

6)To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Portfolio or into the name of any nominee or nominees of the Custodian or into the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or into the name or nominee name of any sub‑custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1; or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; provided that, in any such case, the new securities are to be delivered to the Custodian; 

7)Upon the sale of such securities for the account of the Portfolio, to the broker or its clearing agent, against a receipt, for examination in accordance with “street delivery” custom; provided that in any such case, the Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such securities prior to receiving payment for such securities except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct; 

8)For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian; 

9)In the case of warrants, rights or similar securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; provided that, in any such case, the new securities and cash, if any, are to be delivered to the Custodian; 

10)For delivery in connection with any loans of securities made by the Portfolio (a) against receipt of collateral as agreed from time to time by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, except that in connection with any loans for which collateral is to be credited to the Custodian’s account in the book‑entry system authorized by the U.S. Department of the Treasury, the Custodian will not be held liable or responsible for the delivery of securities owned by the Portfolio prior to the receipt of such collateral or (b) to the lending agent, or the lending agent’s custodian, in accordance with written Proper Instructions (which need not provide for the receipt by the Custodian of collateral therefor) agreed upon from time to time by the Custodian and the Fund; 

11)For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio; 

12)For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker‑dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the “Exchange Act”) and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”), relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio; 

13)For delivery in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian, and a futures commission merchant registered under the Commodity Exchange Act, relating to compliance with the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (the “CFTC”) and/or any contract market, or any similar organization or organizations, regarding account deposits in connection with transactions by the Fund on behalf of a Portfolio; 

14)Upon the sale or other delivery of such investments (including, without limitation, to one or more (a) Special Sub-Custodians or (b) additional custodians appointed by the Fund, and communicated to the Custodian from time to time via a writing duly executed by an authorized officer of the Fund, for the purpose of engaging in repurchase agreement transactions(s), each a “Repo Custodian”), and prior to receipt of payment therefor, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such delivery in advance of payment, along with payment in advance of delivery made in accordance with Section 2.6(7), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a “Free Trade”), provided that such Proper Instructions shall set forth (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person(s) to whom delivery of such securities shall be made;  

15)Upon receipt of instructions from the Fund’s transfer agent (the “Transfer Agent”) for delivery to such Transfer Agent or to the holders of Shares in connection with distributions in kind, as may be described from time to time in the currently effective prospectus and statement of additional information of the Fund related to the Portfolio (the “Prospectus”), in satisfaction of requests by holders of Shares for repurchase or redemption; 

16) In the case of a sale processed through the Underlying Transfer Agent of Underlying Shares, in accordance with Section 2.10 hereof;  

17) For delivery as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and 

18)For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the applicable Portfolio specifying (a) the securities of the Portfolio to be delivered and (b) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made. 

Section 2.3Registration of Securities

. Domestic securities or other financial assets held by the Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of any nominee of a Fund on behalf of the Portfolio or of any nominee of the Custodian which nominee shall be assigned exclusively to the Portfolio, unless the Fund has authorized in writing the appointment of a nominee to be used in common with other registered management investment companies having the same investment adviser as the Portfolio, or in the name or nominee name of any agent appointed pursuant to Section 2.7 or in the name or nominee name of any sub‑custodian appointed pursuant to Section 1. All securities accepted by the Custodian on behalf of the Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement shall be in “street name” or other good delivery form. If, however, a Fund directs the Custodian to maintain securities in “street name”, the Custodian shall utilize its best efforts to timely collect income due the Fund on such securities and shall utilize its best efforts to timely notify the Fund of relevant corporate actions including, without limitation, pendency of calls, maturities, tender or exchange offers. 

Section 2.4Bank Accounts. The Custodian shall open and maintain a separate bank account or accounts in the United States in the name of each Portfolio of each Fund, subject only to draft or order by the Custodian acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement, and shall hold in such account or accounts, subject to the provisions hereof, all cash received by it from or for the account of the Portfolio, other than cash maintained by the Portfolio in a bank account established and used in accordance with Rule 17f‑3 under the 1940 Act. Funds held by the Custodian for a Portfolio may be deposited by it to its credit as Custodian in the banking department of the Custodian or in such other banks or trust companies as it may in its discretion deem necessary or desirable; provided, however, that every such bank or trust company shall be qualified to act as a custodian under the 1940 Act and that each such bank or trust company and the funds to be deposited with each such bank or trust company shall on behalf of each applicable Portfolio be approved by vote of a majority of the Board of Trustees or the Board of Directors of the Fund (as appropriate, and in each case, the “Board”). Such funds shall be deposited by the Custodian in its capacity as Custodian and shall be withdrawable by the Custodian only in that capacity. 

Section 2.5Collection of Income. Except with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14) or purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(7), and subject to the provisions of Section 2.3, the Custodian shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to registered domestic securities and other financial assets held hereunder to which each Portfolio shall be entitled either by law or pursuant to custom in the securities business, and shall collect on a timely basis all income and other payments with respect to bearer domestic securities if, on the date of payment by the issuer, such securities are held by the Custodian or its agent. Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, the Custodian shall detach and present for payment all coupons and other income items requiring presentation as and when they become due and shall collect interest when due on securities held hereunder. The Custodian shall credit income to the Portfolio as such income is received or in accordance with the Custodian’s then current payable date income schedule. The Custodian may reverse any income credited by the Custodian to a Portfolio after the Custodian reasonably determines that actual payment of income will not occur in due course, and the Custodian may charge the Portfolio a rate agreed upon by the parties for the amount of unpaid income credited to the Portfolio.Income due each Portfolio on securities loaned pursuant to the provisions of Section 2.2 (10) shall be the responsibility of the applicable Fund. The Custodian will have no duty or responsibility in connection therewith, other than to provide the Fund with such information or data as may be necessary to assist the Fund in arranging for the timely delivery to the Custodian of the income to which the Portfolio is properly entitled. 

The Custodian shall notify a Fund, at the frequency agreed upon by the parties, in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing, if any amount payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets of the Portfolios of a Fund is not received by the Custodian when due. In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and agree upon any compensation and expenses payable to the Custodian as a result of taking such measures. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the collection of amounts due and payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets that are in default.   

Section 2.6Payment of Fund Monies. The Custodian shall pay out monies of a Portfolio as provided in Section 5 and otherwise upon

receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of the applicable Portfolio, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only: 

1) Upon the purchase of domestic securities, options, futures contracts or options on futures contracts for the account of the Portfolio but only (a) in accordance with customary or established market practices and procedures, including, without limitation, delivering money to the seller thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such seller or dealer) against expectation of receiving later delivery of such securities or evidence of title to such options, futures contracts or options on futures contracts to the Custodian (or any bank, banking firm or trust company doing business in the United States or abroad which is qualified under the 1940 Act to act as a custodian and has been designated by the Custodian as its agent for this purpose) registered in the name of the Portfolio or in the name of a nominee of the Custodian referred to in Section 2.3 hereof or in proper form for transfer; (b) in the case of a purchase effected through a U.S. Securities System, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 2.8 hereof; (c) in the case of a purchase of Underlying Shares, in accordance with the conditions set forth in Section 2.10 hereof; (d) in the case of repurchase agreements entered into between the applicable Fund on behalf of a Portfolio and the Custodian, or another bank, or a broker‑dealer which is a member of FINRA, (i) against delivery of the securities either in certificate form or through an entry crediting the Custodian’s account at the Federal Reserve Bank with such securities or (ii) against delivery of the receipt evidencing purchase by the Portfolio of securities owned by the Custodian along with written evidence of the agreement by the Custodian to repurchase such securities from the Portfolio; or (e) for transfer to a time deposit account of the Fund in any bank, whether domestic or foreign; such transfer may be effected prior to receipt of a confirmation from a broker and/or the applicable bank pursuant to Proper Instructions from the Fund as defined herein; 

2)In connection with conversion, exchange or surrender of securities owned by the Portfolio as set forth in Section 2.2 hereof; 

3)For the redemption or repurchase of Shares issued as set forth in Section 7 hereof; 

4)For the payment of any expense or liability incurred by the Portfolio, including but not limited to the following payments for the account of the Portfolio: interest, taxes, management, accounting, transfer agent and legal fees, and operating expenses of the Fund whether or not such expenses are to be in whole or in part capitalized or treated as deferred expenses; 

5)For the payment of any dividends on Shares declared pursuant to the Fund’s articles of incorporation or organization and by-laws or agreement or declaration of trust, as applicable, and Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information (collectively, “Governing Documents”); 

6)For payment of the amount of dividends received in respect of securities sold short; 

7)Upon the purchase of domestic investments including, without limitation, repurchase agreement transactions involving delivery of Portfolio monies to Repo Custodian(s), and prior to receipt of such investments, as set forth in written Proper Instructions (such payment in advance of delivery, along with delivery in advance of payment made in accordance with Section 2.2(14), as applicable, shall each be referred to herein as a “

Free Trade”), provided that such Proper Instructions shall also set forth (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person(s) to whom such payment is made;  

8)For payment as initial or variation margin in connection with futures or options on futures contracts entered into by the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio; and 

9)For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions from the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio specifying (a) the amount of such payment and (b) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made. 

Section 2.7Appointment of Agents. The Custodian may at any time or times in its discretion appoint (and may at any time remove) agents to carry out such of the provisions of this Agreement as the Custodian may from time to time direct; provided, however, that the appointment of any agent shall not relieve the Custodian of any of its duties or obligations hereunder and the Custodian shall be fully responsible and liable for the actions and omissions of any agent (which shall not be deemed to be U.S. Securities Systems, Special Sub-Custodians, U.S. sub-custodians designated pursuant to the last paragraph of Section 1, or Foreign Sub-Custodians and sub-custodians and other agents of the Fund or Portfolio) appointed hereunder. The Underlying Transfer Agent shall not be deemed an agent or sub-custodian of the Custodian for purposes of this Section 2.7 or any other provision of this Agreement. 

Section 2.8Deposit of Fund Assets in U.S. Securities Systems. The Custodian may deposit and/or maintain securities owned by a Portfolio in a U.S. Securities System in compliance with the conditions of Rule 17f-4 under the 1940 Act, as amended from time to time. 

Section 2.9Segregated Account. The Custodian shall upon receipt of Proper Instructions on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, establish and maintain a segregated account or accounts for and on behalf of each such Portfolio, into which account or accounts may be transferred cash, in the case of a deposit account, or securities and other financial assets (other than cash), in the case of a securities account, of the Portfolio and collateral provided to the Portfolio by its counterparties, including securities maintained in an account by the Custodian pursuant to Section 2.8 hereof, (a) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and a broker‑dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of the FINRA, relating to compliance with the rules of The Options Clearing Corporation and of any registered national securities exchange, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Portfolio, (b) in accordance with the provisions of any agreement among the Fund, on behalf of the Portfolio, the Custodian and any futures commission merchant (registered under the Commodity Exchange Act) relating to compliance with the rules of the CFTC or any registered contract market, or of any similar organization or organizations, regarding escrow or other arrangements in connection with transactions by the Portfolio, (c) for purposes of segregating cash or government securities in connection with options purchased, sold or written by the Portfolio or commodity futures contract options thereon purchased or sold by the Portfolio, (d) for the purposes of compliance by the Portfolio with the procedures required by Investment Company Act Release No. 10666, or any subsequent release of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), or no-action letter of the staff of the SEC, relating to the maintenance of segregated accounts by registered management investment companies, and (e) for any other purpose in accordance with Proper Instructions. 

Section 2.10Deposit of Fund Assets with the Underlying Transfer Agent. Underlying Shares beneficially owned by the Fund, on behalf of a Portfolio, shall be deposited and/or maintained in an account or accounts maintained with an Underlying Transfer Agent and the Custodian’s only responsibilities with respect thereto shall be limited to the following:  

2) Upon receipt of a confirmation or statement from an Underlying Transfer Agent that such Underlying Transfer Agent is holding or maintaining Underlying Shares in the name of the Custodian (or a nominee of the Custodian) for the benefit of a Portfolio, the Custodian shall identify by book‑entry that such Underlying Shares are being held by it as custodian for the benefit of such Portfolio. 

3) In respect of the purchase of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall pay out monies of such Portfolio as so directed, and record such payment from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records. 

4) In respect of the sale or redemption of Underlying Shares for the account of a Portfolio, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall transfer such Underlying Shares as so directed, record such transfer from the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records and, upon the Custodian’s receipt of the proceeds therefor, record such payment for the account of such Portfolio on the Custodian’s books and records. 

The Custodian shall not be liable to the Fund for any loss or damage to the Fund or any Portfolio resulting from the maintenance of Underlying Shares with an Underlying Transfer Agent except to the extent the loss or damage results directly from the fraud, negligence or willful misconduct of the Custodian or any of its agents or of any of its or their employees. 

Section 2.11Ownership Certificates for Tax Purposes. The Custodian shall execute ownership and other certificates and affidavits for all federal and state tax purposes in connection with receipt of income or other payments with respect to domestic securities of each Portfolio held by it and in connection with transfers of securities. 

Section 2.12Proxies. The Custodian shall deliver to a Fund all forms of proxies, all proxy solicitation materials, all notices of meetings, and any other notices or announcements affecting or relating to securities owned by one or more of a Fund’s Portfolios that are received by the Custodian, any sub-custodian, or any nominee of either of them (or with the exercise of reasonable care that the Custodian, any sub-custodian, or any nominee of either of them should have become aware), and, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall execute and deliver, or cause such sub-custodian or nominee to execute and deliver, such proxies or other authorizations as may be required. Except as directed pursuant to Proper Instructions, neither the Custodian nor any sub-custodian or nominee shall vote upon any such securities, or execute any proxy to vote thereon, or give any consent or take any other action with respect thereto. In the event that the Custodian is unable to vote upon any such securities in accordance with Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall promptly notify (subject to market practices and rules) a Fund. Each Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of the Fund to exercise shareholder rights. 

Section 2.13Communications.

Subject to the domestic securities or other financial assets held in the United States being registered as provided in Section 2.3, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to a Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets being held for the Portfolio, including among other things, maturities of domestic securities and notices of exercise of call and put options. The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian from issuers of the securities and other financial assets whose tender or exchange is sought and from the party or its agent making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund for each Portfolio all written information received by the Custodian regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to Portfolio securities or other financial assets issued in the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms.Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the Custodian’s services with respect to class actions do not extend beyond the timely forwarding of written information so received by the Custodian. 

Section 2.14Exercise of Rights; Tender Offers. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, the Custodian shall: (a) deliver warrants, puts, calls, rights or similar securities to the issuer or trustee thereof, or to the agent of such issuer or trustee, for the purpose of exercise or sale, provided that the new securities, cash or other assets, if any, acquired as a result of such actions are to be delivered to the Custodian; and (b) deposit securities upon invitations for tenders thereof, provided that the consideration for such securities is to be paid or delivered to the Custodian, or the tendered securities are to be returned to the Custodian. Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, the Custodian shall take all necessary action, unless otherwise directed to the contrary in Proper Instructions, to comply with the terms of all mandatory or compulsory exchanges, calls, tenders, redemptions, or similar rights of security ownership (“Mandatory Corporate Actions”), and shall promptly notify a Fund of such Mandatory Corporate Action in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian may agree in writing.  

In the event that Custodian is provided notice (in industry standard form) of (a) a proposed merger, recapitalization, reorganization, conversion, consolidation, subdivision, tender offer, takeover offer or other electable or voluntary corporate action or (b) a proposed issuance of securities or rights to participate in the issuance of securities, in each case by or with respect to the issuer of securities held by it for the account of a Portfolio (each a “Voluntary Corporate Action”), the Custodian shall provide written notice to the Fund or its designee promptly upon being provided such notice of the Voluntary Corporate Action. The notice provided by the Custodian shall include (i) a copy, or if a copy is not available, a synopsis of the offering materials provided to the Custodian by the issuer or its agent in connection with the Voluntary Corporate Action and (ii) the date on which the Custodian is required to take action to exercise rights or powers with respect to the Voluntary Corporate Action. Provided that the Custodian shall have delivered timely notice of the Voluntary Corporate Action to the Fund, the Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any Voluntary Corporate Action or other right or power in connection with domestic securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian is in actual possession of such securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least two (2) business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power. If the Fund provides the Custodian with such notification after such deadline, the Custodian shall use its reasonable best efforts to process such election. 

Section 2.15Securities Lending. To the extent that a Fund engages in a securities lending program other than with the Custodian, the Fund and the Custodian will agree to procedures that will apply to such securities lending program. 

Section 3.Provisions Relating to Rules 17f-5 and 17f-7 

Section 3.1Definitions. As used throughout this Agreement, the capitalized terms set forth below shall have the indicated meanings: 

“Country Risk

” means all factors reasonably related to the systemic risk of holding Foreign Assets in a particular country including, but not limited to, such country’s political environment, economic and financial infrastructure (including any Eligible Securities Depository operating in the country), nationalization, expropriation, currency restrictions, prevailing or developing custody and settlement practices, and laws and regulations applicable to the safekeeping and recovery of Foreign Assets held in custody in that country. 

“Eligible Foreign Custodian” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(1) of Rule 17f-5, including a majority-owned or indirect subsidiary of a U.S. Bank (as defined in Rule 17f-5), a bank holding company meeting the requirements of an Eligible Foreign Custodian (as set forth in Rule 17f-5 or by other appropriate action of the SEC), or a foreign branch of a Bank (as defined in Section 2(a)(5) of the 1940 Act) meeting the requirements of a custodian under Section 17(f) of the 1940 Act; the term does not include any Eligible Securities Depository. 

“Eligible Securities Depository” has the meaning set forth in section (b)(1) of Rule 17f-7.  

“Foreign Assets” means any of the Portfolios’ investments (including foreign currencies) for which the primary market is outside the United States and such cash and cash equivalents as are reasonably necessary to effect the Portfolios’ transactions in such investments.  

“Foreign Custody Manager” has the meaning set forth in section (a)(3) of Rule 17f‑5. 

“Rule 17f-5” means Rule 17f-5 promulgated under the 1940 Act. 

“Rule 17f-7” means Rule 17f-7 promulgated under the 1940 Act. 

Section 3.2The Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager. 

3.2.1Delegation to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager. Each Fund, by resolution adopted by its Board, hereby delegates to the Custodian, subject to Section (b) of Rule 17f‑5, the responsibilities set forth in this Section 3.2 with respect to Foreign Assets of the Portfolios held outside the United States, and the Custodian hereby accepts such delegation as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to the Portfolios. 

3.2.2Countries Covered.The Foreign Custody Manager shall be responsible for performing the delegated responsibilities defined below only with respect to the countries and custody arrangements for each such country listed on Schedule A to this Agreement, which list of countries may be amended from time to time by any Fund with the agreement of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager shall list on Schedule A the Eligible Foreign Custodians selected by the Foreign Custody Manager to maintain the assets of the Portfolios, which list of Eligible Foreign Custodians may be amended from time to time in the sole discretion of the Foreign Custody Manager. The Foreign Custody Manager will provide amended versions of Schedule A in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereof. 

Upon the receipt by the Foreign Custody Manager of Proper Instructions to open an account or to place or maintain Foreign Assets in a country listed on Schedule A, and the fulfillment by each Fund, on behalf of the applicable Portfolio(s), of the applicable account opening requirements for such country, the Foreign Custody Manager shall be deemed to have been delegated by such Fund’s Board on behalf of such Portfolio(s) responsibility as Foreign Custody Manager with respect to that country and to have accepted such delegation. Execution of this Agreement by each Fund shall be deemed to be a Proper Instruction to open an account, or to place or maintain Foreign Assets, in each country listed on Schedule A. The Custodian will assist a Fund in satisfying the account opening requirements for a country as may be reasonably requested by the Fund. Following the receipt of Proper Instructions directing the Foreign

Custody Manager to close the account of a Portfolio with the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in a designated country, the delegation by the Board on behalf of such Portfolio to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager for that country shall be deemed to have been withdrawn, and such withdrawal shall be deemed to be effective, and the Custodian shall cease to be the Foreign Custody Manager with respect to such Portfolio with respect to that country as of the date that is ninety days (or such other period to which the parties may agree in writing) after receipt of any such Proper Instructions by the Foreign Custody Manager. 

The Foreign Custody Manager may withdraw its acceptance of delegated responsibilities with respect to a designated country upon written notice to the Fund. Ninety days (or such longer period to which the parties agree in writing) after receipt of any such notice by the Fund, the Custodian shall have no further responsibility in its capacity as Foreign Custody Manager to the Fund with respect to the country as to which the Custodian’s acceptance of delegation is withdrawn. 

3.2.3Scope of Delegated Responsibilities: 

(a)Selection of Eligible Foreign Custodians.Subject to the provisions of this Section 3.2, the Foreign Custody Manager may place and maintain the Foreign Assets in the care of the Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager in each country listed on Schedule A, as amended from time to time. In performing its delegated responsibilities as Foreign Custody Manager to place or maintain Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian, the Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the Foreign Assets will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the country in which the Foreign Assets will be held by that Eligible Foreign Custodian, after considering all factors relevant to the safekeeping of such assets, including, without limitation the factors specified in Rule 17f-5(c)(1). 

(b)Contracts With Eligible Foreign Custodians.The Foreign Custody Manager shall determine that the contract governing the foreign custody arrangements with each Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager will satisfy the requirements of Rule 17f-5(c)(2). 

