RIVERPARK FUNDS TRUST AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST June 22, 2010
AGREEMENT
AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
June 22,
2010
TABLE
OF CONTENTS
Page
ARTICLE
I NAME AND DEFINITIONS
|
1
|
|
Section
1.1.
|
Name
|
1
|
Section
1.2.
|
Definitions
|
1
|
Section
1.3.
|
Construction
|
4
|
ARTICLE
II TRUSTEES
|
4
|
|
Section
2.1.
|
Number
of Trustees
|
4
|
Section
2.2.
|
Term
and Election
|
4
|
Section
2.3.
|
Resignation
and Removal
|
4
|
Section
2.4.
|
Vacancies
|
5
|
Section
2.5.
|
Meetings
|
5
|
Section
2.6.
|
Officers;
Chairman
|
6
|
Section
2.7.
|
By-Laws
|
6
|
ARTICLE
III POWERS OF TRUSTEES
|
6
|
|
Section
3.1.
|
General
|
6
|
Section
3.2.
|
Activities
and Investments
|
6
|
Section
3.3.
|
Legal
Title
|
8
|
Section
3.4.
|
Sale
of Interests; Reclassification
|
8
|
Section
3.5.
|
Borrowing
Money; Pledging Trust Assets; Lending Property
|
8
|
Section
3.6.
|
Delegation;
Committees
|
8
|
Section
3.7.
|
Collection
and Payment
|
9
|
Section
3.8.
|
Expenses
|
9
|
Section
3.9.
|
Common
Items
|
9
|
Section
3.10.
|
Litigation
|
9
|
Section
3.11.
|
Tax
Matters
|
10
|
Section
3.12.
|
Miscellaneous
Powers
|
10
|
Section
3.13.
|
Manner
of Acting
|
10
|
Section
3.14.
|
Expenses
|
10
|
ARTICLE
IV INVESTMENT ADVISORY, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND PLACEMENT
AGENT ARRANGEMENTS; CUSTODIAN
|
11
|
|
Section
4.1.
|
Investment
Advisory and Other Arrangements
|
11
|
Section
4.2.
|
Parties
to Contract
|
11
|
Section
4.3.
|
Custodian
|
11
|
ARTICLE
V INTERESTS IN THE TRUST
|
12
|
|
Section
5.1.
|
Interests
|
12
|
Section
5.2.
|
Establishment
and Designation of Series
|
12
|
Section
5.3.
|
Rights
of Holders
|
13
|
Section
5.4.
|
Purchase
of or Increase in Interests
|
14
|
Section
5.5.
|
Register
of Interests
|
14
|
Section
5.6.
|
Transferability
of Interests
|
14
|
Section
5.7.
|
Notices
|
14
|
Section
5.8.
|
No
Liability of Holders
|
14
|
Section
5.9.
|
Classes
of Interests
|
15
|
i
ARTICLE
VI DECREASES AND WITHDRAWALS
|
15
|
|
Section
6.1.
|
Decreases
and Withdrawals
|
15
|
ARTICLE
VII DETERMINATION OF BOOK CAPITAL ACCOUNT BALANCES, NET INCOME
AND DISTRIBUTIONS
|
15
|
|
Section
7.1.
|
Determination
of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions
|
15
|
Section
7.2.
|
Redemptions
and Repurchases
|
16
|
Section
7.3.
|
Redemptions
at the Option of the Trust
|
16
|
ARTICLE
VIII LIABILITY FOR TRUST OBLIGATIONS
|
16
|
|
Section
8.1.
|
Liabilities
of Series
|
16
|
Section
8.2.
|
No
Personal Liability of Trustees.
|
17
|
Section
8.3.
|
Indemnification
|
17
|
Section
8.4.
|
No
Protection Against Certain 1940 Act Liabilities
|
18
|
Section
8.5.
|
No
Bond Required of Trustees
|
18
|
Section
8.6.
|
No
Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments
|
18
|
Section
8.7.
|
Insurance
|
19
|
Section
8.8.
|
Reliance
on Experts
|
19
|
Section
8.9.
|
Accounting
|
19
|
ARTICLE
IX HOLDERS
|
19
|
|
Section
9.1.
|
Meetings
of Holders
|
19
|
Section
9.2.
|
Notice
of Meetings
|
20
|
Section
9.3.
|
Record
Date for Meetings
|
20
|
Section
9.4.
|
Proxies
|
20
|
Section
9.5.
|
Reports
|
20
|
Section
9.6.
|
Inspection
of Records
|
21
|
Section
9.7.
|
Holder
Action by Written Consent
|
21
|
ARTICLE
X DURATION; TERMINATION OF TRUST OR SERIES; AMENDMENT; MERGERS;
ETC.
|
21
|
|
Section
10.1.
|
Duration
|
21
|
Section
10.2.
|
Dissolution
of Series or Trust
|
21
|
Section
10.3.
|
Termination
of Trust or Series.
|
21
|
Section
10.4.
|
Amendment
Procedure.
|
22
|
Section
10.5.
|
Merger,
Consolidation, Conversion and Sale of Assets.
|
22
|
ARTICLE
XI MISCELLANEOUS
|
23
|
|
Section
11.1.
|
Certificate
of Trust; Registered Agent.
|
23
|
Section
11.2.
|
Governing
Law
|
24
|
Section
11.3.
|
Counterparts
|
24
|
Section
11.4.
|
Reliance
by Third Parties
|
24
|
Section
11.5.
|
Provisions
in Conflict with Law or Regulations.
|
24
|
Section
11.6.
|
Trust
Only
|
24
|
ii
AGREEMENT
AND DECLARATION OF TRUST
OF
June
22, 2010
THIS
AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST of RiverPark Funds Trust is made as of the
22nd day of June, 2010.
WHEREAS,
the Trustees desire to establish a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory
Trust Act, 12 Del.
C. Section 3801, et seq. consisting of
one or more Series (as defined below) for the investment and reinvestment of
funds contributed thereto;
NOW,
THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby direct that the Certificate of Trust (as defined
below) be filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of
Delaware and do hereby declare that all money and property hereafter contributed
to any Series (as defined below) established hereby shall be held and managed in
trust for the benefit of the Holders (as defined below) of beneficial interests
issued hereunder with respect to such Series from time to time and subject to
the provisions hereof.
ARTICLE
I
NAME AND
DEFINITIONS
Section
1.1. Name. The
name of the trust established hereby (the “Trust”) is “RiverPark Funds Trust,”
and, insofar as may be practicable, the Trustees shall conduct the business of
the Trust under that name or any other name or names as they may from time to
time determine.
Section
1.2. Definitions. Wherever
used herein, the following terms have the respective meanings assigned to them
below:
(a) “Act”
means the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C. Section 3801
et seq., as amended from
time to time.
(b) “Administrator”
means any party furnishing services to the Trust and any Series pursuant to any
administrative services contract described in Section 4.1.
(c) “Affiliated
Person” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 2(a)(3) of the 1940
Act.
(d) “Assistant
Secretary” means the Person appointed from time to time as such pursuant to
Section 2.6.
(e) “Assistant
Treasurer” means the Person appointed from time to time as such pursuant to
Section 2.6.
(f) “Book
Capital Account” means, for any Holder at any time, the book capital account of
the Holder at such time with respect to such Holder’s interest in the Trust
Property of any Series or class, determined in accordance with generally
accepted accounting principles and the provisions of the 1940 Act, and each
Holder shall have a separate book capital account for each Series and class in
which it holds an Interest.
(g) “By-Laws”
means the by-laws referred to in Section 2.7 hereof, as amended and in effect
from time to time.
(h) “Certificate
of Trust” has the meaning assigned to it in Section 11.1(a) hereof.
(i) “Code”
means the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 and the rules and regulations
thereunder, each as amended from time to time.
(j) “Commission”
means the Securities and Exchange Commission.
(k) “Custodian”
means any party, other than the Trust or the Series, to any agreement described
in Section 4.3 hereof.
(l) “Declaration”
means this Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended and in effect from
time to time. Reference in this Agreement and Declaration of Trust to
“Declaration,” “hereof,” “herein,” “hereby” and “hereunder” shall be deemed to
refer to this Agreement and Declaration of Trust rather than the
article or section in which such words appear.
(m) “Fundamental
Policies” means, with respect to any Series, the investment policies and
restrictions applicable to such Series that are set forth and designated as
fundamental policies in the Registration Statement.
