N-CSR 1 e609417_ncsr-kentucky.htm CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY 12/31/11 NCSR Unassociated Document
 
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
 
FORM N-CSR
 
CERTIFIED SHAREHOLDER REPORT OF REGISTERED MANAGEMENT
INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Investment Company Act file number 811-5086
 
Churchill Tax-Free Trust
(Exact name of Registrant as specified in charter)

380 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(Address of principal executive offices)  (Zip code)

Joseph P. DiMaggio
380 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10017
(Name and address of agent for service)

Registrant's telephone number, including area code: (212) 697-6666
 
Date of fiscal year end: 12/31/11

Date of reporting period: 12/31/11

FORM N-CSR

ITEM 1.  REPORTS TO STOCKHOLDERS.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Annual
Report
December 31, 2011
 
 
CHURCHILL
TAX-FREE FUND OF
KENTUCKY
A tax-free income investment
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
Serving Kentucky Investors For Close To 25 Years
 
Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky
 
“Know Your Destination”
 
February, 2012
 
Dear Fellow Shareholder:
 
     With all the turmoil going on in the financial markets lately, many people are asking themselves, “Just where should I put my money?”
 
     While that would appear to be an important question to ask, we believe a more prudent question is, “What are you saving for?”
 
     If it were possible to know in advance just when to buy or sell a security to maximize profit, constantly switching your investment vehicle, trying to capture the latest trend, could very well be uncomplicated. Unfortunately, “timing” the market with any degree of consistency is nearly impossible.
 
     We have generally found that for the average investor switching continuously from one security to another in the management of his/her investment portfolio tends to be fruitless. Indeed, it may often prove to be an ill-advised exercise. With the degree of volatility inherent in the markets, missing an upturn or downturn could adversely affect your performance.
 
     We believe the most practical way for you to invest is to focus on your goals, your time frame for achieving these goals, and your risk tolerance, instead of concentrating on what the market is or isn’t doing on a short-term basis.
 
     As an investor in Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, we think it’s important for you to focus on your ultimate destination – capital preservation and tax-free income – the key objective of your Fund.
 
     Since there may be many twists and turns on the road to financial health, what steps can you take to increase your odds of reaching your final destination safely?
 
 
·
Get assistance, if you need it – a financial professional can help answer your questions and get you going in the right direction.
 
 
·
Develop a map – where are you now? Where do you want to be? How long do you want to take to get there?
 
 
·
Make a plan and stick to it.
 
 
·
Periodically visit with your financial advisor to discuss your ongoing goals and circumstances.
 
NOT A PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT
 
 
 

 
 
 
·
Develop an asset allocation model – in other words, diversify and don’t put all of your eggs in one basket.
 
 
·
Rebalance your portfolio periodically in line with your goals and timeline.
 
 
·
Stay focused on the long-term. You won’t stress about the little bumps along the way as long as you are sure you are on the right road.
 
     But, there is more to investing in Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky than just capital preservation. If keeping what you have were your only objective, your piggy bank could serve as just an appropriate depository.
 
     Therefore, it should come as no surprise that another benefit that you gain from being an investor in Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky is monthly double tax-free income.
 
     To use an analogy, people who buy the Fund probably wouldn’t buy a cow hoping to sell it when its market price increases at some future date. They would buy the cow and keep it for its continuing stream of milk. In the case of Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, the continuing stream is in the form of tax-free dividends.
 
     If capital preservation and tax-free income is your destination, your investment in Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky puts you on a path with a fund that seeks this investment objective. As long as your financial plan is a sound one and is in line with your goals, it may be best not to get off the road looking for a short-cut. Chances are, you just may get lost.
 
Sincerely,
 
Lacy B. Herrmann
Founder and Chairman Emeritus
Diana P. Herrmann
President
 
Consideration should be given to the risks of investing, including: potential loss of value, market risk, interest rate risk, credit risk, and geographic concentration. Past performance does not guarantee future stability. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate so that an investor’s shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. For certain investors, some dividends may be subject to Federal and state taxes, including the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT).
 
NOT A PART OF THE ANNUAL REPORT
 
 
 

 
 
Serving Kentucky Investors For Close To 25 Years
 
Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky
 
ANNUAL REPORT
 
Management Discussion
 
     It’s amazing how much can change in twelve months. The municipal market entered 2011 full of doom and gloom under the gray cloud of an outrageous prediction for looming defaults for billions of dollars in municipal credits. Headlines on state and local budget shortfalls fueled investor fears. These concerns led many investors to exit the municipal market causing prices to decline and yields to rise. As the year progressed, rising state revenues, meaningful expenditure reductions and attractive relative yields helped overcome investor fears and made municipals one of the best performing asset classes for 2011.
 
     The net asset value per share of the Class Y shares of Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky started the year at $10.26 before quickly falling to the year’s low of $10.01 on January 18, 2011. Share price then commenced to zig and zag on an upward path throughout the remainder of the year. The Fund ended the year at its high of $10.84/share for an increase of 5.65% for the year. Income distributed by the Fund for the year declined slightly to $0.41/share from $0.42/share in 2010. This amounted to a return of income in the amount of 4.16% for 2011. If you combine the increase in the share value with the amount of income distributed, the Class Y share total return for the fiscal year was 9.81%.
 
     The one characteristic that probably defined investments in 2011 was the desire for a “return of my money versus a return on my money” to paraphrase an old saying. Safety came first. Although it was slow to come, the credit quality of municipals eventually was recognized and helped municipal prices rebound in 2011. A second fundamental factor helping municipals in 2011 was a sizeable decline in new debt issuance. Nationally, municipal volume of new issuance declined approximately 32% from 2010 to $294.9 billion. That was the lowest issuance nationally since 2001. In Kentucky, new issuance of municipal securities declined from $5.4 billion in 2010 to $3.2 billion in 2011 or roughly 41%. A third factor which made municipal securities attractive was relative yield. Municipals tend to trade with a high correlation to the U.S. Treasury market. For much of 2011, tax-exempt debt provided higher absolute yields than taxable U.S. Treasury debt. For example, in mid-January 2011, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) of $10.01 was at the year’s low. At this time, the ten-year Treasury yielded 3.67% whereas the general yield level for a ten-year Kentucky municipal bond was approximately 3.85%. By year end, the ten-year U.S. Treasury yield had declined to 1.88% while the general yield level for a ten-year Kentucky municipal bond was around 2%.
 
     As we look ahead, 2012 may not be as rewarding as 2011. The absolute level of yields could make further declines hard to come by. Also, the fear factor associated with investors returning to this asset class appears to have dissipated; the starting point of investing in the Fund is, however, higher than it was one year ago. Nevertheless, we believe municipals will continue to be an attractive
 
 
1

 
 
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION (continued)
 
investment class. We anticipate municipal issuance to increase slightly but to remain below the levels of recent years. Moreover, the still steep slope of the yield curve and low returns on cash holdings will continue to fuel demand for debt instruments.
 
     We continue to selectively upgrade your Fund’s portfolio quality as opportunities arise despite the fact that Kentucky’s credit rating was downgraded in May, 2011 from Aa2 to Aa3 by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc.,. The overall state rating remains at a very high level. Couple this high rating with the austere budget proposal now being considered in the biennial legislative budget process, and we have the ingredients for the State to maintain its credit quality going forward. Furthermore, we believe the State’s credit quality could be enhanced by Kentucky’s position in the national economy due to its positive attributes of 1) agriculture benefiting from a global commodity price rise; 2) limited overhang of housing supply vis-à-vis the national housing bubble; 3) thriving community banks; and 4) a leveraged manufacturing sector poised to gain from an economic rebound.
 
     We continue to strive to maintain an intermediate maturity structure for your Fund’s overall holdings. The Fund’s average maturity declined from 13.7 years on December 31, 2010 to 12.6 years on December 30, 2011. As mentioned above, annual income per share declined slightly in 2011. With the continued low level of absolute yields, income per share could be difficult to maintain while keeping a somewhat defensive maturity structure. We plan to retain our long held desire to maximize income while minimizing the price swings of our net asset value.
 
 
Performance data represents past performance, but does not guarantee future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate; shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost; current performance may be lower or higher than the data presented.
 
NOT FDIC INSURED – NO BANK GUARANTEE – MAY LOSE VALUE
 
 
2

 
 
PERFORMANCE REPORT
 
     The following graph illustrates the value of $10,000 invested in the Class Y shares of Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky for the 10-year period ended December 31, 2011 as compared with the Barclays Capital Quality Intermediate Municipal Bond Index (the “Barclays Capital Index”) and the Consumer Price Index (a cost of living index). The performance of each of the other classes is not shown in the graph but is included in the table below. It should be noted that the Barclays Capital Index does not include any operating expenses nor sales charges, and being nationally oriented, does not reflect state specific bond market performance.
 
 
 
    Average Annual Total Return  
   
for periods ended December 31, 2011
 
                     
Since
 
Class and Inception Date
 
1 Year
   
5 Years
   
10 Years
   
Inception
 
Class A (commenced operations on 5/21/87)
                       
With Maximum Sales Charge
    5.23 %     3.78 %     4.24 %     5.64 %
Without Sales Charge
    9.64       4.63       4.66       5.82  
Class C (commenced operations on 4/01/96)
                               
With CDSC
    7.70       3.75       3.77       3.92  
Without CDSC
    8.72       3.75       3.77       3.92  
Class I (commenced operations on 8/06/01)
                               
No Sales Charge
    9.48       4.48       4.50       4.38  
Class Y (commenced operations on 4/01/96)
                               
No Sales Charge
    9.81       4.79       4.81       4.96  
Barclays Capital Index
    8.55       5.68       5.06    
5.91
 (Class A)
                           
5.24
 (Class C & Y)
                           
4.13
 (Class I)
 
Total return figures shown for the Fund reflect any change in price and assume all distributions within the period were invested in additional shares. Returns for Class A shares are calculated with and without the effect of the initial 4% maximum sales charge. Returns for Class C shares are calculated with and without the effect of the 1% contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC), imposed on redemptions made within the first 12 months after purchase. Class I and Y shares are sold without any sales charge. The rates of return will vary and the principal value of an investment will fluctuate with market conditions. Shares, if redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. A portion of each class’s income may be subject to Federal and state income taxes and/or the Federal alternative minimum tax. Past performance is not predictive of future investment results.
 
 
3

 
 
REPORT OF INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM
 
To the Board of Trustees and Shareholders of
Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky:
 
     We have audited the accompanying statement of assets and liabilities, including the schedule of investments, of Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky as of December 31, 2011 and the related statement of operations for the year then ended, the statements of changes in net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended. These financial statements and financial highlights are the responsibility of the Fund’s management. Our responsibility is to express an opinion on these financial statements and financial highlights based on our audits.
 
     We conducted our audits in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States). Those standards require that we plan and perform the audit to obtain reasonable assurance about whether the financial statements and financial highlights are free of material misstatement. The Fund is not required to have, nor were we engaged to perform, an audit of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Our audits included consideration of internal control over financial reporting as a basis for designing audit procedures that are appropriate in the circumstances, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion. An audit also includes examining, on a test basis, evidence supporting the amounts and disclosures in the financial statements. Our procedures included confirmation of securities owned as of December 31, 2011, by correspondence with the custodian. An audit also includes assessing the accounting principles used and significant estimates made by management, as well as evaluating the overall financial statement presentation. We believe that our audits provide a reasonable basis for our opinion.
 
     In our opinion, the financial statements and financial highlights referred to above present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky as of December 31, 2011, the results of its operations for the year then ended, the changes in its net assets for each of the two years in the period then ended, and the financial highlights for each of the five years in the period then ended, in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America.
 
TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP
 
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
February 28, 2012
 
 
4

 
 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
General Obligation Bonds (5.6%)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
Bowling Green, Kentucky
         
$ 500,000  
2.000%, 06/01/15
 
Aa2/AA-
  $ 515,850  
     
Campbell County, Kentucky Public Project
           
  1,625,000  
4.375%, 12/01/25 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa2/NR
    1,717,219  
     
Henderson County, Kentucky
           
  330,000  
3.000%, 11/01/20
 
Aa3/NR
    352,153  
     
Highland Heights, Kentucky
           
  235,000  
4.500%, 12/01/25
 
A1/NR
    256,940  
  370,000  
4.600%, 12/01/27
 
A1/NR
    399,345  
  500,000  
5.125%, 12/01/38
 
A1/NR
    533,745  
     
Kenton County, Kentucky Public Project
           
  500,000  
4.625%, 04/01/34
 
Aa2/NR
    529,125  
     
Lexington-Fayette Urban County, Kentucky
           
  4,175,000  
4.250%, 05/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa2/AA
    4,524,614  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky
           
  955,000  
4.200%, 11/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Aa1/AA+**
    1,036,891  
     
Muhlenberg County, Kentucky
           
  730,000  
4.500%, 04/01/28
 
A1/NR
    784,779  
     
Warren County, Kentucky Unlimited Tax
           
  615,000  
4.000%, 06/01/25
 
Aa2/AA-
    666,113  
  635,000  
4.000%, 06/01/26
 
Aa2/AA-
    680,231  
  660,000  
4.000%, 06/01/27
 
Aa2/AA-
    697,627  
     
Wilder, Kentucky
           
  1,090,000  
4.900%, 12/01/29 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,104,432  
     
Total General Obligation Bonds
        13,799,064  
                   
     
Revenue Bonds (92.1%)
           
                   
     
State Agencies (12.7%)
           
     
Kentucky Area Development District Financing
           
  500,000  
5.000%, 12/01/23 LOC Wachovia Bank
           
     
(pre-refunded)
 
NR/NR*
    509,560  
     
Kentucky Asset & Liability Commission Federal
           
     
Highway Notes
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 09/01/22 Series A
 
Aa2/AA
    1,215,160  
 
 
5

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
State Agencies (continued)
         
   
Kentucky Asset & Liability Commission University
         
   
of Kentucky Project
         
$ 1,500,000  
4.500%, 10/01/22 NPFG FGIC Insured
 
Aa2/AA-
  $ 1,622,580  
  500,000  
5.000%, 10/01/25 Series B
 
Aa2/AA-
    554,285  
  750,000  
5.000%, 10/01/26 Series B
 
Aa2/AA-
    825,600  
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 10/01/27 Series B
 
Aa2/AA-
    1,092,540  
     
Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority
           
     
Louisville Arena Project
           
  3,500,000  
5.750%, 12/01/28 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    3,828,475  
     
Kentucky State Property and Buildings Commission
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 11/01/17 AMBAC Insured
  A1/A+***     1,070,530  
  3,000,000  
5.000%, 11/01/19 AGMC Insured (pre-refunded)
 
Aa2/AA-
    3,117,480  
  1,020,000  
5.000%, 11/01/20
 
Aa3/A+
    1,188,728  
  1,375,000  
5.375%, 11/01/23
 
Aa3/A+
    1,592,511  
  2,820,000  
5.750%, 04/01/24 Project 91
  A1/A+     3,218,494  
  2,800,000  
5.250%, 02/01/28 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    3,108,252  
  750,000  
5.500%, 11/01/28
 
Aa3/A+
    841,260  
  2,500,000  
5.000%, 02/01/29 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    2,710,250  
  2,625,000  
5.750%, 04/01/29 Project 91
  A1/A+     2,912,936  
  2,000,000  
5.000%, 08/01/30 Project 100
 
Aa3/A+
    2,184,320  
     
Total State Agencies
        31,592,961  
   
     
County Agencies (4.7%)
           
     
Bracken County, Kentucky Public Properties Corp.
           
     
Revenue Refunding - First Mortgage
           
  1,110,000  
5.000%, 08/01/30
 
Aa3/NR
    1,230,113  
     
Grant County, Kentucky Public Property Corp.
           
     
Justice Center Project
           
  1,000,000  
4.500%, 12/01/24
 
Aa3/NR
    1,082,290  
     
Jefferson County, Kentucky Capital Projects
           
  1,575,000  
4.250%, 06/01/23 AGMC Insured
 
Aa2/NR***
    1,704,402  
  1,950,000  
4.375%, 06/01/24
 
Aa2/NR***
    2,105,064  
  1,640,000  
4.375%, 06/01/28 AGMC Insured
 
Aa2/NR***
    1,715,834  
     
Kentucky Association of Counties Finance Corp.
           
     
Financing Program
           
  1,145,000  
4.250%, 02/01/24
 
NR/A+
    1,225,619  
  515,000  
4.000%, 02/01/25
 
NR/A+
    540,261  
 
 
6

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
County Agencies (continued)
         
   
Kentucky Association of Counties Finance Corp.
         
   
Financing Program (contunied)
         
$ 315,000  
5.375%, 02/01/27
 
NR/A+
  $ 345,662  
  330,000  
5.375%, 02/01/28
 
NR/A+
    359,769  
     
Lexington-Fayette Urban County, Kentucky Public
           
     
Facilities Revenue
           
  500,000  
4.125%, 10/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    529,195  
  500,000  
4.250%, 10/01/26 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    519,990  
     
Warren County, Kentucky Justice Center
           
  365,000  
4.300%, 09/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    385,447  
     
Total County Agencies
        11,743,646  
   
     
Colleges and Universities (6.5%)
           
     
Berea, Kentucky Educational Facilities (Berea College)
           
  1,000,000  
4.125%, 06/01/25
 
Aaa/NR
    1,046,380  
     
Boyle County, Kentucky College Refunding &
           
     
Improvement
           
  1,035,000  
4.500%, 06/01/22 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/AA+
    1,135,737  
  200,000  
4.625%, 06/01/24 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/AA+
    217,558  
     
Eastern Kentucky University General Receipts
           
  1,250,000  
4.000%, 10/01/27
 
Aa3/A+
    1,286,562  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky University
           
     
of Louisville
           
  525,000  
5.000%, 06/01/20 AMBAC Insured
 
NR/NR*
    566,512  
     
Murray State University Project, Kentucky General
           
     
Receipts Revenue
           
  745,000  
4.500%, 09/01/23 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/A+
    793,127  
     
University of Kentucky General Receipts
           
  885,000  
4.500%, 10/01/22 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa2/AA-
    960,305  
  1,545,000  
4.500%, 10/01/23 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa2/AA-
    1,662,884  
  1,625,000  
4.500%, 10/01/25 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa2/AA-
    1,720,063  
  1,010,000  
4.500%, 10/01/26 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa2/AA-
    1,064,540  
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 09/01/30
 
Aa2/AA-
    1,119,350  
     
Western Kentucky University Revenue General Receipts
           
  2,000,000  
4.200%, 09/01/25 Series A NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/A+
    2,064,960  
  2,475,000  
4.200%, 09/01/26 Series A NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/A+
    2,540,068  
     
Total Colleges and Universities
        16,178,046  
 
 
7

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
Hospitals (11.6%)
         
   
Jefferson County, Kentucky Health Facilities, Jewish
         
   
Healthcare
         
$ 1,715,000  
5.650%, 01/01/17 AMBAC Insured
 
Baa1/A-
  $ 1,720,780  
     
Jefferson County, Kentucky Health Facilities
           
     
University Hospital
           
  1,050,000  
5.250%, 07/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/BBB
    1,052,656  
     
Jefferson County, Kentucky, Louisville Medical Center
           
  2,200,000  
5.250%, 05/01/17
 
NR/A
    2,242,944  
  2,000,000  
5.500%, 05/01/22
 
NR/A
    2,038,600  
     
Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority,
           
     
Baptist Healthcare System
           
  4,795,000  
5.375%, 08/15/24
 
A1/NR***
    5,393,608  
     
Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority,
           
     
Catholic Health
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 05/01/29
 
Aa2/AA
    1,020,350  
     
Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority,
           
     
Hospital Facilities St. Elizabeth Healthcare
           
  1,000,000  
5.500%, 05/01/39
 
NR/AA-***
    1,060,450  
     
Kentucky Economic Development Finance Authority,
           
     
Kings Daughter Medical Center
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 02/01/30
  A1/A+     1,021,950  
     
Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government,
           
     
Kentucky Public Facilities Co Lease, Eastern
           
     
State Hospital
           
  1,500,000  
5.250%, 06/01/32
 
Aa3/A+
    1,615,245  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky Louisville
           
     
Medical Center
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 06/01/18
 
NR/A
    1,036,470  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky Metro
           
     
Health, Jewish Hospital Revenue
           
  1,250,000  
6.000%, 02/01/22
 
Baa1/A-
    1,265,837  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky Metropolitan
           
     
Government Health System, Norton
           
  7,620,000  
5.000%, 10/01/26
 
NR/A-****
    7,725,232  
  1,600,000  
5.000%, 10/01/30
 
NR/A-****
    1,611,952  
     
Total Hospitals
        28,806,074  
 
 
8

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
Housing (10.7%)
         
   
Kentucky Housing Corporation Housing Revenue
         
$ 555,000  
4.200%, 01/01/17
 
Aaa/AAA
  $ 565,245  
  470,000  
4.800%, 01/01/18 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    481,665  
  285,000  
4.250%, 01/01/18
 
Aaa/AAA
    289,854  
  575,000  
4.800%, 07/01/18 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    589,271  
  180,000  
4.250%, 07/01/18
 
Aaa/AAA
    183,062  
  690,000  
4.800%, 07/01/20 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    702,482  
  6,025,000  
5.450%, 07/01/22 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    6,028,796  
  4,565,000  
5.250%, 07/01/22 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    4,567,419  
  245,000  
5.200%, 07/01/22
 
Aaa/AAA
    245,164  
  415,000  
5.100%, 07/01/22 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    416,345  
  1,570,000  
4.800%, 07/01/22 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    1,614,635  
  1,635,000  
5.000%, 01/01/23 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    1,689,609  
  665,000  
5.000%, 07/01/24 FHA Insured
 
Aaa/AAA
    702,745  
  250,000  
3.625%, 01/01/25
 
Aaa/AAA
    251,098  
  4,140,000  
5.200%, 07/01/25 AMT
 
Aaa/AAA
    4,152,627  
  905,000  
4.500%, 07/01/25
 
Aaa/AAA
    945,028  
  600,000  
4.750%, 07/01/26
 
Aaa/AAA
    619,440  
  230,000  
5.375%, 07/01/27
 
Aaa/AAA
    230,150  
  315,000  
4.850%, 07/01/29
 
Aaa/AAA
    325,552  
  565,000  
5.150%, 07/01/39
 
Aaa/AAA
    585,679  
     
Kentucky Housing Multifamily Mortgage Revenue
           
  1,325,000  
5.000%, 06/01/35 AMT
 
NR/NR*
    1,329,293  
     
Total Housing
        26,515,159  
   
     
School Building Revenue (22.3%)
           
     
Barren County, Kentucky School Building Revenue
           
  1,265,000  
4.250%, 08/01/25 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,319,408  
  1,670,000  
4.375%, 08/01/26 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,742,695  
     
Boone County, Kentucky School District Finance
           
     
Corp. School Building Revenue
           
  140,000  
4.750%, 06/01/20 AGMC Insured (pre-refunded)
 
Aa3/AA+
    142,563  
  1,000,000  
4.125%, 08/01/22 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,042,650  
  1,580,000  
4.500%, 08/01/23 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,686,097  
  1,250,000  
4.125%, 03/01/25 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,284,725  
 
 
9

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
School Building Revenue (continued)
         
   
Bullitt County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
         
$ 200,000  
4.300%, 10/01/21 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
  $ 212,636  
  2,455,000  
4.500%, 10/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    2,615,017  
  1,590,000  
4.500%, 10/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,685,766  
  1,145,000  
4.500%, 04/01/27
 
Aa3/NR
    1,237,276  
  1,200,000  
4.500%, 04/01/28
 
Aa3/NR
    1,289,652  
     
Campbell County, Kentucky School District Finance
           
     
Corp. School Building Revenue
           
  340,000  
3.500%, 08/01/22
 
Aa3/NR
    363,695  
     
Christian County, Kentucky School District Finance
           
     
Corp.
           