(c)Monitoring. In each case in which the Foreign Custody Manager maintains Foreign Assets with an Eligible Foreign Custodian selected by the Foreign Custody Manager, the Foreign Custody Manager shall establish a system to monitor (i) the appropriateness of maintaining the Foreign Assets with such Eligible Foreign Custodian and (ii) the contract governing the custody arrangements established by the Foreign Custody Manager with the Eligible Foreign Custodian. In the event the Foreign Custody Manager determines that the custody arrangements with an Eligible Foreign Custodian it has selected are no longer appropriate, the Foreign Custody Manager shall notify the Board in accordance with Section 3.2.5 hereunder. 

3.2.4Guidelines for the Exercise of Delegated Authority.For purposes of this Section 3.2, the Board shall be deemed to have considered and determined to accept such Country Risk as is incurred by placing and maintaining the Foreign Assets in each country for which the Custodian is serving as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios. 

3.2.5Reporting Requirements.

The Foreign Custody Manager shall report the withdrawal of the Foreign Assets from an Eligible Foreign Custodian and the placement of such Foreign Assets with another Eligible Foreign Custodian by providing to the Board an amended Schedule A at the end of the calendar quarter in which an amendment to such Schedule has occurred. The Foreign Custody Manager shall make written reports notifying the Board of any other material change in the foreign custody arrangements of the Portfolios described in this Section 3.2 after the occurrence of the material change. The Foreign Custody Manager will also provide the Fund with global market information bulletins on a timely basis. 

3.2.6Standard of Care as Foreign Custody Manager of a Portfolio. In performing the responsibilities delegated to it, the Foreign Custody Manager agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence such as a person having responsibility for the safekeeping of assets of management investment companies registered under the 1940 Act would exercise (unless a higher standard of care is required by Rule 17f-5). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian acting as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolio is subject to the standard of care set forth in Section 16 of this Agreement. 

3.2.7Representations with Respect to Rule 17f‑5.The Foreign Custody Manager represents to each Fund that it is a U.S. Bank as defined in section (a)(7) of Rule 17f-5. Each Fund represents to the Custodian that its Board has determined that it is reasonable for such Board to rely on the Custodian to perform the responsibilities delegated pursuant to this Agreement to the Custodian as the Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios.  

3.2.8Effective Date and Termination of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager.Each Board’s delegation to the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios shall be effective as of the date hereof and shall remain in effect until terminated at any time, without penalty, by written notice from the terminating party to the non-terminating party. Termination will become effective ninety (90) days after receipt by the non-terminating party of such notice. The provisions of Section 3.2.2 hereof shall govern the delegation to and termination of the Custodian as Foreign Custody Manager of the Portfolios with respect to designated countries. 

3.2.9Certification Regarding Eligible Foreign Custodians. Each report presented to a Fund’s Board by the Custodian pursuant to Section 3.2.5 above shall be accompanied by a certificate representing that (a) the Custodian has established a system to monitor the appropriateness of maintaining a Portfolio’s Foreign Assets with each Eligible Foreign Custodian pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5 and to monitor the performance of each Eligible Foreign Custodian under the sub-custodian agreement between the Custodian and the Eligible Foreign Custodian, (b) the Custodian has monitored all Eligible Foreign Custodians and each Eligible Foreign Custodian continues to be an Eligible Foreign Custodian, (c) each Eligible Foreign Custodian continues to provide the standard of care set forth in Section 3.2.6 hereof, after considering all relevant factors, including without limitation, those factors set forth in paragraph (c)(1) of Rule 17f-5, (d) all foreign custody agreements between the Custodian and the Eligible Foreign Custodians continue to meet the requirements of paragraph (c)(2) of Rule 17f-5, (e) since the submission of the last report pursuant to Section 3.2.5 above, there have been no material adverse changes to the Custodian’s foreign custody network or arrangements other than those reported to the Board or other governing body or entity of the Fund, on behalf of itself or its applicable Portfolios, in the accompanying report or notified to the Fund through the Custodian’s Global Market Bulletins, distributed to designated officers of the Fund and available on the Custodian’s internet client portal, my.statestreet.com (which information shall be included in the accompanying report to the Board), and (f) the information included in the report is true, accurate and complete in all material respects.  

Section3.3Eligible Securities Depositories. 

3.3.1Analysis and Monitoring. The Custodian shall (a) provide the Fund

(or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment adviser) with an analysis of the custody risks associated with maintaining assets with the Eligible Securities Depositories set forth on Schedule B hereto in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(A) of Rule 17f-7, and (b) monitor such risks on a continuing basis, and promptly notify the Fund (or its duly-authorized investment manager or investment adviser) of any material change in such risks, in accordance with section (a)(1)(i)(B) of Rule 17f-7.  

3.3.2Standard of Care.The Custodian agrees to exercise reasonable care, prudence and diligence in performing the duties set forth in Section 3.3.1 (unless a higher standard of care is required by Rule 17f-7). Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian, in performing the duties set forth in Section 3.3.1, is subject to the standard of care set forth in Section 16 of this Agreement.  

Section 3.4Local Regulatory Matters. The Custodian shall assist a Fund in complying with regulations and market practices of jurisdictions other than the United States of America applicable to a Fund’s Foreign Assets as the Fund may reasonably request from time to time. Such assistance may include, but not be limited to, soliciting information and guidance from depositories, exchanges and regulators; obtaining legal opinions at the expense of the relevant Fund but only after a Fund has been notified and agrees in writing to the amount of such expenses; acting as a Fund’s representative (if required by local law) in making filings; and providing such other assistance with respect to its Foreign Assets as a Fund may reasonably request. Based on what the Custodian considers to be reasonably reliable sources of information, including its Eligible Foreign Custodians, Custodian shall inform a Fund as to the Custodian’s understanding of a Fund’s rights, duties and obligations under regulations and market practices of jurisdictions other than the United States of America in connection with actions taken by a Fund or the Custodian, including, but not limited to, corporate actions involving a Fund’s securities. 

Section 4. Duties of the Custodian with Respect to Property of the Portfolios to be Held Outside the United States 

Section 4.1Definitions. As used throughout this Agreement, the capitalized terms set forth below shall have the indicated meanings: 

“Foreign Securities System” means an Eligible Securities Depository listed on Schedule B hereto. 

“Foreign Sub‑Custodian” means a foreign banking institution serving as an Eligible Foreign Custodian. 

Section4.2Holding Securities. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the Portfolios the foreign securities and other financial assets held by each Foreign Sub-Custodian or Foreign Securities System. The Custodian may hold foreign securities and other financial assets for all of its customers, including the Portfolios, with any Foreign Sub-Custodian in an account that is identified as belonging to the Custodian for the benefit of its customers, provided however, that (i) the records of the Custodian with respect to foreign securities and other financial assets of the Portfolios which are maintained in such account shall identify those securities as belonging to the Portfolios and (ii), to the extent permitted and customary in the market in which the account is maintained, the Custodian shall require that securities so held by the Foreign Sub-Custodian be held separately from any assets of such Foreign Sub-Custodian or of other customers of such Foreign Sub-Custodian. 

Section4.3Foreign Securities Systems. Foreign securities shall be maintained in a Foreign Securities System in a designated country through arrangements implemented by the Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian, as applicable, in such country. 

Section 4.4Transactions in Foreign Custody Account. 

4.4.1Delivery of Foreign Assets. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall release and deliver foreign securities of the Portfolios held by the Custodian or such Foreign Sub-Custodian, or in a Foreign Securities System account, only upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, and only in the following cases: 

(i) Upon the sale of such foreign securities for the Portfolio in accordance with commercially reasonable market practice in the country where such foreign securities are held or traded, including, without limitation: (A) delivery against expectation of receiving later payment; or (B) in the case of a sale effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of the Foreign Securities System; 

(ii) In connection with any repurchase agreement related to foreign securities; 

(iii) To the depository agent in connection with tender or other similar offers for foreign securities of the Portfolios; 

(iv) To the issuer thereof or its agent when such foreign securities are called, redeemed, retired or otherwise become payable; 

(v) To the issuer thereof, or its agent, for transfer into the name of the Custodian (or the name of the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or of any nominee of the Custodian or such Foreign Sub-Custodian) or for exchange for a different number of bonds, certificates or other evidence representing the same aggregate face amount or number of units; 

(vi) To brokers, clearing banks or other clearing agents for examination or trade execution in accordance with market custom; provided that in any such case, the Foreign Sub-Custodian shall have no responsibility or liability for any loss arising from the delivery of such foreign securities prior to receiving payment for such foreign securities except as may arise from the Foreign Sub-Custodian’s own negligence or willful misconduct; 

(vii) For exchange or conversion pursuant to any plan of merger, consolidation, recapitalization, reorganization or readjustment of the securities of the issuer of such securities, or pursuant to provisions for conversion contained in such securities, or pursuant to any deposit agreement; 

(viii) In the case of warrants, rights or similar foreign securities, the surrender thereof in the exercise of such warrants, rights or similar securities or the surrender of interim receipts or temporary securities for definitive securities; 

(ix) For delivery as security in connection with any borrowing by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requiring a pledge of assets by the Fund on behalf of such Portfolio; 

(x) In connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin; 

(xi) Upon the sale or other delivery of such foreign securities (including, without limitation, to one or more Special Sub-Custodians or Repo Custodians) as a Free Trade, provided that applicable Proper Instructions shall set forth (A) the foreign securities to be delivered and (B) the person or persons to whom delivery shall be made; 

(xii) In connection with the lending of foreign securities; and 

(xiii) For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying (A) the foreign securities to be delivered and (B) the person or persons to whom delivery of such securities shall be made. 

4.4.2Payment of Portfolio Monies. Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which may be continuing instructions when deemed appropriate by the parties, the Custodian shall pay out, or direct the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian or the respective Foreign Securities System to pay out, monies of a Portfolio in the following cases only: 

(i) Upon the purchase of foreign securities for the Portfolio, unless otherwise directed by Proper Instructions, by (A) delivering money to the seller thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such seller or dealer) against expectation of receiving later delivery of such foreign securities; or (B) in the case of a purchase effected through a Foreign Securities System, in accordance with the rules governing the operation of such Foreign Securities System; 

(ii) In connection with the conversion, exchange or surrender of foreign securities of the Portfolio; 

(iii) For the payment of any expense or liability of the Portfolio, including but not limited to the following payments: interest, taxes, investment advisory fees, transfer agency fees, fees under this Agreement, legal fees, accounting fees, and other operating expenses; 

(iv) For the purchase or sale of foreign exchange or foreign exchange contracts for the Portfolio, including transactions executed with or through the Custodian or its Foreign Sub-Custodians; 

(v) In connection with trading in options and futures contracts, including delivery as original margin and variation margin; 

(vi) Upon the purchase of foreign investments including, without limitation, repurchase agreement transactions involving delivery of Portfolio monies to Repo Custodian(s), as a Free Trade, provided that applicable Proper Instructions shall set forth (A) the amount of such payment and (B) the person or persons to whom payment shall be made; 

(vii) For payment of part or all of the dividends received in respect of securities sold short; 

(viii) In connection with the borrowing or lending of foreign securities; and 

(ix) For any other purpose, but only upon receipt of Proper Instructions specifying (A) the amount of such payment and (B) the person or persons to whom such payment is to be made. 

4.4.3Market Conditions.

Notwithstanding any provision of this Agreement to the contrary, settlement and payment for Foreign Assets received for the account of the Portfolios and delivery of Foreign Assets maintained for the account of the Portfolios may be effected in accordance with the customary established securities trading or processing practices and procedures in the country or market in which the transaction occurs, including, without limitation, delivering Foreign Assets to the purchaser thereof or to a dealer therefor (or an agent for such purchaser or dealer) with the expectation of receiving later payment for such Foreign Assets from such purchaser or dealer but in all events subject to the standard of care set forth in Section 16 of this Agreement. 

The Custodian shall provide to each Board the information with respect to custody and settlement practices in countries in which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian described on Schedule C hereto at the time or times set forth on such Schedule. The Custodian may revise Schedule C from time to time, provided that no such revision shall result in a Board being provided with substantively less information than had been previously provided hereunder. 

Section4.5Registration of Foreign Securities. The foreign securities maintained in the custody of a Foreign Sub-Custodian (other than bearer securities) shall be registered in the name of the applicable Portfolio or in the name of the Custodian or in the name of any Foreign Sub-Custodian or in the name of any nominee of the foregoing provided that the use of a nominee is customary market practice. The applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio agrees to hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such foreign securities. To the extent that the use of nominee names is not customary market practice, foreign securities shall not be registered in a nominee name, and the Funds shall not have any obligation to hold harmless any such nominee where the use is not customary market practice. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the prior written consent of the applicable Fund is given the applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio shall hold any such nominee harmless from any liability as a holder of record of such foreign securities. The Custodian or a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall not be obligated to accept securities on behalf of a Portfolio under the terms of this Agreement unless the form of such securities and the manner in which they are delivered are in accordance with reasonable market practice.  

Section 4.6Bank Accounts. The Custodian shall identify on its books as belonging to the applicable Portfolio cash (including cash denominated in foreign currencies) deposited with the Custodian. Where the Custodian is unable to maintain, or market practice does not facilitate the maintenance of, cash on the books of the Custodian, a bank account or bank accounts shall be opened and maintained outside the United States on behalf of a Portfolio with a Foreign Sub-Custodian. All accounts referred to in this Section shall be subject only to draft or order by the Custodian (or, if applicable, such Foreign Sub-Custodian) acting pursuant to the terms of this Agreement to hold cash received by or from or for the account of the Portfolio. Cash maintained on the books of the Custodian (including its branches, subsidiaries and affiliates), regardless of currency denomination, is maintained in bank accounts established under, and subject to the laws of, The Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The foregoing constitutes the disclosure required by Massachusetts General Laws, Chapter 167D, Section 36. 

Section4.7Collection of Income. The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to collect all income and other payments with respect to the Foreign Assets held hereunder to which the Portfolios shall be entitled and shall credit such income, as collected, to the applicable Portfolio. The Custodian shall notify the Fund, at the frequency agreed to by the parties, in writing by facsimile transmission, electronic communication or in such other manner as the Fund and Custodian may agree in writing, if any amount payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets of the Portfolio of a Fund are not received by the Custodian when due. The Custodian shall not be responsible for the collection of amounts due and payable with respect to portfolio securities or other assets that are in default.  In the event that extraordinary measures are required to collect such income, the Fund and the Custodian shall consult as to such measures and as to the compensation and expenses of the Custodian relating to such measures.

Income on securities loaned other than from the Custodian’s securities lending program shall be credited as received.  

Section4.8Shareholder Rights.With respect to the foreign securities held pursuant to this Section 4, the Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject always to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued, including but not limited to proxy services not being available in certain markets. Each Fund acknowledges that local conditions, including lack of regulation, onerous procedural obligations, lack of notice and other factors, may have the effect of severely limiting the ability of a Fund to exercise shareholder rights. The Custodian shall, however, as soon as is reasonably practicable communicate information received as to the foregoing to the applicable Fund. In addition to the foregoing, the Custodian agrees to provide the Funds with annual and periodic market updates. 

Section4.9Communications Relating to Foreign Securities.The Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials received by the Custodian via the Foreign Sub-Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities being held for the account of the Portfolios (including, without limitation, pendency of calls and maturities of foreign securities and expirations of rights in connection therewith). With respect to tender or exchange offers, the Custodian shall transmit promptly to the applicable Fund written information with respect to materials so received by the Custodian from issuers of the foreign securities whose tender or exchange is sought or from the party (or its agents) making the tender or exchange offer. The Custodian shall not be liable for any untimely exercise of any tender, exchange or other right or power in connection with foreign securities or other property of the Portfolios at any time held by it unless (i) the Custodian or the respective Foreign Sub-Custodian is in actual possession of such foreign securities or property and (ii) the Custodian receives Proper Instructions with regard to the exercise of any such right or power, and both (i) and (ii) occur at least two (2) business days prior to the date on which the Custodian is to take action to exercise such right or power. For avoidance of doubt, upon and after the effective date of any termination of this Agreement, with respect to a Fund or its Portfolio(s), as may be applicable, the Custodian shall have no responsibility to so transmit any information under this Section 4.9. 

The Custodian shall use reasonable commercial efforts to facilitate the exercise of voting and other shareholder rights, subject to the laws, regulations and practical constraints that may exist in the country where such securities are issued. In the event that the Fund invests in non-U.S. securities in a market in which the Custodian does not offer proxy voting services, the Custodian shall promptly notify the Fund. The Custodian shall also transmit promptly to the Fund all written information received by the Custodian through Foreign Sub-Custodians from issuers of the foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside of the United States and being held for the account of the Portfolio regarding any class action or other collective litigation relating to the Portfolio’s foreign securities or other financial assets issued outside the United States and then held, or previously held, during the relevant class-action period during the term of this Agreement by the Custodian via a Foreign Sub-Custodian for the account of the Fund for the Portfolio, including, but not limited to, opt-out notices and proof-of-claim forms. Unless otherwise agreed to by the parties, the Custodian’s services with respect to class actions do not extend beyond the timely forwarding of written information so received by the Custodian.   

Section4.10Liability of Foreign Sub-Custodians.

The Custodian shall not employ a Foreign Sub-Custodian unless such employment is memorialized in a written agreement. Each such written agreement pursuant to which the Custodian employs a Foreign Sub-Custodian shall, to the extent possible using best efforts, require the Foreign Sub-Custodian to exercise reasonable care in the performance of its duties, and to indemnify, and hold harmless, the Custodian from and against any loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim arising out of or in connection with the Foreign Sub-Custodian’s performance of such obligations. At a Fund’s election, the Portfolios shall be entitled to be subrogated to the rights of the Custodian with respect to any claims against a Foreign Sub-Custodian as a consequence of any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim if and to the extent that the Portfolios have not been made whole for any such loss, damage, cost, expense, liability or claim. 

Section 4.11Tax Law. The Fund or its Portfolio shall be liable for all taxes, assessments, duties and other government charges, including any interest or penalty with respect thereto, with respect to any cash or securities held on behalf of the Fund or its Portfolios or any transaction related thereto. The Custodian shall withhold or cause to withhold the amount of tax which is required to be withheld under applicable law upon collection of any dividend, interest or other distribution with respect to any domestic security or foreign security and proceeds or income from the sale or other transfer of any domestic security or foreign security in custody at the Custodian. The Custodian shall assist the Fund with respect to any claim for exemption or reclaim under the tax laws of the designated countries listed on Schedule A upon request by a Fund. In providing such services, the Custodian does not act as the Fund’s tax adviser or tax counsel.   

Section 5.Contractual Settlement Services (Purchase / Sales) 

Section5.1With respect to each cash account designated in writing by a Portfolio, the Custodian shall, in accordance with the terms set out in this Section 5, debit or credit the appropriate cash account of each Portfolio in connection with (i) the purchase of securities for such Portfolio, and (ii) proceeds of the sale of securities held on behalf of such Portfolio, on a contractual settlement basis (the “Contractual Settlement Services”). 

Section5.2The Contractual Settlement Services shall be provided for such instruments and in such markets as the Custodian may advise from time to time. The Custodian may terminate or suspend any part of the provision of the Contractual Settlement Services under this Agreement at its sole discretion immediately upon notice to the applicable Fund on behalf of each Portfolio, including, without limitation, in the event of force majeure events affecting settlement, any disorder in markets, or other changed external business circumstances affecting the markets or the Fund. 

Section5.3The consideration payable in connection with a purchase transaction shall be debited from the appropriate cash account of the Portfolio as of the time and date that monies would ordinarily be required to settle such transaction in the applicable market. The Custodian shall promptly recredit such amount at the time that the Portfolio or the Fund notifies the Custodian by Proper Instruction that such transaction has been canceled. 

Section5.4With respect to the settlement of a sale of securities, a provisional credit of an amount equal to the net sale price for the transaction (the “Settlement Amount”) shall be made to the account of the Portfolio as if the Settlement Amount had been received as of the close of business on the date that monies would ordinarily be available in good funds in the applicable market. Such provisional credit will be made conditional upon the Custodian having received Proper Instructions with respect to, or reasonable notice of, the transaction, as applicable; and the Custodian or its agents having possession of the asset(s) (which shall exclude assets subject to any third party lending arrangement entered into by a Portfolio) associated with the transaction in good deliverable form and not being aware of any facts which would lead them to reasonably believe that the transaction will not settle in the time period ordinarily applicable to such transactions in the applicable market.  

Section5.5

Subject to the relevant requirements of Section 16, the Custodian shall have the right to reverse any provisional credit or debit given in connection with the Contractual Settlement Services when the Custodian believes, in its reasonable judgment, that such transaction will not settle in accordance with its terms or amounts due pursuant thereto will not be collectable or where the Custodian has not been provided Proper Instructions with respect thereto, as applicable. Upon such reversal, a sum equal to the credited or debited amount shall become immediately payable by the Portfolio to the Custodian and may be debited from any cash account held for benefit of the Portfolio. Prior to any such reversal, the Custodian will provide notice to the Fund pursuant to the relevant requirements of Section 16. Following such reversal, the Custodian will promptly notify the Fund of any action taken pursuant to this Section 5.5, which notice shall include a description of the facts forming the basis for the Custodian’s decision to reverse the provisional credit.  

