HEARTLAND GROUP, INC. AMENDED AND RESTATED RULE 12b-1 PLAN AND AGREEMENT (as revised February 28, 2008 and effective as of May 1, 2008)
EXHIBIT
(m)
HEARTLAND
GROUP, INC.
AMENDED
AND RESTATED
(as
revised February 28, 2008 and effective as of May 1, 2008)
Pursuant
to the provisions of Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as
amended (the “Act”), the Amended and Restated Rule 12b-1 Plan and Agreement,
dated as of August 1, 2007 (the “Plan”) of Heartland Group, Inc. (“HGI”), a
Maryland corporation, which was adopted by a majority of the directors of HGI,
including a majority of the directors who are not “interested persons” of HGI
(as defined in the Act) and who have no direct or indirect financial interest
in
the operation of the Plan or in any agreements related to the Plan (the
“non-interested directors”), with respect to each series of HGI (each a “Fund”
and collectively, the “Funds”), is hereby amended and restated to rename the
existing class of shares of the Funds as “Investor Class” Shares and add
“Institutional Class” Shares of the Funds to the Plan as set forth below. The
Plan, as amended and restated herein, shall become effective with respect to
each class of shares of each Fund identified in Schedule A attached hereto
on
the date on which the registration of each such series or class becomes
effective for such Fund or such other date indicated therein.
Section
1.
Fee.
(a) |
Fee
Amount.
|
(i)
|
Investor
Class Shares.
The Investor Class Shares of each Fund shall pay to the Distributor
a fee
calculated and paid monthly at the annual rate of up to 0.25% of
the
average daily net asset value of that Fund's shares. Any amount of
such
payment not paid by the Distributor during a Fund’s fiscal year for
distributing and servicing the Fund’s shares as provided in Section 1(b)
shall be reimbursed by the Distributor to the Fund as soon as practicable
after the end of the fiscal year.
|
(ii)
|
Institutional
Class Shares.
The Institutional Class Shares of each Fund shall not pay any 12b-1
fee
under this Plan.
|
(b) |
Such
payment represents compensation for distributing and servicing the
Fund's
shares. Covered servicing expenses include, but are not limited to,
costs
associated with relationship management, retirement plan enrollment
meetings, investment and educational meetings, conferences and seminars,
and the cost of collateral materials for such events. Covered distribution
expenses include, but are not limited to, the printing of prospectuses
and
reports used for sales purposes, advertisements, expenses of preparation
and printing of sales literature, expenses associated with electronic
marketing and sales media and communications, and other sales or
promotional expenses, including any compensation paid to any securities
dealer, or other person who renders assistance in distributing or
promoting the sale of the Fund's shares, who has incurred any distribution
expenses on behalf of the Fund pursuant to either a Dealer Agreement
executed by such party and the Distributor or such other arrangement
authorized by the Distributor and HGI, including a majority of the
non-interested directors, hereunder. Such compensation to securities
dealers or other persons shall not exceed 0.25% of the average daily
net
asset value of shares with respect to which they are the dealer or
seller
of record.
|
(c) |
Each
Fund may, at its discretion and with notice to the Distributor, make
direct payments to third parties in respect of covered servicing
expenses
and covered distribution expenses, including shareholder service
fees to
intermediaries pursuant to services agreements between HGI and the
intermediaries. In the event that a Fund makes such direct payments,
the
Fee that the Distributor shall receive from such Fund pursuant to
Section 1(a) hereof shall be reduced
accordingly.
|
Section
2.
No
payments are to be made by HGI or any Fund to finance or promote sales of shares
other than pursuant to this Plan.
Section
3.
The
Distributor shall prepare written reports to HGI's Board of Directors on a
quarterly basis showing all amounts paid under this Plan and the purposes for
which such payments were made, plus a summary of the expenses incurred by the
Distributor hereunder, together with such other information as from time to
time
shall be reasonably requested by the Board of Directors of HGI.
Section
4.
For
each Fund, the Plan shall remain in effect for one year, and shall continue
in
effect from year to year thereafter only so long as such continuance is
specifically approved at least annually by the vote of a majority of the
directors of HGI, including a majority of the non-interested directors of HGI,
cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose.
Section
5.
So long
as the Plan is in effect, nominees for election as non-interested directors
of
HGI shall be selected by the non-interested directors as required by Rule 12b-1
under the Act and the Funds shall comply with such other requirements with
respect to the plan as are applicable under the Investment Company Act of 1940
and rules thereunder.
Section
6.
The
Plan may be terminated with respect to a Fund, without penalty, at any time
by
either a majority of the non-interested directors of HGI or by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of that Fund, and shall terminate
automatically in the event of any act that terminates the Distribution Agreement
with the Distributor relating to that Fund. To the extent the Plan is terminated
with respect to any Fund, such termination will not affect the Plan with regard
to any other Fund unless specifically indicated.
Section
7.
As to
any Fund, the Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount
authorized by this Plan to be spent for services described hereunder without
approval by a majority of that Fund's outstanding voting securities, and all
material amendments to the Plan shall be approved by a vote of a majority of
the
directors of HGI, including a majority of the non-interested directors of HGI,
cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose.
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Dated
as
of February 28, 2008
HEARTLAND
GROUP, INC. ALPS
DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
By: ____________________________ | By: ____________________________ | |
Its: _____________________________ | Its: _____________________________ |
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SCHEDULE
A
Amended
and Restated
Rule
12b-1 Plan and Agreement
Dated
February 28, 2007
The
series and, where applicable, classes of HGI covered by this agreement are
as
follows:
Series
and Class
|
Effective
Date
|
|
Heartland
Value Fund
|
|
|
Investor
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
|
Institutional
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
|
|
||
Heartland
Value Plus Fund
|
||
Investor
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
|
Institutional
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
|
|
||
Heartland
Select Value Fund
|
||
Investor
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
|
Institutional
Class Shares
|
May
1, 2008
|
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