  750,000  
4.125%, 08/01/23 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    784,065  
  1,590,000  
4.125%, 08/01/24 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,652,328  
     
Daviess County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  200,000  
5.000%, 06/01/24 (pre-refunded)
 
Aa3/NR
    221,188  
     
Fayette County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  5,000,000  
4.250%, 04/01/23 AGMC Insured
 
Aa2/AA+
    5,273,650  
  4,335,000  
4.375%, 05/01/26 AGMC Insured
 
Aa2/AA+
    4,639,274  
     
Floyd County, Kentucky School Finance Corporation
           
     
School Building
           
  1,255,000  
4.125%, 03/01/26 Syncora Guarantee, Inc. Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,280,175  
     
Fort Thomas, Kentucky Independent School District
           
     
Finance Corp.
           
  610,000  
4.375%, 04/01/25
 
Aa3/NR
    635,467  
     
Franklin County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 04/01/24
 
Aa3/NR
    1,065,790  
     
Graves County, Kentucky School Building Revenue
           
  1,260,000  
5.000%, 06/01/22 (pre-refunded)
 
Aa3/NR
    1,342,076  
  1,320,000  
5.000%, 06/01/23 (pre-refunded)
 
Aa3/NR
    1,405,985  
     
Kenton County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  445,000  
4.300%, 04/01/22 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    471,122  
  4,250,000  
5.000%, 06/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    4,488,297  
  590,000  
4.250%, 10/01/22 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    629,860  
  750,000  
4.375%, 04/01/24 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    786,157  
  325,000  
4.400%, 04/01/26 AGC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    337,324  
     
Larue County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  270,000  
4.500%, 07/01/21 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    292,316  
  470,000  
4.500%, 07/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    506,364  
  785,000  
4.500%, 07/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    840,240  
 
 
10

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
School Building Revenue (continued)
         
   
Laurel County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
         
$ 300,000  
4.000%, 06/01/16 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
  $ 332,937  
     
Magoffin County, Kentucky School District
           
  375,000  
4.250%, 08/01/23 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    398,010  
  475,000  
4.250%, 08/01/25 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    496,256  
     
Ohio County, Kentucky School Building Revenue
           
  790,000  
4.500%, 05/01/24
 
Aa3/NR
    859,646  
  325,000  
4.500%, 05/01/25
 
Aa3/NR
    349,573  
     
Oldham County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  500,000  
5.000%, 05/01/19 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    528,595  
  1,000,000  
4.500%, 09/01/27 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,037,340  
     
Owensboro, Kentucky Independent School District
           
     
Finance Corp. School Building Revenue
           
  890,000  
4.375%, 09/01/24
 
Aa3/NR
    964,422  
     
Pendleton County, Kentucky School District Finance
           
     
Corp. School Building Revenue
           
  730,000  
4.000%, 02/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    768,318  
     
Pike County, Kentucky School Building Revenue
           
  1,355,000  
4.375%, 10/01/26 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,427,628  
     
Scott County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  1,115,000  
4.200%, 01/01/22 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,174,864  
  1,955,000  
4.250%, 01/01/23 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    2,051,206  
  1,560,000  
4.300%, 01/01/24 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,632,119  
     
Spencer County, Kentucky School District Finance
           
     
Corp., School Building Revenue
           
  1,000,000  
4.500%, 08/01/27 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    1,060,600  
     
Warren County, Kentucky School District Finance Corp.
           
  295,000  
4.125%, 02/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    309,709  
  500,000  
4.375%, 04/01/27 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    514,410  
     
Total Schools
        55,179,491  
   
     
Transportation (12.1%)
           
     
Kenton County, Kentucky Airport Board Airport
           
     
Revenue
           
  1,300,000  
5.000%, 03/01/23 NPFG Insured AMT
 
A3/A-
    1,315,210  
     
Kentucky State Turnpike Authority
           
  3,000,000  
4.450%, 07/01/22 Series B
 
Aa2/AA+
    3,284,310  
  3,500,000  
5.000%, 07/01/25
 
Aa2/AA+
    4,034,800  
 
 
11

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
Transportation (continued)
         
   
Kentucky State Turnpike Authority (continued)
         
$ 2,000,000  
5.000%, 07/01/25 AMBAC Insured
 
Aa2/AA+
  $ 2,160,500  
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 07/01/25
 
Aa2/AA+
    1,134,150  
  2,750,000  
5.000%, 07/01/27
 
Aa2/AA+
    3,073,812  
  1,100,000  
5.000%, 07/01/28
 
Aa2/AA+
    1,219,262  
     
Louisville, Kentucky Regional Airport Authority
           
  1,060,000  
5.000%, 07/01/18 AMT
  A2/A+     1,174,268  
  1,000,000  
5.250%, 07/01/23 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,088,080  
  2,610,000  
5.000%, 07/01/24 AMBAC Insured AMT
  2/A+     2,677,103  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County Regional Airport,
           
     
Kentucky
           
  1,000,000  
5.250%, 07/01/18 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,052,280  
  2,000,000  
5.250%, 07/01/20 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    2,066,520  
  1,370,000  
5.250%, 07/01/21 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,411,922  
  3,390,000  
5.250%, 07/01/22 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    3,484,751  
  275,000  
5.375%, 07/01/23 AGMC Insured AMT
 
Aa3/AA-
    277,195  
  500,000  
5.000%, 07/01/25 NPFG Insured AMT
  A2/A+     500,195  
     
Total Transportation
        29,954,358  
   
     
Utilities (11.5%)
           
     
Campbell & Kenton Counties, Kentucky (Sanitation
           
     
District)
           
  1,695,000  
4.300%, 08/01/24 NPFG Insured
 
Aa2/AA
    1,801,870  
  300,000  
4.300%, 08/01/27 NPFG Insured
 
Aa2/AA
    312,240  
  2,370,000  
4.000%, 08/01/27
 
Aa2/AA
    2,487,528  
  1,450,000  
4.300%, 08/01/28 NPFG Insured
 
Aa2/AA
    1,502,316  
     
Carroll County, Kentucky Environmental Facilities
           
     
Revenue (Kentucky Utilities) AMT
           
  1,500,000  
5.750%, 02/01/26 AMBAC Insured
  A2/A-     1,629,330  
     
Henderson, Kentucky Electric System Revenue
           
  250,000  
4.000%, 12/01/24
 
Aa3/NR
    258,085  
     
Kentucky Board Corp. Financing Program
           
  915,000  
5.125%, 02/01/28
 
NR/A+
    978,986  
     
Kentucky Rural Water Finance Corp.
           
  205,000  
4.250%, 08/01/19 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    220,223  
  595,000  
5.000%, 02/01/20 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    602,437  
 
 
12

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
       
Rating
     
Principal
     
Moody’s/S&P
     
Amount
 
Revenue Bonds (continued)
 
(unaudited)
 
Value
 
   
   
Utilities (continued)
         
   
Kentucky Rural Water Finance Corp. (continued)
         
$ 210,000  
4.250%, 08/01/20 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
  $ 225,219  
  200,000  
4.375%, 08/01/22 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    215,028  
  240,000  
4.500%, 08/01/23 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    257,604  
  200,000  
4.500%, 02/01/24 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    205,806  
  255,000  
4.500%, 08/01/24 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    272,235  
  355,000  
4.600%, 02/01/25
 
NR/AA-
    382,832  
  290,000  
4.500%, 08/01/27 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    303,395  
  245,000  
4.600%, 08/01/28 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    256,184  
  315,000  
4.625%, 08/01/29 NPFG Insured
 
Baa2/AA-
    328,762  
     
Kentucky State Municipal Power Agency, Prairie St.
           
     
Project
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 09/01/23 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,110,350  
     
Louisville & Jefferson County, Kentucky Metropolitan
           
     
Sewer District
           
  2,380,000  
4.250%, 05/15/20 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA
    2,597,818  
  2,510,000  
4.250%, 05/15/21 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA
    2,716,473  
  1,500,000  
5.000%, 05/15/26 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA
    1,595,670  
  1,350,000  
5.000%, 05/15/34
 
Aa3/AA
    1,461,348  
     
Northern Kentucky Water District
           
  660,000  
5.000%, 02/01/23 NPFG FGIC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    661,577  
  1,825,000  
6.000%, 02/01/28 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    2,075,828  
  1,250,000  
4.500%, 02/01/30
 
Aa3/NR
    1,307,788  
     
Owensboro, Kentucky Electric and Power
           
  1,000,000  
5.000%, 01/01/21 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/AA-
    1,204,110  
     
Owensboro, Kentucky Water Revenue
           
  500,000  
5.000%, 09/15/27 AGMC Insured
 
Aa3/NR
    549,085  
     
Owensboro-Daviess County, Kentucky Regional
           
     
Water Resource Agency Wastewater Refunding
           
     
& Improvement
           
  930,000  
4.375%, 01/01/27 Series A Syncora Guarantee, Inc.
           
     
Insured
 
NR/AA-
    956,217  
     
Total Utilities
        28,476,344  
   
     
Total Revenue Bonds
        228,446,079  
   
     
Total Investments (cost $229,253,540-note 4)
 
97.7%
    242,245,143  
     
Other assets less liabilities
 
2.3
    5,824,303  
     
Net Assets
 
100.0%
  $ 248,069,446  
 
 
13

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
*   Any security not rated (NR) by any of the Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organizations (“NRSRO” or credit rating agency) has been determined by the Investment Adviser to have sufficient quality to be ranked in the top four credit ratings if a credit rating were to be assigned by a NRSRO.  
   
 
     
Fitch ratings      
**  
AAA
     
***  
AA
     
****   A      
 
       
Percent of
 
Portfolio Distribution By Quality Rating (unaudited)  
Investments
 
           
Aaa of Moody’s or AAA of S&P or Fitch     11.2 %
Pre-refunded bonds††/ Escrowed to maturity bonds     2.8  
Aa of Moody’s or AA of S&P or Fitch     69.3  
A of Moody’s or S&P or Fitch     15.5  
Baa of Moody’s or BBB of S&P     0.4  
Not rated*     0.8  
          100.0 %
 
             
 
Where applicable, calculated using the highest rating of the three NRSROs.
 
††  
Pre-refunded bonds are bonds for which U.S. Government Obligations have been placed in escrow to retire the bonds at their earliest call date.
 
             
   
PORTFOLIO ABBREVIATIONS
       
   
AGC - Assured Guaranty Corp.
       
   
AGMC - Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp.
       
   
AMBAC - American Municipal Bond Assurance Corp.
       
   
AMT - Alternative Minimum Tax
       
   
FGIC - Financial Guaranty Insurance Co.
       