Section 5A.Actual Settlement Services (Purchase / Sales) 

Section5A.1With respect to each cash account designated in writing by a Portfolio, the Custodian shall, in accordance with the terms set out in this Section 5A, debit or credit the appropriate cash account of each Portfolio in connection with (i) the purchase of securities for such Portfolio, and (ii) proceeds of the sale of securities held on behalf of such Portfolio, on an actual settlement basis.  

Section5A.2The consideration payable in connection with a purchase transaction shall be debited from the appropriate cash account of the Portfolio as of the time and date that monies are actually payable.  

Section5A.3With respect to the settlement of a sale of securities, the Custodian shall credit the appropriate cash account of the Portfolio as of the time and date that the cash received as consideration for the transaction is actually received by Custodian.  

Section 6.Special Sub-Custodians 

Upon receipt of Special Instructions (as such term is defined in Section 8 hereof), the Custodian shall, on behalf of one or more Portfolios, appoint one or more banks, trust companies or other entities designated in such Special Instructions to act as a sub-custodian for the purposes of effecting such transaction(s) as may be designated by a Fund in Special Instructions. Each such designated sub-custodian is referred to herein as a “Special Sub-Custodian.” Each such duly appointed Special Sub-Custodian shall be listed on Schedule D hereto, as it may be amended from time to time by a Fund, with the acknowledgment of the Custodian. In connection with the appointment of any Special Sub-Custodian, and in accordance with Special Instructions, the Custodian shall enter into a sub-custodian agreement with the Fund and the Special Sub-Custodian in form and substance approved by such Fund, provided that such agreement shall in all events comply with the provisions of the 1940 Act and the rules and regulations thereunder and the terms and provisions of this Agreement.  

Section 6A.Foreign Exchange 

Section6A.1.Generally.  Upon receipt of Proper Instructions, which for purposes of this Section may also include security trade advices, the Custodian shall facilitate the processing and settlement of foreign exchange transactions.  Such foreign exchange transactions do not constitute part of the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement.  

Section6A.2.Fund Elections.  Each Fund (or its investment manager or investment advisor (“Investment Advisor

”) acting on its behalf) may elect to enter into and execute foreign exchange transactions with third parties that are not affiliated with the Custodian, with State Street Global Markets, which is the foreign exchange division of State Street Bank and Trust Company and its affiliated companies (“SSGM”), or with a sub-custodian. Where the Fund or its Investment Advisor gives Proper Instructions for the execution of a foreign exchange transaction using an indirect foreign exchange service described in the Client Publications (as defined below), the Fund (or its Investment Advisor) instructs the Custodian, on behalf of the Fund, to direct the execution of such foreign exchange transaction to SSGM or, when the relevant currency is not traded by SSGM, to the applicable sub-custodian. The Custodian shall not have any agency (except as contemplated in preceding sentence), trust or fiduciary obligation to the Fund, its Investment Advisor or any other person in connection with the execution of any foreign exchange transaction. The Custodian shall have no responsibility under this Agreement for the selection of the counterparty to, or the method of execution of, any foreign exchange transaction entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) or the reasonableness of the execution rate on any such transaction. “Client Publications” means the general client publications of State Street Bank and Trust Company available from time to time to clients. 

Section6A.3.Fund AcknowledgementEach Fund acknowledges that in connection with all foreign exchange transactions entered into by the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf) with SSGM or any sub-custodian, SSGM and each such sub-custodian: 

(i) shall be acting in a principal capacity and not as broker, agent or fiduciary to the Fund or its Investment Advisor; 

(ii) shall seek to profit from such foreign exchange transactions, and are entitled to retain and not disclose any such profit to the Fund or its Investment Advisor; and 

(iii) shall enter into such foreign exchange transactions pursuant to the terms and conditions, including pricing or pricing methodology, (a) agreed with the Fund or its Investment Advisor from time to time or (b) in the case of an indirect foreign exchange service, (i) as established by SSGM and set forth in the Client Publications with respect to the particular foreign exchange execution services selected by the Fund or the Investment Advisor or (ii) as established by the sub-custodian from time to time.  

Section6A.4.Transactions by State Street.  The Custodian or its affiliates, including SSGM, may trade based upon information that is not available to the Fund (or its Investment Advisor acting on its behalf), and may enter into transactions for its own account or the account of clients in the same or opposite direction to the transactions entered into with the Fund (or its Investment Advisor), and shall have no obligation, under this Agreement, to share such information with or consider the interests of their respective counterparties, including, where applicable, the Fund or the Investment Advisor.  

Section 7.Payments for Sales or Repurchases or Redemptions of Shares 

The Custodian shall receive from the distributor of the Shares or from the Transfer Agent and deposit into the account of the appropriate Portfolio such payments as are received for Shares thereof issued or sold from time to time by the applicable Fund. The Custodian will provide timely notification to such Fund on behalf of each such Portfolio and the Transfer Agent of any receipt by it of payments for Shares of such Portfolio. 

From such funds as may be available for the purpose, the Custodian shall, upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent, make funds available for payment to holders of Shares who have delivered to the Transfer Agent a request for redemption or repurchase of their Shares. In connection with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, the Custodian is authorized upon receipt of instructions from the Transfer Agent to wire funds to or through a commercial bank designated by the redeeming shareholders. In connection

with the redemption or repurchase of Shares, the Custodian shall honor checks drawn on the Custodian by a holder of Shares, which checks have been furnished by a Fund to the holder of Shares, when presented to the Custodian in accordance with such procedures and controls as are mutually agreed upon from time to time between such Fund and the Custodian. 

Section 8.Proper Instructions and Special Instructions 

“Proper Instructions,” which may also be standing instructions, as such term is used throughout this Agreement shall mean instructions received by the Custodian from a Fund, a Fund’s duly authorized investment manager or investment adviser, or a person or entity duly authorized by either of them. Such instructions may be in writing signed by the authorized person or persons or may be in a tested communication or in a communication utilizing access codes effected between electro-mechanical or electronic devices or may be by such other means and utilizing such intermediary systems and utilities as may be agreed from time to time by the Custodian and the person(s) or entity giving such instruction, provided that the Fund has followed any security procedures agreed to from time to time by the applicable Fund and the Custodian. Oral instructions will be considered Proper Instructions if the Custodian reasonably believes them to have been given by a person authorized to provide such instructions with respect to the transaction involved; the Fund shall cause all oral instructions to be confirmed in writing. For purposes of this Section, Proper Instructions shall include instructions received by the Custodian pursuant to any multi‑party agreement which requires a segregated asset account in accordance with Section 2.9 hereof. 

“Special Instructions,” as such term is used throughout this Agreement, means Proper Instructions countersigned or confirmed in writing by the Treasurer or any Assistant Treasurer of the applicable Fund or any other person designated in writing by the Treasurer of such Fund, which countersignature or confirmation shall be (a) included on the same instrument containing the Proper Instructions or on a separate instrument clearly relating thereto and (b) delivered by hand, by facsimile transmission, or in such other manner as the Fund and the Custodian agree in writing. 

Concurrently with the execution of this Agreement, and from time to time thereafter, as appropriate, each Fund shall deliver to the Custodian, duly certified by such Fund’s Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer, a certificate setting forth: (i) the names, titles, signatures and scope of authority of all persons authorized to give Proper Instructions or any other notice, request, direction, instruction, certificate or instrument on behalf of the Fund and (ii) the names, titles and signatures of those persons authorized to give Special Instructions. Such certificate may be accepted and relied upon by the Custodian as conclusive evidence of the facts set forth therein and shall be considered to be in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of a similar certificate to the contrary.  

Section 9.Evidence of Authority 

The Custodian shall be protected in acting upon any instructions, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument or paper reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to have been properly executed by or on behalf of the applicable Fund provided that the Custodian exercised reasonable care without negligence in following or acting upon such instruction, notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument. The Custodian may receive and accept a copy of a resolution certified by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of any Fund as conclusive evidence (a) of the authority of any person to act in accordance with such resolution or (b) of any determination or of any action by the applicable Board as described in such resolution, and such resolution may be considered as in full force and effect until receipt by the Custodian of written notice to the contrary. 

Section 10.Actions Permitted without Express Authority 

The Custodian may in its discretion, without express authority from the applicable Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio: 

1)Surrender securities in temporary form for securities in definitive form; 

2)Endorse for collection, in the name of the Portfolio, checks, drafts and other negotiable instruments; and 

3)In general, attend to all non‑discretionary details in connection with the sale, exchange, substitution, purchase, transfer and other dealings with the securities and property of the Portfolio except as otherwise directed by the applicable Board. 

Section 11. Duties of Custodian with Respect to the Books of Account  

The Custodian shall cooperate with and supply necessary information to the entity or entities appointed by the applicable Board to keep the books of account of each Portfolio and to compute its net asset value. Each Fund acknowledges and agrees that, with respect to investments maintained with the Underlying Transfer Agent, the Underlying Transfer Agent is the sole source of information on the number of shares of a fund held by it on behalf of a Portfolio and that the Custodian has the right to rely on holdings information furnished by the Underlying Transfer Agent to the Custodian in performing its duties under this Agreement, including without limitation, the duties set forth in this Section 11 and in Section 12 hereof; provided, however, that the Custodian shall be obligated to reconcile information as to purchases and sales of Underlying Shares contained in trade instructions and confirmations received by the Custodian and to report promptly any discrepancies to the Underlying Transfer Agent. Each Fund acknowledges that, in keeping the books of account of the Portfolio, the Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon information provided to it by the Fund, the Fund’s counterparty(ies), or the agents of either of them. 

Section 12.Records 

The Custodian shall with respect to each Portfolio create and maintain all records relating to its activities and obligations under this Agreement in such manner as will meet the obligations of each Fund under the 1940 Act, with particular attention to section 31 thereof and Rules 31a‑1 and 31a‑2 thereunder. All such records shall be the property of the Fund and shall at all times during the regular business hours of the Custodian be open for inspection by duly authorized officers, employees or agents of such Fund, including such Fund’s independent public accountants, and employees and agents of the SEC. The Custodian shall, at a Fund’s request, supply the Fund with a tabulation of securities owned by each Portfolio and held by the Custodian and shall, when requested to do so by the Fund and for such compensation as shall be agreed upon between the Fund and the Custodian, include certificate numbers in such tabulations. Each Fund acknowledges that, in creating and maintaining the records as set forth herein with respect to Portfolio property released and delivered pursuant to Section 2.2(14), or purchased pursuant to Section 2.6(7) hereof, the Custodian is authorized and instructed to rely upon information provided to it by the Fund, the Fund’s counterparty(ies), or the agents of either of them. 

Section 13.Reserved 

Section 14.Reports to Fund by Independent Public Accountants 

The Custodian shall provide the applicable Fund, on behalf of each of the Portfolios at such times as such Fund may reasonably require, with reports by independent public accountants on the accounting system, internal accounting control and procedures for safeguarding securities, futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including securities deposited and/or maintained in a U.S. Securities System or a Foreign Securities System (either, a “Securities System”), relating to the services provided by the Custodian under this Agreement; such reports, shall be of sufficient scope and in sufficient detail, as may reasonably be required by the Fund to provide reasonable assurance that any material inadequacies would be disclosed by such examination, and, if there are no such inadequacies, the reports shall so state. 

Section 15.Compensation of Custodian 

The Custodian shall be entitled to reasonable compensation for its services and expenses as Custodian, as agreed upon from time to time between each Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and the Custodian. 

Section 16.Responsibility of Custodian 

So long as and to the extent that it is in the exercise of reasonable care, the Custodian shall not be responsible for the title, validity or genuineness of any property or evidence of title thereto received by it or delivered by it pursuant to this Agreement and shall be held harmless in acting upon any notice, request, consent, certificate or other instrument reasonably believed by it to be genuine and to be signed by the proper party or parties.  The Custodian shall perform the services provided for in this Agreement without negligence, fraud or willful misconduct and with reasonable care. The Custodian shall be liable to a Fund for any failure by the Custodian to satisfy the foregoing standard of care. The Custodian shall be kept indemnified by and shall be without liability to any Fund for any action taken or omitted by it in good faith without negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, including, without limitation, acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction without negligence, fraud or willful misconduct. The indemnification obligations of this Section shall survive termination of this Agreement. 

Except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence, fraud or willful misconduct or the negligence, fraud or willful misconduct of a sub-custodian or agent, the Custodian shall be without liability to any Fund for any loss, liability, claim or expense resulting from or caused by: (i) events or circumstances beyond the reasonable control of the Custodian or any sub-custodian or Securities System or any agent or nominee of any of the foregoing (a “Force Majeure Event”), including, without limitation, the interruption, suspension or restriction of trading on or the closure of any securities market, power or other mechanical or technological failures or interruptions, acts of war, revolution, riots or terrorism, computer viruses or communications disruptions, work stoppages, natural disasters, or other similar events or acts,

except to the extent that the Custodian fails to maintain and keep updated the business and continuity and disaster recovery plan as set forth in Section 19.7 and such failure causes such loss; (ii) errors by any Fund or its duly authorized investment manager or investment adviser in their instructions to the Custodian provided such instructions have been in accordance with this Agreement; (iii) the insolvency of or acts or omissions by a Securities System; (iv) any act or omission of a Special Sub-Custodian including, without limitation, reliance on reports prepared by a Special Sub-Custodian; (v) any delay or failure of any broker, agent or intermediary, central bank or other commercially prevalent payment or clearing system to deliver to the Custodian’s sub-custodian or agent securities purchased or in the remittance or payment made in connection with securities sold; (vi) any delay or failure of any company, corporation, or other body in charge of registering or transferring securities in the name of the Custodian, any Fund, the Custodian’s sub-custodians, nominees or agents or any consequential losses arising out of such delay or failure to transfer such securities including non-receipt of bonus, dividends and rights and other accretions or benefits; (vii) delays or inability to perform its duties due to any disorder in market infrastructure with respect to any particular security or Securities System; and (viii) any provision of any present or future law or regulation or order of the United States of America, or any state thereof, or any other country, or political subdivision thereof or of any court of competent jurisdiction.  

The Custodian shall be liable to a Fund for the acts or omissions of any sub-custodian selected by the Custodian, whether domestic or foreign (but excluding any Special Sub-Custodian or U.S. sub-custodian designated by a Fund pursuant to Special Instructions or Proper Instructions), to the same extent that the Custodian would be liable to the Fund as if such action or omission was performed by the Custodian itself, taking into account the facts and circumstances and the established local market practices and laws prevailing in the relevant jurisdiction at the time of the action or omission. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Custodian shall in no event be liable for losses arising from Country Risk or from the insolvency or other financial default with respect to (a) any sub-custodian that is not an affiliate of the Custodian or (b) any depositary bank holding in a deposit account cash denominated in any currency other than an “on book” currency for that market.  

If a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio requires the Custodian to take any action with respect to securities, which action involves the payment of money or which action may, in the reasonable opinion of the Custodian, result in the Custodian or its nominee assigned to the Fund or the Portfolio being liable for the payment of money, such Fund on behalf of the Portfolio, as a prerequisite to requiring the Custodian to take such action, shall provide indemnity to the Custodian in an amount and form to be mutually agreed upon between such Fund and Custodian if and when necessary.  

If the Custodian, its affiliates, subsidiaries or agents, advances cash or securities for any purpose (including, but not limited to, securities settlements, foreign exchange contracts and assumed settlement, but not including amounts payable to the Custodian pursuant to Section 15 of this Agreement) or in the event that the Custodian or its nominee shall incur or be assessed from a third party any taxes, charges, expenses, assessments, claims or liabilities in connection with the investment activities of a Fund and the Custodian’s related performance of this Agreement, except such as may arise from the Custodian’s or its nominee’s own negligent action, negligent failure to act, fraud, or willful misconduct, any property at any time held for the account of the applicable Portfolio shall be security therefor and should the Fund fail to repay the Custodian promptly, the Custodian shall be entitled to apply available cash and to dispose of such Portfolio’s assets to the extent necessary to obtain reimbursement. In addition, the Custodian may at any time decline to follow Proper Instructions to deliver out cash, securities or other financial assets if the Custodian reasonably determines that, after giving effect to the Proper Instructions, the cash, securities or other financial assets remaining will not have sufficient value fully to secure the Fund’s reimbursement of the relevant advances or other liabilities.  

Except as may arise from the Custodian’s own negligence, fraud or willful misconduct, each Fund severally and not jointly shall indemnify and hold the Custodian harmless from and against any and all costs, expenses, losses, damages, charges, counsel fees, payments and liabilities which may be asserted against the Custodian (a) acting in accordance with any Proper Instruction or Special Instruction including, without limitation, any Proper Instruction with respect to Free Trades including, but not limited to, cost, expense, loss, damage, charge, counsel fee, payment or liability resulting from the Custodian’s reasonable reliance upon information provided by the applicable Fund, such Fund’s counterparty(ies) or the agents of either of them with respect to Fund property released, delivered or purchased pursuant to either of Section 2.2(14) or Section 2.6(7) hereof; (b) for the acts or omissions of any Special Sub-Custodian; or (c) for the acts or omissions of any Local Agent or Pledgee. 

None of the parties shall be liable for indirect, special, incidental, punitive or consequential damages. Upon the occurrence of any event that causes or may cause any loss, damage or expense to a Fund, the Custodian shall (i) promptly notify a Fund of the occurrence of such event and (ii) use its commercially reasonable efforts to cause any sub-custodian to use all commercially reasonable efforts and to take all reasonable steps under the circumstances to mitigate the effects of such event and to avoid continuing harm to a Fund. 

Section 17.Effective Period, Termination and Amendment 

This Agreement shall become effective as of its execution, shall continue in full force and effect until terminated as hereinafter provided, may be amended at any time by mutual agreement of the parties hereto and may be terminated by either party by an instrument in writing delivered or mailed, postage prepaid to the other party, such termination to take effect not sooner than sixty (60) days after the date of such delivery or mailing if termination is being sought by a Fund on behalf of a Portfolio and not sooner than one hundred twenty (120) days if termination is being sought by the Custodian; provided, however, that no Fund shall amend or terminate this Agreement in contravention of any applicable federal or state regulations, or any provision of such Fund’s Governing Documents, and further provided, that any Fund on behalf of one or more of the Portfolios may at any time by action of its Board (i) substitute another bank or trust company for the Custodian by giving notice as described above to the Custodian, or (ii) immediately terminate this Agreement in the event of the appointment of a bankruptcy trustee or a conservator or receiver for the Custodian by the Comptroller of the Currency or upon the happening of a like event at the direction of an appropriate regulatory agency or court of competent jurisdiction. Termination of this Agreement with respect to any one particular Fund or Portfolio shall in no way affect the rights and duties under this Agreement with respect to any other Fund or Portfolio. 

Upon termination of the Agreement, the applicable Fund on behalf of each applicable Portfolio shall pay to the Custodian such compensation as may be due as of the date of such termination and shall likewise reimburse the Custodian for the transaction costs of delivering out the securities of such applicable Portfolio to the successor custodian appointed pursuant to Section 18 of this Agreement, if any. 

In connection with any termination of the Agreement for any reason whatsoever, the parties shall also reasonably cooperate with respect to the development of a transition plan setting forth a reasonable timetable for the transition and describing the parties’ respective responsibilities for transitioning the services back to the Fund or any successor custodian in an orderly and uninterrupted fashion. 

If the Custodian is prevented from carrying out its obligations under the Agreement as a result of a Force Majeure Event for a period of 30 days, a Fund may terminate the Agreement by giving the Custodian not less than 30 days' notice, without prejudice to any of the rights of any party accrued prior to the date of termination; provided, however, that if the Force Majeure Event is a regional wide or market wide event that has similarly affected substantially all other providers of services to funds substantially similar to the services provided hereunder in such region or market, the Fund’s termination right shall only arise at such time that two (2) or more of such providers are reasonably able and have begun to recommence the provision of such services. If the Custodian recommences the provision of the affected services in all material respects prior to the exercise by a Fund of its termination right, such termination right shall lapse if the Custodian gives notice to the Fund that it has done so (and it has in fact so recommenced the provision of services) and a Fund has not already provided notice of termination prior to such notice by the Custodian that it has recommenced the services in all material respects. 

Section 18.Successor Custodian 

If a successor custodian for one or more Portfolios shall be appointed by the applicable Board, the Custodian shall, upon termination and receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver to such successor custodian at the office of the Custodian (or such other location as shall mutually be agreed upon by the Custodian and the applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio), duly endorsed and in the form for transfer, all securities, cash, and other assets of each applicable Portfolio then held by it hereunder and shall transfer to an account of the successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in a Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent.  

If no such successor custodian shall be appointed, the Custodian shall, in like manner, upon receipt of Proper Instructions, deliver at the office of the Custodian (or such other location as shall mutually be agreed upon by the Custodian and the applicable Fund on behalf of such Portfolio) and transfer such securities, funds and other properties in accordance with such resolution. 

In the event that no Proper Instructions designating a successor custodian or alternative arrangements shall have been delivered to the Custodian on or before the date when such termination shall become effective, then the Custodian shall have the right to deliver to a bank or trust company, which is a “bank” as defined in the 1940 Act, doing business in Boston, Massachusetts or New York, New York, of its own selection, having an aggregate capital, surplus, and undivided profits, as shown by its last published report, of not less than $25,000,000, all securities, funds and other properties held by the Custodian on behalf of each applicable Portfolio and all instruments held by the Custodian relative thereto and all other property held by it under this Agreement on behalf of each applicable Portfolio, and to transfer to an account of such successor custodian all of the securities of each such Portfolio held in any Securities System or at the Underlying Transfer Agent. Thereafter, such bank or trust company shall be the successor of the Custodian under this Agreement. 