(n) “Holders”
means with respect to any Series or class at any particular time, all holders of
record of Interests of any Series or class at such time.
(o) “Institutional
Investor” means any registered investment company (including a unit investment
trust), insurance company separate account, common or commingled trust fund,
group trust or similar organization or entity that is an “accredited investor”
within the meaning of Regulation D under the Securities Act of 1933 and the
rules and regulations thereunder, each as amended from time to
time.
(p) “Interested
Person” has the meaning ascribed to it in Section 2(a)(19) of the 0000
Xxx.
(q) “Interests”
means with respect to any Series or class, the interests in the Trust Property
of such Series or class, including all rights, powers and privileges accorded to
holders in this Declaration, which interests may be expressed as a percentage,
determined by calculating, as the Trustees shall from time to time determine,
the ratio of such holder’s Book Capital Account balance in the Trust Property of
such Series or class to the total of all holders’ Book Capital Account balances
in the Trust Property of such Series or class. Reference herein to a
specific percentage in, or fraction of, Interests of the holders with respect to
any Series or class means holders whose combined Book Capital Accounts represent
such specified percentage, or fraction of, the Book Capital Accounts of all
holders of the Trust Property of such Series or class.
2
(r) “Investment
Adviser” means any party, other than the Trust or the Series, to any investment
advisory contract described in Section 4.1 hereof.
(s) “1940
Act” means the provisions of the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules
and regulations thereunder, each as amended from time to time, and any order or
orders thereunder which may from time to time be applicable to the
Trust.
(t) “Person”
means and includes individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts,
associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal entities,
and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof.
(u) “President”
means the Person elected from time to time by the Trustees pursuant to Section
2.6.
(v) “Registered
Agent” means the Person appointed from time to time as such pursuant to Section
11.1
(w) “Registration
Statement” means the Trust’s currently effective Registration Statement under
the 1940 Act, as amended or supplemented from time to time.
(x) “Secretary”
means the Person elected from time to time by the Trustees pursuant to Section
2.6.
(y) “Series”
means each series of the Trust established and designated under or in accordance
with Section 3806(b)(2) of the Act and the provisions of Article V hereof, each
of which shall be accounted for and maintained as a separate series of the
Trust.
(z) “Special
Meetings” means meetings of the Trustees called in accordance with Section
2.5.
(aa) “Treasurer”
means the Person elected from time to time by the Trustees pursuant to Section
2.6.
(bb) “Trust”
means the master trust established hereby by whatever name it may be known,
inclusive of each and every Series established hereunder.
(cc) “Trust
Property” means any and all assets, real or personal, tangible or intangible,
that are owned or held by the Trust, each and every asset of which shall be
allocated and belong to a specific Series to the exclusion of all other
Series.
3
(dd) “Trustees”
means the Persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed,
qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, and
reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such individuals or
Persons in their capacity as trustees hereunder.
Section
1.3. Construction. The
use herein of the masculine or feminine gender or the neutral shall be construed
to refer to the other gender or the neutral as well, and the use herein of the
singular shall be construed to include the plural and the plural to include the
singular, as the context may require. The word “includes” and “including” and
their syntactical variants mean “includes, but is not limited to” and “including, without
limitation,” and corresponding syntactical variant
expressions.
ARTICLE
II
TRUSTEES
Section
2.1. Number
of Trustees. The number of Trustees shall initially be five (5) and
shall thereafter be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a written
instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in office, provided,
however, that the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than three (3) or
more than fifteen (15). Any vacancy created by an increase in
Trustees may be filled by the appointment of any Person made by a written
instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in office. No
reduction in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any
Trustee from office. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees
shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided in this Section and
Section 2.4 hereof, the Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall
have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties
imposed upon the Trustees by this Declaration.
Section
2.2. Term
and Election. Each Trustee named herein, or elected or appointed
prior to the first meeting of the Holders, shall (except in the event of
resignations or removals or vacancies pursuant to Section 2.3 or 2.4 hereof)
hold office until his or her successor has been elected at such meeting and has
qualified to serve as Trustee, as required under the 1940
Act. Beginning with the Trustees elected at the first meeting of
Holders, each Trustee shall hold office during the lifetime of this Trust and
until its termination as hereinafter provided unless such Trustee resigns or is
removed as provided in Section 2.3 below.
Section
2.3. Resignation
and Removal. Any Trustee may resign (without need for prior or
subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by him or her and
delivered to the other Trustees or the Chairman, if any, the President or the
Secretary and such resignation shall be effective upon such delivery or at any
later date according to the terms of the instrument. Any of the
Trustees may be removed with or without cause at any time: (1) by the action of
two-thirds of the remaining Trustees or (2) by the affirmative vote of the
Holders holding not less than two-thirds of the Interests outstanding; provided,
that if the removal of one or more Trustees would have the effect of reducing
the number of remaining Trustees below the minimum number prescribed by Section
2.1 hereof, then subject to Section 16(a) of the 1940 Act, at the time of the
removal of such Trustee or Trustees, the remaining Trustees or Holders, as
applicable, shall elect or appoint a number of additional Trustees at least
sufficient to increase the number of Trustees holding office to the minimum
number prescribed by Section 2.1 hereof. Upon the resignation or
removal of a Trustee, or his or her otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee due to
death or legal disability, he or she shall, or in the case of death or legal
disability, his or her legal representative shall, execute and deliver such
documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the purpose of conveying
to the Trust or the remaining Trustees any Trust Property held in his or her
name. However, the execution and delivery of such documents by a
former Trustee or his or her legal representative shall not be requisite to the
vesting of title to the Trust Property in the remaining Trustees as provided in
Section 3.3 hereof.
4
Section
2.4. Vacancies. The
term of office of a Trustee shall terminate and a vacancy shall occur in the
event of such Trustee’s death, resignation, removal, bankruptcy, adjudicated
incompetence or other legal disability to perform the duties of the office of
Trustee. No such vacancy shall operate to annul this Declaration or
to revoke any existing obligations created pursuant to the terms of this
Declaration. In the case of a vacancy, the Holders of at least a
majority of the Interests entitled to vote, acting at any meeting of the Holders
held in accordance with Section 9.1 hereof, or, to the extent permitted by the
1940 Act, a majority vote of the Trustees continuing in office acting by written
instrument or instruments, may fill such vacancy, and any Trustee so elected by
the Trustees or the Holders shall hold office as provided in this
Declaration.
Section
2.5. Meetings. Regular
meetings of the Trustees may be held on such notice at such place or places and
times as may be fixed by the By-Laws or by resolution of the
Trustees. Special Meetings of the Trustees shall be held upon the
call of the Chairman, if any, the President, the Secretary or any two Trustees,
by oral or electronic or written notice duly served on or sent, mailed or sent
by telecopy or e-mail to each Trustee not less than one day before the
meeting. No notice need be given to any Trustee who attends in person
or to any Trustee who, in writing signed and filed with the records of the
meeting either before or after the holding thereof, waives
notice. Notice or waiver of notice need not state the purpose or
purposes of the meeting. The Trustees may act with or without a
meeting, subject to the requirements of the 1940 Act. A quorum for
all meetings of the Trustees shall be a majority of the
Trustees. Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration, any action
of the Trustees may be taken at a meeting by vote of a majority of the Trustees
present (a quorum being present) or without a meeting by written consent of a
majority of the Trustees.
Any
committee of the Trustees, including an executive committee, if any, may act
with or without a meeting. A quorum for all meetings of any such
committee shall be a majority of the members thereof. Unless provided
otherwise in this Declaration, any action of any such committee may be taken at
a meeting by vote of a majority of the members present (a quorum being present)
or without a meeting by written consent of a majority of the
members.
With
respect to actions of the Trustees and any committee of the Trustees, Trustees
who are Interested Persons of the Trust within the meaning of Section 1.2 hereof
or otherwise interested in any action to be taken may be counted for quorum
purposes under this Section 2.5 and shall be entitled to vote to the extent
permitted by the 1940 Act.
All or
any one or more Trustees may participate in a meeting of the Trustees or any
committee thereof by means of a conference telephone or similar communications
equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear
each other, and participation in a meeting pursuant to such communications
system shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.
