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

   <NUMBER> 023
   <NAME> SMALL CAP VALUE EQUITY PORTFOLIO - CLASS C

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          MAR-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               MAR-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                         59003388
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                        73129260
<RECEIVABLES>                                  1026536
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                   27191
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                                74182987
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                        900729
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                       675791
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                            1576520
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                      0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                      51686895
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                           587784
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                           627714
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                            0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                        6793700
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                      14125872
<NET-ASSETS>                                  72606467
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                               311173
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               172724
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                                (900952)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                       (417055)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      10998429
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      9879006
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         20460380
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                            0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                      (731213)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                                0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                         119135
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                   (191769)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                              32704
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        16171753
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                       262415
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                           478893
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                3897
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                1346303
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                          12238664
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            17.70
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.26)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           6.62
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                       (1.26)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              22.80
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                   2.00