   
FHA - Financial Housing Administration
       
   
LOC - Letter of Credit
       
   
NPFG - National Public Finance Guarantee
       
   
NR - Not Rated
       
 
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
14

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
STATEMENT OF ASSETS AND LIABILITIES
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
ASSETS
     
Investments at value (cost $229,253,540)
  $ 242,245,143  
Cash
    2,000,745  
Interest receivable
    3,497,432  
Receivable for Fund shares sold
    983,264  
Other assets
    12,110  
Total assets
    248,738,694  
LIABILITIES
       
Dividends payable
    411,685  
Payable for Fund shares redeemed
    98,120  
Management fee payable
    83,023  
Distribution and service fees payable
    3,330  
Accrued expenses
    73,090  
Total liabilities
    669,248  
NET ASSETS
  $ 248,069,446  
Net Assets consist of:
       
Capital Stock - Authorized an unlimited number of shares, par value $0.01 per share
  $ 228,910  
Additional paid-in capital
    236,105,182  
Net unrealized appreciation on investments (note 4)
    12,991,603  
Undistributed net investment income
    131,150  
Accumulated net realized loss on investments
    (1,387,399 )
    $ 248,069,446  
CLASS A
       
Net Assets
  $ 198,908,739  
Capital shares outstanding
    18,355,498  
Net asset value and redemption price per share
  $ 10.84  
Maximum offering price per share (100/96 of $10.84 adjusted to nearest cent)
  $ 11.29  
CLASS C
       
Net Assets
  $ 9,454,492  
Capital shares outstanding
    872,935  
Net asset value and offering price per share
  $ 10.83  
Redemption price per share (*a charge of 1% is imposed on the redemption
       
proceeds of the shares, or on the original price, whichever is lower, if redeemed
       
during the first 12 months after purchase)
  $ 10.83 *
CLASS I
       
Net Assets
  $ 7,030,761  
Capital shares outstanding
    649,091  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share
  $ 10.83  
CLASS Y
       
Net Assets
  $ 32,675,454  
Capital shares outstanding
    3,013,517  
Net asset value, offering and redemption price per share
  $ 10.84  
         
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
 
15

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
STATEMENT OF OPERATIONS
YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
Investment Income:
           
   
Interest income
        $ 10,674,288  
   
Expenses:
             
   
Management fee (note 3)
  $ 948,618          
Distribution and service fees (note 3)
    383,344          
Trustees’ fees and expenses (note 8)
    126,617          
Transfer and shareholder servicing agent fees (note 3)
    118,018          
Legal fees (note 3)
    89,319          
Shareholders’ reports and proxy statements
    51,038          
Fund accounting fees
    36,425          
Custodian fees (note 6)
    23,055          
Auditing and tax fees
    21,450          
Registration fees and dues
    19,107          
Insurance
    11,734          
Chief compliance officer services (note 3)
    4,508          
Miscellaneous
    29,592          
Total expenses
    1,862,825          
   
Expenses paid indirectly (note 6)
    (24 )        
Net expenses
            1,862,801  
Net investment income
            8,811,487  
   
Realized and Unrealized Gain (Loss) on Investments:
               
   
Net realized gain (loss) from securities transactions
    (983,195 )        
Change in unrealized depreciation on investments
    13,926,233          
   
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments
            12,943,038  
Net change in net assets resulting from operations
          $ 21,754,525  
 
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
16

 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
STATEMENTS OF CHANGES IN NET ASSETS
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
OPERATIONS:
           
Net investment income
  $ 8,811,487     $ 9,707,234  
Net realized gain (loss) from securities transactions
    (983,195 )     294,298  
Change in unrealized depreciation on investments
    13,926,233       (6,494,881 )
Change in net assets from operations
    21,754,525       3,506,651  
                 
DISTRIBUTIONS TO SHAREHOLDERS (note 10):
               
Class A Shares:
               
Net investment income
    (6,947,720 )     (7,511,295 )
                 
Class C Shares:
               
Net investment income
    (251,820 )     (180,927 )
                 
Class I Shares:
               
Net investment income
    (270,650 )     (293,441 )
                 
Class Y Shares:
               
Net investment income
    (1,319,975 )     (1,687,816 )
Change in net assets from distributions
    (8,790,165 )     (9,673,479 )
                 
CAPITAL SHARE TRANSACTIONS (note 7):
               
Proceeds from shares sold
    25,166,834       29,705,865  
Reinvested dividends and distributions
    3,942,600       3,954,939  
Cost of shares redeemed
    (36,326,398 )     (38,196,770 )
Change in net assets from capital share transactions
    (7,216,964 )     (4,535,966 )
Change in net assets
    5,747,396       (10,702,794 )
                 
NET ASSETS:
               
Beginning of period
    242,322,050       253,024,844  
   
End of period*
  $ 248,069,446     $ 242,322,050  
   
* Includes undistributed net investment income of:
  $ 131,150     $ 110,451  
 
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
17

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
1. Organization
 
     Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky (the “Fund”), a non-diversified, open-end investment company, was organized in March, 1987 as a Massachusetts business trust and commenced operations on May 21, 1987. The Fund is authorized to issue an unlimited number of shares and, since its inception to April 1, 1996, offered only one class of shares. On that date, the Fund began offering two additional classes of shares, Class C and Class Y Shares. All shares outstanding prior to that date were designated as Class A Shares and are sold at net asset value plus a sales charge of varying size (depending upon a variety of factors) paid at the time of purchase and bear a distribution fee. Class C Shares are sold at net asset value with no sales charge payable at the time of purchase but with a level charge for service and distribution fees for six years thereafter. Class C Shares automatically convert to Class A Shares after six years. Class Y Shares are sold only through institutions acting for investors in a fiduciary, advisory, agency, custodial or similar capacity, and are not offered directly to retail customers. Class Y Shares are sold at net asset value with no sales charge, no redemption fee, no contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) and no distribution fee. On April 30, 1998, the Fund established Class I Shares which are offered and sold only through financial intermediaries and are not offered directly to retail customers. Class I Shares are sold at net asset value with no sales charge and no redemption fee or CDSC, although a financial intermediary may charge a fee for effecting a purchase or other transaction on behalf of its customers. Class I Shares may carry a distribution and a service fee. All classes of shares represent interests in the same portfolio of investments and are identical as to rights and privileges but differ with respect to the effect of sales charges, the distribution and/or service fees borne by each class, expenses specific to each class, voting rights on matters affecting a single class and the exchange privileges of each class.
 
2. Significant Accounting Policies
 
     The following is a summary of significant accounting policies followed by the Fund in the preparation of its financial statements. The policies are in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America for investment companies.
 
a)
Portfolio valuation: Municipal securities which have remaining maturities of more than 60 days are valued each business day based upon information provided by a nationally prominent independent pricing service and periodically verified through other pricing services. In the case of securities for which market quotations are readily available, securities are valued by the pricing service at the mean of bid and asked quotations. If a market quotation or a valuation from the pricing service is not readily available, the security is valued at fair value determined in good faith under procedures established by and under the general supervision of the Board of Trustees. Securities which mature in 60 days or less are valued at amortized cost if their term to maturity at purchase is 60 days or less, or by amortizing their unrealized appreciation or depreciation on the 61st day prior to maturity, if their term to maturity at purchase exceeds 60 days.
 
 
18

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
b)
Fair Value Measurements: The Fund follows a fair value hierarchy that distinguishes between market data obtained from independent sources (observable inputs) and the Fund’s own market assumptions (unobservable inputs). These inputs are used in determining the value of the Fund’s investments and are summarized in the following fair value hierarchy:
 
Level 1 – Unadjusted quoted prices in active markets for identical assets or liabilities that the Fund has the ability to access.
 
Level 2 – Observable inputs other than quoted prices included in Level 1 that are observable for the asset or liability, either directly or indirectly. These inputs may include quoted prices for the identical instrument on an inactive market, prices for similar instruments, interest rates, prepayment speeds, credit risk, yield curves, default rates and similar data.
 
Level 3 – Unobservable inputs for the asset or liability, to the extent relevant observable inputs are not available, representing the Fund’s own assumptions about the assumptions a market participant would use in valuing the asset or liability, based on the best information available.
 
The inputs or methodology used for valuing securities are not an indication of the risk associated with investing in those securities.
 
The following is a summary of the valuation inputs, representing 100% of the Fund’s investments, used to value the Fund’s net assets as of December 31, 2011:
 
Valuation Inputs
 
 
Investments in Securities
 
Level 1 – Quoted Prices
  $  
Level 2 – Other Significant Observable Inputs —
       
Municipal Bonds*
    242,245,143  
Level 3 – Significant Unobservable Inputs
     
Total
  $ 242,245,143  
 
* See schedule of investments for a detailed listing of securities.
 
c)
Subsequent events: In preparing these financial statements, the Fund has evaluated events and transactions for potential recognition or disclosure through the date these financial statements were issued.
 
d)
Securities transactions and related investment income: Securities transactions are recorded on the trade date. Realized gains and losses from securities transactions are reported on the identified cost basis. Interest income is recorded daily on the accrual basis and is adjusted for amortization of premium and accretion of original issue and market discount.
 
e)
Federal income taxes: It is the policy of the Fund to continue to qualify as a regulated investment company by complying with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code applicable to certain investment companies. The Fund intends to make distributions of income and securities profits sufficient to relieve it from all, or substantially all, Federal income and excise taxes.
 
 
19

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
Management has reviewed the tax positions for each of the open tax years (2008-2010) or expected to be taken in the Fund’s 2011 tax returns and has concluded that there are no significant uncertain tax positions that would require recognition in the financial statements.
 
f)
Multiple class allocations: All income, expenses (other than class-specific expenses), and realized and unrealized gains or losses are allocated daily to each class of shares based on the relative net assets of each class. Class-specific expenses, which include distribution and service fees and any other items that are specifically attributed to a particular class, are also charged directly to such class on a daily basis.
 
g)
Use of estimates: The preparation of financial statements in conformity with accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America requires management to make estimates and assumptions that affect the reported amounts of assets and liabilities and disclosure of contingent assets and liabilities at the date of the financial statements and the reported amounts of increases and decreases in net assets from operations during the reporting period. Actual results could differ from those estimates.
 
h)
Reclassification of capital accounts: Accounting principles generally accepted in the United States of America require that certain components of net assets relating to permanent differences be reclassified between financial and tax reporting. On December 31, 2011 the Fund decreased undistributed net investment income by $623 and increased additional paid-in capital by $623. These reclassifications had no effect on net assets or net asset value per share.
 
i)
Accounting pronouncements: In May 2011, the Financial Accounting Standards Board (“FASB”) issued Accounting Standards Update (“ASU”) No. 2011-04, “Fair Value Measurement (Topic 820): Amendments to Achieve Common Fair Value Measurement and Disclosure Requirements in U.S. GAAP and International Financial Reporting Standards (“IFRS”). ASU No. 2011-04 clarifies existing requirements for measuring fair value and for disclosure about fair value measurements in converged guidance of the FASB and the International Accounting Standards Board. The amendments are effective during interim and annual periods beginning after December 15, 2011.
 
In December 2011, FASB issued ASU No. 2011-11 related to disclosures about offsetting assets and liabilities. The amendments in this ASU require an entity to disclose information about offsetting and related arrangements to enable users of its financial statements to understand the effect of those arrangements on its financial position. The ASU is effective for annual reporting periods beginning on or after January 1, 2013, and interim periods within those annual periods. The guidance requires retrospective application for all comparative periods presented.
 
Management is currently evaluating the impact these updates and amendments may have on the Fund’s financial statements.
 
3. Fees and Related Party Transactions
 
a) Management Arrangements:
 
     Aquila Investment Management LLC (the “Manager”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aquila Management Corporation, the Fund’s founder and sponsor, serves as the Manager for the Fund under an
 
 
20

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
Advisory and Administration Agreement with the Fund. Under the Advisory and Administration Agreement, the Manager provides all investment management and administrative services to the Fund. The Manager’s services include providing the office of the Fund and all related services as well as managing relationships with all of the various support organizations to the Fund such as the shareholder servicing agent, custodian, legal counsel, fund accounting agent, auditors and distributor. For its services, the Manager is entitled to receive a fee which is payable monthly and computed as of the close of business each day at the annual rate of 0.40 of 1% on the Fund’s average net assets.
 