5
Section
2.6. Officers;
Chairman. The Trustees shall, from time to time, elect a President, a
Secretary, and a Treasurer, who shall be deemed officers of the Trust in
accordance with this Declaration. The Trustees may appoint an
Assistant Secretary and an Assistant Treasurer as the Trustees deem
advisable. The Trustees may elect or appoint, from time to time, a
Chairman who shall preside at all meetings of the Trustees and carry out such
other duties as the Trustees shall designate. The Trustees may elect
or appoint or authorize the President to appoint such other officers or agents
with such powers as the Trustees may deem to be advisable. The
President, the Secretary and the Treasurer may, but need not, be Trustees, and
shall be agents of the Trust within the meaning of Section 3806(b)(7) of the
Act.
Section
2.7. By-Laws. The
Trustees may adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with this Declaration for the
conduct of activities of the Trust and may amend or repeal such By-Laws to the
extent such power is not reserved to the Holders by express provision of such
By-Laws. This Declaration and the By-Laws shall together constitute
the “governing instrument” of the Trust within the meaning of Section 3801(c) of
the Act.
ARTICLE
III
POWERS OF
TRUSTEES
Section
3.1. General. The
Trustees shall have exclusive and absolute control over the Trust Property and
over the activities of the Trust and each Series to the fullest extent permitted
by Section 3806(a) of the Act and other applicable law, but with such powers of
delegation as may be permitted by this Declaration. The Trustees
shall have power to conduct the activities of the Trust and any Series and to
carry on their operations and maintain offices both within and outside of the
State of Delaware, in any and all states of the United States of America, and in
the District of Columbia, in any foreign country, and in any and all
commonwealths, territories, dependencies, colonies, possessions, agencies or
instrumentalities of the United States of America and of foreign governments,
and to do all such other things and execute all such instruments as they deem
necessary, proper or desirable in order to promote the interests of the Trust
and each Series although such things are not herein specifically
mentioned. Any determination as to what is in the interests of the
Trust or any Series made by the Trustees in good faith shall be
conclusive. In construing the provisions of this Declaration, the
presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the
Trustees. The Trustees shall not be required to obtain any court
order to deal with Trust Property.
The
enumeration of any specific power herein shall not be construed as limiting the
aforesaid powers. Such powers of the Trustees may be exercised
without order of or resort to any court.
Section
3.2. Activities
and Investments. The Trustees shall have the power with respect to
the Trust and each Series:
6
(a) to
conduct, operate and carry on the activities of an investment company, and, in
connection therewith:
(i) to
subscribe for, purchase or otherwise acquire and invest and reinvest in, to hold
for investment or otherwise, to sell, transfer, assign, negotiate, exchange,
lend or otherwise dispose of, and to turn to account or realize upon and
generally deal in and with, domestic or foreign securities (which term,
“securities,” shall include any and all bills, notes, bonds, debentures or other
obligations or evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit, bankers
acceptances, commercial paper, repurchase agreements or other money market
instruments; stocks, shares or other equity ownership interests, including
non-publicly traded or illiquid securities and those securities the disposition
of which is restricted under the Federal securities laws); convertible
securities; mortgage-backed or other asset-backed securities; and warrants,
options or other instruments representing rights to subscribe for, purchase,
receive or otherwise acquire or to sell, transfer, assign or otherwise dispose
of, and scrip, certificates, receipts or other instruments evidencing any
ownership rights or interests in, any of the foregoing; and “forward
commitment,” “when issued” and “delayed delivery” contracts for securities,
issued, guaranteed or sponsored by any governments, political subdivisions or
governmental authorities, agencies or instrumentalities, by any individuals,
firms, companies, corporations, syndicates, associations or trusts, or by any
other organizations or entities whatsoever, irrespective of their forms or the
names by which they may be described, whether or not they be organized and
operated for profit, and whether they be domestic or foreign with respect to the
State of Delaware or the United States of America); and
(ii) to
acquire and become the owner of or interested in any securities by delivering or
issuing in exchange or payment therefor, in any lawful manner, any of the Trust
Property; and
(iii) to
exercise while the owner of any securities or interests therein any and all of
the rights, powers and privileges of ownership of such securities or interests,
including any and all voting rights and rights of assent, consent or dissent
pertaining thereto, and to do any and all acts and things for the preservation,
protection, improvement and enhancement in value thereof; and
(iv) to
purchase, sell and hold currencies and enter into contracts for the future
purchase or sale of currencies, including forward foreign currency exchange
contracts; and
(v) to
enter into futures and forward contracts, and to purchase and write put and call
options on futures contracts, securities, currencies and securities indexes;
and
(vi) to
make loans to the extent provided in the Registration Statement from time to
time; and
(vii) to
engage in such other activities as may be disclosed in the Registration
Statement from time to time; and
7
(b) to
conduct, operate and carry on any other lawful activities which the Trustees, in
their sole and absolute discretion, consider to be (i) incidental to the
activities of the Trust and each Series as an investment company, (ii) conducive
to or expedient for the benefit or protection of the Trust or any Series or the
Holders, or (iii) calculated in any other manner to promote the interests of the
Trust or any Series or the Holders.
The
Trustees shall not be limited to investing in securities maturing before the
possible termination of the Trust or any Series, nor shall the Trustees be
limited by any present or future law or custom in regard to investments by
fiduciaries. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein
contained but consistent with the applicable investment objectives, the Trust
and each Series shall be managed in compliance with the requirements of the Code
applicable to regulated investment companies as though such requirements were
applied at the Series level.
Section
3.3. Legal
Title. Legal title to all the Trust Property shall be vested in the
Trust as a separate legal entity, except that the Trustees shall have power to
cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or
more of the Trustees or in the name of any Series of the Trust, or in the name
of any other Person as nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine,
provided, that the interest of the Trust or any Series therein is appropriately
protected. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust
Property shall vest automatically in each Person who may hereafter become a
Trustee. Upon the termination of the term of office of a Trustee as
provided in Section 2.2 or 2.4 hereof, such Trustee shall automatically cease to
have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and all right,
title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest
automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation
of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been
executed and delivered as provided in Section 2.3 hereof.
Section
3.4. Sale
of Interests; Reclassification. Subject to more detailed provisions
set forth in Article V and the Trustees’ duty of impartiality to the Holders,
the Trustees shall have the power to permit Persons to purchase Interests and to
add to or reduce, in whole or in part, their Interests in any Series or
class. The Trustees shall also have the power to acquire, hold,
resell, dispose of, transfer, classify, reclassify and otherwise deal in
Interests of the Trust or any Series or class. The Trustees may hold
as treasury Interests (without such Interests being deemed to be canceled),
re-issue for such consideration and on such terms as they determine, or cancel,
in their discretion from time to time, any Interests of any Series or class
reacquired by the Trust.
Section
3.5. Borrowing
Money; Pledging Trust Assets; Lending Property. Subject to any
applicable Fundamental Policies of the Trust or any Series or any applicable
provision of the By-Laws, the Trustees shall have the power, on behalf of the
Trust or any Series, to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit and to secure
the same by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security any of the
Trust Property, to endorse, guarantee or undertake the performance of any
obligation, contract or engagement of any other Person and to lend Trust
Property; provided that Trust Property belonging to a Series shall not be
pledged, encumbered or subject to liabilities belonging to any other
Series.
Section
3.6. Delegation;
Committees. The Trustees shall have the power, consistent with their
continuing exclusive authority over the management of the Trust, each Series and
the Trust Property, to delegate from time to time to such committee or
committees as they may from time to time appoint from among their own number or
to such officers, employees or agents of the Trust as they may from time to time
designate the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either
in the name of the Trust or any Series or the names of the Trustees or otherwise
as the Trustees may deem expedient.
8
Section
3.7. Collection
and Payment. The Trustees shall have the power to collect all
property due to the Trust or any Series; to pay all claims, including taxes,
against the Trust Property; to prosecute, defend, compromise or abandon any
claims relating to the Trust Property; to foreclose any security interest
securing any obligations by virtue of which any property is owed to the Trust or
any Series; and to enter into releases, agreements and other
instruments.