In the event that securities, funds and other properties remain in the possession of the Custodian after the date of termination hereof owing to failure of any Fund to provide Proper Instructions as aforesaid, the Custodian shall be entitled to fair compensation for its services during such period as the Custodian retains possession of such securities, funds and other properties and the provisions of this Agreement relating to the duties and obligations of the Custodian shall remain in full force and effect. 

Section 19. General 

Section 19.1New York Law to Apply. This Agreement shall be construed and the provisions thereof interpreted under and in accordance with laws of The State of New York.  

Section 19.2Confidentiality.  All information provided under this Agreement by a party (the “Disclosing Party”) to the other party (the “Receiving Party”) regarding the Disclosing Party’s business and operations shall be treated as confidential.  All confidential information provided under this Agreement by Disclosing Party shall be used, including disclosure to third parties, by the Receiving Party, or its agents or service providers, solely for the purpose of performing or receiving the services and discharging the Receiving Party’s other obligations under the Agreement or managing the internal business of the Receiving Party and its affiliates, including financial and operational management and reporting, risk management, legal and regulatory compliance and client service management.  The foregoing shall not be applicable to any information (a) that is publicly available when provided or thereafter becomes publicly available, other than through a breach of this Agreement, (b)

that is independently derived by the Receiving Party without the use of any information provided by the Disclosing Party in connection with this Agreement, (c) that is disclosed to comply with any proceeding, investigation, audit, examination, subpoena, civil investigative demand or other similar process that is initiated, authorized, or conducted by a court of law, regulatory agency, or other governmental or administrative body with appropriate jurisdiction over either party, (d) that is disclosed as required by operation of law or regulation or as required to comply with the requirements of any market infrastructure that the Disclosing Party or its agents direct the Custodian or its affiliates to employ (or which is required in connection with the holding or settlement of instruments included in the assets subject to this Agreement), or (e) where the party seeking to disclose has received the prior written consent of the party providing the information. 

Section 19.3Assignment. This Agreement may not be assigned by (a) any Fund without the written consent of the Custodian or (b) by the Custodian without the written consent of each applicable Fund. 

Section 19.4 Interpretive and Additional Provisions. In connection with the operation of this Agreement, the Custodian and each Fund on behalf of each of the Portfolios, may from time to time agree on such provisions interpretive of or in addition to the provisions of this Agreement as may in their joint opinion be consistent with the general tenor of this Agreement.  

Section 19.5 Additional Funds. In the event that any management investment company in addition to those listed on Appendix A hereto desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such management investment company shall become a Fund hereunder and be bound by all terms and conditions and provisions hereof including, without limitation, the representations and warranties set forth in Section 19.7 below. 

Section 19.6 Additional Portfolios. In the event that any Fund establishes one or more series of Shares in addition to those set forth on Appendix A hereto with respect to which it desires to have the Custodian render services as custodian under the terms hereof, it shall so notify the Custodian in writing, and if the Custodian agrees in writing to provide such services, such series of Shares shall become a Portfolio hereunder. 

Section 19.7The Parties

. All references herein to the “Fund” are to each of the management investment companies listed on Appendix A hereto, and each management investment company made subject to this Agreement in accordance with Section 19.5 above, individually, as if this Agreement were between such individual Fund and the Custodian. In the case of a series corporation, trust or other entity, all references herein to the “Portfolio” are to the individual series or portfolio of such corporation, trust or other entity, or to such corporation, trust or other entity on behalf of the individual series or portfolio, as appropriate. Any reference in this Agreement to “the parties” shall mean the Custodian and such other individual Fund as to which the matter pertains. Each Fund hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing in good standing in its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable law and its Governing Documents to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement; and (e) its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Fund or any law or regulation applicable to it. The Custodian hereby represents and warrants that (a) it is duly incorporated or organized and is validly existing in good standing in its jurisdiction of incorporation or organization; (b) it has the requisite power and authority under applicable law and its declaration of trust or other governing documents to enter into and perform this Agreement; (c) all requisite proceedings have been taken to authorize it to enter into and perform this Agreement; (d) this Agreement constitutes its legal, valid, binding and enforceable agreement; and (e) its entrance into this Agreement shall not cause a material breach or be in material conflict with any other agreement or obligation of the Custodian or any law or regulation applicable to it.  

The Custodian hereby represents to each of the Funds, on behalf of each of such Fund’s Portfolios, that it (a) has and shall maintain and update a disaster recovery and business continuation plan that is reasonably designed to enable the Custodian to perform its duties and obligations set forth under this Agreement in the event of a significant business disruption affecting the Custodian, including a Force Majeure Event; (b) shall test the operability of such plan at least once every twelve (12) months and revise such plan as Custodian reasonably believes is necessary to ensure that the plan, in general, continues to be reasonably designed to enable the Custodian to perform its duties and obligations as set forth under this Agreement; and (c) shall activate such plan if Custodian reasonably believes (i) an event has occurred which would materially affect the Custodian’s timely discharge of its duties and performance of its obligations under this Agreement and (ii) activation of such plan would allow Custodian to discharge its duties hereunder.  The Custodian shall enter into and shall maintain in effect at all times during the term of this Agreement with appropriate parties one or more agreements making reasonable provision for (i) periodic back-up of the computer files and data with respect to the Fund and (ii) emergency use of electronic data processing equipment to provide services under this Agreement. Upon reasonable request, the Custodian shall discuss with the Fund the business continuity/disaster recovery plan of the Custodian.  The Custodian represents that its business continuity plan is appropriate for its business as a provider of custodian services to investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. 

Section 19.8Remote Access Services Addendum. The Custodian and each Fund agree to be bound by the terms of the Remote Access Services Addendum hereto. 

Section 19.9Notices. Any notice, instruction or other instrument required to be given hereunder may be delivered in person to the offices of the parties as set forth herein during normal business hours or delivered prepaid registered mail or by telex, cable or telecopy to the parties at the following addresses or such other addresses as may be notified by any party from time to time. 

To any Fund: c/o The Vanguard Group, Inc. 

400 Devon Park Drive, A29 

Wayne, PA 19087 

Attention: Chief Financial Officer 

Telecopy: (610) 669-6112 

With a copy to: The Vanguard Group, Inc. 

400 Devon Park Drive, V26 

Wayne, PA 19087 

Attention: General Counsel 

Telecopy: (610) 669-6600 

To the Custodian: State Street Bank and Trust Company 

1 Iron Street 

Boston, MA 02210 

Attention: Jay Fulchino  

Telephone: 617-662-0934 

With a copy to: State Street Bank and Trust Company 

Legal Division – Global Services Americas 

One Lincoln Street 

Boston, MA  02111 

Attention:  Senior Vice President  

Such notice, instruction or other instrument shall be deemed to have been served in the case of a registered letter at the expiration of five business days after posting, in the case of cable twenty‑four hours after dispatch and, in the case of facsimile, immediately on dispatch and if delivered outside normal business hours it shall be deemed to have been received at the next time after delivery when normal business hours commence and in the case of cable, facsimile or telecopy on the business day after the receipt thereof. Evidence that the notice was properly addressed, stamped and put into the post shall be conclusive evidence of posting. 

Section 19.10Counterparts. This Agreement may be executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and all such counterparts taken together shall constitute one and the same Agreement. 

Section 19.11Severability. If any provision or provisions of this Agreement shall be held to be invalid, unlawful or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. 

Section 19.12Reproduction of Documents. This Agreement and all schedules, addenda, exhibits, appendices, attachments and amendments hereto may be reproduced by any photographic, photostatic, microfilm, micro-card, miniature photographic or other similar process. The parties hereto all/each agree that any such reproduction shall be admissible in evidence as the original itself in any judicial or administrative proceeding, whether or not the original is in existence and whether or not such reproduction was made by a party in the regular course of business, and that any enlargement, facsimile or further reproduction of such reproduction shall likewise be admissible in evidence. 

Section 19.13Shareholder Communications Election. Rule 14b‑2 promulgated under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, requires banks which hold securities for the account of customers to respond to requests by issuers of securities for the names, addresses and holdings of beneficial owners of securities of that issuer held by the bank unless the beneficial owner has expressly objected to disclosure of this information. In order to comply with the rule, the Custodian needs each Fund to indicate whether it authorizes the Custodian to provide such Fund’s name, address, and share position to requesting companies whose securities the Fund owns. If a Fund tells the Custodian “no,” the Custodian will not provide this information to requesting companies. If a Fund tells the Custodian “yes” or does not check either “yes” or “no” below, the Custodian is required by the rule to treat the Fund as consenting to disclosure of this information for all securities owned by the Fund or any funds or accounts established by the Fund. For a Fund’s protection, the Rule prohibits the requesting company from using the Fund’s name and address for any purpose other than corporate communications. Please indicate below whether the Fund consents or objects by checking one of the alternatives below. 

YES [] The Custodian is authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions. 

NO[X] The Custodian is not authorized to release the Fund’s name, address, and share positions. 

Section 19.14 Reports.

Upon reasonable request of a Fund, the Custodian shall provide the Fund with a copy of the Custodian’s System and Organization Controls for Service Organizations: Internal Control over Financial Reporting (SOC) 1 reports prepared in accordance with the requirements of AT-C section 320, Reporting on an Examination of Controls at a Service Organization Relevant to User Entities’ Internal Control Over Financial Reporting (or any successor attestation standard). In addition, from time to time as requested, the Custodian will furnish the Fund a “gap” or “bridge” letter that will address any material changes that might have occurred in the Custodian’s controls covered in the SOC Report from the end of the SOC Report period through a specified requested date. The Custodian shall use commercially reasonable efforts to provide the Fund with such reports as the Fund may reasonably request or otherwise reasonably require to fulfill its duties under Rule 38a-l of the 1940 Act or similar legal and regulatory requirements. Upon reasonable request to the Fund, the Custodian shall also provide to the Fund sub-certifications in connection with Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002 certification requirements.  

Section 19.15 Opinions. The Custodian shall take all reasonable action, as the Fund with respect to a Portfolio may from time to time request, to obtain from year to year favorable opinions from the Fund’s independent accountants with respect to its activities hereunder in connection with (i) the preparation of any registration statement of a Fund and any other reports required by a governmental agency or regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the Fund, and (ii) the fulfillment by a Fund of any other requirements of a governmental agency or regulatory authority with jurisdiction over the Fund. 

Section 19.16Regulation GG. The Funds are hereby notified that “restricted transactions,” as such term is defined in Section 233.2(y) of Federal Reserve Regulation GG, are prohibited in any dealings with the Custodian pursuant to this Agreement or otherwise between or among any party hereto. 

Section 19.17 Portfolio by Portfolio Basis. This Agreement is executed by a Fund with respect to each of its Portfolios and the obligations hereunder are not binding upon any of the directors, officers or shareholders of the Fund individually. Notwithstanding any other provision in this Agreement to the contrary, each and every obligation, liability or undertaking of a particular Portfolio under this Agreement shall constitute solely an obligation, liability or undertaking of, and be binding upon, such particular Portfolio and shall be payable solely from the available assets of such particular Portfolio and shall not be binding upon or affect any assets of any other Portfolio. 

Section 19.18 Service level Agreements.The Custodian and the Funds may from time to time agree to document the manner in which they expect to deliver and receive the services contemplated by this Agreement. In such event, each party will perform its obligations in accordance with any service levels that may be agreed upon by the parties in writing from time to time, subject to the terms of this Agreement 

Section 19.19Loan Services Addendum.If a Fund directs the Custodian in writing to perform loan services, the Custodian and the Fund will be bound by the terms of the Loan Services Addendum attached hereto.  The Fund shall reimburse Custodian for its fees and expenses related thereto as agreed upon from time to time in writing by the Fund and the Custodian. 

[Signature page to follow.] 

Signature Page 

In Witness Whereof, each of the parties has caused this instrument to be executed in its name and on its behalf by its duly authorized representative as of the date first above-written. 

Fund Signature Attested to By:		Each of the Entities Set Forth on Appendix A Hereto
By:	/s/ Pete Mahoney	By:	/s/ Thomas J. Higgins
Name:	Pete Mahoney	Name:	Thomas J. Higgins
Title:	Fund Controller	Title:	Chief Financial Officer
Signature Attested to By:		State Street Bank and Trust Company
By:	/s/ Matthew J. Kelly	By:	/s/ Andrew Erickson
Name:	Matthew J. Kelly	Name:	Andrew Erickson
Title:	Vice President	Title:	Executive Vice President

APPENDIX A 

Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard California Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard CMT Funds 

Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund 

Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund 

Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Index Funds 

Vanguard Institutional Index Fund 

VanguardMalvern Funds 

Vanguard Institutional Intermediate-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds 

Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New York Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New York Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Ohio Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Quantitative Funds 