     Under a Compliance Agreement with the Manager, the Manager is compensated for Chief Compliance Officer related services provided to enable the Fund to comply with Rule 38a-1 of the Investment Company Act of 1940.
 
     Specific details as to the nature and extent of the services provided by the Manager are more fully defined in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.
 
b) Distribution and Service Fees:
 
     The Fund has adopted a Distribution Plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 (the “Rule”) under the Investment Company Act of 1940. Under one part of the Plan, with respect to Class A Shares, the Fund is authorized to make distribution fee payments to broker-dealers or others (“Qualified Recipients”) selected by Aquila Distributors, Inc. (the “Distributor”) including, but not limited to, any principal underwriter of the Fund, with which the Distributor has entered into written agreements contemplated by the Rule and which have rendered assistance in the distribution and/or retention of the Fund’s shares or servicing of shareholder accounts. The Fund makes payment of this distribution fee at the annual rate of 0.15% of the Fund’s average net assets represented by Class A Shares. For the year ended December 31, 2011, distribution fees on Class A Shares amounted to $280,188 of which the Distributor retained $10,315.
 
     Under another part of the Plan, the Fund is authorized to make payments with respect to Class C Shares to Qualified Recipients which have rendered assistance in the distribution and/or retention of the Fund’s Class C shares or servicing of shareholder accounts. These payments are made at the annual rate of 0.75% of the Fund’s average net assets represented by Class C Shares and for the year ended December 31, 2011, amounted to $65,989. In addition, under a Shareholder Services Plan, the Fund is authorized to make service fee payments with respect to Class C Shares to Qualified Recipients for providing personal services and/or maintenance of shareholder accounts. These payments are made at the annual rate of 0.25% of the Fund’s average net assets represented by Class C Shares and for the year ended December 31, 2011, amounted to $21,996. The total of these payments with respect to Class C Shares amounted to $87,985 of which the Distributor retained $13,884.
 
     Under another part of the Plan, the Fund is authorized to make payments with respect to Class I Shares to Qualified Recipients. Class I payments, under the Plan, may not exceed for any fiscal year of the Fund a rate (currently 0.20%), set from time to time by the Board of Trustees, of not more than 0.25% of the average annual net assets represented by the Class I Shares. In addition, Class I has a Shareholder Services Plan under which it may pay service fees (currently 0.15%) of not more than 0.25% of the average annual net assets represented by Class I Shares. That is, the total payments under both plans will not exceed 0.50% of such
 
 
21

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
net assets. For the year ended December 31, 2011, these payments were made at the average annual rate of 0.35% of such net assets and amounted to $26,549 of which $15,171 related to the Plan and $11,378 related to the Shareholder Services Plan.
 
     Specific details about the Plans are more fully defined in the Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information.
 
     Under a Distribution Agreement, the Distributor serves as the exclusive distributor of the Fund’s shares. Through agreements between the Distributor and various brokerage and advisory firms (“intermediaries”), the Fund’s shares are sold primarily through the facilities of these intermediaries having offices within Kentucky, with the bulk of any sales commissions inuring to such intermediaries. For the year ended December 31, 2011, total commissions on sales of Class A Shares amounted to $346,420 of which the Distributor received $30,463.
 
c) Other Related Party Transactions:
 
     On June 1, 2011, Bingham McCutchen LLP replaced Butzel Long PC (“Butzel”) as counsel to the Fund. During the period January 1, 2011 to May 31, 2011, the Fund incurred $48,380 of legal fees allocable to  Butzel for legal services in conjunction with the Fund’s ongoing operations. During this period, the Fund’s former Secretary was Of Counsel to Butzel.
 
4. Purchases and Sales of Securities
 
     During the year ended December 31, 2011, purchases of securities and proceeds from the sales of securities aggregated $29,134,861 and $42,721,441, respectively.
 
     At December 31, 2011, the aggregate tax cost for all securities was $229,122,390. At December 31, 2011, the aggregate gross unrealized appreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of value over tax cost amounted to $13,177,243 and aggregate gross unrealized depreciation for all securities in which there is an excess of tax cost over value amounted to $54,490 for a net unrealized appreciation of $13,122,753.
 
5. Portfolio Orientation
 
     Since the Fund invests principally and may invest entirely in double tax-free municipal obligations of issuers within Kentucky, it is subject to possible risks associated with economic, political, or legal developments or industrial or regional matters specifically affecting Kentucky and whatever effects these may have upon Kentucky issuers’ ability to meet their obligations.
 
6. Expenses
 
     The Fund has negotiated an expense offset arrangement with its custodian wherein it receives credit toward the reduction of custodian fees and other Fund expenses whenever there are uninvested cash balances. The Statement of Operations reflects the total expenses before any offset, the amount of offset and the net expenses.
 
 
22

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
7. Capital Share Transactions
 
     Transactions in Capital Shares of the Fund were as follows:
 
   
Year Ended
   
Year Ended
 
   
December 31, 2011
   
December 31, 2010
 
   
Shares
   
Amount
   
Shares
   
Amount
 
Class A Shares:
                       
Proceeds from shares sold .
    1,824,609     $ 19,277,035       1,803,306     $ 19,131,302  
Reinvested distributions
    325,789       3,428,267       327,573       3,470,108  
Cost of shares redeemed
    (1,956,032 )     (20,369,092 )     (2,503,968 )     (26,349,593 )
Net change
    194,366       2,336,210       (373,089 )     (3,748,183 )
Class C Shares:
                               
Proceeds from shares sold
    236,851       2,512,229       525,293       5,584,681  
Reinvested distributions
    16,791       176,711       12,084       127,918  
Cost of shares redeemed
    (225,140 )     (2,376,054 )     ( 93,357 )     (983,541 )
Net change
    28,502       312,886       444,020       4,729,058  
Class I Shares:
                               
Proceeds from shares sold .
                10,426       112,001  
Reinvested distributions
    25,000       262,539       26,665       282,514  
Cost of shares redeemed
    (100,439 )     (1,069,349 )     (106,910 )     (1,137,940 )
Net change
    (75,439 )     (806,810 )     ( 69,819 )     (743,425 )
Class Y Shares:
                               
Proceeds from shares sold .
    319,880       3,377,570       459,533       4,877,881  
Reinvested distributions
    7,140       75,083       7,017       74,399  
Cost of shares redeemed
    (1,204,352 )     (12,511,903 )     (916,419 )     (9,725,696 )
Net change
    (877,332 )     (9,059,250 )     (449,869 )     (4,773,416 )
Total transactions in Fund
                               
shares
    (729,903 )   $ (7,216,964 )     (448,757 )   $ (4,535,966 )
 
8. Trustees’ Fees and Expenses
 
     At December 31, 2011 there were 8 Trustees, one of whom is affiliated with the Manager and is not paid any fees. The total amount of Trustees’ service fees (for carrying out their responsibilities) and attendance fees paid during the year ended December 31, 2011 was $99,680. Attendance fees are paid to those in attendance at regularly scheduled quarterly Board Meetings and meetings of the independent Trustees held prior to each quarterly Board Meeting, as well as additional meetings (such as Audit, Nominating, Shareholder and special meetings). Trustees are reimbursed for their expenses such as travel, accommodations and meals incurred in connection with attendance at Board Meetings and at the Annual Meeting of Shareholders. For the year ended December 31, 2011, such meeting-related expenses amounted to $26,937.
 
 
23

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
 
9. Securities Traded on a When-Issued Basis
 
     The Fund may purchase or sell securities on a when-issued basis. When-issued transactions arise when securities are purchased or sold by the Fund with payment and delivery taking place in the future in order to secure what is considered to be an advantageous price and yield to the Fund at the time of entering into the transaction. Beginning on the date the Fund enters into a when-issued transaction, cash or other liquid securities are segregated in an amount equal to or greater than the value of the when-issued transaction. These transactions are subject to market fluctuations and their current value is determined in the same manner as for other securities.
 
10. Income Tax Information and Distributions
 
     The Fund declares dividends daily from net investment income and makes payments monthly. Net realized capital gains, if any, are distributed annually and are taxable. Dividends and capital gains distributions are paid in additional shares at the net asset value per share, in cash, or in a combination of both, at the shareholder’s option.
 
     The Fund intends to maintain, to the maximum extent possible, the tax-exempt status of interest payments received from portfolio municipal securities in order to allow dividends paid to shareholders from net investment income to be exempt from regular Federal and Commonwealth of Kentucky income taxes. Due to differences between financial statement reporting and Federal income tax reporting requirements, distributions made by the Fund may not be the same as the Fund’s net investment income, and/or net realized securities gains. Further, a small portion of the dividends may, under some circumstances, be subject to taxes at ordinary income and/or capital gain rates. For certain shareholders, some dividend income may, under some circumstances, be subject to the alternative minimum tax. As a result of the passage of the Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (“the Act”), losses incurred in this fiscal year and beyond retain their character as short-term or long-term, have no expiration date and are utilized before capital losses incurred prior to the enactment of the Act. At December 31, 2011, the Fund had capital loss carryforwards of $1,387,399 of which $112,779 expires in 2016, $175,082 expires in 2017 and $99,959 and $999,579 have no expiration and retain their character of short-term and long-term, respectively.
 
The tax character of distributions:
 
   
Year Ended December 31,
 
   
2011
   
2010
 
Net tax-exempt income
  $ 8,790,165     $ 9,673,479  
Taxable income
           
Net realized gain on investments
           
    $ 8,790,165     $ 9,673,479  
 
 
24

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
NOTES TO FINANCIAL STATEMENTS (continued)
DECEMBER 31, 2011
As of December 31, 2011, the components of distributable earnings on a tax basis were as follows:
 
Capital loss carry forward
  $ (1,387,399 )
Unrealized appreciation
    13,122,753  
Undistributed tax-exempt income
    411,685  
Other temporary differences
    (411,685 )
    $ 11,735,354  
 
The difference between book basis and tax basis undistributed income is due to the timing difference in recognizing dividends paid.
 
11. Ongoing Development
 
Since December 2007 the three major credit rating agencies (Standard & Poor’s, Moody’s and Fitch) downgraded or eliminated ratings of the majority of the municipal bond insurance companies due to loss of capital from investments in subprime mortgages. Only a few insurers are now deemed to be investment grade. Thus, while certain bonds have insurance, some are no longer rated based upon the ratings of their insurers. Furthermore, because the ability of many of the Fund’s insurers to pay claims has been downgraded, the protection of such insurance has been diminished, and there is no assurance that some of them may be relied upon for payment.
 