Section
3.8. Expenses. The
Trustees shall have the power to incur and pay, out of the income or the
principal of the Trust Property of the Series, any expenses which, in the
opinion of the Trustees, are necessary or incidental to carrying out any of the
purposes of this Declaration, and to pay reasonable compensation from the funds
of the Trust to themselves as Trustees; provided that no Series will be liable
for the debts and obligations of any other Series, and expenses, fees, charges,
taxes and liabilities incurred or arising in connection with a particular
Series, or in connection with the management thereof, shall be paid out of the
Trust Property belonging to that Series and not out of the Trust Property
belonging to any other Series. The Trustees shall not be obligated to
account to the Holders for the retention of compensation, and each Holder agrees
that compliance with the accounting requirements of the 1940 Act and of this
Declaration shall constitute satisfactory accounting with respect to all acts of
the Trustees. The Trustees shall fix the compensation of all
officers, employees and Trustees of the Trust and may pay such compensation out
of the Trust Property without reduction of the Trustees’
compensation.
Section
3.9. Common
Items. All expenses and other items of the Trust that are common to
more than one Series shall be borne by or allocated to such Series
proportionately based upon the relative net asset values of
each. Such common items shall include Trustees’ fees; 1940 Act
registration expenses; organizational expenses of the Trust, exclusive of
organizational expenses attributable to any specific Series; and accounting
expenses relating to the Trust that are not attributable to any specific
Series.
Section
3.10. Litigation. The
Trustees shall have the power to engage in and to prosecute, defend, compromise,
abandon or adjust, by arbitration or otherwise, any actions, suits, proceedings,
disputes, claims and demands relating to the Trust or any Series or the Trust
Property, and, out of the Trust Property, to pay or to satisfy any debts, claims
or expenses incurred in connection therewith, including those of litigation, and
such power shall include the power of the Trustees or any appropriate committee
thereof, in the exercise of their or its good faith business judgment,
consenting to dismiss any action, suit, proceeding, dispute, claim or demand,
brought by any Person, including, to the extent permitted by applicable law, a
Holder in such Holder’s own name or in the name of the Trust or any Series,
whether or not the Trust, a Series or any of the Trustees may be named
individually therein or the subject matter arises by reason of business for or
on behalf of the Trust or any Series.
9
Section
3.11. Tax
Matters. The Trustees shall have the exclusive power, authority and
responsibility with respect to the Trust and the Series regarding (i)
preparation and filing of tax returns; (ii) providing reports to the Holders
regarding tax information necessary to the filing of their respective tax
returns; (iii) making any and all available elections with respect to the tax
treatment of the Series and their investments; (iv) representing the Series
before the Internal Revenue Service or any state taxing authority and exercising
the powers and authorities of a tax matters partner under the Code with respect
to the Series’ tax returns; (v) exercising such responsibility as may be imposed
by law with respect to withholding from a Holder’s share of income or
distributions; (vi) providing to the accountants of the Series such instructions
regarding allocations of realized income, gains and losses as may be necessary
or appropriate to assure compliance with applicable provisions of the Code and
Treasury Regulations; and (vii) any and all other tax matters.
Section
3.12. Miscellaneous
Powers. The Trustees shall have the power to: (a) employ
or contract with such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the
transaction of the activities of the Trust or any Series and eliminate such
employees or contractual relationships as they consider appropriate; (b) enter
into joint ventures, partnerships and any other combinations or associations;
(c) remove Trustees or fill vacancies in or add to their number, subject to and
in accordance with Sections 2.3 and 2.4 hereof; elect and remove at will such
officers and appoint and terminate such agents or employees as they consider
appropriate; and appoint from their own number and terminate at will any one or
more committees that may exercise some or all of the power and authority of the
Trustees as the Trustees may determine; (d) purchase, and pay for out of Trust
Property, insurance policies insuring the Trust Property, and, to the extent
permitted by law and not inconsistent with any applicable provision of this
Declaration or the By-Laws, insuring the Investment Adviser, Administrator,
placement agent, Holders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents or independent
contractors of the Trust or any Series against all claims arising by reason of
holding any such position or by reason of any action taken or omitted to be
taken by any such Person in such capacity, whether or not constituting
negligence, or whether or not the Trust or any Series would have the power to
indemnify such Person against such liability; (e) indemnify any person with whom
the Trust or any Series has dealings, including the Holders, Trustees, officers,
employees, agents, Investment Adviser, Administrator, placement agent and
independent contractors of the Trust or any Series, to such extent permitted by
law and not inconsistent with the applicable provisions of this Declaration; (f)
subject to applicable Fundamental Policies, guarantee indebtedness or
contractual obligations of others; (h) determine and change the fiscal year of
the Trust or any Series and the method by which its accounts shall be kept; and
(g) adopt a seal for the Trust or any Series, but the absence of such seal shall
not impair the validity of any instrument executed on behalf of the Trust or
Series.
Section
3.13. Manner
of Acting. Except as otherwise provided herein, in the By-Laws, in
the 1940 Act or in any other applicable provision of law, any action to be taken
by the Trustees may be taken in the manner set forth in Section 2.5
hereof.
Section
3.14. Expenses. The
Trustees shall have the power to incur and pay any expenses which in the opinion
of the Trustees are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of
this Declaration, and to pay reasonable compensation from the funds of the Trust
to themselves as Trustees. The Trustees shall fix the compensation of all
officers, employees and Trustees. The Trustees may pay themselves
such compensation for special services, including legal and brokerage services,
as they in good faith may deem reasonable (subject to any limitations in the
1940 Act), and reimbursement for expenses reasonably incurred by themselves on
behalf of the Trust. There shall be no retirement compensation plan
for the Trustees; provided, however, that the Trustees may adopt a deferred
compensation plan consistent with industry and regulatory
standards.
10
ARTICLE
IV
INVESTMENT
ADVISORY, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES AND PLACEMENT AGENT ARRANGEMENTS;
CUSTODIAN
Section
4.1. Investment
Advisory and Other Arrangements. The Trustees may in their
discretion, from time to time, cause any Series to separately enter into
investment advisory and administrative services contracts or placement agent
agreements whereby the other party to such contract or agreement shall undertake
to furnish to such Series specified therein such investment advisory,
administrative, placement agent and/or other services as the Trustees shall,
from time to time, consider desirable with respect to such Series and all upon
such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion
determine. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration,
the Trustees may authorize any Investment Adviser (subject to such general or
specific instructions as the Trustees may, from time to time, adopt) to effect
purchases, sales, loans or exchanges of Trust Property on behalf of any Series
or may authorize any officer, employee or Trustee to effect such purchases,
sales, loans or exchanges pursuant to recommendations of any such Investment
Adviser (and all without further action by the Trustees). Any such
purchase, sales, loans and exchanges shall be deemed to have been authorized by
all of the Trustees.
Section
4.2. Parties
to Contract. Any contract of the character described in Section 4.1
of this Article IV or in the By-Laws of the Trust may be entered into with any
corporation, firm, trust or association, although one or more of the Trustees or
officers of the Trust may be an officer, director, trustee, shareholder or
member of such other party to the contract; and no such contract shall be
invalidated or rendered voidable by reason of the existence of any such
relationship, nor shall any Person holding such relationship be liable merely by
reason of such relationship for any loss or expense to the Trust or any Series
under or by reason of said contract or accountable for any profit realized
directly or indirectly therefrom, provided that the contract when entered into
was reasonable and fair and not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article
IV or the By-Laws. The same Person may be the other party to
contracts entered into pursuant to Section 4.1 above or the By-Laws of the
Trust, and any individual may be financially interested or otherwise affiliated
with Persons who are parties to any or all of the contracts mentioned in this
Section 4.2.
Section
4.3. Custodian. The
Trustees may appoint one or more banks or trust companies as custodian of the
securities and cash belonging to any Series. The agreement providing
for such appointment shall contain such terms and conditions as the Trustees in
their discretion determine to be not inconsistent with this Declaration, the
applicable provisions of the 1940 Act and any applicable provisions of the
By-Laws of the Trust. One or more subcustodians may be appointed in a
manner not inconsistent with this Declaration, the applicable provisions of the
1940 Act and any applicable provisions of the By-Laws of the Trust.
11
ARTICLE
V
INTERESTS
IN THE TRUST
Section
5.1. Interests. The
beneficial interests in the Trust Property shall consist of an unlimited number
of Interests with a $0.001 par value. All Interests shall be fully
paid and nonassessable when issued for such consideration as the Trustees shall
determine. Subject to applicable law, the provisions hereof and such
restrictions as may be adopted by the Trustees, a Holder may increase its
Interest by contributions or decrease its Interest by withdrawals without
limitation.
