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

   <NUMBER> 081
   <NAME> BALANCED PORTFOLIO - CLASS A

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         13710231
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        14274960
<RECEIVABLES>                                   105164
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   69322
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                14449446
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                        314047
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                        88983
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                             403030
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      14139611
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                           301842
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           342738
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                         6787
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                       (664711)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                        564729
<NET-ASSETS>                                  14046416
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               171873
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               576496
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (190699)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                         557670
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      (495495)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                     (468033)
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         (405858)
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                     (138819)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                             0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                          69599
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (144406)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                               6911
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                       (3751254)
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                          36656
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                     (169216)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           122347
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                  97
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                 606899
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                           4512294
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            13.11
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                    .39
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                          (.54)
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                             (.41)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                            0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              12.55
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   1.20