 
25

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS
 
For a share outstanding throughout each period
 
     Class A     Class C  
    Year Ended December 31,     Year Ended December 31,  
   
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
2008
 
2007
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
2008
 
2007
   
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.26     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38     $ 10.59     $ 10.25     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38     $ 10.58  
Income (loss) from investment operations:
                                                                               
Net investment income(1)
    0.39       0.40       0.41       0.40       0.39       0.30       0.31       0.32       0.31       0.31  
Net gain (loss) on securities (both realized and unrealized)
    0.58       (0.25 )     1.09       (0.92 )     (0.15 )     0.58       (0.26 )     1.09       (0.91 )     (0.15 )
Total from investment operations
    0.97       0.15       1.50       (0.52 )     0.24       0.88       0.05       1.41       (0.60 )     0.16  
Less distributions (note 10):
                                                                               
Dividends from net investment income
    (0.39 )     (0.40 )     (0.41 )     (0.39 )     (0.39 )     (0.30 )     (0.31 )     (0.32 )     (0.31 )     (0.30 )
Distributions from capital gains
                      (0.05 )     (0.06 )                       (0.05 )     (0.06 )
Total distributions
    (0.39 )     (0.40 )     (0.41 )     (0.44 )     (0.45 )     (0.30 )     (0.31 )     (0.32 )     (0.36 )     (0.36 )
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.84     $ 10.26     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38     $ 10.83     $ 10.25     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38  
Total return
    9.64 %(2)     1.38 %(2)     16.05 %(2)     (5.05 )%(2)     2.38 %(2)     8.72 %(3)     0.42 %(3)     15.06 %(3)     (5.85 )%(3)     1.61 %(3)
Ratios/supplemental data
                                                                               
Net assets, end of period (in millions)
  $ 199     $ 186     $ 195     $ 170     $ 194     $ 9     $ 9     $ 4     $ 3     $ 4  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
    0.77 %     0.75 %     0.76 %     0.79 %     0.75 %     1.62 %     1.59 %     1.60 %     1.64 %     1.60 %
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets
    3.73 %     3.80 %     3.96 %     3.97 %     3.77 %     2.87 %     2.90 %     3.06 %     3.10 %     2.92 %
Portfolio turnover rate
    12 %     8 %     8 %     14 %     19 %     12 %     8 %     8 %     14 %     19 %
                                                           
The expense ratios after giving effect to the expense offset for uninvested cash balances were:
 
                                                           
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
    0.77 %     0.75 %     0.76 %     0.78 %     0.74 %     1.62 %     1.59 %     1.60 %     1.63 %     1.59 %
_______________________
(1) Per share amounts have been calculated using the daily average shares method.
(2) Not reflecting sales charges.
(3) Not reflecting CDSC.
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
26

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE FUND OF KENTUCKY
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS (continued)
 
For a share outstanding throughout each period
 
     Class I     Class Y  
    Year Ended December 31,     Year Ended December 31,  
   
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
2008
 
2007
 
2011
 
2010
 
2009
 
2008
 
2007
Net asset value, beginning of period
  $ 10.25     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38     $ 10.58     $ 10.26     $ 10.52     $ 9.43     $ 10.39     $ 10.59  
Income (loss) from investment operations:
                                                                               
Net investment income(1)
    0.37       0.39       0.39       0.38       0.38       0.41       0.42       0.42       0.41       0.41  
Net gain (loss) on securities (both realized and unrealized)
    0.58       (0.27 )     1.09       (0.91 )     (0.14 )     0.58       (0.26 )     1.09       (0.91 )     (0.14 )
Total from investment operations
    0.95       0.12       1.48       (0.53 )     0.24       0.99       0.16       1.51       (0.50 )     0.27  
Less distributions (note 10):
                                                                               
Dividends from net investment income
    (0.37 )     (0.38 )     (0.39 )     (0.38 )     (0.38 )     (0.41 )     (0.42 )     (0.42 )     (0.41 )     (0.41 )
Distributions from capital gains
                      (0.05 )     (0.06 )                       (0.05 )     (0.06 )
Total distributions
    (0.37 )     (0.38 )     (0.39 )     (0.43 )     (0.44 )     (0.41 )     (0.42 )     (0.42 )     (0.46 )     (0.47 )
Net asset value, end of period
  $ 10.83     $ 10.25     $ 10.51     $ 9.42     $ 10.38     $ 10.84     $ 10.26     $ 10.52     $ 9.43     $ 10.39  
Total return
    9.48 %     1.13 %     15.89 %     (5.16 )%     2.33 %     9.81 %     1.44 %     16.21 %     (4.88 )%     2.63 %
Ratios/supplemental data
                                                                               
Net assets, end of period (in millions)
  $ 7     $ 7     $ 8     $ 8     $ 8     $ 33     $ 40     $ 46     $ 37     $ 42  
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
    0.92 %     0.90 %     0.90 %     0.93 %     0.89 %     0.62 %     0.60 %     0.61 %     0.64 %     0.60 %
Ratio of net investment income to average net assets
    3.58 %     3.64 %     3.82 %     3.83 %     3.62 %     3.89 %     3.95 %     4.10 %     4.12 %     3.92 %
Portfolio turnover rate
    12 %     8 %     8 %     14 %     19 %     12 %     8 %     8 %     14 %     19 %
                                                           
The expense ratios after giving effect to the expense offset for uninvested cash balances were:
 
                                                           
Ratio of expenses to average net assets
    0.92 %     0.90 %     0.90 %     0.92 %     0.88 %     0.62 %     0.60 %     0.61 %     0.63 %     0.59 %
_______________________
(1) Per share amounts have been calculated using the daily average shares method.
 
See accompanying notes to financial statements.
 
 
27

 
 
Additional Information (unaudited)
           
                 
Trustees(1)
               
and Officers
               
           
Number of
   
   
Positions
     
Portfolios
   
   
Held with
     
in Fund
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
Principal
 
Complex(4)
 
Other Directorships
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
Occupation(s)
 
Overseen
 
Held by Trustee
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
During Past 5 Years
 
by Trustee
 
During Past 5 Years
 
Interested Trustee(5)
                 
Diana P. Herrmann
New York, NY
(02/25/58)
 
Trustee since 1995 and President since 1999
 
Vice Chair and Chief Executive Officer of Aquila Management Corporation, Founder of the Aquila Group of Funds(6) and parent of Aquila Investment Management LLC, Manager, since 2004, President since 1997, Chief Operating Officer, 1997-2008, a Director since 1984, Secretary since 1986 and previously its Executive Vice President, Senior Vice President or Vice President, 1986-1997; Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chair since 2004, President and Manager since 2003, and Chief Operating Officer (2003-2008), of the Manager; Chair, Vice Chair, President, Executive Vice President and/or Senior Vice President of funds in the Aquila Group of Funds since 1986; Director of the Distributor since 1997; Governor, Investment Company Institute (the trade organization for the U.S. mutual fund industry dedicated to protecting shareholder interests and educating the public about investing) for various periods since 2004, and head of its Small Funds Committee, 2004-2009; active in charitable and volunteer organizations.
 
12
 
ICI Mutual Insurance Company, a Risk Retention Group (2006-2009 and since 2010)
                 
Non-interested Trustees
                 
Thomas A. Christopher
Danville, KY
(12/19/47)
 
Chair of the Board of Trustees since 2005 and Trustee since 1992
 
Senior partner of Robinson, Hughes & Christopher, C.P.A.s, P.S.C., since 1977; President, A Good Place for Fun, Inc., a sports facility, since 1987; Director, Sunrise Children’s Services Inc. (2010); currently or formerly active with various professional and community organizations.
 
5
 
None
 
 
28

 
 
           
Number of
   
   
Positions
     
Portfolios
   
   
Held with
     
in Fund
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
Principal
 
Complex(4)
 
Other Directorships
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
Occupation(s)
 
Overseen
 
Held by Trustee
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
During Past 5 Years
 
by Trustee
 
During Past 5 Years
                 
David A. Duffy
North Kingstown, RI
(08/07/39)
 
Trustee since 2009
 
Retired Founder and Chairman of Duffy & Shanley, Inc., a marketing communications firm, 1973-2003; past Chairman of the Rhode Island Convention Center Authority, 2003-2011; Director (advisory board) of Citizens Bank of Rhode Island, since 1999; past National Chairman, National Conference for Community & Justice (NCCJ); past Vice Chair, Providence College Board of Trustees; officer or director of numerous civic and non-profit organizations.
 
2
 
Delta Dental of Rhode Island
                 
Anne J. Mills
Scottsdale, AZ
(12/23/38)
 
Trustee since 1987
 
President, Loring Consulting Company since 2001; Vice President for Business Management and CFO, Ottawa University, 1992-2001, 2006-2009; IBM Corporation, 1965-1991; currently active with various charitable, educational and religious organizations.
 
5
 
None
                 
John J. Partridge
Providence, RI
(05/05/40)
 
Trustee since 2009
 
Founding Partner, Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP, a law firm, Providence, Rhode Island, since 1988, Senior Counsel, since January 1, 2007; Assistant Secretary –Advisor to the Board, Narragansett Insured Tax-Free Income Fund, 2005-2008, Trustee 2002-2005; director or trustee of various educational, civic and charitable organizations, including Ocean State Charities Trust, Memorial Hospital of Rhode Island, and The Pawtucket Foundation.
  5  
None
 
 
 
29

 
 
 
           
Number of
   
   
Positions
     
Portfolios
   
   
Held with
     
in Fund
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
Principal
 
Complex(4)
 
Other Directorships
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
Occupation(s)
 
Overseen
 
Held by Trustee
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
During Past 5 Years
 
by Trustee
 
During Past 5 Years
                 
James R. Ramsey
Louisville, KY
(11/14/48)
 
Trustee since 1987
 
President, University of Louisville since November 2002; Professor of Economics, University of Louisville, 1999-present; Kentucky Governor’s Senior Policy Advisor and State Budget Director, 1999-2002; Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 1998 to 1999; previously Vice President for Finance and Administration at Western Kentucky University, State Budget Director for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Chief State Economist and Executive Director for the Office of Financial Management and Economic Analysis for the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Adjunct Professor at the University of Kentucky, Associate Professor at Loyola University-New Orleans and Assistant Professor at Middle Tennessee State University.
 
2
 
Community Bank and Trust, Pikeville, KY and Texas Roadhouse Inc.
                 
Laureen L. White
North Kingstown, RI
(11/18/59)
 
Trustee since 2009
 
President, Greater Providence Chamber of Commerce, since 2005, Executive Vice President 2004-2005 and Senior Vice President, 1989-2002; Executive Counselor to the Governor of Rhode Island for Policy and Communications, 2003-2004.
 
2
 
None
 
The specific experience, qualifications, attributes or skills that led to the conclusion that these persons should serve as Trustees of the Fund at this time in light of the Fund’s business and structure, in addition to those listed above, were as follows. .
 
Diana P. Herrmann:
Over 25 years of experience in mutual fund management.
   
Thomas A. Christopher:
Experienced trustee of mutual funds, knowledgeable about financial and local matters.
   
David A. Duffy:
Experienced mutual fund trustee, knowledgeable about local government affairs.
   
Anne J. Mills:
Extensive financial and management experience; knowledgeable about operation and governance of mutual funds.
   
John J. Partridge:
Lawyer, knowledgeable about finance and corporate governance.
   
James R. Ramsey:
Experienced educator and knowledgeable about local economy and governmental affairs.
   
Laureen L. White
Knowledgeable about local government affairs.
 
References to the qualifications, attributes and skills of Trustees are pursuant to requirements of the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC), do not constitute holding out of the Board or any Trustee as having any special expertise or experience, and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.
    
 
 
30

 
 
 
   
Positions
   
   
Held with
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
 
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
 
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
 
Trustees Emeritus(7)
         
Lacy B. Herrmann
New York, NY
(05/12/29)
 
Founder and Chairman Emeritus since 2005, Chairman of the Board of Trustees, 1987-2005
 
Founder and Chairman of the Board, Aquila Management Corporation, the sponsoring organization and parent of the Manager or Administrator and/or Adviser to each fund of the Aquila Group of Funds; Chairman of the Manager or Administrator and/or Adviser to each since 2004; Founder and Chairman Emeritus of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds; previously Chairman and a Trustee of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds since its establishment until 2004 or 2005; Director of the Distributor since 1981 and formerly Vice President or Secretary, 1981-1998; Director or trustee, Premier VIT, 1994-2009; Director or trustee of Oppenheimer Quest Value Funds Group, Oppenheimer Small Cap Value Fund, Oppenheimer Midcap Fund, 1987-2009, and Oppenheimer Rochester Group of Funds, 1995-2009; Trustee Emeritus, Brown University and the Hopkins School; active in university, school and charitable organizations.
         