Pursuant
to Section 3806(b)(2) of the Act, the Trustees shall have authority, from time
to time, to establish Interests of a Series, each of which shall be separate and
distinct from the Interests in any other Series. The Series shall
include those Series specifically established and designated in Section 5.2
hereof, and such other Series as the Trustees may deem necessary or
desirable. The Trustees shall have exclusive power without the
requirement of Holder approval to establish and designate such separate and
distinct Series, and, subject to the provisions of this Declaration and the 1940
Act, to fix and determine the rights of Holders of Interests in such Series,
including with respect to the price, terms and manner of purchase and
redemption, dividends and other distributions, rights on liquidation, sinking or
purchase fund provisions, conversion rights and conditions under which the
Holders of the several Series shall have separate voting rights or no voting
rights.
The Trust
is a series trust pursuant to Section 3806(b)(2) of the Act, and each Series
shall be a separate series of the Trust within the meaning of Section 3806(b)(2)
of the Act. As such, in accordance with Section 3804(a) of the Act,
separate and distinct records shall be maintained for each Series and the assets
of the Trust associated with each Series shall be held and accounted for
separately from the other assets of the Trust or any other
Series. The debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred,
contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to each Series shall be
enforceable against the assets of such Series only, and not against the assets
of the Trust generally or the assets of any other Series, nor shall the assets
of any Series be charged with the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses
incurred, contracted for or otherwise existing with respect to another Series
or, except as otherwise provided herein, the Trust generally.
Section
5.2. Establishment
and Designation of Series. The establishment and designation of any
Series shall be effective upon the execution by the Secretary or an Assistant
Secretary of the Trust, pursuant to authorization by a majority of the Trustees,
of an instrument setting forth such establishment and designation and the
relative rights and preferences of the Interests of such Series, or as otherwise
provided in such instrument. At any time the Trustees may by
resolution adopted by a majority of their number, and evidenced by an instrument
executed by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust, abolish that
Series and the establishment and designation thereof and redeem the Interests
therein. Each instrument referred to in this paragraph shall have the
status of an amendment to this Declaration of Trust.
Without
limiting the authority set forth above of the Trustees to establish and
designate further Series, the Trustees hereby establish and designate five (5)
Series, as set forth on Schedule 1 attached hereto, which Schedule may be
amended from time to time. The Interests of each of these Series and
any Interests of any subsequent Series that may from time to time be established
and designated by the Trustees shall (unless the Trustees otherwise determine
with respect to some further Series at the time of establishing and designating
the same) have the following relative rights and preferences:
12
(a) Assets
Belonging to Series. All consideration received by the Trust for the
issue or sale of Interests of a particular Series, together with all assets in
which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings,
profits and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds derived from the sale,
exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from
any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall be
held by the Trustees in a separate account for the benefit of the Holders of
Interests of that Series and shall irrevocably belong to that Series for all
purposes, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the
Trust.
Such
consideration, assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, including
any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and
any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds, in
whatever form the same may be, are herein referred to as “assets belonging to”
that Series. No Series shall have any right to or interest in the
assets belonging to any other Series, and no Holder shall have any right or
interest with respect to the assets belonging to any Series in which it does not
hold an Interest.
(b) Liabilities
Belonging to Series. The assets belonging to each Series shall be
charged with the liabilities in respect of that Series and all expenses, costs,
charges and reserves attributable to that Series. The liabilities,
expenses, costs, charges and reserves so charged to a Series are herein referred
to as “liabilities belonging to” that Series. Subject to Section 8.1
hereof, no Series shall be liable for or charged with the liabilities belonging
to any other Series.
(c) Voting. On
each matter submitted to a vote of the Holders, each Holder of an Interest in
each Series shall be entitled to a vote proportionate to its Interest in such
Series as recorded on the books of the Trust and all Holders of Interests in
each Series shall vote as a separate class except as to voting for Trustees and
as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, in which case all Holders shall vote
together as a single class. As to any matter that does not affect the
interest of a particular Series or class, only the Holders of the one or more
affected Series or class shall be entitled to vote.
Section
5.3. Rights
of Holders. The ownership of the Trust Property of every description
and the right to conduct any activities hereinbefore described shall be vested
exclusively in the Trust, and the Holders shall have no interest therein other
than the beneficial interest conferred by their Interests, and they shall have
no right to call for any partition or division of any property, profits, rights
or interests of the Trust or any Series. No Holder shall have any
interest in or rights with respect to any Series in which it does not hold an
Interest. The Interests shall be personal property giving only the
rights specifically set forth in this Declaration. The Holders shall
have no right to demand payment for their Interests or any other rights of
dissenting shareholders in the event the Trust participates in any transaction
that would give rise to appraisal or dissenter’s rights by a shareholder of a
corporation organized under the General Corporation Law of the State of Delaware
or otherwise. Holders shall have no preemptive or other rights to
subscribe for additional Interests or other securities issued by the
Trust. No action may be brought by a Holder on behalf of the Trust or
any Series thereof unless Holders owning, in the aggregate, not less than 25% of
the then-outstanding Interests of the Trust or such Series join in the bringing
of such action. All Persons, by virtue of acquiring an Interest in
the Trust and being registered as a Holder in accordance with Section 5.5
hereof, shall be deemed to have assented to, and shall be bound by, this
Declaration to the same extent as if such Person was a party
hereto.
13
Section
5.4. Purchase
of or Increase in Interests. The Trustees, in their discretion, may,
from time to time, without a vote of the Holders, permit the purchase of
additional Interests of any Series by such Person or Persons (including existing
Holders), subject to the provisions of Section 5.1 hereof, and for such type of
consideration, including cash or property, at such time or times (including each
business day), and on such terms as the Trustees may deem best, and may in such
manner acquire other assets (including the acquisition of assets subject to, and
in connection with the assumption of, liabilities) and businesses.
Section
5.5. Register
of Interests. A register shall be kept by the Trustees or an officer
of the Trust, on behalf of the Trust, that shall contain the names and addresses
of the Holders and the Book Capital Account balances of each Holder in each
Series. Each such register shall be conclusive as to who the Holders
are and who shall be entitled to payments of distributions or otherwise to
exercise or enjoy the rights of Holders. No Holder shall be entitled
to receive payment of any distribution, nor to have notice given to it as herein
provided, until it has given its address to such officer or agent of the Trust
as shall keep the said register for entry thereon.
Section
5.6. Transferability
of Interests. Except to the extent that transferability is limited by
applicable law or such procedure as may be developed from time to time by the
Trustees or the appropriate officers of the Trust, Interests shall be
transferable on the records of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by
his or her agent thereunto duly authorized in writing, upon delivery to the
Trustees or the Trust’s transfer agent of a duly executed instrument of
transfer, together with an Interest certificate, if one is outstanding, and such
evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of such
other matters as may be required by the Trustees. Upon such delivery,
the transfer shall be recorded on the register of the Trust.
Section
5.7. Notices. Any
and all notices to which any Holder hereunder may be entitled and any and all
communications shall be deemed duly served or given if mailed, postage prepaid,
addressed to any Holder of record at its last known address as recorded on the
register of the Trust or transmitted to the Holders by any other method
permitted by law.
Section
5.8. No
Liability of Holders. All Interests, when issued in accordance with
this Declaration, shall be fully paid and nonassessable. Holders
shall be entitled to the full protection against personal liability for the
obligations of the Trust under Section 3803(a) of the Act. The Trust
shall indemnify and hold each Holder harmless from and against any claim or
liability to which such Holder may become subject solely by reason of its being
or having been a Holder and not because of such Holder’s acts or omissions or
for some other reason, and shall reimburse such Holder for all legal and other
expenses reasonably incurred by it in connection with any such claim or
liability (upon proper and timely request by the Holder); provided, however,
that no Holder shall be entitled to indemnification by any Series unless such
Holder is a Holder of Interests of such Series.
14
Section
5.9. Classes
of Interests. The Trustees may, without approval of the Holders of
any Interests, establish and designate classes of Interests of any Series or
divide Interests of any previously established Series into two or more classes,
Interests of each class having such preferences and special or relative rights
and privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the Trustees may
determine in their sole discretion. The fact that a Series shall have
initially been established without classes (i.e., that all Interests of such
Series are initially of a single class), or that a Series shall have more than
one established class, shall not limit the authority of the Trustees to
establish separate classes, or one or more further classes, of such Series
without approval of the Holders of the initial class thereof, or previously
established class or classes thereof.