Vanguard Growth and Income Fund 

Vanguard STAR Funds 

Vanguard STAR Fund 

Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds 

Balanced Portfolio 

Diversified Value Portfolio 

Equity Index Portfolio 

High Yield Bond Portfolio 

Mid-Cap Index Portfolio 

REIT Index Portfolio 

Small Company Growth Portfolio 

Vanguard World Fund 

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund 

SCHEDULE A – GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK 

MARKET	SUBCUSTODIAN	ADDRESS
Albania	RaiffeisenBanksh.a.	Blv."BajramCurri"ETC–Kati14 Tirana,Albania
Argentina	Citibank,N.A.	BartolomeMitre530 1036BuenosAires,Argentina
Australia	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	HSBCSecuritiesServices Level3,10SmithSt., Parramatta,NSW2150,Australia
Austria	DeutscheBankAG(operatingthroughits FrankfurtbranchwithsupportfromitsVienna branch)	Fleischmarkt1 A-1010Vienna,Austria
	UniCreditBankAustriaAG	CustodyDepartment/Dept.8398-TZ JuliusTandlerPlatz3 A-1090Vienna,Austria
Bahrain	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	1ST Floor,Bldg.#2505 Road#2832,AlSeef428 KingdomofBahrain
Bangladesh	StandardCharteredBank	SilverTower,Level7 52SouthGulshanCommercialArea Gulshan1,Dhaka1212,Bangladesh
Belgium	DeutscheBankAG,Netherlands(operating throughitsAmsterdambranchwithsupport fromitsBrusselsbranch)	DeEntrees99-197 1101HEAmsterdam,Netherlands
Benin	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Bermuda	HSBCBankBermudaLimited	6FrontStreet Hamilton,HM06,Bermuda
FederationofBosnia andHerzegovina	UniCreditBankd.d.	Zelenihberetki24 71000Sarajevo FederationofBosniaandHerzegovina
Botswana	StandardCharteredBankBotswanaLimited	4thFloor,StandardCharteredHouse QueensRoad TheMall Gaborone,Botswana
Brazil	Citibank,N.A.	AVPaulista1111 SãoPaulo,SP01311-920Brazil
Bulgaria	CitibankEuropeplc,BulgariaBranch	SerdikaOffices,10thfloor 48SitnyakovoBlvd. 1505Sofia,Bulgaria
	UniCreditBulbankAD	7SvetaNedelyaSquare 1000Sofia,Bulgaria
BurkinaFaso	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Canada	StateStreetTrustCompanyCanada	30AdelaideStreetEast,Suite800 Toronto,ONCanadaM5C3G6
Chile	ItaúCorpBancaS.A.	PresidenteRiescoStreet#5537 Floor18 LasCondes,SantiagodeChile
People’sRepublicof China	HSBCBank(China)CompanyLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	33rd Floor,HSBCBuilding,ShanghaiIFC 8CenturyAvenue Pudong,Shanghai,China(200120)
	ChinaConstructionBankCorporation	No.1NaoshikouStreet ChangAnXingRongPlaza Beijing100032-33,China
ChinaConnect	CitibankN.A.	39/F.,ChampionTower 3GardenRoad Central,HongKong
	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	Level30, HSBCMainBuilding 1Queen'sRoad Central,HongKong
	StandardCharteredBank(HongKong)Limited	15th FloorStandardCharteredTower 388KwunTongRoad KwunTong,HongKong
Colombia	CititrustColombiaS.A.SociedadFiduciaria	Carrera9A,No.99-02 BogotáDC,Colombia
CostaRica	BancoBCTS.A.	160CalleCentral EdificioBCT SanJosé,CostaRica
Croatia	PrivrednaBankaZagrebd.d.	CustodyDepartment Radničkacesta50 10000Zagreb,Croatia
	ZagrebackaBankad.d.	Savska60 10000Zagreb,Croatia
Cyprus	BNPParibasSecuritiesServices,S.C.A., Greece(operatingthroughitsAthensbranch)	2LampsakouStr. 11528Athens,Greece
CzechRepublic	Československáobchodníbanka,a.s.	Radlická333/150 15057Prague5,CzechRepublic
	UniCreditBankCzechRepublicandSlovakia, a.s.	BBCentrum–FILADELFIE Želetavská1525/1 14092Praha4-Michle,CzechRepublic
Denmark	NordeaBankAB(publ),Sweden(operating throughitsbranch,NordeaDanmark,Filialaf NordeaBankAB(publ),Sverige)	Strandgade3 0900CopenhagenC,Denmark
	SkandinaviskaEnskildaBankenAB(publ), Sweden(operatingthroughitsCopenhagen branch)	Bernstorffsgade50 1577Copenhagen,Denmark
Egypt	HSBCBankEgyptS.A.E. (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	6th Floor 306CornicheElNil Maadi Cairo,Egypt
Estonia	ASSEBPank	Tornimäe2 15010Tallinn,Estonia
Finland	NordeaBankAB(publ),Sweden(operating throughitsbranch,NordeaBankAB(publ), Finnishbranch)	Satamaradankatu5 00500Helsinki,Finland
	SkandinaviskaEnskildaBankenAB(publ), Sweden(operatingthroughitsHelsinkibranch)	SecuritiesServices Box630 SF-00101Helsinki,Finland
France	DeutscheBankAG,Netherlands(operating throughitsAmsterdambranchwithsupport fromitsParisbranch)	DeEntrees99-197 1101HEAmsterdam,Netherlands
RepublicofGeorgia	JSCBankofGeorgia	29aGagariniStr. Tbilisi0160,Georgia
Germany	StateStreetBankInternationalGmbH	BriennerStrasse59 80333Munich,Germany
	DeutscheBankAG	Alfred-Herrhausen-Allee16-24 D-65760Eschborn,Germany
Ghana	StandardCharteredBankGhanaLimited	P.O.Box768 1stFloor HighStreetBuilding Accra,Ghana
Greece	BNPParibasSecuritiesServices,S.C.A.	2LampsakouStr. 11528Athens,Greece
Guinea-Bissau	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
HongKong	StandardCharteredBank(HongKong)Limited	15th FloorStandardCharteredTower 388KwunTongRoad KwunTong,HongKong
Hungary	CitibankEuropeplcMagyarországiFióktelepe	7Szabadságtér,BankCenter Budapest,H-1051Hungary
	UniCreditBankHungaryZrt.	6thFloor Szabadságtér5-6 H-1054Budapest,Hungary
Iceland	Landsbankinnhf.	Austurstræti11 155Reykjavik,Iceland
India	DeutscheBankAG	BlockB1,4thFloor,NirlonKnowledge Park OffWesternExpressHighway Goregaon(E) Mumbai400063,India
	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	11F,Building3,NESCO-ITPark, NESCOComplex, WesternExpressHighway Goregaon(East), Mumbai400063,India
Indonesia	DeutscheBankAG	DeutscheBankBuilding, 4th floor Jl.Imam Bonjol,No.80 Jakarta10310,Indonesia
Ireland	StateStreetBankandTrustCompany,United Kingdombranch	525FerryRoad EdinburghEH52AW,Scotland
Israel	BankHapoalimB.M.	50RothschildBoulevard TelAviv,Israel61000
Italy	DeutscheBankS.p.A.	InvestorServices ViaTurati27–3rdFloor 20121Milan,Italy
IvoryCoast	StandardCharteredBankCôted’IvoireS.A.	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Japan	MizuhoBank,Limited	ShinagawaIntercityTowerA 2-15-1,Konan,Minato-ku Tokyo108-6009,Japan
	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	HSBCBuilding 11-1Nihonbashi3-chome,Chuo-ku Tokyo1030027,Japan
Jordan	StandardCharteredBank	ShmeissaniBranch Al-ThaqafaStreet,Building#2 P.O.Box926190 Amman11110,Jordan
Kazakhstan	JSCCitibankKazakhstan	ParkPalace,BuildingA, 41KazibekBistreet, AlmatyA25T0A1,Kazakhstan
Kenya	StandardCharteredBankKenyaLimited	CustodyServices StandardChartered@Chiromo,Level5 48WestlandsRoad P.O.Box40984–00100GPO Nairobi,Kenya
RepublicofKorea	DeutscheBankAG	18thFl.,Young-PoongBuilding 41Cheonggyecheon-ro Jongro-ku-,Seoul03188,Korea
	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	5F HSBCBuilding#37 Chilpae-ro Jung-gu,Seoul04511,Korea
Kuwait	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongand Shanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	KuwaitCity,SharqArea AbdulazizAlSagerStreet AlHamraTower,37F P.O.Box1683,Safat13017,Kuwait
Latvia	ASSEBbanka	Unicentrs,Valdlauči LV-1076Kekavaspag.,Rigasraj.,Latvia
Lithuania	ABSEBbankas	Gediminoav.12 LT2600Vilnius,Lithuania
Malawi	StandardBankLimited	KaombaCentre Cnr.VictoriaAvenue&SirGlynJones Road Blantyre,Malawi
Malaysia	DeutscheBank(Malaysia)Berhad	DomesticCustodyServices Level20,MenaraIMC 8JalanSultanIsmail 50250KualaLumpur,Malaysia
	StandardCharteredBankMalaysiaBerhad	MenaraStandardChartered 30JalanSultanIsmail 50250KualaLumpur,Malaysia
Mali	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Mauritius	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	6FHSBCCentre 18CyberCity Ebene,Mauritius
Mexico	BancoNacionaldeMéxico,S.A.	3erpiso,TorreNorte Act.RobertoMedellínNo.800 Col.SantaFe Mexico,DF01219
Morocco	CitibankMaghreb	ZénithMilléniumImmeuble1 SidiMaârouf–B.P.40 Casablanca20190,Morocco
Namibia	StandardBankNamibiaLimited	StandardBankCenter Cnr.WernerListSt.andPostSt.Mall 2ndFloor Windhoek,Namibia
Netherlands	DeutscheBankAG	DeEntrees99-197 1101HEAmsterdam,Netherlands
NewZealand	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	HSBCHouse Level7,1QueenSt. Auckland1010,NewZealand
Niger	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Nigeria	StanbicIBTCBankPlc.	Plot1712 IdejoSt VictoriaIsland, Lagos101007,Nigeria
Norway	NordeaBankAB(publ),Sweden(operating throughitsbranch,NordeaBankAB(publ), filialiNorge)	Essendropsgate7 0368Oslo,Norway
	SkandinaviskaEnskildaBankenAB(publ), Sweden(operatingthroughitsOslobranch)	P.O.Box1843Vika FilipstadBrygge1 N-0123Oslo,Norway
Oman	HSBCBankOmanS.A.O.G. (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	2nd FloorAlKhuwair POBox1727PC111Seeb,Oman
Pakistan	DeutscheBankAG	Unicentre–Unitowers I.I.ChundrigarRoad P.O.Box4925 Karachi-74000,Pakistan
Panama	Citibank,N.A.	BoulevardPuntaPacifica TorredelasAmericas Apartado PanamaCity,Panama0834-00555
Peru	CitibankdelPerú,S.A.	CanavalyMoreyra480 3rd Floor,SanIsidro Lima27,Perú
Philippines	DeutscheBankAG	GlobalTransactionBanking TowerOne,Ayala Triangle 1226MakatiCity,Philippines
Poland	BankHandlowywWarszawieS.A.	ul.Senatorska16 00-293Warsaw,Poland
	BankPolskaKasaOpiekiS.A.	31ZwirkiIWiguryStreet 02-091,Warsaw,Poland
Portugal	DeutscheBankAG,Netherlands(operating throughitsAmsterdambranchwithsupport fromitsLisbonbranch)	DeEntrees99-197 1101HEAmsterdam,Netherlands
PuertoRico	CitibankN.A.	235FedericoCostaStreet,Suite315 SanJuan,PuertoRico00918
Qatar	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	2FlAliBinAliTower Buildingno.:150 AirportRoad Doha,Qatar
Romania	CitibankEuropeplc,Dublin–RomaniaBranch	8,IancudeHunedoaraBoulevard 712042,BucharestSector1,Romania
Russia	AOCitibank	8-10GashekaStreet,Building1 125047Moscow,Russia
SaudiArabia	HSBCSaudiArabia (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	HSBCHeadOffice 7267Olaya- AlMurooj Riyadh12283-2255KingdomofSaudiArabia
Senegal	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Serbia	UniCreditBankSerbiaJSC	Rajiceva27-29 11000Belgrade,Serbia
Singapore	CitibankN.A.	3ChangiBusinessParkCrescent #07-00,Singapore486026
	UnitedOverseasBankLimited	156CecilStreet FEBBuilding#08-03 Singapore069544
SlovakRepublic	UniCreditBankCzechRepublicandSlovakia, a.s.	Ŝancová1/A 81333Bratislava,SlovakRepublic
Slovenia	UniCreditBankaSlovenijad.d.	Šmartinska140 SI-1000Ljubljana,Slovenia
SouthAfrica	FirstRandBankLimited	MezzanineFloor 3FirstPlaceBankCity CornerSimmonds&JeppeSts. Johannesburg2001 RepublicofSouthAfrica
	StandardBankofSouthAfricaLimited	3rd Floor,25PixleyKaIsakaSemeSt. Johannesburg2001 RepublicofSouthAfrica
Spain	DeutscheBankS.A.E.	CalledeRosarioPino14-16, Planta1 28020Madrid,Spain
SriLanka	TheHongkongandShanghaiBanking CorporationLimited	24,SirBaronJayatilakeMawatha Colombo01,SriLanka
RepublicofSrpska	UniCreditBankd.d.	Zelenihberetki24 71000Sarajevo FederationofBosniaandHerzegovina
Swaziland	StandardBankSwazilandLimited	StandardHouse,SwaziPlaza Mbabane,SwazilandH101
Sweden	NordeaBankAB(publ)	Smålandsgatan17 10571Stockholm,Sweden
	SkandinaviskaEnskildaBankenAB(publ)	SergelsTorg2 SE-10640Stockholm,Sweden
Switzerland	CreditSuisse(Switzerland)Limited	Uetlibergstrasse231 8070Zurich,Switzerland
	UBSSwitzerlandAG	Max-Högger-Strasse80-82 CH-8048Zurich-Alstetten,Switzerland
Taiwan-R.O.C.	DeutscheBankAG	296Ren-AiRoad Taipei106Taiwan,RepublicofChina
	StandardCharteredBank(Taiwan)Limited	168TunHwaNorthRoad Taipei105,Taiwan,RepublicofChina
Tanzania	StandardCharteredBank(Tanzania)Limited	1Floor,InternationalHouse CornerShaabanRobertStandGarden Ave POBox9011 DaresSalaam,Tanzania
Thailand	StandardCharteredBank(Thai)Public CompanyLimited	SathornNakornTower 14th Floor,ZoneB 90NorthSathornRoad Silom,Bangkok10500,Thailand
Togo	viaStandardCharteredBankCôted’Ivoire S.A.,Abidjan,IvoryCoast	23,BlddelaRépublique 17BP1141Abidjan17Côted’Ivoire
Tunisia	UnionInternationaledeBanques	65AvenueBourguiba 1000Tunis,Tunisia
Turkey	Citibank,A.Ş.	TekfenTower EskiBuyukdereCaddesi209 Kat3 Levent34394Istanbul,Turkey
	DeutscheBankA.Ş.	EskiBuyukdereCaddesi TekfenTowerNo.209 Kat:174 Levent34394Istanbul,Turkey
Uganda	StandardCharteredBankUgandaLimited	5SpekeRoad P.O.Box7111 Kampala,Uganda
Ukraine	PJSCCitibank	16-gDilovaSt. Kyiv03150,Ukraine
UnitedArabEmirates DubaiFinancialMarket	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	HSBCSecuritiesServices EmaarSquare Level3,BuildingNo.5 POBox502601 Dubai,UnitedArabEmirates
UnitedArabEmirates DubaiInternational FinancialCenter	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	HSBCSecuritiesServices EmaarSquare Level3,BuildingNo.5 POBox502601 Dubai,UnitedArabEmirates
UnitedArabEmirates AbuDhabi	HSBCBankMiddleEastLimited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	HSBCSecuritiesServices EmaarSquare Level3,BuildingNo.5 POBox502601 Dubai,UnitedArabEmirates
UnitedKingdom	StateStreetBankandTrustCompany,United Kingdombranch	525FerryRoad EdinburghEH52AW,Scotland
Uruguay	BancoItaúUruguayS.A.	Zabala1463 11000Montevideo,Uruguay
Venezuela	Citibank,N.A.	CentroComercialElRecreo TorreNorte,Piso19 AvenidaCasanova Caracas,Venezuela1050
Vietnam	HSBCBank(Vietnam)Limited (asdelegateofTheHongkongandShanghai BankingCorporationLimited)	CentrePoint 106NguyenVanTroiStreet PhuNhuanDistrict HoChiMinhCity,Vietnam
Zambia	StandardCharteredBankZambiaPlc.	StandardCharteredHouse CairoRoad P.O.Box32238 10101,Lusaka,Zambia
Zimbabwe	StanbicBankZimbabweLimited (asdelegateofStandardBankofSouthAfrica Limited)	3rdFloor StanbicCentre 59SamoraMachelAvenue Harare,Zimbabwe

SCHEDULE B – DEPOSITORIES OPERATING IN NETWORK MARKETS 

MARKET	DEPOSITORY	TYPES OF SECURITIES
Albania	Bank of Albania	Government debt
Argentina	Caja de Valores S.A.	Equities, government and corporate bonds, and corporate money market instruments
Australia	Austraclear Limited	Government securities, corporate bonds, and corporate money market instruments
Austria	OeKB Central Securities Depository GmbH	All securities listed on Wiener Börse AG, the Vienna Stock Exchange (as well as virtually all other Austrian securities)
Bahrain	Clearing, Settlement, Depository and Registry System of the Bahrain Bourse	Equities
Bangladesh	Bangladesh Bank	Government securities
	Central Depository Bangladesh Limited	Equities and corporate bonds
Belgium	Euroclear Belgium	Equities and most corporate bonds
	National Bank of Belgium	Government securities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
Benin	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Bermuda	Bermuda Securities Depository	Equities, corporate bonds
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina	Registar vrijednosnih papira u Federaciji Bosne i Hercegovine, d.d.	Equities, corporate bonds, government securities, money market instruments
Botswana	Bank of Botswana	Government debt
	Central Securities Depository Company of Botswana Ltd.	Equities and corporate bonds
Brazil	Central de Custódia e de Liquidação Financeira de Títulos Privados (CETIP)	Corporate debt and money market instruments
	BM&F BOVESPA Depository Services, a department of BM&F BOVESPA S.A.	Equities and corporate bonds traded on-exchange
	Sistema Especial de Liquidação e de Custódia (SELIC)	Government debt issued by the central bank and the National Treasury
Bulgaria	Bulgarian National Bank	Government securities
	Central Depository AD	Eligible equities and corporate bonds
Burkina Faso	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Canada	The Canadian Depository for Securities Limited	All book-entry eligible securities, including government securities, equities, corporate bonds, money market instruments, strip bonds, and asset- backed securities
Chile	Depósito Central de Valores S.A.	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, mortgage-backed securities, and money market instruments
People’s Republic of China	China Securities Depository and Clearing Corporation Limited, Shanghai and Shenzhen Branches	A shares, B shares, Treasury bonds, local government bonds, enterprise bonds, corporate bonds, open and closed-end funds, convertible bonds, and warrants
	China Central Depository and Clearing Co., Ltd.	Bonds traded through the China Interbank Bond Market (CIBM), including Treasury bonds, local government bonds, policy bank bonds, central bank bills, medium-term notes, commercial paper, enterprise bonds, and commercial bank bonds
	Shanghai Clearing House	Bonds traded through the China Interbank Bond Market (CIBM), including Treasury bonds, local government bonds, policy bank bonds, central bank bills, enterprise bonds, certain issues of medium-term notes, commercial paper, and commercial bank bonds
Colombia	Depósito Central de Valores	Securities issued by the central bank and the Republic of Colombia
	Depósito Centralizado de Valores de Colombia S.A. (DECEVAL)	Equities, corporate bonds, money market instruments
Costa Rica	Interclear Central de Valores S.A.	Securities traded on Bolsa Nacional de Valores
Croatia	Središnje klirinško depozitarno društvo d.d.	Eligible equities, corporate bonds, government securities, and corporate money market instruments
Cyprus	Central Depository and Central Registry	Equities, corporate bonds, dematerialized government securities, corporate money market instruments
Czech Republic	Centrální depozitář cenných papírů, a.s.	All dematerialized equities, corporate debt, and government debt, excluding Treasury bills
	Czech National Bank	Treasury bills
Denmark	VP Securities A/S	Equities, government securities, corporate bonds, corporate money market instruments, warrants
Egypt	Central Bank of Egypt	Treasury bills
	Misr for Central Clearing, Depository and Registry S.A.E.	Eligible equities, corporate bonds, and Treasury bonds
Estonia	AS Eesti Väärtpaberikeskus	All registered equity and debt securities
Finland	Euroclear Finland	Equities, corporate bonds, government securities, money market instruments
France	Euroclear France	Government securities, equities, bonds, and money market instruments
Republic of Georgia	Georgian Central Securities Depository	Equities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
	National Bank of Georgia	Government securities
Germany	Clearstream Banking AG, Frankfurt	Equities, government securities, corporate bonds, money market instruments, warrants, investment funds, and index certificates
Ghana	Central Securities Depository (Ghana) Limited	Government securities and Bank of Ghana securities; equities and corporate bonds
Greece	Bank of Greece, System for Monitoring Transactions in Securities in Book-Entry Form	Government debt
	Hellenic Central Securities Depository	Eligible listed equities, government debt, and corporate bonds
Guinea-Bissau	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Hong Kong	Central Moneymarkets Unit	Government debt (i.e., exchange fund bills and notes issued by the HKMA), other private debt, and money market instruments
	Hong Kong Securities Clearing Company Limited	Securities listed or traded on the Stock Exchange of Hong Kong Limited
Hungary	KELER Központi Értéktár Zrt.	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, and investment fund notes
Iceland	Nasdaq verðbréfamiðstöð hf.	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
India	Central Depository Services (India) Limited	Eligible equities, debt securities, and money market instruments
	National Securities Depository Limited	Eligible equities, debt securities, and money market instruments
	Reserve Bank of India	Government securities
Indonesia	Bank Indonesia	Sertifikat Bank Indonesia (central bank certificates), Surat Utang Negara (government debt instruments), and Surat Perbendaharaan Negara (Treasury bills)
	PT Kustodian Sentral Efek Indonesia	Equities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
Ireland	Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited	GBP- and EUR-denominated money market instruments
	Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.	Government securities
Israel	Tel Aviv Stock Exchange Clearing House Ltd. (TASE Clearing House)	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds and trust fund units
Italy	Monte Titoli S.p.A.	Equities, corporate debt, government debt, money market instruments, and warrants
Ivory Coast	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Japan	Bank of Japan – Financial Network System	Government securities
	Japan Securities Depository Center (JASDEC) Incorporated	Equities, corporate bonds, and corporate money market instruments
Jordan	Central Bank of Jordan	Treasury bills, government bonds, development bonds, and public entity bonds
	Securities Depository Center	Equities and corporate bonds
Kazakhstan	Central Securities Depository	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
Kenya	Central Bank of Kenya	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds
	Central Depository and Settlement Corporation Limited	Equities and corporate debt
Republic of Korea	Korea Securities Depository	Equities, government securities, corporate bonds and money market instruments
Kuwait	Kuwait Clearing Company KSC	Money market instruments, equities, and corporate bonds
Latvia	Latvian Central Depository	Equities, government securities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
Lebanon	Banque du Liban	Government securities and certificates of deposit issued by the central bank
	Custodian and Clearing Center of Financial Instruments for Lebanon and the Middle East (Midclear) S.A.L.	Equities, corporate bonds and money market instruments
Lithuania	Central Securities Depository of Lithuania	All securities available for public trading
Malawi	Reserve Bank of Malawi	Reserve Bank of Malawi bills and Treasury bills
Malaysia	Bank Negara Malaysia	Treasury bills, Bank Negara Malaysia bills, Malaysian government securities, private debt securities, and money market instruments
	Bursa Malaysia Depository Sdn. Bhd.	Securities listed on Bursa Malaysia Securities Berhad
Mali	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Mauritius	Bank of Mauritius	Government debt (traded through primary dealers)
	Central Depository and Settlement Co. Limited	Listed and unlisted equity and debt securities (corporate debt and T-bills traded on the exchange)
Mexico	S.D. Indeval, S.A. de C.V.	All securities
Morocco	Maroclear	Eligible listed equities, corporate and government debt, certificates of deposit, commercial paper
Namibia	Bank of Namibia	Treasury bills
Netherlands	Euroclear Nederland	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, corporate money market instruments, and stripped government bonds
New Zealand	New Zealand Central Securities Depository Limited	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, and money market instruments
Niger	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Nigeria	Central Bank of Nigeria	Treasury bills and government bonds
	Central Securities Clearing System Limited	Equities and corporate bonds traded on the Nigeria Stock Exchange
Norway	Verdipapirsentralen	All listed securities
Oman	Muscat Clearing & Depository Company S.A.O.G.	Equities, corporate bonds, government debt
Pakistan	Central Depository Company of Pakistan Limited	Equities and corporate bonds
	State Bank of Pakistan	Government securities
Panama	Central Latinoamericana de Valores,	Equities, government and corporate debt, commercial paper, short-term securities
	S.A. (LatinClear)
Peru	CAVALI S.A. Institución de Compensación y Liquidación de Valores	All securities in book-entry form traded on the stock exchange
Philippines	Philippine Depository & Trust Corporation	Eligible equities and debt
	Registry of Scripless Securities (ROSS) of the Bureau of the Treasury	Government securities
Poland	Rejestr Papierów Wartościowych	Treasury bills
	Krajowy Depozyt Papierów Wartościowych, S.A.	Equities, corporate bonds, corporate money market instruments, Treasury bonds, warrants, and futures contracts
Portugal	INTERBOLSA - Sociedad Gestora de Sistemas de Liquidação e de Sistemas Centralizados de Valores Mobiliários, S.A.	All local Portuguese instruments
Qatar	Qatar Central Securities Depository	Equities, government bonds and Treasury bills listed on the Qatar Exchange
Romania	National Bank of Romania	Treasury bills and bonds
	S.C. Depozitarul Central S.A.	Bursa de Valori Bucuresti- (Bucharest Stock Exchange-) listed equities, corporate bonds, government bonds, and municipal bonds
Russia	National Settlement Depository	Eligible equities, Obligatsii Federal’nogo Zaima (OFZs), and corporate debt denominated in RUB
Saudi Arabia	Saudi Arabian Monetary Authority	Government securities and Saudi government development bonds (SGDBs)
	Securities Depository Center Company	Equities
Senegal	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Serbia	Central Securities Depository and Clearinghouse	All instruments
Singapore	Monetary Authority of Singapore	Government securities
	The Central Depository (Pte.) Limited	Eligible listed equities and eligible private debt traded in Singapore
Slovak Republic	Centrálny depozitár cenných papierov SR, a.s.	All dematerialized securities
Slovenia	KDD – Centralna klirinško depotna družba d.d.	All publicly traded securities
South Africa	Strate (Pty) Ltd.	Eligible equities, government securities, corporate bonds, money market instruments, and warrants
Spain	IBERCLEAR	Government securities, equities, warrants, money market instruments, and corporate bonds
Sri Lanka	Central Bank of Sri Lanka	Government securities
	Central Depository System (Pvt) Limited	Equities and corporate bonds
Republic of Srpska	Central Registry of Securities in the Republic of Srpska JSC	Government securities, equities, and corporate and municipal bonds
Swaziland	Central Bank of Swaziland	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds
Sweden	Euroclear Sweden	Government securities, equities, bonds, money market instruments, derivatives, exchange traded funds, and warrants
Switzerland	SIX SIS AG	Government securities, equities, corporate bonds, money market instruments, derivatives, mutual funds, and warrants
Taiwan - R.O.C.	Central Bank of the Republic of China (Taiwan)	Government securities
	Taiwan Depository and Clearing Corporation	Listed equities, short-term bills, and corporate bonds
Tanzania	Central Depository System (CDS), a department of the Dar es Salaam Stock Exchange	Equities and corporate bonds
Thailand	Thailand Securities Depository Company Limited	Government securities, equities and corporate bonds
Togo	Dépositaire Central – Banque de Règlement	All securities traded on Bourse Régionale des Valeurs Mobilières, the West African regional exchange, including securities from the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
	Banque Centrale des Etats d’Afrique de l’Ouest	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds issued by the following West African nations: Benin, Burkina Faso, Guinea-Bissau, the Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, Senegal and Togo.
Tunisia	Tunisie Clearing	All eligible listed securities
Turkey	Central Bank of Turkey	Government securities
	Central Registry Agency	Equities, corporate bonds, money market instruments, mutual fund certificates, exchange traded funds
Uganda	Bank of Uganda	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds
	Securities Central Depository	Equities, corporate bonds
Ukraine	National Depository of Ukraine	Equities, bonds, and money market instruments
United Arab Emirates – Abu Dhabi	Clearing, Settlement, Depository and Registry department of the Abu Dhabi Securities Exchange	Equities, government securities, and corporate debt
United Arab Emirates – Dubai Financial Market	Clearing, Settlement and Depository Division, a department of the Dubai Financial Market	Equities, government securities, and corporate debt listed on the DFM
United Arab Emirates – Dubai International Financial Center	Central Securities Depository, owned and operated by NASDAQ Dubai Limited	Equities, corporate bonds, and corporate money market instruments
United Kingdom	Euroclear UK & Ireland Limited	GBP- and EUR-denominated money market instruments
Uruguay	Banco Central del Uruguay	Government securities
Venezuela	Banco Central de Venezuela	Government securities
Vietnam	Vietnam Securities Depository	Equities, government bonds, T-bills, corporate bonds, and public fund certificates
Zambia	Bank of Zambia	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds
	LuSE Central Shares Depository Limited	Treasury bonds, corporate bonds, and equities
Zimbabwe	Chengetedzai Depository Company Limited	Equities and corporate bonds
	Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe	Treasury bills and Treasury bonds
TRANSNATIONAL DEPOSITORIES
Euroclear Bank S.A./N.V.		Domestic securities from more than 40 markets
Clearstream Banking, S.A.		Domestic securities from more than 50 markets