Theodore T. Mason
Hastings-on-Hudson, NY
(11/24/35)
 
Trustee Emeritus since 2011; Trustee 1987-2011
 
Executive Director, East Wind Power Partners LTD since 1994 and Louisiana Power Partners, 1999-2003; Assistant Treasurer, Fort Schuyler Maritime Alumni Association, Inc., successor to Alumni Association of SUNY Maritime College, since 2010 (Treasurer, 2004-2009, President, 2002-2003, First Vice President, 2000-2001, Second Vice President, 1998-2000) and director of the same organization since 1997; Director, STCM Management Company, Inc., 1973-2004; twice national officer of Association of the United States Navy (formerly Naval Reserve Association), Commanding Officer of four naval reserve units and Captain, USNR (Ret); director, The Navy League of the United States New York Council since 2002; trustee, The Maritime Industry Museum at Fort Schuyler, 2000-2004; and Fort Schuyler Maritime Foundation, Inc., successor to the Maritime College at Fort Schuyler Foundation, Inc., since 2000.
         
Officers
         
Charles E. Childs, III
New York, NY
(04/01/57)
 
Executive Vice President since 2003 and Secretary since 2011
 
Executive Vice President of all funds in the Aquila Group of Funds and the Manager and the Manager’s parent since 2003; Chief Operating Officer of the Manager and the Manager’s parent since 2008; Secretary of all funds in the Aquila Group of Funds since 2011; formerly Senior Vice President, corporate development, Vice President, Assistant Vice President and Associate of the Manager’s parent since 1987; Senior Vice President, Vice President or Assistant Vice President of the Aquila money-market Funds, 1988-2003.
 
 
31

 
 
   
Positions
   
   
Held with
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
 
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
 
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
 
Marie E. Aro
Denver, CO
(02/10/55)
 
Senior Vice President since 2010
 
Co-President of the Distributor since 2010, Vice President, 1993-1997; Senior Vice President, Aquila Three Peaks Opportunity Growth Fund since 2004; Senior Vice President, Tax-Free Trust of Arizona since 2010 and Vice President, 2004-2010; Senior Vice President, Aquila Three Peaks High Income Fund since 2006; Senior Vice President, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, Hawaiian Tax-Free Trust, Narragansett Insured Tax-Free Income Fund, Tax-Free Fund For Utah, Tax-Free Fund of Colorado and Tax-Free Trust of Oregon since 2010; Vice President, INVESCO Funds Group, 1998-2003.
         
Paul G. O’Brien
Charlotte, NC
(11/28/59)
 
Senior Vice President since 2010
 
Co-President, Aquila Distributors, Inc. since 2010, Managing Director, 2009-2010; Senior Vice President of Aquila Three Peaks High Income Fund, Aquila Three Peaks Opportunity Growth Fund, and each of the Aquila Municipal Bond Funds since 2010; held various positions to Senior Vice President and Chief Administrative Officer of Evergreen Investments Services, Inc., 1997-2008; Mergers and Acquisitions Coordinator for Wachovia Corporation, 1994-1997.
         
Todd W. Curtis
Phoenix, AZ
(06/08/49)
 
Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager since 2004
 
Senior Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Tax-Free Trust of Arizona, since August 2004; Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, since 2009, backup portfolio manager, 2004-2009; Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager, Tax-Free Fund For Utah, since 2009; Vice President and Portfolio Manager, Banc One Investment Advisors, Inc. and its predecessors, 1981-2004.
         
Royden P. Durham
Louisville, KY
(4/6/51)
 
Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager since 2011
 
Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, since 2011; President, advEnergy solutions LLC, 2007-2011; Vice President and Trust Advisor, JP Morgan Chase, 2005-2006; Vice President and Trust Officer, Regions Morgan Keegan Trust, 2003-2005; Vice President Fixed Income and Equity Portfolios, The Sachs Company / Louisville Trust Company, 1986-2003.
         
Jason T. McGrew
Elizabethtown, KY
(08/14/71)
 
Vice President since 2001
 
Vice President, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky since 2001, Assistant Vice President, 2000-2001; Vice President, Aquila Three Peaks Opportunity Growth Fund since 2006; Investment Broker with Raymond James Financial Services 1999-2000 and with J.C. Bradford and Company 1997-1999; Associate Broker at Prudential Securities 1996-1997.
         
James T. Thompson
Bountiful, Utah
(03/17/55)
 
Assistant Vice President since 2009
 
Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager, Tax-Free Fund For Utah, since 2009; Assistant Vice President and Backup Portfolio Manager, Tax-Free Trust of Arizona and Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, since 2009; Senior Vice President, First Security Bank/Wells Fargo Brokerage Services LLC, Salt Lake City, UT, 1991-2009.
 
 
32

 
 
 
   
Positions
   
   
Held with
   
Name,
 
Fund and
 
 
Address(2)
 
Length of
 
 
and Date of Birth
 
Service(3)
 
Principal Occupation(s) During Past 5 Years
 
Robert S. Driessen
New York, NY
(10/12/47)
 
Chief Compliance Officer since 2009
 
Chief Compliance Officer of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds, the Manager and the Distributor since 2009; Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Curian Capital, LLC, 2004-2008; Vice President, Chief Compliance Officer, Phoenix Investment Partners, Ltd., 1999-2004; Vice President, Risk Liaison, Corporate Compliance, Bank of America, 1996-1999; Vice President, Securities Compliance, Prudential Insurance Company of America, 1993-1996; various positions to Branch Chief, U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, 1972-1993.
         
Joseph P. DiMaggio
New York, NY
(11/06/56)
 
Chief Financial Officer since 2003 and Treasurer since 2000
 
Chief Financial Officer of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds since 2003 and Treasurer since 2000.
         
Yolonda S. Reynolds
New York, NY
(04/23/60)
 
Assistant Treasurer since 2010
 
Assistant Treasurer of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds since 2010; Director of Fund Accounting for the Aquila Group of Funds since 2007; Investment Accountant, TIAA-CREF, 2007; Senior Fund Accountant, JP Morgan Chase, 2003-2006.
         
Lori A. Vindigni
New York, NY
(11/02/66)
 
Assistant Treasurer since 2000
 
Assistant Treasurer of each fund in the Aquila Group of Funds since 2000; Assistant Vice President of the Manager or its predecessor and current parent since 1998; Fund Accountant for the Aquila Group of Funds, 1995-1998.
_____________________
(1) The Fund’s Statement of Additional Information includes additional information about the Trustees and is available, without charge, upon request by calling 800-437-1020 (toll-free) or by visiting www.aquilafunds.com or the EDGAR Database at the SEC’s internet site at www.sec.gov.
 
(2) The mailing address of each Trustee and officer is c/o Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, 380 Madison Avenue, Suite 2300, New York, NY 10017.
 
(3) Each Trustee holds office until the next annual meeting of shareholders or until his or her successor is elected and qualifies. The term of office of each officer is one year.
 
(4) Includes certain Aquila-sponsored funds that are dormant and have no public shareholders.
 
(5) Ms. Herrmann is an interested person of the Fund as an officer of the Fund, as a director, officer and shareholder of the Manager’s corporate parent, as an officer and Manager of the Manager, and as a shareholder and director of the Distributor. Ms. Herrmann is the daughter of Lacy B. Herrmann, the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Fund.
 
(6) The “Aquila Group of Funds” includes: Tax-Free Trust of Arizona, Tax-Free Fund of Colorado, Hawaiian Tax-Free Trust, Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, Tax-Free Trust of Oregon, Narragansett Insured Tax-Free Income Fund (Rhode Island) and Tax-Free Fund For Utah, each of which is a tax-free municipal bond fund and are called the “Aquila Municipal Bond Funds”; Aquila Three Peaks Opportunity Growth Fund, which is an equity fund; and Aquila Three Peaks High Income Fund, which is a high-income corporate bond fund.
 
(7) A Trustee Emeritus may attend Board meetings but has no voting power.
 
 
33

 
 
Analysis of Expenses (unaudited)
 
     As a shareholder of the Fund, you may incur two types of costs: (1) transaction costs, including front-end sales charges with respect to Class A shares or contingent deferred sales charges (“CDSC”) with respect to Class C shares; and (2) ongoing costs, including management fees; distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees; and other Fund expenses. The table below is intended to help you understand your ongoing costs (in dollars) of investing in the Fund and to compare these costs with the ongoing costs of investing in other mutual funds.
 
     The table below is based on an investment of $1,000 invested on July 1, 2011 and held for the six months ended December 31, 2011.
 
Actual Expenses
 
     This table provides information about actual account values and actual expenses. You may use the information provided in this table, together with the amount you invested, to estimate the expenses that you paid over the period. To estimate the expenses you paid on your account, divide your ending account value by $1,000 (for example, an $8,600 ending account value divided by $1,000 = 8.6), then multiply the result by the number under the heading entitled “Expenses Paid During the Period”.
 
Six months ended December 31, 2011
 
 
Actual
     
 
Total Return
Beginning
Ending
Expenses
 
Without
Account
Account
Paid During
 
Sales Charges(1)
Value
Value
the Period(2)
Class A
5.52%
$1,000.00
$1,055.20
$3.99
Class C
5.07%
$1,000.00
$1,050.70
$8.37
Class I
5.44%
$1,000.00
$1,054.40
$4.82
Class Y
5.60%
$1,000.00
$1,056.00
$3.21
 
(1)
Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, at net asset value and does not reflect the deduction of the applicable sales charges with respect to Class A shares or the applicable contingent deferred sales charges (“CDSC”) with respect to Class C shares. Total return is not annualized, as it may not be representative of the total return for the year.
 
(2)
Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio of 0.77%, 1.62%, 0.93% and 0.62% for the Fund’s Class A, C, I and Y shares, respectively, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).
 
 
34

 
 
Analysis of Expenses (unaudited) (continued)
 
Hypothetical Example for Comparison Purposes
 
     The table below provides information about hypothetical account values and hypothetical expenses based on the actual expense ratio and an assumed rate of return of 5.00% per year before expenses, which is not the Fund’s actual return. The hypothetical account values and expenses may not be used to estimate the actual ending account balance or expenses you paid for the period. You may use the information provided in this table to compare the ongoing costs of investing in the Fund and other mutual funds. To do so, compare this 5.00% hypothetical example relating to the Fund with the 5.00% hypothetical examples that appear in the shareholder reports of other mutual funds.
 
     Please note that the expenses shown in the table below are meant to highlight your ongoing costs only and do not reflect any transactional costs with respect to Class A shares. The example does not reflect the deduction of contingent deferred sales charges (“CDSC”) with respect to Class C shares. Therefore, the table is useful in comparing ongoing costs only, and will not help you determine the relative total costs of owning different mutual funds. In addition, if these transaction costs were included, your costs would have been higher.
 
Six months ended December 31, 2011
 
 
Hypothetical
     
 
Annualized
Beginning
Ending
Expenses
 
Total
Account
Account
Paid During
 
Return
Value
Value
the Period(1)
Class A
5.00%
$1,000.00
$1,021.32
$3.92
Class C
5.00%
$1,000.00
$1,017.04
$8.24
Class I
5.00%
$1,000.00
$1,020.52
$4.74
Class Y
5.00%
$1,000.00
$1,022.08
$3.16
 
(1)
Expenses are equal to the annualized expense ratio of 0.77%, 1.62%, 0.93% and 0.62% for the Fund’s Class A, C, I and Y shares, respectively, multiplied by the average account value over the period, multiplied by 184/365 (to reflect the one-half year period).
 
 
35

 
 
Information Available (unaudited)
 
     Much of the information that the funds in the Aquila Group of Funds produce is automatically sent to you and all other shareholders. Specifically, you are routinely sent your Fund’s entire list of portfolio securities twice a year in the semi-annual and annual reports you receive. Additionally, under Fund policies, the Manager publicly discloses the complete schedule of the Fund’s portfolio holdings, as of each calendar quarter, generally by the 15th day after the end of each calendar quarter. Such information remains accessible until the next schedule is made publicly available. You may obtain a copy of the Fund’s portfolio holdings schedule for the most recently completed period by visiting the Fund’s website at www.aquilafunds.com. The Fund may also disclose other portfolio holdings as of a specified date (currently the Fund discloses its five largest holdings by value as of the close of the last business day of each calendar month in a posting to its website on approximately the 5th business day following the month end). This information remains on the website until the next such posting. Whenever you wish to see a listing of your Fund’s portfolio other than in your shareholder reports, please check our website at www.aquilafunds.com or call us at 1-800-437-1020.
 