The
establishment and designation of any class of Interests shall be effective upon
the execution by the Secretary or an Assistant Secretary of the Trust, pursuant
to authorization by a majority of the Trustees, of an instrument setting forth
such establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of
such class. The Trustees may amend the By-Laws providing for class
votes and meetings and related matters. Notwithstanding anything set
forth in Section 5.9, classes of Interests within a Series shall not be required
to vote or receive distributions on a pro rata basis unless required by
applicable law or the terms of the instrument establishing such
class.
ARTICLE
VI
DECREASES
AND WITHDRAWALS
Section
6.1. Decreases
and Withdrawals. A Holder shall have the right on any day the New
York Stock Exchange is open to decrease its Interest in any Series, and to
withdraw completely from any Series, at the next determined net asset value
attributable to the Interest (or portion thereof) being withdrawn, and an
appropriate adjustment therefor shall be made to such Holder’s Book Capital
Account. The rights of a Holder upon withdrawal from a Series shall
be limited to the assets belonging to the Series from which the withdrawal is
made. The Trust may, subject to compliance with the 1940 Act, charge
fees for effecting such decrease or withdrawal, at such rates as the Trustees
may establish, and may at any time and from time to time, suspend such right of
decrease or withdrawal. The procedures for effecting decreases or
withdrawals shall be as determined by the Trustees from time to time, subject to
the requirements of the 1940 Act.
ARTICLE
VII
DETERMINATION
OF BOOK CAPITAL ACCOUNT BALANCES, NET INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS
Section
7.1. Determination
of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions. The Trustees, in
their absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the By-Laws or
in a duly adopted vote of the Trustees such bases and time for determining the
per share net asset value of the Interests of any Series or net income
attributable to the Interests of any Series, or the declaration and payment of
dividends and distributions on the Interests of any Series, as they may deem
necessary or desirable.
15
Section
7.2. Redemptions
and Repurchases. The Trust shall purchase such Interests as are
offered by any Holder for redemption, upon the presentation of a proper
instrument of transfer together with a request directed to the Trust or a Person
designated by the Trust that the Trust purchase such Interest or in accordance
with such other procedures for redemption as the Trustees may from time to time
authorize; and the Trust will pay therefor the net asset value thereof, in
accordance with the By-Laws or other determination as made by the Board of
Trustees, and applicable law. Payment for said Interests shall be
made by the Trust to the Holder within a reasonable time period after the date
on which the request is made in proper form. The obligation set forth
in this Section is subject to the provision that in the event that any time the
New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) is closed for other than weekends or
holidays, or if permitted by the Rules of the Commission during periods when
trading on the Exchange is restricted or during any emergency which makes it
impracticable for the Trust to dispose of the investments of the applicable
Series or to determine fairly the value of the net assets held with respect to
such Series or during any other period permitted by order of the Commission for
the protection of investors, such obligations may be suspended or postponed by
the Trustees. The redemption price may in any case or cases be paid
wholly or partly in kind if the Trustees determine that such payment is
advisable in the interest of the remaining Holders of the Series for which the
Shares are being redeemed. Subject to the foregoing, the fair value,
selection and quantity of securities or other property so paid or delivered as
all or part of the redemption price may be determined by or under authority of
the Trustees. In no case shall the Trust be liable for any delay of
any corporation or other Person in transferring securities selected for delivery
as all or part of any payment in kind.
Section
7.3. Redemptions
at the Option of the Trust. The Trust shall have the right, subject
to the 1940 Act and other applicable law, at its option and at any time, to
redeem Interests of any Holder at the net asset value thereof upon such
conditions as may from time to time be determined by the
Trustees. Upon redemption of Interests pursuant to this Section 7.3,
the Trust shall promptly cause payment of the full redemption price to be made
to such Holder for the Interests so redeemed.
ARTICLE
VIII
LIABILITY
FOR TRUST OBLIGATIONS
Section
8.1. Liabilities
of Series. Without limitation of the provisions of Section 5.2(b)
hereof, but subject to the right of the Trustees in their discretion to allocate
general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or services as herein provided,
the debts, liabilities, obligations and expenses incurred, contracted for or
otherwise existing with respect to a particular Series shall be enforceable
against the assets of such Series only, and not against the assets of any other
Series or the Trust generally. Notice of this limitation on
liabilities among Series shall be set forth in the Certificate of Trust (whether
originally or by amendment) as filed or to be filed in the Office of the
Secretary of State of the State of Delaware pursuant to Section 3810 of the Act,
and upon the giving of such notice in the Certificate of Trust, the statutory
provisions of Section 3804(a) of the Act relating to such limitations (and the
statutory effect under Section 3804(a) of setting forth such notice in the
certificate of trust) shall become applicable to the Trust and each
Series. Every note, bond, contract or other undertaking issued by or
on behalf of a particular Series shall include a recitation limiting the
obligation represented thereby to that Series and its assets.
16
Section
8.2. No
Personal Liability of Trustees.
(a) Trustees. The
Trustees shall be entitled to the protection against personal liability for the
obligations of the Trust under Section 3803(b) of the Act. No Trustee
shall be liable to the Trust, its Holders or to any Trustee, officer, employee
or agent thereof for any action or failure to act (including the failure to
compel in any way any former or acting Trustee to redress any breach of trust)
except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or
reckless disregard of his or her duties.
(b) Officers,
Employees or Agents of the Trust. The officers, employees and agents
of the Trust shall be entitled to the protection against personal liability for
the obligations of the Trust under Section 3803(c) of the Act without limiting
the foregoing, no officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be liable to the
Trust, its Holders or to any Trustee, officer, employee or agent thereof for any
action or failure to act (including the failure to compel in any way any former
or acting Trustee to redress any breach of trust) except for his or her own bad
faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her
duties.
(c) The
provisions of this Declaration, to the extent that they expand or restrict the
duties and liabilities of the Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the
Trust otherwise existing at law or in equity, are agreed by the Holders to
modify to that extent such other duties and liabilities.
Section
8.3. Indemnification. The
Trust shall indemnify each of its Trustees, officers, employees and agents
(including Persons who serve at its request as directors, officers or trustees
of another organization in which it has any interest, as a shareholder, creditor
or otherwise) against all liabilities and expenses (including amounts paid in
satisfaction of judgments, in compromise, as fines and penalties, and as counsel
fees) reasonably incurred by such Person in connection with the defense or
disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal,
in which such Person may be involved or with which such Person may be
threatened, while in office or thereafter, by reason of such Person being or
having been such a Trustee, officer, employee or agent, except with respect to
any matter as to which such Person shall have been adjudicated, by the final and
unappealable order of a court of competent jurisdiction, to have acted in bad
faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of such
Person’s duties, such liabilities and expenses being liabilities belonging to
the Series out of which such claim for indemnification arises; provided,
however, that as to any matter disposed of by a compromise payment by such
Person, pursuant to a consent decree or otherwise, no indemnification either for
said payment or for any other expenses shall be provided unless there has been a
determination that such Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith,
gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
his or her office by the court or other body approving the settlement or other
disposition or, in the absence of a judicial determination, by a reasonable
determination, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a
full trial-type inquiry), that such Person did not engage in such conduct, which
determination shall be made by a majority of a quorum of Trustees who are
neither Interested Persons of the Trust nor parties to the action, suit or
proceeding, or by written opinion from independent legal counsel approved by
such Trustees. The rights accruing to any Person under these
provisions shall not exclude any other right to which such Person may be
lawfully entitled; provided that no Person may satisfy any right of indemnity or
reimbursement granted herein or to which he may be otherwise entitled except out
of the Trust Property. The Trustees may make advance payments in
connection with indemnification under this Section 8.3; provided that any
advance payment of expenses by the Trust to any Trustee, officer, employee or
agent shall be made only upon the undertaking by such Trustee, officer, employee
or agent to repay the advance unless it is ultimately determined that he is
entitled to indemnification as above provided, and only if one of the following
conditions is met:
17
(i) the
Trustee, officer, employee or agent to be indemnified provides a security for
such Person’s undertaking;
(ii) the
Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances;
or
(iii) there
is a determination, based on a review of readily available facts, that there is
reason to believe that the Trustee, officer, employee or agent to be indemnified
ultimately will be entitled to indemnification, which determination shall be
made by a majority of a quorum of Trustees who are neither Interested Persons of
the Trust nor parties to the action, suit or proceeding, or by written opinion
from independent legal counsel approved by such Trustees.