SCHEDULE C – GLOBAL CUSTODY NETWORK PUBLICATIONS 

Publication / Type of Information (scheduled update frequency)	Brief Description
The Guide to Custody in World Markets (regular my.statestreet.com updates)	An overview of settlement and safekeeping procedures, custody practices, and foreign investor considerations for the markets in which State Street offers custodial services.
Global Custody Network Review (updated annually on my.statestreet.com)	Information relating to Foreign Subcustodians in State Street’s Global Custody Network. The Review stands as an integral part of the materials that State Street provides to its U.S. mutual fund clients to assist them in complying with SEC Rule 17f-5. The Review also gives insight into State Street’s market expansion and Foreign Subcustodian selection processes, as well as the procedures and controls used to monitor the financial condition and performance of our Foreign Subcustodian banks.
Securities Depository Review (updated annually on my.statestreet.com)	Custody risk analyses of the Foreign Securities Depositories presently operating in Network markets. This publication is an integral part of the materials that State Street provides to its U.S. mutual fund clients to meet informational obligations created by SEC Rule 17f-7.
Global Legal Survey (updated annually on my.statestreet.com)	WithrespecttoeachmarketinwhichStateStreetofferscustodial services,opinionsrelatingtowhetherlocallawrestricts:  (x)accessofafund’sindependentpublicaccountantstobooks andrecordsofaForeignSubcustodianorForeignSecurities System,  (xi)afund’sabilitytorecoverintheeventofbankruptcyor insolvencyofaForeignSubcustodianorForeignSecurities System,  (xii)afund’sabilitytorecoverintheeventofalossbyaForeign SubcustodianorForeignSecuritiesSystem,and  (iv) theabilityofaforeigninvestortoconvertcashandcash equivalentstoU.S.dollars.
Subcustodian Agreements (available on CD-ROM annually)	Copies of the contracts that State Street has entered into with each Foreign Subcustodian that maintains U.S. mutual fund assets in the markets in which State Street offers custodial services.
Global Market Bulletin (daily or as necessary via email and on my.statestreet.com)	Information on changing settlement and custody conditions in markets where State Street offers custodial services. Includes changes in market and tax regulations, depository developments, dematerialization information, as well as other market changes that may impact State Street’s clients.
Foreign Custody Risk Advisories (provided as necessary and on my.statestreet.com)	For those markets where State Street offers custodial services that exhibit special risks or infrastructures impacting custody, State Street maintains market advisories to highlight those unique market factors which might impact our ability to offer recognized custody service levels.
Foreign Custody Manager Material Change Notices (quarterly or as necessary and on my.statestreet.com)	Informational letters and accompanying materials, pursuant to our role as Foreign Custody Manager, confirming State Street’s foreign custody arrangements, including a summary of material changes with Foreign Subcustodians that have occurred during the previous quarter. The notices also identify any material changes in the custodial risks associated with maintaining assets with Foreign Securities Depositories.

PleasecontactGlobalMarketInformation@statestreet.comwith questionsaboutthis document. 

The informationcontainedinthis document has beencarefully researched and isbelieved to bereliableas ofthe publicationdate.Duetothe complexities ofthemarkets and changing conditions, however,State Streetcannotguaranteethatitis complete oraccuratein every respect. This documentshould notbeconstrued or usedas asubstitutefor appropriate legalor investmentcounsel.Specific adviceshould besought onmatters relevanttotheinvestmentactivities ofthe reader.Thisapplicationcontainsproprietary information andis fully protected by  relevantcopyrightlawsworldwide. 

Copyright2017 StateStreet Corporation 

www.statestreet.com 

SCHEDULE D – SPECIAL SUB-CUSTODIANS 

Special Sub-Custodians 

*[None/Name of Special Sub-Custodian(s)] 

LOAN SERVICES ADDENDUM 

As used in this Addendum, the term “Fund”, in relation to a Loan (as defined below), includes a Portfolio on whose behalf the Fund acts with respect to the Loan. 

The following provisions will apply with respect to interests in commercial loans, including loan participations, whether the loans are bilateral or syndicated and whether any obligor is located in or outside of the United States (collectively, “Loans”), made or acquired by a Fund on behalf of one or more of its Portfolios.   

Section 1.  Payment Custody.  If a Fund wishes the Custodian to receive payments directly with respect to a Loan for credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement, 

(a)the Fund will cause the Custodian to be named as the Fund’s nominee for payment purposes under the relevant financing documents, e.g., in the case of a syndicated loan, the administrative contact for the agent bank, and otherwise provide for the payment to the Custodian of the payments with respect to the Loan; and 

(b)the Custodian will credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement any payment on or in respect of the Loan actually received by the Custodian and identified as relating to the Loan, but with any amount credited being conditional upon clearance and actual receipt by the Custodian of final payment. 

Section 2.  Monitoring.  If a Fund wishes the Custodian to monitor payments on and forward notices relating to a Loan, 

(a)the Fund will deliver, or cause to be delivered, to the Custodian a schedule identifying the amount and due dates of the scheduled principal payments, the scheduled interest payment dates and related payment amount information, and such other information with respect to the Loan as the Custodian may reasonably require in order to perform its services hereunder (collectively, “Loan Information”) and in such form and format as the Custodian may reasonably request; and 

(b)the Custodian will (i) if the amount of a principal, interest, fee or other payment with respect to the Loan is not received by the Custodian on the date on which the amount is scheduled to be paid as reflected in the Loan Information, provide a report to the Fund that the payment has not been received and (ii) if the Custodian receives any consent solicitation, notice of default or similar notice from any syndication agent, lead or obligor on the Loan, undertake reasonable efforts to forward the notice to the Fund. 

Section 3.  Exculpation of the Custodian.   

(a)Payment Custody and Monitoring.  The Custodian will have no liability for any delay or failure by the Fund or any third party in providing Loan rmation to the Custodian or for any inaccuracy or incompleteness of any Loan Information.  The Custodian will have no obligation to verify, investigate, recalculate, update or otherwise confirm the accuracy or completeness of any Loan Information or other information or notices received by the Custodian in respect of the Loan.  The Custodian will be entitled to (i) rely upon the Loan rmation provided to it by or on behalf of the Fund or any other information or notices that the Custodian may receive from time to time from any syndication agent, lead or obligor or any similar party with respect to the Loan and (ii) update its records on the basis of such information or notices as may from time to time be received by the Custodian. 

(b)Any Service.  The Custodian will have no obligation to (i) determine whether any necessary steps have been taken or requirements have been met for the Fund to have acquired good or record title to a Loan, (ii) ensure that the Fund’s acquisition of the Loan has been authorized by the Fund, (iii) collect past due payments on the Loan, preserve any rights against prior parties, exercise any right or perform any obligation in connection with the Loan (including taking any action in connection with any consent solicitation, notice of default or similar notice received from any syndication agent, lead or obligor on the Loan) or otherwise take any other action to enforce the payment obligations of any obligor on the Loan, (iv) become itself the record title holder of the Loan or (v) make any advance of its own funds with respect to the Loan.  

(c)Miscellaneous.  The Custodian will not be considered to have been or be charged with knowledge of the sale of a Loan by the Fund, unless and except to the extent that the Custodian shall have received written notice of the sale from the Fund and the proceeds of the sale have been received by the Custodian for credit to the bank account maintained by the Custodian for the Fund under the Custodian Agreement.  If any question arises as to the Custodian’s duties under this Addendum, the Custodian may request instructions from the Fund and will be entitled at all times to refrain from taking any action unless it has received Proper Instructions from the Fund.  The Custodian will in all events have no liability, risk or cost for any action taken or omitted with respect to the Loan pursuant to Proper Instructions.  The Custodian will have no responsibilities or duties whatsoever with respect to the Loan except as are expressly set forth in this Addendum. 

FIRST AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT 

This first amendment dated January __, 2018 (the “Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Master Custodian Agreement dated September 15, 2017 (the “Agreement”) between State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”), and each management investment company listed on Appendix A thereto (each, a “Fund”).  Custodian and each Fund may be referred to individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties”.   

For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows: 

The Parties hereby amend and restate Appendix A to the Agreement as set forth below:  

APPENDIX A 

Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard California Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund 

VANGUARD CHARLOTTE FUNDS 

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard CMT Funds 

Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund 

Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund 

Vanguard Convertible Securities Fund 

Vanguard Fenway Funds 

Vanguard PRIMECAP Core Fund 

VANGUARD FIXED INCOME SECURITIES 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund 

VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Fund 

VANGUARD HORIZON FUNDS 

Vanguard Global Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund 

VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard 500 Index Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Index Funds 

Vanguard Institutional Index Fund 

VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL EQUITY INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund 

Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund 

VANGUARD MALVERN FUNDS 

Vanguard Institutional Intermediate-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Capital Value Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Value Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund 

VANGUARD MONTGOMERY FUNDS 

Vanguard Market Neutral Fund 

VANGUARD MORGAN GROWTH FUND 

Vanguard Morgan Growth Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds 

Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New York Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New York Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Ohio Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Quantitative Funds 

Vanguard Growth and Income Fund 

VANGUARD SCOTTSDALE FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Value Fund 

Vanguard Russell 3000 Index Fund 

VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS 

Dividend Appreciation Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Fund 

VANGUARD STAR FUNDS 

Vanguard STAR Fund 

VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUNDS 

Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund 

VANGUARD TRUSTEES’ EQUITY FUND 

Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund 

Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds 

Balanced Portfolio 

Capital Growth Portfolio 

Diversified Value Portfolio 

Equity Income Portfolio 

Equity Index Portfolio 

Growth Portfolio 

High Yield Bond Portfolio 

Mid-Cap Index Portfolio 

REIT Index Portfolio 

International Portfolio 

Small Company Growth Portfolio 

VANGUARD WELLESLEY INCOME FUND 

Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund 

VANGUARD WHITEHALL FUNDS 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Fund  

Vanguard Selected Value Fund 

VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS 

Vanguard Windsor Fund 

Vanguard Windsor II Fund 

Vanguard World Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Index Fund 

Vanguard Financials Index Fund 

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Index Fund 

Vanguard Industrials Index Fund 

Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund 

Vanguard Materials Index Fund  

Vanguard Mega Cap Growth Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Value Index Fund 

Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund 

Vanguard Utilities Index Fund  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, theParties has caused their duly authorized officers to execute and deliver this Amendment as of the date set forth above.   

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY	EACH OF THE OPEN-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES LISTED ON APPENDIX A
By:  /s/Andrew Erickson	By:	/s/ Thomas J. Higgins
Name:  Andrew Erickson	Name:	Thomas J. Higgins
Title:  Executive Vice President	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

SECOND AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT 

This second amendment dated April __, 2019 (the “Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Master Custodian Agreement dated September 15, 2017 (the “Agreement”) between State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”), and each management investment company listed on Appendix A thereto (each, a “Fund”).  Custodian and each Fund may be referred to individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties”.   

For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows: 

The Parties hereby amend and restate Appendix A to the Agreement as set forth below:  

APPENDIX A 

Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard California Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund 

VANGUARD CHARLOTTE FUNDS 

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard CMT Funds 

Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund 

Vanguard Fenway Funds 

Vanguard PRIMECAP Core Fund 

VANGUARD FIXED INCOME SECURITIES 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund 

VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Fund 

VANGUARD HORIZON FUNDS 

Vanguard Global Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund 

VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard 500 Index Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Index Funds 

Vanguard Institutional Index Fund 

VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL EQUITY INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund 

Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund 

VANGUARD MALVERN FUNDS 

Vanguard Institutional Intermediate-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Capital Value Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Value Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund 

VANGUARD MONTGOMERY FUNDS 

Vanguard Market Neutral Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds 

Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New York Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New York Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Ohio Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Quantitative Funds 

Vanguard Growth and Income Fund 

VANGUARD SCOTTSDALE FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Value Fund 

Vanguard Russell 3000 Index Fund 

VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS 

Dividend Appreciation Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Fund 

VANGUARD STAR FUNDS 

Vanguard STAR Fund 

VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUNDS 

Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund 

VANGUARD TRUSTEES’ EQUITY FUND 

Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund 

Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund  

Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds 

Balanced Portfolio 

Capital Growth Portfolio 

Diversified Value Portfolio 

Equity Income Portfolio 

Equity Index Portfolio 

Growth Portfolio 

High Yield Bond Portfolio 

Mid-Cap Index Portfolio 

REIT Index Portfolio 

International Portfolio 

Small Company Growth Portfolio 

VANGUARD WELLESLEY INCOME FUND 

Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund 

VANGUARD WHITEHALL FUNDS 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Fund  

Vanguard Selected Value Fund 

VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS 

Vanguard Windsor Fund 

Vanguard Windsor II Fund 

Vanguard World Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Index Fund 

Vanguard Financials Index Fund 

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Index Fund 

Vanguard Industrials Index Fund 

Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund 

Vanguard Materials Index Fund  

Vanguard Mega Cap Growth Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Value Index Fund 

Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund 

Vanguard Utilities Index Fund  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, theParties has caused their duly authorized officers to execute and deliver this Amendment as of the date set forth above.   

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY	EACH OF THE OPEN-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES LISTED ON APPENDIX A
By:      /s/ Andrew Erickson	By:	/s/ Thomas J. Higgins
Name: Andrew Erickson	Name:	Thomas J. Higgins
Title:  Executive Vice President	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

THIRD AMENDMENT TO AMENDED AND RESTATED
MASTER CUSTODIAN AGREEMENT 

This third amendment dated January 3, 2020 (the “Amendment”) to the Amended and Restated Master Custodian Agreement dated September 15, 2017 (the “Agreement”) between State Street Bank and Trust Company, a Massachusetts trust company (the “Custodian”), and each management investment company listed on Appendix A thereto (each, a “Fund”). Custodian and each Fund may be referred to individually as a “Party” or collectively as the “Parties.”  

For good and valuable consideration, the receipt and sufficiency of which are hereby acknowledged, the Parties agree as follows: 

The Parties hereby amend and restate Appendix A to the Agreement as set forth below:  

APPENDIX A 

Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard California Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard California Municipal Money Market Fund 

VANGUARD CHARLOTTE FUNDS 

Vanguard Total International Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard Total International Bond II Index Fund 

Vanguard CMT Funds 

Vanguard Municipal Cash Management Fund 

Vanguard Fenway Funds 

Vanguard PRIMECAP Core Fund 

VANGUARD FIXED INCOME SECURITIES 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard High-Yield Corporate Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Investment-Grade Fund 

Vanguard Ultra-Short-Term Bond Fund 

VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Fund 

VANGUARD HORIZON FUNDS 

Vanguard Global Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Equity Fund 

Vanguard Strategic Small-Cap Equity Fund 

VANGUARD INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard 500 Index Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Index Funds 

Vanguard Institutional Index Fund 

VANGUARD INTERNATIONAL EQUITY INDEX FUNDS 

Vanguard Global ex-U.S. Real Estate Index Fund 

Vanguard Total World Stock Index Fund 

VANGUARD MALVERN FUNDS 

Vanguard Institutional Intermediate-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Institutional Short-Term Bond Fund 

Vanguard Capital Value Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Value Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Bond Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Inflation-Protected Securities Index Fund 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Fund 

VANGUARD MONTGOMERY FUNDS 

Vanguard Market Neutral Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds 

Vanguard High-Yield Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Intermediate-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Limited-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Short-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Tax-Exempt Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New Jersey Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard New York Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard New York Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Ohio Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Long-Term Tax-Exempt Fund 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund 

Vanguard Quantitative Funds 

Vanguard Growth and Income Fund 

VANGUARD SCOTTSDALE FUND 

Vanguard Explorer Value Fund 

Vanguard Russell 3000 Index Fund 

VANGUARD SPECIALIZED FUNDS 

Dividend Appreciation Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Fund 

VANGUARD STAR FUNDS 

Vanguard STAR Fund 

VANGUARD TAX-MANAGED FUNDS 

Vanguard Developed Markets Index Fund 

VANGUARD TRUSTEES’ EQUITY FUND 

Vanguard Alternative Strategies Fund 

Vanguard Commodity Strategy Fund 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Select Stock Fund 

Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds 

Balanced Portfolio 

Capital Growth Portfolio 

Diversified Value Portfolio 

Equity Income Portfolio 

Equity Index Portfolio 

Growth Portfolio 

High Yield Bond Portfolio 

Mid-Cap Index Portfolio 

Real Estate Index Portfolio 

International Portfolio 

Small Company Growth Portfolio 

VANGUARD WELLESLEY INCOME FUND 

Vanguard Wellesley Income Fund 

VANGUARD WHITEHALL FUNDS 

Vanguard Emerging Markets Government Bond Index Fund 

Vanguard Mid-Cap Growth Fund  

Vanguard Selected Value Fund 

VANGUARD WINDSOR FUNDS 

Vanguard Windsor Fund 

Vanguard Windsor II Fund 

Vanguard World Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Discretionary Index Fund 

Vanguard Consumer Staples Index Fund 

Vanguard Energy Index Fund 

Vanguard Financials Index Fund 

Vanguard FTSE Social Index Fund 

Vanguard Health Care Index Fund 

Vanguard Industrials Index Fund 

Vanguard Information Technology Index Fund 

Vanguard Materials Index Fund  

Vanguard Mega Cap Growth Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Index Fund 

Vanguard Mega Cap Value Index Fund 

Vanguard Telecommunication Services Index Fund 

Vanguard U.S. Growth Fund 

Vanguard Utilities Index Fund  

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, theParties has caused their duly authorized officers to execute and deliver this Amendment as of the date set forth above.   

STATE STREET BANK AND TRUST COMPANY	EACH OF THE OPEN-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES LISTED ON APPENDIX A
By:        /s/ Andrew Erickson	By:	/s/ John Bendl
Name:   Andrew Erickson	Name:	John Bendl
Title:     Executive Vice President	Title:	Chief Financial Officer

EX-99

CONSENT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM 

We hereby consent to the incorporation by reference in this Registration Statement on Form N-1A of our report dated December 17, 2020, relating to the financial statements and financial highlights, which appear in Vanguard Explorer Fund’s Annual Report on Form N-CSR for the year ended October 31, 2020. We also consent to the references to us under the headings “Financial Statements”, “Service Providers—Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm” and “Financial Highlights” in such Registration Statement. 

/s/PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP 

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania  

February 23, 2021 

EX-99

VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN 

I. INTRODUCTION 

This Multiple Class Plan (the “Plan”) describes seven separate classes of shares that may be offered by investment company members of The Vanguard Group of Mutual Funds (collectively the “Funds,” individually a “Fund”). The Plan has been adopted pursuant to Rule 18f-3 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”) to allow each Fund to offer multiple classes of shares in a manner permitted by Rule 18f-3, subject to the requirements imposed by the Rule. Each Fund may offer any one or more of the specified classes. 

The Plan has been approved by the Board of Directors of The Vanguard Group, Inc. (“VGI”). In addition, the Plan has been adopted by a majority of the Board of Trustees of each Fund (“Fund Board”), including a majority of the Trustees who are not interested persons of each Fund. The classes of shares offered by each Fund are designated in Schedule A hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. 

II. SHARECLASSES 

A Fund may offer any one or more of the following share classes: 

Investor Shares  

Admiral Shares  

Institutional Shares Institutional Plus Shares 

Institutional Select Shares ETF Shares 

Transition Shares 

III. DISTRIBUTION, AVAILABILITY ANDELIGIBILITY 

Distribution arrangements for all classes are described below. Distribution arrangements vary by VGI business line depending on the eligibility of the client segments to whom they market. Each Fund retains sole discretion in determining share class availability, and VGI retains discretion in determining whether Fund shares shall be offered either directly or through certain financial intermediaries, or on certain financial intermediary platforms. Eligibility requirements for purchasing shares of each class will differ, as follows: 

A. InvestorShares 

Investor Shares of actively-managed Funds generally will be available to investors who are not permitted to purchase other classes of shares, subject to the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.  It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Investor Shares of actively-managed Funds will normally be lower than the amount required for any other class of shares of such Funds. Investor Shares of actively-managed Funds are typically distributed by all VGI business lines.  Investor Shares of index Funds generally will be available to Funds that operate as a Fund-of-Funds and certain retirement plan clients receiving recordkeeping services from VGI. 

B. AdmiralShares 

Admiral Shares generally will be available to retail, institutional, and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. These eligibility requirements may include, but are not limited to the following factors: (i) the total amount invested in the Fund; or (ii) any other factors deemed appropriate by a Fund’s Board. Admiral Shares are typically distributed by all VGI business lines. 

C. InstitutionalShares 

Institutional Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount per account for Institutional Shares will be substantially higher than the amounts required for Investor Shares or Admiral Shares. Institutional Shares are typically distributed by Vanguard’s financial advisory services and institutional business lines. 