     The Fund additionally files a complete list of its portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third quarters of each fiscal year on Form N-Q. Forms N-Q are available free of charge on the SEC website at www.sec.gov. You may also review or, for a fee, copy the forms at the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. or by calling 1-800-SEC-0330.
 

 
Proxy Voting Record (unaudited)
 
     The Fund does not invest in equity securities. Accordingly, there were no matters relating to a portfolio security considered at any shareholder meeting held during the 12 months ended June 30, 2011 with respect to which the Fund was entitled to vote. Applicable regulations require us to inform you that the foregoing proxy voting information is available on the SEC website at www.sec.gov.
 

 
Federal Tax Status of Distributions (unaudited)
 
     This information is presented in order to comply with a requirement of the Internal Revenue Code and no action on the part of shareholders is required.
 
     For the calendar year ended December 31, 2011, $8,790,165 of dividends paid by Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky, constituting 100% of total dividends paid during calendar year 2011, were exempt-interest dividends.
 
     Prior to February 15, 2012, shareholders will be mailed the appropriate tax form(s) which will contain information on the status of distributions paid for the 2011 calendar year.
 
 
36

 
 
PRIVACY NOTICE (unaudited)
 
Churchill Tax-Free Fund of Kentucky
 
Our Privacy Policy. In providing services to you as an individual who owns or is considering investing in shares of the Fund, we collect certain non-public personal information about you. Our policy is to keep this information strictly safeguarded and confidential, and to use or disclose it only as necessary to provide services to you or as otherwise permitted by law. Our privacy policy applies equally to former shareholders and persons who inquire about the Fund.
 
Information We Collect. ”Non-public personal information” is personally identifiable financial information about you as an individual or your family. The kinds of non-public personal information we have about you may include the information you provide us on your share purchase application or in telephone calls or correspondence with us, and information about your fund transactions and holdings, how you voted your shares and the account where your shares are held.
 
Information We Disclose. We disclose non-public personal information about you to companies that provide necessary services to us, such as the Fund’s transfer agent, distributor, investment adviser or sub-adviser, if any, as permitted or required by law, or as authorized by you. Any other use is strictly prohibited. We do not sell information about you or any of our fund shareholders to anyone.
 
Non-California Residents: We also may disclose some of this information to another fund in the Aquila Group of Funds (or its service providers) under joint marketing agreements that permit the funds to use the information only to provide you with information about other funds in the Aquila Group of Funds or new services we are offering that may be of interest to you.
 
California Residents Only: In addition, unless you “opt-out” of the following disclosures using the form that was mailed to you under separate cover, we may disclose some of this information to another fund in the Aquila Group of Funds (or its sevice providers) under joint marketing agreements that permit the funds to use the information only to provide you with information about other funds in the Aquila Group of Funds or new services we are offering that may be of interest to you.
 
How We Safeguard Your Information. We restrict access to non-public personal information about you to only those persons who need it to provide services to you or who are permitted by law to receive it. We maintain physical, electronic and procedural safeguards to protect the confidentiality of all non-public personal information we have about you.
 
If you have any questions regarding our Privacy Policy, please contact us at 1-800-437-1020.
 
Aquila Distributors, Inc.
Aquila Investment Management LLC
 
This Privacy Policy also has been adopted by Aquila Distributors, Inc. and Aquila Investment Management LLC and applies to all non-public information about you that each of these companies may obtain in connection with services provided to the Fund or to you as a shareholder of the Fund.
 
 
37

 
 
Founders
Lacy B. Herrmann, Chairman Emeritus
Aquila Management Corporation
 
Manager
AQUILA INVESTMENT MANAGEMENT LLC
380 Madison Avenue, Suite 2300
New York, New York 10017
 
Board of Trustees
Thomas A. Christopher, Chair
David A. Duffy
Diana P. Herrmann
Anne J. Mills
John J. Partridge
James R. Ramsey
Laureen L. White
 
Officers
Diana P. Herrmann, President
Charles E. Childs, III, Executive Vice President and Secretary
Marie E. Aro, Senior Vice President
Paul G. O’Brien, Senior Vice President
Todd W. Curtis, Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manager
Royden P. Durham, Vice President and Co-Portfolio Manaager
Jason T. McGrew, Vice President
Robert S. Driessen, Chief Compliance Officer
Joseph P. DiMaggio, Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
 
Distributor
AQUILA DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
380 Madison Avenue, Suite 2300
New York, New York 10017
 
Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agent
BNY MELLON
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01581
 
Custodian
JPMORGAN CHASE BANK, N.A.
1111 Polaris Parkway
Columbus, Ohio 43240
 
Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm
TAIT, WELLER & BAKER LLP
1818 Market Street, Suite 2400
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103
 
Further information is contained in the Prospectus,
which must precede or accompany this report.
 
 
 

 
 
ITEM 2. 
CODE OF ETHICS.

(a) As of December 31, 2011 (the end of the reporting period) the Registrant has adopted a code of ethics that applies to the Registrant's principal executive officer(s)and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions ("Covered Officers") as defined in the Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002;

(f)(1) Pursuant to Item 10(a)(1), a copy of the Registrant's Code of Ethics that applies to the Registrant's principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions is included as an exhibit to its annual report on this Form N-CSR;

(f)(2)  The text of the Registrant's Code of Ethics that applies to the Registrant's principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s) and persons performing similar functions has been posted on its Internet website which can be found at the Registrant's Internet address at www.aquilafunds.com.
 
ITEM 3. 
AUDIT COMMITTEE FINANCIAL EXPERT.

(a)(1)(ii) The Board of Trustees of the Registrant has determined that it does not have at least one audit committee financial expert serving on its audit committee.  The Registrant does not have such a person serving on the audit committee because none of the persons currently serving as Trustees happens to have the technical accounting and auditing expertise included in the definition of "audit committee financial expert" recently adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission in connection with this Form N-CSR, and the Board has not heretofore deemed it necessary to seek such a person for election to the Board.

The primary mission of the Board, which is that of oversight over the operations and affairs of the Registrant, confronts the Trustees with a wide and expanding range of issues and responsibilities. The Trustees believe that, accordingly, it is essential that the Board's membership consist of persons with as extensive experience as possible in fulfilling the duties and responsibilities of mutual fund directors and audit committee members and, ideally, with extensive experience and background relating to the economic and financial sectors and securities in which the Registrant invests, including exposure to the financial and accounting matters commonly encountered with respect to those sectors and securities.  The Board believes that its current membership satisfies those criteria.  It recognizes that it would also be helpful to have a member with the relatively focused accounting and auditing expertise reflected in the applicable definition of "audit committee financial expert," just as additional members with similarly focused technical expertise in other areas relevant to the Registrant's operations and affairs would also contribute added value. However, the Board believes that the Registrant is better served, and its assets better employed, by a policy of hiring experts in various the specialized area of technical accounting and auditing matters, if and as the Board identifies the need, rather than by seeking to expand its numbers by adding technical experts in the areas constituting its domain of responsibility.  The Registrant's Audit Committee Charter explicitly authorizes the Committee to retain such experts as it deems necessary in fulfilling its duties.

ITEM 4. 
PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTANT FEES AND SERVICES.

a) Audit Fees - The aggregate fees billed for professional services rendered by the principal accountant for the audit of the Registrant's annual financial statements were $18,500 in 2010 and $18,100 in 2011.

b) Audit Related Fees - There were no amounts billed for audit-related fees over the past two years.

c)  Tax Fees - The Registrant was billed by the principal accountant $3,300 and $3,400 in 2010 and 2011, respectively, for return preparation and tax compliance.

d)  All Other Fees - There were no additional fees paid for audit and non-audit services other than those disclosed in a) thorough c) above.

e)(1)  Currently, the audit committee of the Registrant pre-approves audit services and fees on an engagement-by-engagement basis

e)(2)  None of the services described in b) through d) above were approved by the audit committee pursuant to paragraph (c)(7)(i)(C) of Rule 2-01 of Regulation S-X, all were pre-approved on an engagement-by-engagement basis.

f)  No applicable.

g) There were no non-audit services fees billed by the Registrant's accountant to the Registrant's investment adviser or distributor over the past two years

h)  Not applicable.
 
 
 

 
 
ITEM 5. 
AUDIT COMMITTEE OF LISTED REGISTRANTS.

Not applicable

ITEM 6. 
SCHEDULE OF INVESTMENTS.

Included in Item 1 above

ITEM 7. 
DISCLOSURE OF PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FORCLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

ITEM 8.
PORTFOLIO MANAGERS OF CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENT COMPANIES.

Not applicable.

ITEM 9.
PURCHASES OF EQUITY SECURITIES BY CLOSED-END MANAGEMENT INVESTMENTCOMPANY AND AFFILIATED PURCHASERS.

Not applicable.

ITEM 10. 
SUBMISSION OF MATTERS TO A VOTE OF SECURITY HOLDERS.

The Board of Directors of the Registrant has adopted a Nominating Committee Charter which provides that the Nominating Committee (the 'Committee') may consider and evaluate nominee candidates properly submitted by shareholders if a vacancy among the Independent Trustees of the Registrant occurs and if, based on the Board's then current size, composition and structure, the Committee determines that the vacancy should be filled.  The Committee will consider candidates submitted by shareholders on the same basis as it considers and evaluates candidates recommended by other sources.  A copy of the qualifications and procedures that must be met or followed by shareholders to properly submit a nominee candidate to the Committee may be obtained by submitting a request in writing to the Secretary of the Registrant.
 
ITEM 11. 
CONTROLS AND PROCEDURES.

(a)  Based on their evaluation of the registrant's disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in Rule 30a-2(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) as of a date within 90 days of the filing of this report, the registrant's chief financial and executive officers have concluded that the disclosure controls and procedures of the registrant are appropriately designed to ensure that information required to be disclosed in the registrant's reports that are filed under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 are accumulated and communicated to registrant's management, including its principal executive officer(s) and principal financial officer(s), to allow timely decisions regarding required disclosure and is recorded, processed, summarized and reported, within the time periods specified in the rules and forms adopted by the Securities and Exchange Commission.

(b)  There have been no significant changes in registrant's internal controls or in other factors that could significantly affect registrant's internal controls subsequent to the date of the most recent evaluation, including no significant deficiencies or material weaknesses that required corrective action.

ITEM 12. 
EXHIBITS.
 
(a)(1) Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended.

(a)(2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(b) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(b) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.
 
 
 

 
 
SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned thereunto duly authorized.

CHURCHILL TAX-FREE TRUST
 
By: 
/s/ Diana P. Herrmann  
 
President and Trustee
March 7, 2012
 
     
     
By: 
/s/ Joseph P. DiMaggio  
 
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
March 7, 2012
 
 
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this report has been signed below by the following persons on behalf of the registrant and in the capacities and on the dates indicated.
 
By: 
/s/ Diana P. Herrmann  
 
Diana P. Herrmann
President and Trustee
March 7, 2012
 
     
     
By: 
/s/ Joseph P. DiMaggio  
 
Joseph P. DiMaggio
Chief Financial Officer and Treasurer
March 7, 2012
 
 
 
 

 
 
CHURCHILL TAX-FREE TRUST

EXHIBIT INDEX
 
(a)(1) Aquila Group of Funds Code of Ethics for Principal Executive and Senior Financial Officers under Section 406 of the Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002, as amended.

(a) (2) Certifications of principal executive officer and principal financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(b) Certification of chief executive officer and chief financial officer as required by Rule 30a-2(b) of the Investment Company Act of 1940.