SULLIVAN & WORCESTER LLP
                           1025 CONNECTICUT AVENUE, N.W.
                           WASHINGTON, D.C. 20036
                           TELEPHONE: 202-775-8190
                           FACSIMILE: 202-293-2275

767 THIRD AVENUE                                 ONE POST OFFICE SQUARE
NEW YORK, NEW YORK 10017                         BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS 02109
TELEPHONE: 212-486-8200                          TELEPHONE: 617-338-2800
FACSIMILE: 212-758-2151                          FACSIMILE: 617-338-2880


                                                 September 15, 1999


VIA EDGAR

EDGAR Operations Branch
Division of Investment Management
Securities and Exchange Commission
450 Fifth Street, N.W.
Washington, D.C.  20549

                            Mentor Funds
                     (Mentor Balanced Portfolio)
                -Registration Statement on Form N-14
                           CIK 0000883428
                        (File No. 333-82853)

Ladies and Gentlemen:

         Pursuant to Rule 497(j) under the  Securities  Act of 1933, as amended,
please accept this letter as certification that the  Prospectus/Proxy  Statement
and Statement of Additional  Information  for Mentor  Balanced  Portfolio do not
differ from that contained in  Post-Effective  Amendment No. 1 (the "Amendment")
to Mentor Funds' Registration  Statement on Form N-14AE. The Amendment was filed
electronically on August 26, 1999 and became  automatically  effective on August
26, 1999.

         Any comments on this filing may be directed to the undersigned at
(202) 775-8190.

                                             Very truly yours,

                                             /s/Robert N. Hickey, Esq.
                                             -------------------------
                                             Robert N. Hickey, Esq.

cc:      Michael H. Koonce, Esq.
         Timothy W. Diggins, Esq.



                                                        -1-