D. Institutional PlusShares 

Institutional Plus Shares generally will be available to institutional and other investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time.  It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Institutional Plus Shares will be substantially higher than the amount required for Institutional Shares. Institutional Plus Shares are typically distributed by VGI’s financial advisory services and institutional business lines. 

E. Institutional SelectShares 

Institutional Select Shares generally will be available to institutional investors who meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. It is expected that the minimum investment amount for Institutional Select Shares will be the highest among all Fund share classes. Institutional Select Shares are typically distributed by VGI’s institutional business line. 

F. ETFShares 

A Fund will sell ETF Shares to investors that are (or who purchase through) Authorized Participants, and who generally pay for their ETF shares by depositing a prescribed basket consisting predominantly of securities with the Fund. An Authorized Participant is an institution, usually a broker-dealer, that is a participant in the Depository Trust Company (DTC) and that has executed a Participant Agreement with the Fund’s distributor. Additional eligibility requirements may be specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. Investors who are not Authorized Participants may buy and sell ETF shares through various exchanges and market centers. ETF Shares are typically distributed by all VGI business lines. 

G. TransitionShares 

Transition Shares generally will be available solely to Funds that operate as Funds-of-Funds and meet the eligibility requirements specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time to time. Transition Shares are only internally distributed. 

IV. SERVICEARRANGEMENTS 

Shareholders in all share classes will receive a range of shareholder services provided by VGI. These services may include transaction processing and shareholder recordkeeping, as well as the mailing of updated prospectuses, shareholder reports, tax statements, confirmation statements, quarterly portfolio summaries, and other items. Each share class will bear its proportionate share of VGI’s cost of providing such services in accordance with Section VI of the Plan. 

V. CONVERSIONFEATURES 

A. Self-DirectedConversions 

1. Conversion into Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, Institutional Shares Institutional Plus Shares, and Institutional Select Shares. Shareholders may conduct self-directed conversions from one share class into another share class of the same Fund for which they are eligible. Self-directed conversions may be initiated by the shareholder; however, depending upon the particular share class and the complexity of the shareholder’s accounts, such conversions may require the assistance of a VGI representative. Shareholders may convert from one share class into another share class provided that following the conversion the shareholder meets the then applicable eligibility requirements for the share class into which they are converting. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after VGI’s receipt of the shareholder’s request in goodorder. 

2. Conversion into ETF Shares. Except as otherwise provided, a shareholder may convert Investor Shares, Admiral Shares, or Institutional Shares into ETF Shares of the same Fund (if available), provided that: (i) the share class out of which the shareholder is converting and the ETF Shares declare and distribute dividends on the same schedule; (ii) the shares to be converted are not held through an employee benefit plan; and (iii) following the conversion, the shareholder will hold ETF Shares through a brokerage account. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after VGI’s receipt of the shareholder’s request in good order. VGI or the Fund may charge an administrative fee to process conversion transactions. 

B. AutomaticConversions 

1. Automatic conversion into Admiral Shares. VGI may automatically convert Investor Shares into Admiral Shares of the same Fund (if available), provided that following the conversion theshareholder meets the eligibility requirements for Admiral Shares. Any such conversion will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes next calculated after VGI’s conversion without the imposition of any charge. Such automatic conversions may occur on a periodic, or one-time basis. Automatic conversions may not apply to certain financial types of accounts (e.g., accounts held through certain intermediaries, or other accounts as may be excluded by VGImanagement). 

2. Automatic conversion into Institutional Shares, Institutional Plus Shares, or Institutional Select Shares. VGI may conduct automatic conversions of any share class into either Institutional Shares,Institutional Plus Shares, or Institutional Select Shares in accordance with then-current eligibility requirements. 

C. Involuntary Conversions and CashOuts 

1. Cash Outs. If a shareholder in any class of shares no longer meets the eligibility requirements for such shares, the Fund may, if permitted under applicable law, cashout the shareholder’s remaining account balance. Any such cash out will be preceded by written notice to the shareholder and will be subject to the Fund’s normal redemption fees, ifany. 

2. Conversion of Admiral Shares, Institutional Shares, and Institutional Plus Shares. If a shareholder no longer meets the eligibility requirements for the share class currently held, the Fund may convert the shareholder’s holdings into the share class for which such shareholder is eligible. Any such conversion will be preceded by written notice to the shareholder, and will occur at the respective net asset values of the share classes without the imposition of any sales load, fee, or othercharge. 

3. Conversions of Transition Shares. When a Fund that issues Transition Shares has completed the relevant portfolio transition, the Fund will convert the Transition Shares to another share class of the same Fund as appropriate, based on the eligibility requirements of such class as specified in Schedule B hereto, as such Schedule may be amended from time totime. 

VI. EXPENSE ALLOCATION AMONGCLASSES 

A. Background 

VGI is a jointly-owned subsidiary of the Funds. VGI provides the Funds, on an at-cost basis, virtually all of their corporate management, administrative and distribution services.  VGI also may provide investment advisory services on an 

at-cost basis to the Funds. VGI was established and operates pursuant to a Funds’ Service Agreement between itself and the Funds (the “Agreement”), and pursuant to certain exemptive orders granted by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“Exemptive Orders”). VGI’s direct and indirect expenses of providing corporate management, administrative and distribution services to the Funds are allocated among such Funds in accordance with methods specified in theAgreement or such other methods as may be approved by the Board of Directors of VGI (“VGI Board”) as permitted under the Agreement and by the Fund Board.¹ 

B. Class SpecificExpenses 

1. Expenses for Account-Based Services. Expenses associated with VGI’s provision of account-based services to the Funds will be allocated among the share classes of each Fund on the basis of theamount incurred by each such class asfollows: 

(a) Account maintenance expenses.   Expenses associated with the maintenance of investor accounts will be proportionately allocated among each Fund’s share classes based upon a monthly determination of the costs to service each class of shares. Factors considered in this determination are (i) the percentage of total shareholder accounts represented by eachclass; and (ii) the percentage of total account transactions performed by VGI for each class. 

(b) Expenses of special servicing arrangements. Expenses relating to any special servicing arrangements for a specific class will be proportionally allocated among each eligible Fund’s share classes primarily based on their percentage of total shareholder accounts receiving the special servicingarrangements. 

(c) Literature production and mailing expenses. Expenses associated with shareholder reports, proxy materialsand other literature will be allocated among each Fund’s share classes based upon the number of such items produced and mailed for eachclass. 

2. Other Class Specific Expenses. Expenses for the primary benefit of a particular share class will be allocated to that share class. Such expenses would include any legal fees attributable to aparticular class. 

C. Fund-WideExpenses 

1. Marketing and Distribution Expenses. Each share class will bear marketing and distribution expenses proportionate to the marketing and distribution expenses of the business lines that distribute that share class. Retail and institutional businesses expenses will be allocated based on the percentage of client accounts in each share class serviced by the respective business. Financial advisory service expenses will be apportioned based on the percentage of assets in each shareclass. 

Expenses associated with each share class will be allocated only among the Funds that have such share class according to the “Vanguard Modified Formula,” with each share class or each Fund treated as if it were a separate Fund. The Vanguard Modified Formula is set forth in the Agreement and in certain of the SEC Exemptive Orders. This allocation has been deemed an appropriate allocation methodology by each Fund Board under paragraph (c)(1)(v) of Rule 18f-3 under the 1940 Act. 

2. Asset Management Expenses. Expenses associated with management of a Fund’s assets (including all advisory, tax preparation and custody fees) will be allocated among the Fund’s share classes on the basis of their relative netassets. 

3. Other Fund Expenses. Any other Fund expenses not described above will be allocated among the share classes on the basisof their relative netassets. 

VII. ALLOCATION OF INCOME, GAINS ANDLOSSES 

Income, gains and losses will be allocated among each Fund’s share classes on the basis of their relative net assets. As a result of differences in allocated expenses, it is expected that the net income of, and dividends payable to, each class of shares will vary. Dividends and distributions paid to each class of shares will be calculated in the same manner, on the same day and at the same time. 

VIII. VOTING AND OTHERRIGHTS 

Each share class will have: (i) exclusive voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders that relates solely to its service or distribution arrangements; and (ii) separate voting rights on any matter submitted to shareholders in which the interests of one class differ from the interests of the other class; and (iii) in all other respects the same rights, obligations and privileges as each other, except as described in the Plan. 

IX. AMENDMENTS 

Allmaterial amendmentstothePlanmustbeapproved byamajorityoftheBoard

of TrusteesofeachFund,includingamajorityoftheTrusteeswhoarenotinterestedpersonsof the Fund. In addition, any material amendment to the Plan must be approved by the Board of Directors ofVGI. 

Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000  

Last Approved by Board: November 22, 2019     

SCHEDULE A 

to 

VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN 

Note: Transition Shares, when offered by a Fund, are available for a limited period of time and are then converted into another share class. For this reason, Transition Shares are not shown on Schedule A. 

VanguardFundShare ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Admiral Funds 

· Treasury MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· S&P 500 ValueIndex FundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P 500 GrowthIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P MidCap 400Index FundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P MidCap 400 ValueIndex FundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P MidCap 400 GrowthIndex FundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P SmallCap 600IndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P SmallCap 600 ValueIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· S&P SmallCap 600 GrowthIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

Vanguard Bond Index Funds 

· Short-Term BondIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus,ETF 

· Intermediate-Term BondIndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,Institutional 

Plus, ETF 

· Long-Term BondIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional,InstitutionalPlus, ETF 

· Total Bond MarketIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional,Institutional Plus, Institutional Select,ETF 

· Total Bond Market IIIndexFundInvestor,Institutional 

· Inflation-ProtectedSecuritiesFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional 

Vanguard California Tax-Free Funds 

· Municipal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· Intermediate-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard Charlotte Funds 

· Total International BondIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional, 

Institutional Select, ETF 

· Global CreditBond FundInvestor,Admiral 

· Total International Bond II Index FundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Chester Funds 

· PRIMECAPFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Target RetirementIncomeFundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2010FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2015FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2020FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2025FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2030FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2035FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2040FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2045FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2050FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2055FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2060FundInvestor 

· Target Retirement2065FundInvestor 

· Institutional Target RetirementIncomeFundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2010FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2015FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2020FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2025FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2030FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2035FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2040FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2045FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2050FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2055FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2060FundInstitutional 

· Institutional Target Retirement2065FundInstitutional 

VanguardExplorerFund Investor,Admiral 

Vanguard Fenway Funds 

· EquityIncome FundInvestor,Admiral 

· Growth EquityFundInvestor 

· PRIMECAPCoreFundInvestor 

Vanguard Fixed Income Securities Funds 

· Ultra-Short-TermBondFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Real Estate IIIndexFundInstitutional Plus 

· Short-TermTreasuryFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Short-TermFederalFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Short-TermInvestment-GradeFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional 

· Intermediate-TermTreasuryFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Intermediate-TermInvestment-GradeFundInvestor,Admiral 

· GNMAFundInvestor,Admiral 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

· Long-TermTreasuryFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Long-TermInvestment-GradeFundInvestor,Admiral 

· High-YieldCorporateFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard Horizon Funds 

· Capital OpportunityFundInvestor,Admiral 

· GlobalEquityFundInvestor 

· StrategicEquityFundInvestor 

· Strategic Small-CapEquityFundInvestor 

· International Core Stock FundInvestor, Admiral 

Vanguard Index Funds 

· 500IndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional Select,ETF 

· Extended MarketIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus, Institutional Select,ETF 

· GrowthIndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Large-Cap IndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Mid-Cap GrowthIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,ETF 

· Mid-CapIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus,ETF 

· Mid-Cap ValueIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,ETF 

· Small-Cap GrowthIndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Small-CapIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus,ETF 

· Small-Cap ValueIndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Total Stock MarketIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional,Institutional Plus, Institutional Select,ETF 

· Value Index FundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

Vanguard Institutional Index Funds 

· Institutional IndexFundInstitutional, InstitutionalPlus 

· Institutional Total Stock MarketIndexFundInstitutional, InstitutionalPlus 

Vanguard International Equity Index Funds 

· Emerging Markets StockIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional, 

Institutional Plus 

FTSE EmergingMarketsETF ETF 

· European StockIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus 

FTSEEuropeETF ETF 

· FTSE All-World ex USIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional,Institutional 

Plus, ETF 

· Pacific StockIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional 

FTSEPacificETF ETF 

· Total World StockIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional,ETF 

· FTSE All World ex-US Small-CapIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Global ex-U.S. Real EstateIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional,ETF 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Malvern Funds 

· CapitalValueFundInvestor 

· Short-Term Inflation-ProtectedSecurities 

IndexFund Investor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· U.S.ValueFundInvestor 

· Institutional Short-TermBondFundInstitutional Plus 

· Institutional Intermediate-TermBondFundInstitutional Plus 

· CoreBondFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Emerging MarketsBondFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard Massachusetts Tax-Exempt Funds 

· MassachusettsTax-ExemptFundInvestor 

Vanguard Money Market Funds 

· Cash Reserves Federal MoneyMarket FundAdmiral 

· Federal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

Vanguard Montgomery Funds 

· Market NeutralFundInvestor,Institutional 

Vanguard Municipal Bond Funds 

· Municipal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· Short-TermTax-Exempt FundInvestor,Admiral 

· Limited-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Intermediate-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

· High-YieldTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Tax-Exempt BondIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

Vanguard New Jersey Tax-Free Funds 

· Municipal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard New York Tax-Free Funds 

· Municipal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard Ohio Tax-Free Funds 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor 

Vanguard Pennsylvania Tax-Free Funds 

· Municipal MoneyMarket FundInvestor 

· Long-TermTax-ExemptFundInvestor,Admiral 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Quantitative Funds 

· Growth andIncomeFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard Scottsdale Funds 

· Short-Term TreasuryIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Intermediate-Term TreasuryIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Long-Term TreasuryIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Short-Term Corporate BondIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Intermediate-Term Corporate BondIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Long-Term Corporate BondIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· Mortgage-Backed SecuritiesIndexFundInstitutional, Admiral,ETF 

· ExplorerValueFundInvestor 

· Russell 1000 IndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 1000 ValueIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 1000 GrowthIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 2000 IndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 2000 ValueIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 2000 GrowthIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Russell 3000 IndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Total CorporateBondETFETF 

· Total WorldBondETFETF 

Vanguard Specialized Funds 

· EnergyFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Global CapitalCyclesFundInvestor 

· HealthCareFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Dividend Growth FundInvestor 

· Real Estate IndexFundInvestor, Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Dividend AppreciationIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· Global ESG Select Stock FundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard STAR Funds 

· LifeStrategy ConservativeGrowthFundInvestor 

· LifeStrategyGrowthFundInvestor 

· LifeStrategyIncomeFundInvestor 

· LifeStrategy ModerateGrowthFundInvestor 

· STARFundInvestor 

· Total International StockIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional, 

Institutional Plus, Institutional Select, ETF 

Vanguard Tax-Managed Funds 

· Tax-ManagedBalancedFundAdmiral 

· Tax-Managed CapitalAppreciationFundAdmiral,Institutional 

· Developed MarketsIndexFundInvestor,Admiral,Institutional, Institutional Plus 

FTSE DevelopedMarketsETF ETF 

· Tax-ManagedSmall-CapFundAdmiral,Institutional 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Trustees’ Equity Fund 

· InternationalValueFundInvestor 

· DiversifiedEquityFundInvestor 

· Emerging Markets SelectStockFundInvestor 

· AlternativeStrategiesFundInvestor 

· Commodity Strategy FundAdmiral 

Vanguard Valley Forge Funds 

· BalancedIndexFundInvestor, Admiral,Institutional 

· ManagedAllocation FundInvestor 

Vanguard Variable Insurance Funds 

· BalancedPortfolioInvestor 

· ConservativeAllocationPortfolioInvestor 

· DiversifiedValuePortfolioInvestor 

· EquityIncomePortfolioInvestor 

· EquityIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· GrowthPortfolioInvestor 

· Global BondIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· Total Bond MarketIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· High YieldBondPortfolioInvestor 

· InternationalPortfolioInvestor 

· Mid-CapIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· ModerateAllocationPortfolioInvestor 

· MoneyMarket PortfolioInvestor 

· Real EstateIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· Short-Term InvestmentGradePortfolioInvestor 

· Small CompanyGrowthPortfolioInvestor 

· CapitalGrowthPortfolioInvestor 

· Total International Stock MarketIndexPortfolioInvestor 

· Total Stock MarketIndexPortfolioInvestor 

Vanguard WellesleyIncomeFund Investor,Admiral 

Vanguard Wellington Fund 

· U.S. LiquidityFactor ETFETF 

· U.S. MinimumVolatilityETFETF 

· U.S. MomentumFactor ETFETF 

· U.S.MultifactorETFETF 

· U.S.Multifactor FundAdmiral 

· U.S. QualityFactor ETFETF 

· U.S. ValueFactor ETFETF 

· WellingtonFundInvestor,Admiral 

VanguardFund Share ClassesAuthorized 

Vanguard Whitehall Funds 

· SelectedValue FundInvestor 

· Mid-CapGrowthFundInvestor 

· InternationalExplorerFundInvestor 

· High Dividend YieldIndexFundAdmiral, ETF 

· Emerging MarketsGovernment 

BondIndexFund Admiral, Institutional,ETF 

· Vanguard Global MinimumVolatilityFundInvestor,Admiral 

· International Dividend AppreciationIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· International High Dividend YieldIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

Vanguard Windsor Funds 

· Windsor FundInvestor,Admiral 

· Windsor IIFundInvestor,Admiral 

Vanguard World Fund 

· Extended Duration TreasuryIndexFundInstitutional, Institutional Plus,ETF 

· FTSE SocialIndexFundAdmiral, Institutional 

· Global WellesleyIncome FundInvestor,Admiral 

· GlobalWellingtonFundInvestor,Admiral 

· International GrowthFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Mega CapIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Mega Cap GrowthIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· Mega Cap ValueIndexFundInstitutional, ETF 

· U.S.GrowthFundInvestor,Admiral 

· Consumer DiscretionaryIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· Consumer StaplesIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· EnergyIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· FinancialsIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· Health CareIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· IndustrialsIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· Information TechnologyIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· MaterialsIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· Communication ServicesIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· UtilitiesIndexFundAdmiral,ETF 

· ESG U.S.StockETFETF 

· ESG InternationalStockETFETF 

· ESG U.S. Corporate Bond ETFETF 

Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000 

Last Updated: February 1, 2021 

SCHEDULE B 

to 

VANGUARD FUNDS MULTIPLE CLASS PLAN 

VGI has policies and procedures designed to ensure consistency and compliance with the offering of multiple classes of shares within this Multiple Class Plan’s eligibility requirements.²These policies are reviewed and monitored on an ongoing basis in conjunction with VGI’s Compliance Department. 

Investor Shares - Eligibility Requirements 

Investor Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000 ($50,000 for Vanguard Treasury Money Market Fund). Personal Advisor Services clients, clients investing through financial intermediaries, and institutional clients may hold Investor Shares without restriction in Funds that do not offer Admiral Shares. Investor Shares of index Funds generally are available only to Funds that operate as a Fund-of-Funds and certain retirement plan clients receiving recordkeeping services from VGI. A Vanguard Fund may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Investor Shares. Each Fund and VGI also reserve the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. 

Financial intermediaries that serve as mutual fund supermarkets may only invest in Investor Shares of Funds in which Investor Shares are available and may not invest in other share classes of such Funds.³ Mutual fund supermarket means a program or platform offered by a financial intermediary through which such intermediary’s retail clients may purchase and sell mutual funds offered by a variety of independent fund families on a self-directed basis without advice or recommendation from a financial advisor or broker. This definition may be changed or amended at any time and without prior notice as may be determined in the discretion of VGI management. Nothing in the definition of mutual fund supermarket should be construed to prohibit Vanguard Brokerage Services from offering the Funds’ other share classes to its eligible clients. 

Admiral Shares – Eligibility Requirements 

Admiral Shares generally are intended for clients who meet the required minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000 for retail clients in index Funds and $50,000 for retail clients in actively-managed Funds. Personal Advisor Services clients, clients investing through financial intermediaries and institutional clients may hold Admiral Shares of both index and actively-managed Funds without restriction.  Funds may, from time to time, establish higher or lower minimum amounts for Admiral Shares, and each Fund and VGI reserve the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors.  Admiral Share class eligibility also is subject to the following rule: 

· Certain Retirement Plans – Admiral Shares of actively-managed Funds generally arenot available for SIMPLE IRAs and Vanguard Individual 401(k)Plans.⁴ 

· Mutual Fund Supermarkets – Admiral Shares are not available to mutual fund supermarkets, except where a Fund does not have InvestorShares. 

Institutional Shares – Eligibility Requirements 

Institutional Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of 

$5,000,000. However, each Fund and VGI also reserve the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. 

Institutional Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules: 

· Retail clients. Retail clients may hold Institutional Shares by aggregating up to 3 accounts held by the same client (same tax I.D. number) in a singleFund. 

· Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold Institutional Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients providedthat: 

(1) each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum amount described above; and 

(2) the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the underlyinginvestor accounts with the investment minimum amount;or 

(3) an arrangement is established between VGI and the financial intermediary to allow VGI to monitor compliance with the eligibilityrequirements. 