Section
8.4. No
Protection Against Certain 1940 Act Liabilities. Nothing contained in
Sections 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3 hereof shall give rise to any right to indemnification
or abatement of expenses, or protect any Trustee, officer, employee or agent of
the Trust from any liability to the Trust or its Holders to which he or she
would otherwise be subject, by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross
negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his or
her office. Nothing contained in Sections 8.1, 8.2 or 8.3 hereof or
in any agreement of the character described in Section 4.1 or 4.2 hereof shall
give rise to any right to indemnification or abatement of expenses, or protect
any Investment Adviser to the Trust or any Series against any liability to the
Trust or any Series to which he, she or it would otherwise be subject, by reason
of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of his,
her or its duties to the Trust or Series, or by reason of his, her or its
reckless disregard to his, her or its obligations and duties under the agreement
pursuant to which he, she or it serves as Investment Adviser to the Trust or any
Series.
Section
8.5. No
Bond Required of Trustees. No Trustee shall be obligated to give any
bond or other security for the performance of any of his or her duties
hereunder.
Section
8.6. No
Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments. No purchaser,
lender, seller or other Person dealing with the Trustees or with any officer,
employee or agent of the Trust shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the
validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said
officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or property
paid, lent or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer,
employee or agent. Every contract, undertaking, instrument,
certificate, interest or obligation or other security of the Trust, and every
other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust, shall be
conclusively presumed to have been executed or done by the executors thereof
only in their capacity as Trustees under this Declaration or in their capacity
as officers, employees or agents of the Trust. Every written
obligation, contract, instrument, certificate or other interest or undertaking
of the Trust made or sold by the Trustees or by any officer, employee or agent
of the Trust, in his or her capacity as such, may contain an appropriate recital
to the effect that the Holders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the
Trust shall not personally be bound by or liable thereunder, nor shall resort be
had to their private property for the satisfaction of any obligation or claim
thereunder, and appropriate references shall be made therein to the Declaration,
and may contain any further recital that they may deem appropriate, but the
omission of such recital shall not operate to impose personal liability on any
of the Holders, Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the
Trust.
18
Section
8.7. Insurance. The
Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, its
Holders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees
shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance
as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable.
Section
8.8. Reliance
on Experts. Each Trustee, officer or employee of the Trust shall, in
the performance of his or her duties, be fully and completely justified and
protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance
in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Trust, upon an
opinion of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of its officers or
employees or by any Investment Adviser, the Administrator, accountant, appraiser
or other expert or consultant selected with reasonable care by the Trustees,
officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert
may also be a Trustee; provided that nothing in this Section shall be deemed to
exonerate the Trustees from their duties of reasonable care, diligence and
prudence or any other duties imposed by the 1940 Act.
Section
8.9. Accounting. The
Trustees shall not be required to file any inventory or accounting with any
court or officer of any court, unless specifically ordered to do so on the
application of the Trustees or on the application of the Holders of Interests of
the Trust, or on the court’s own motion.
ARTICLE
IX
HOLDERS
Section
9.1. Meetings
of Holders. Meetings of the Holders may be called at any time by a
majority of the Trustees and shall be called by any Trustee upon written request
of Holders holding, in the aggregate, not less than one-third of the Interests
of a Series (if the meeting relates solely to that Series), or not less than
one-third of the
Interests of the Trust (if the meeting relates to the Trust and not solely to a
particular Series), such request specifying the purpose or purposes for which
such meeting is to be called; provided, however, that if a
purpose of such meeting is to remove and/or elect a Trustee or Trustees, then
such meeting shall be called by any Trustee upon written request of Holders
holding, in the aggregate, not less than ten percent (10%) of the Interests of
the Trust. Any such meeting shall be held within or outside of the
State of Delaware on such day and at such time as the Trustees shall
designate. Holders of at least one-third of the
Interests of the Series (if the meeting relates solely to that Series) or
Holders of at least one-third of the Interests of the Trust (if the meeting
relates to the Trust and not solely to a particular Series), present in person
or by proxy, shall constitute a quorum for the transaction of any business,
except as may otherwise be required by the 1940 Act or other applicable law or
by this Declaration or the By-Laws. If a quorum is present at a
meeting, an affirmative vote by the Holders present, in person or by proxy,
holding a majority Interests of the Holders present, either in person or by
proxy, at such meeting constitutes the action of the Holders, unless the 1940
Act, other applicable law, this Declaration or the By-Laws require a greater
number of affirmative votes.
19
Section
9.2. Notice
of Meetings. Notice of all meetings of the Holders stating the time,
place and purposes of the meeting shall be given by the Trustees by mail to each
Holder of the Series or class thereof or the Trust, as the case may be, at his
or her registered address or transmitted to the Holders by any other method
permitted by law, sent at least 10 days and not more than 90 days before the
meeting. At any such meeting, any business properly before the
meeting may be considered whether or not stated in the notice of the
meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned without
further notice.
Section
9.3. Record
Date for Meetings. For the purpose of determining Holders who are
entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting, or to participate in any
distribution, or for the purpose of any other action, the Trustees may from time
to time fix a date, not more than 90 days prior to the date of any meeting of
the Holders or payment of distributions or other action, as the case may be, as
a record date for the determination of the Persons to be treated as Holders of
record of a particular Series or the Trust for such purposes.
Section
9.4. Proxies. At
any meeting of Holders, any Holder entitled to vote thereat may vote by proxy,
provided that no proxy shall be voted at any meeting unless it shall have been
placed on file with the Secretary, or with such other officer or agent of the
Trust as the Secretary may direct, for verification prior to the time at which
such vote shall be taken. Pursuant to a resolution of a majority of
the Trustees, proxies may be solicited in the name of one or more Trustees or
one or more of the officers of the Trust. Only Holders of record
shall be entitled to vote. Each Holder shall be entitled to vote
proportionate to his or her Interest in the Trust or in any Series (as the
context may require). When Interests are held jointly by several
persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in
respect of such Interest, but if more than one of them shall be present at such
meeting in person or by proxy, and such joint owners or their proxies so present
disagree as to any vote to be cast, such vote shall not be received in respect
of such Interest. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf
of a Holder shall be deemed valid unless challenged at or prior to its exercise,
and the burden of proving invalidity shall rest on the challenger. If
the Holder is a minor or a person of unsound mind, and subject to guardianship
or to the legal control of any other person as regards the charge or management
of his or her Interest, he may vote by his or her guardian or such other person
appointed or having such control, and such vote may be given in person or by
proxy.
Section
9.5. Reports. The
Trustees shall cause to be prepared, at least annually, a report of operations
containing a balance sheet and statement of income and undistributed income of
each Series prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles
and an opinion of an independent public accountant on such financial
statements. The Trustees shall, in addition, furnish to the Holders
at least semiannually interim reports containing an unaudited balance sheet as
of the end of such period and an unaudited statement of income and surplus for
the period from the beginning of the current fiscal year to the end of such
period.
20
Section
9.6. Inspection
of Records. Subject to such restrictions as the Trustees may
reasonably impose, the records of the Trust shall be open to inspection by
Holders during normal business hours for any purpose not harmful to the
Trust.
Section
9.7. Holder
Action by Written Consent. Any action that may be taken by Holders
may be taken without a meeting if Holders holding, in the aggregate, a
majority of the
Interests entitled to vote (or such larger proportion thereof as shall be
required by any provision of this Declaration or the By-Laws of the Trust) shall
consent to the action in writing or by any other method permitted by law and
evidence of the consents are filed with the records of the meetings of
Holders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote
taken at a meeting of Holders.
ARTICLE
X
DURATION;
TERMINATION OF TRUST OR SERIES; AMENDMENT; MERGERS; ETC.
Section
10.1. Duration. Subject
to possible dissolution or termination in accordance with Sections 10.2 and
10.3, respectively, the Trust created hereby shall have perpetual
existence.
Section
10.2. Dissolution
of Series or Trust. Any Series shall be dissolved by unanimous
consent/resolution adopted by a majority of the Trustees by notice of
dissolution to the Holders of the Interests of the Series. The Trust
shall be dissolved upon the dissolution of the last remaining
Series.
Section
10.3. Termination
of Trust or Series.
