<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000931145
<NAME> THE BEAR STEARNS FUNDS

   <NUMBER> 033
   <NAME> INCOME PORTFOLIO - CLASS C

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         15972448
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        15619667
<RECEIVABLES>                                   248663
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   30497
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                15898827
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                       1950549
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       115900
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            2066449
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      14620470
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                           170951
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           170161
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       (435311)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                      (352781)
<NET-ASSETS>                                  13832378
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                                    0
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               887639
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (115466)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         772173
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      (426746)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                     (237372)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                           108055
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (109008)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                         (300)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                          68592
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                    (74773)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                               6971
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                         1463052
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       (6986)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                            58835
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                 352
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 524644
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           2043654
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            12.15
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .63
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.62)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.63)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              11.53
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.45