Home office model portfolios offered on wealth management platforms administered by financial intermediaries⁵may offer Institutional Shares, provided: 

(4) the financial intermediary in aggregate at the firm level, excluding custody assets, hastotal assets of at least $25 billion invested in Vanguard;and 

(5) the financial intermediary in aggregate at the firm level, excluding custody assets, meets the investment minimum of Institutional Shares for theFund. 

A home office model portfolio must meet the following criteria: 

(6) the allocations and Funds used in the model portfolios on the platform are set and selected bythe financial intermediary (i.e., the firmitself); 

(7) the allocations and Funds used in the model portfolios on the platform are not subject to change by individual financial advisors;and 

(8) an arrangement is established between VGI and the financial intermediary to allow VGI to monitor compliance with the eligibilityrequirements. 

· Institutional clients. An institutional client may hold Institutional Shares if the total amount aggregated among all accounts held by such a client (including accounts held through financial intermediaries) and invested in the Fund is at least $5 million (or such higher minimum required by the individual Fund). Such an institutional client must disclose to VGI on behalf of its accounts the following: (1) that the client acts as a common-decision maker⁶ for each account; and (2) the total balance in each account in theFund. 

· Institutional clients with assets in certain Vanguard collective investment trusts and Funds. Institutional clients with assets in the following collective investment trusts and Funds may aggregate such assets with assets invested in the corresponding Funds listed below in the right column (“Corresponding Funds”) for purposes of meeting the investment minimum for Institutional Shares of the CorrespondingFunds. 

Trust/Fund	Corresponding Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Bond Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total International Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total International Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional 500 Index Trust	Vanguard Institutional Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional 500 Index Trust	Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Extended Market Index Trust	Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund
Vanguard Employee Benefit Index Fund	Vanguard Institutional Index Fund
Vanguard Employee Benefit Index Fund	Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Trust	Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index Fund
Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index Trust	Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index Fund
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Trust	Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index Fund
Vanguard Russell 2000 Value Index Trust	Vanguard Russell 2000 Value Index Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement Trust	Vanguard Institutional Target Retirement Fund (full suite)

· Investment by Vanguard Target Retirement Collective Trust. A Vanguard Target Retirement Trust that is a collective trust exempt from regulation under the Investment Company Act and that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in underlying Funds (a “TRT”) may hold Institutional Shares of an underlying Fund whether or not its investment meets the minimum investment threshold specifiedabove. 

· Accumulation Period ¾Accounts funded through regular contributions (e.g., employer sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected to quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Shares upon account creation, rather than undergoing the conversionprocess shortly after account set-up if VGI management determines that the account will become eligible for Institutional Shares within a limited period of time (generally 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the discretion of VGImanagement. 

Institutional Plus Shares - Eligibility Requirements 

Institutional Plus Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of 

$100,000,000. However, each Fund and VGI also reserve the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Plus Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules: 

· Retail clients. Retail clients may hold Institutional Plus Shares by aggregating up to 3 accounts held by the same client (same tax I.D. number) in a single Fund. For purposes of this rule, VGI management is authorized to permit aggregation of a greater number of accounts in the case of clients whose aggregate assets within the Funds are expected to generate substantial economies in the servicing of theiraccounts. 

· Institutional clients. An institutional client may hold Institutional Plus Shares if the total amount aggregated among all accounts held by such client (including accounts held through financial intermediaries) and invested in the Fund is at least $100 million (or such higher or lower minimum required by the individual Fund). Such an institutional client must disclose to VGI on behalf of its accounts the following:  (1) that the client acts as a common-decision maker for each account;and 

(2) the total balance in each account held in the Fund. 

· Institutional clients with assets in certain Vanguard collective investment trusts and Funds. Institutional clients with assets in the following collective investment trusts and Funds may aggregate such assets with assets invested in the corresponding Funds listed below in the right column (“Corresponding Funds”) for purposes of meeting the investment minimum for Institutional Plus Shares of the CorrespondingFunds. 

Trust/Fund	Corresponding Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Institutional Total Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total Bond Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total Bond Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Total International Stock Market Index Trust	Vanguard Total International Stock Market Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional 500 Index Trust	Vanguard Institutional Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional 500 Index Trust	Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Vanguard Institutional Extended Market Index Trust	Vanguard Extended Market Index Fund
Vanguard Employee Benefit Index Fund	Vanguard Institutional Index Fund

Vanguard Employee Benefit Index  Fund	Vanguard 500 Index Fund
Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index  Trust	Vanguard Russell 1000 Growth Index  Fund
Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index  Trust	Vanguard Russell 1000 Value Index  Fund
Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index  Trust	Vanguard Russell 2000 Growth Index  Fund
Vanguard Russell 2000 Value Index  Trust	Vanguard Russell 2000 Value Index  Fund
Vanguard Target Retirement Trust	Vanguard Institutional Target  Retirement Fund (full suite)

· Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold Institutional Plus Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients providedthat: 

(9) each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum amount described above; and 

(10) the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the underlyinginvestor accounts with the investment minimum amount;or 

(11) an arrangement is established between VGI and the financial intermediary to allow VGI to monitor compliance with the eligibilityrequirements. 

Home office model portfolios offered on wealth management platforms administered by financial intermediaries may offer Institutional Plus Shares, provided: 

(12) the financial intermediary in aggregate at the firm level, excluding custody assets, has total assets of at least $25 billion invested in Vanguard;and 

(13) the financial intermediary in aggregate at the firm level, excluding custody assets, meets the investment minimum of Institutional Plus Shares for theFund. 

A home office model portfolio must meet the following criteria: 

(14) the allocations and Funds used in the model portfolios on the platform are set and selected bythe financial intermediary (i.e., the firmitself); 

(15) the allocations and Funds used in the model portfolios on the platform are not subject to change by individual financial advisors;and 

(16) an arrangement is established between VGI and the financial intermediary to allow VGI to monitor compliance with the eligibilityrequirements. 

· Accumulation Period - Accounts funded through regular contributions (e.g., employer sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected to quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Plus Shares upon account creation, rather than undergoing the conversion process shortly after account set-up if VGI management determines that the account will become eligible for Institutional Plus Shares within a limited period of time (generally 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the discretion of VGImanagement. 

· Asset Allocation Models - Clients with defined asset allocation models whose assets meet eligibility requirements may qualify for Institutional Plus Shares if such models comply with policies and procedures that have been approved by VGImanagement. 

Institutional Select Shares - Eligibility Requirements 

Institutional Select Shares generally require a minimum initial investment and ongoing account balance of $3,000,000,000. However, each Fund and VGI also reserve the right to establish higher or lower minimum amounts for certain investors or a group of investors. Institutional Select Share class eligibility also is subject to the following special rules: 

· Institutional clients. An institutional client may hold Institutional Select Shares if the total amount aggregated among all accounts held by such client (including accounts held through financial intermediaries) and invested in the Fund is at least $3 billion (or such higher or lower minimum required by the individual Fund). Such an institutional client must disclose to VGI on behalf of its accounts the following: (1) the client acts as a common-decision maker for each account; and (2) the total balance in each account in theFund. 

· Financial intermediary clients. Financial intermediaries generally may hold InstitutionalSelect Shares for the benefit of their underlying clients providedthat: 

(17) each underlying investor individually meets the investment minimum amount described above; and 

(18) the financial intermediary agrees to monitor ongoing compliance of the underlyinginvestor accounts with the investment minimum amount;or 

(19) an arrangement is established between VGI and the financial intermediary to allow VGI to monitor compliance with the eligibilityrequirements. 

· Accumulation Period - Accounts funded through regular contributions (e.g. employer sponsored participant contribution plans), whose assets are expected to quickly achieve eligibility levels, may qualify for Institutional Select Shares upon account creation, rather than undergoing the conversion process shortly after account set-up, if VGI management determines that the account will become eligible for Institutional Select Shares within a limited period of time (generally 90 days). The accumulation period eligibility is subject to the discretion of VGImanagement. 

· Investment by VGI collective investment trusts with a similar mandate. A VGI collective investment trust exempt from regulation under the Investment Company Act and that seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in an underlying Fund with an index-basedmandate may hold Institutional Select Shares of an underlying Fund with a similar index-based mandate whether or not its investment meets the minimum investment threshold specifiedabove. 

ETF Shares – Eligibility Requirements 

The eligibility requirements for ETF Shares will be set forth in the Fund’s registration statement. To be eligible to purchase ETF Shares directly from a Fund, an investor must be (or must purchase through) an Authorized Participant, as defined in Paragraph III.F of the Multiple Class Plan. Investors purchasing ETF Shares from a Fund must purchase a minimum number of shares, known as a Creation Unit. The number of ETF Shares in a Creation Unit may vary from Fund to Fund, and will be set forth in the relevant Fund’s prospectus. The value of a Fund’s Creation Unit will vary with the net asset value of the 

Fund’s ETF Shares, but is expected to be several million dollars. An eligible investor generally must purchase a Creation Unit by depositing a prescribed basket consisting predominantly of securities with the Fund. 

Transition Shares – Eligibility Requirements 

Transition Shares will be offered only to Funds that operate as a Fund-of-Funds and only by an underlying Fund (i) that is receiving assets in kind from one or more Funds and (ii) that will “transition” those in-kind assets by selling some or all of them and using the proceeds to purchase different assets. 

There is no minimum investment amount for Transition Shares. 

Original Board Approval: July 21, 2000 

Last Approved by Board: July 24, 2020 

11 In accordance with the methods set out in the Agreement and VGI Board and Fund Board approved methods, the expenses that would otherwise have been allocated to each Fund that operates as a Fund-of-Funds are reallocated to the approved share class of the underlying Funds in the Fund-of-Funds’ portfolio on a pro rata basis based on the Fund-of-Fund’s relative net assets invested in the underlying Fund’s share class. 

22  The eligibility of a Fund that operates as a Fund-of-Funds to invest in a particular share class of an underlying Fund is determined by VGI and the Fund Board. 

33  Admiral Shares of the Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund are available to financial intermediaries that serve as mutual fund supermarkets. 

44  Admiral Share classes of all Funds are available to 403(b) plan participants in Vanguard’s Retail 403(b) business, which is serviced by The Newport Group.  Admiral Shares of the Vanguard Cash Reserves Federal Money Market Fund are available to SIMPLE IRAs and Vanguard Individual 401(k) Plans. 

55  For purposes of this Schedule B, this is not intended to include robo advisors. 

66  For purposes of this Schedule B, a common-decision maker includes, but is not limited to, a corporate entity that controls multiple pools of assets invested in a Fund.  For example, a corporate entity that acts as a plan sponsor for a retirement plan may have one or more investment committees or boards of trustees overseeing both the retirement plan account as well as other accounts invested in the Fund.  In this case, the corporate entity would be considered a common-decision maker for each account where there is a common membership across each investment committee or governing body making investment decisions for each account.  Common-decision makers do not include financial intermediaries. 

1 

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Label	Element	Value
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Document Type	dei_DocumentType	485BPOS
Period End Date	dei_DocumentPeriodEndDate	Oct. 31, 2020
Registrant Name	dei_EntityRegistrantName	VANGUARD EXPLORER FUND
CIK	dei_EntityCentralIndexKey	0000034066
Amendment Flag	dei_AmendmentFlag	false
Document Created Date	dei_DocumentCreationDate	Feb. 26, 2021
Document Effective Date	dei_DocumentEffectiveDate	Feb. 26, 2021
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 26, 2021
Entity Inv Company Type	dei_EntityInvCompanyType	N-1A

XML

Feb. 26, 2021

Vanguard Explorer Fund

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Fund Summary</span>

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Investment Objective</span>

The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Fees and Expenses</span>

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Shareholder Fees</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;">(Fees paid directly from your investment)</span>

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;">(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</span>

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;margin-left:0%;">Examples</span>

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund's shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;margin-left:0%;">Portfolio Turnover</span>

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Principal Investment Strategies</span>

The Fund invests mainly in the stocks of small and mid-size companies. These companies tend to be unseasoned but are considered by the Fund’s advisors to have superior growth potential. Also, these companies often provide little or no dividend income. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Principal Risks</span>

An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.You should expect the Fund's share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund's performance:•  Stock market risk , which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.•  Investment style risk , which is the chance that returns from small- and mid- capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. The stock prices of small and mid-size companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions.•  Manager risk , which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. In addition, significant investments in the industrials and information technology sectors subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of these sectors.An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Annual Total Returns</span>

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares</span>

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:

<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2020</span>

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

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Shareholder Fees - Vanguard Explorer Fund	Feb. 26, 2021 USD ($)
Investor Shares
Shareholder Fees:
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$ 20
Admiral Shares
Shareholder Fees:
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	none
Purchase Fee	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	none
Redemption Fee	none
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$ 20

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Annual Fund Operating Expenses - Vanguard Explorer Fund	Feb. 26, 2021
Investor Shares
Operating Expenses:
Management Fees	0.40%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.41%
Admiral Shares
Operating Expenses:
Management Fees	0.29%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	none
Other Expenses	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.30%

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Expense Example - Vanguard Explorer Fund	Investor Shares 1 Year	Investor Shares 3 Years	Investor Shares 5 Years	Investor Shares 10 Years	Admiral Shares 1 Year	Admiral Shares 3 Years	Admiral Shares 5 Years	Admiral Shares 10 Years
USD ($)	42	132	230	518	31	97	169	381

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Annual Total Returns[BarChart] - Vanguard Explorer Fund - Investor Shares	2011	2012	2013	2014	2015	2016	2017	2018	2019	2020
Total	(1.72%)	15.07%	44.59%	4.08%	(4.22%)	12.47%	23.10%	(2.39%)	31.40%	31.48%

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Average Annual Total Returns - Vanguard Explorer Fund	Investor Shares 1 Year	Investor Shares 5 Years	Investor Shares 10 Years	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions 1 Year	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions 5 Years	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions 10 Years	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 1 Year	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 5 Years	Investor Shares Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares 10 Years	Admiral Shares 1 Year	Admiral Shares 5 Years	Admiral Shares 10 Years	Russell 2500 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 1 Year	Russell 2500 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 5 Years	Russell 2500 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 10 Years	Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 1 Year	Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 5 Years	Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes) 10 Years
Total	31.33%	18.34%	14.15%	29.28%	16.13%	12.05%	19.84%	14.19%	11.05%	31.48%	18.48%	14.30%	40.47%	18.68%	15.00%	20.79%	15.36%	13.74%

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Label	Element	Value
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 26, 2021
Vanguard Explorer Fund
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Risk/Return [Heading]	rr_RiskReturnHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:13pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Fund Summary</span>
Objective [Heading]	rr_ObjectiveHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Investment Objective</span>
Objective, Primary [Text Block]	rr_ObjectivePrimaryTextBlock	The Fund seeks to provide long-term capital appreciation.
Expense [Heading]	rr_ExpenseHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Fees and Expenses</span>
Expense Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseNarrativeTextBlock	The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.
Shareholder Fees Caption [Text]	rr_ShareholderFeesCaption	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Shareholder Fees</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;">(Fees paid directly from your investment)</span>
Operating Expenses Caption [Text]	rr_OperatingExpensesCaption	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</span> <br/><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;">(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)</span>
Portfolio Turnover [Heading]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;margin-left:0%;">Portfolio Turnover</span>
Portfolio Turnover [Text Block]	rr_PortfolioTurnoverTextBlock	The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 43% of the average value of its portfolio.
Portfolio Turnover, Rate	rr_PortfolioTurnoverRate	43.00%
Expense Example [Heading]	rr_ExpenseExampleHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;margin-left:0%;">Examples</span>
Expense Example Narrative [Text Block]	rr_ExpenseExampleNarrativeTextBlock	The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund’s Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund's shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
Strategy [Heading]	rr_StrategyHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Principal Investment Strategies</span>
Strategy Narrative [Text Block]	rr_StrategyNarrativeTextBlock	The Fund invests mainly in the stocks of small and mid-size companies. These companies tend to be unseasoned but are considered by the Fund’s advisors to have superior growth potential. Also, these companies often provide little or no dividend income. The Fund uses multiple investment advisors. Each advisor independently selects and maintains a portfolio of common stocks for the Fund.
Risk [Heading]	rr_RiskHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Principal Risks</span>
Risk Narrative [Text Block]	rr_RiskNarrativeTextBlock	An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.You should expect the Fund's share price and total return to fluctuate within a wide range. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund's performance:•  Stock market risk , which is the chance that stock prices overall will decline. Stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and periods of falling prices.•  Investment style risk , which is the chance that returns from small- and mid- capitalization growth stocks will trail returns from the overall stock market. Historically, small- and mid-cap stocks have been more volatile in price than the large-cap stocks that dominate the overall market, and they often perform quite differently. The stock prices of small and mid-size companies tend to experience greater volatility because, among other things, these companies tend to be more sensitive to changing economic conditions.•  Manager risk , which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective. In addition, significant investments in the industrials and information technology sectors subject the Fund to proportionately higher exposure to the risks of these sectors.An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Risk Lose Money [Text]	rr_RiskLoseMoney	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">An investment in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time.</span>
Risk Not Insured Depository Institution [Text]	rr_RiskNotInsuredDepositoryInstitution	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-weight:bold;">An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.</span>
Bar Chart and Performance Table [Heading]	rr_BarChartAndPerformanceTableHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:10pt;font-weight:bold;margin-left:0%;">Annual Total Returns</span>
Performance Narrative [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceNarrativeTextBlock	The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.
Performance Information Illustrates Variability of Returns [Text]	rr_PerformanceInformationIllustratesVariabilityOfReturns	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund‘s Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund.</span>
Performance Availability Phone [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityPhone	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">800-662-7447</span>
Performance Availability Website Address [Text]	rr_PerformanceAvailabilityWebSiteAddress	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">vanguard.com/performance</span>
Performance Past Does Not Indicate Future [Text]	rr_PerformancePastDoesNotIndicateFuture	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;"> Keep in mind that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future.</span>
Bar Chart [Heading]	rr_BarChartHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;font-weight:bold;">Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Explorer Fund Investor Shares</span>
Bar Chart Closing [Text Block]	rr_BarChartClosingTextBlock	During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:
Performance Table Heading	rr_PerformanceTableHeading	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8.5pt;font-weight:bold;">Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2020</span>
Performance Table Uses Highest Federal Rate	rr_PerformanceTableUsesHighestFederalRate	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">When after-tax returns are calculated, it is </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. </span>
Performance Table Not Relevant to Tax Deferred	rr_PerformanceTableNotRelevantToTaxDeferred	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">After-tax returns are not relevant for a </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. </span>
Performance Table One Class of after Tax Shown [Text]	rr_PerformanceTableOneClassOfAfterTaxShown	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Shares and may differ for each share class. </span>
Performance Table Explanation after Tax Higher	rr_PerformanceTableExplanationAfterTaxHigher	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;">Also, figures captioned </span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;font-style:italic;">Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares</span><span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:9.5pt;"> may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.</span>
Performance Table Closing [Text Block]	rr_PerformanceTableClosingTextBlock	Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.40%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.41%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 42
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	132
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	230
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 518
2011	rr_AnnualReturn2011	(1.72%)
2012	rr_AnnualReturn2012	15.07%
2013	rr_AnnualReturn2013	44.59%
2014	rr_AnnualReturn2014	4.08%
2015	rr_AnnualReturn2015	(4.22%)
2016	rr_AnnualReturn2016	12.47%
2017	rr_AnnualReturn2017	23.10%
2018	rr_AnnualReturn2018	(2.39%)
2019	rr_AnnualReturn2019	31.40%
2020	rr_AnnualReturn2020	31.48%
Highest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_HighestQuarterlyReturnLabel	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;padding-left:0.0%;">Highest</span>
Highest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturnDate	Jun. 30, 2020
Highest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartHighestQuarterlyReturn	32.76%
Lowest Quarterly Return, Label	rr_LowestQuarterlyReturnLabel	<span style="color:#000000;font-family:Arial;font-size:8pt;padding-left:0.0%;">Lowest</span>
Lowest Quarterly Return, Date	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturnDate	Mar. 31, 2020
Lowest Quarterly Return	rr_BarChartLowestQuarterlyReturn	(26.74%)
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	31.33%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	18.34%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.15%
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Admiral Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Purchase Fee	rr_MaximumCumulativeSalesChargeOverOther	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	rr_MaximumSalesChargeImposedOnPurchasesOverOfferingPrice	none
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	rr_MaximumSalesChargeOnReinvestedDividendsAndDistributionsOverOther	none
Redemption Fee	rr_RedemptionFeeOverRedemption	none
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	rr_MaximumAccountFee	$ 20
Management Fees	rr_ManagementFeesOverAssets	0.29%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	rr_DistributionAndService12b1FeesOverAssets	none
Other Expenses	rr_OtherExpensesOverAssets	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	rr_ExpensesOverAssets	0.30%
1 Year	rr_ExpenseExampleYear01	$ 31
3 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear03	97
5 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear05	169
10 Years	rr_ExpenseExampleYear10	$ 381
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	31.48%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	18.48%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	14.30%
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	29.28%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	16.13%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	12.05%
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares | Investor Shares
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	19.84%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	14.19%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	11.05%
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Russell 2500 Growth Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	40.47%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	18.68%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	15.00%
Vanguard Explorer Fund | Dow Jones U.S. Total Stock Market Float Adjusted Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
1 Year	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear01	20.79%
5 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear05	15.36%
10 Years	rr_AverageAnnualReturnYear10	13.74%

XML

Label	Element	Value
Risk Return Abstract	rr_RiskReturnAbstract
Prospectus Date	rr_ProspectusDate	Feb. 26, 2021