(a) Upon
an event of dissolution of the Trust or a Series, the Trust or Series shall be
terminated in accordance with the following provisions:
(i) The
Trust or Series, as applicable shall thereafter carry on no business except for
the purpose of winding up its affairs.
(ii) The
Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust or Series, as
applicable in accordance with Section 3808 of the Act, and all of the powers of
the Trustees under this Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the
Trust or Series, as applicable shall have been wound up, including the power to
fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust or Series, as applicable,
collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise
dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property or assets belonging
to the Series, as applicable to one or more persons at public or private sale
for consideration that may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or
other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and to do all
other acts appropriate to liquidate its business.
21
(iii) After
paying or adequately providing for the payment of the Trust or all liabilities
belonging to the Series subject of termination and upon receipt of such
releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their
protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining Trust Property or assets
belonging to such Series, in cash or in kind or partly each, among the Holders
of the Trust or such Series, as applicable, according to their Book Capital
Accounts in the Trust or such Series, as applicable. In all cases, as
herein provided, the rights of Holders of Interests in a Series upon termination
and liquidation of that Series shall be limited to the assets belonging to that
Series.
(b) After
termination of the Trust or Series, as applicable, and distribution to the
Holders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and lodge
among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing setting forth the fact
of such termination. Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees
shall file a certificate of cancellation in accordance with Section 3810 of the
Act and such Trustees shall, subject to Section 3808 of the Act, thereupon be
discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and
interests of all Holders shall thereupon cease.
Section
10.4. Amendment
Procedure.
(a) Two-thirds
(2/3) or more of the Trustees then in office may amend this Declaration at any
time for any purpose without the approval of the Holders of Interests; provided,
that the vote or a written or other legally permissible form of consent of
Holders holding, in the aggregate, a majority of the outstanding Interests or of
Holders of two-thirds (2/3) or more of the Interests voting or consenting, if
Holders of at least a majority of such Interests vote or consent, shall be
necessary to approve any amendment whenever such vote or consent is required
under the 1940 Act.
(b) Nothing
contained in this Declaration shall permit the amendment of this Declaration to
impair any exemption from personal liability of Holders, Trustees, officers,
employees and agents of the Trust set forth in the Act, this Declaration or the
By-Laws of the Trust.
(c) A
certificate signed by a Trustee or by the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary
of the Trust, setting forth an amendment and reciting that it was duly adopted
by the Holders or by the Trustees as aforesaid or a copy of the Declaration, as
amended, certified by a Trustee or the Secretary or any Assistant Secretary of
the Trust, certifying that such Declaration is a true and correct copy of the
Declaration as amended, shall be conclusive evidence of such amendment when
lodged among the records of the Trust.
Notwithstanding
any other provision hereof, until such time as Interests are first sold to an
Institutional Investor, this Declaration may be terminated or amended in any
respect by vote or written consent of the Trustees.
Section
10.5. Merger,
Consolidation, Conversion and Sale of Assets.
22
(a) The
Trust may convert or merge into or consolidate with any corporation,
association, other trust or other organization or the Trust or any Series
thereof may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Trust
Property or assets, as applicable, belonging to such Series, including its good
will, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as
authorized by vote or written or other legally permissible form of consent of
two-thirds (2/3) or more of the Trustees then in office; provided that any sale,
conveyance, assignment, exchange, transfer or other disposition of all or
substantially all of the Trust Property or all or substantially all
of the assets belonging to a particular Series other than for cash, shall
require approval of the principal terms of the transaction and the nature and
amount of the consideration by the vote at a meeting, or by written consent, of
Holders holding, in the aggregate, a majority of the outstanding Interests of
the Trust or Series, as the case may be, entitled to vote. In
accordance with Section 3815(f) of the Act, an agreement of merger or
consolidation may effect any amendment to this Declaration or the By-Laws or
effect the adoption of a new declaration or by-laws of the Trust if the Trust is
the surviving or resulting entity.
(b) The
Trustees may cause to be organized or assist in organizing a corporation or
corporations under the laws of any jurisdiction or any other trust, partnership,
association or other organization to take over all of the Trust Property, or
Series thereof, or to carry on any business in which the Trust shall directly or
indirectly have any interest, and to sell, convey and transfer the Trust
Property or Series thereof to any such corporation, trust, association or
organization in exchange for the equity interests thereof or otherwise, and to
lend money to, subscribe for the equity interests of, and enter into any
contracts with any such corporation, trust, partnership, association or
organization, or any corporation, partnership, trust, association or
organization in which the Trust holds or is about to acquire equity
interests. The Trustees may also cause a merger or consolidation
between the Trust or any successor thereto and any such corporation, trust,
partnership, association or other organization if and to the extent permitted by
law, as provided under the law then in effect. Nothing contained
herein shall be construed as requiring approval of the Holders for the Trustees
to organize or assist in organizing one or more corporations, trusts,
partnerships, associations or other organizations and selling, conveying or
transferring a portion of the Trust Property to such organizations or
entities.
ARTICLE
XI
MISCELLANEOUS
Section
11.1. Certificate
of Trust; Registered Agent.
(a) The
Trustees are hereby authorized and directed to execute and deliver, and shall
file a certificate of trust in accordance with Section 3810 of the Act (the
“Certificate of Trust”).
(b) The
Trust shall comply with Section 3807(b) of the Act by having and maintaining a
registered office in Delaware and by designating a registered agent for service
of process on the Trust, which agent shall have the same business office as the
Trust’s registered office. The Trust initially appoints National
Corporate Research, Ltd. as the Registered Agent of the Trust.
23
Section
11.2. Governing
Law. This Declaration is executed by all of the Trustees and
delivered with reference to the Act and the laws of the State of Delaware, and
the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision
hereof shall be governed by, subject to and construed according to the Act and
the laws of the State of Delaware (unless and to the extent otherwise provided
for and/or preempted by the 1940 Act or other applicable Federal
securities laws); provided, however, that there shall not be applicable to the
Trust, the Trustees, the Holders or this Declaration (a) the provisions of
Section 3540 of Title 12 of the Delaware Code or (b) any provisions of the laws
(statutory or common) of the State of Delaware (other than the Act) pertaining
to trusts that are inconsistent with the rights, duties, powers, limitations or
liabilities of the Trustees or the Holders set forth or referenced in this
Declaration.
Section
11.3. Counterparts. The
Declaration may be simultaneously executed in several counterparts, each of
which shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts, together, shall
constitute one and the same instrument, which shall be sufficiently evidenced by
any such original counterpart.
Section
11.4. Reliance
by Third Parties. Any certificate executed by an individual who,
according to the records of the Trust, appears to be a Trustee hereunder, or
Secretary, Assistant Secretary, Treasurer or Assistant Treasurer of the Trust,
certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees or Holders, (b) the due
authorization of the execution of any instrument or writing, (c) the form of any
vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Holders, (d) the fact that the number of
Trustees or Holders present at any meeting or executing any written instrument
satisfies the requirements of this Declaration, (e) the form of any By-Laws
adopted by or the identity of any officers elected by the Trustees, or (f) the
existence of any fact or facts that in any manner relate to the affairs of the
Trust, shall be conclusive evidence as to the matters so certified in favor of
any Person dealing with the Trustees and their successors.
Section
11.5. Provisions
in Conflict with Law or Regulations.
(a) The
provisions of this Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall
determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions are in
conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the
Code, the Act or, consistent with Section 11.2, any other applicable Delaware
law regarding administration of trusts, or with other applicable laws and
regulations, the conflicting provisions shall be deemed superseded by such law
or regulation to the extent necessary to eliminate such conflict; provided,
however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining
provisions of this Declaration or render invalid or improper any action taken or
omitted prior to such determination.
(b) If
any provision of this Declaration shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any
jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall pertain only to such
provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision
in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of this Declaration in any
jurisdiction.
Section
11.6. Trust
Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only a statutory
trust under the Act with the relationship of trustee and beneficiary between the
Trustees and each Holder from time to time. It is not the intention
of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint
stock association, corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other
than a Delaware statutory trust except to the extent such trust is deemed to
constitute a partnership under the Code and applicable state tax
laws. Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to make the
Holders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a
joint stock association.
24
Schedule
I
Series
RiverPark Large Growth
Fund
RiverPark/Wedgewood Fund
RiverPark Small Cap Growth
Fund
RiverPark Short Term High Yield
Fund
RiverPark/Gravity Long-Biased Fund