Guggenheim ACTIVE ALLOCATION Fund

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED Agreement and Declaration of Trust

 

Dated as of March 2, 2023

 

 

Table of Contents

 

      Page
ARTICLE I THE TRUST 1
  1.1. Name 1
  1.2. Definitions 1
ARTICLE II TRUSTEES 3
  2.1. Number and Qualification 3
  2.2. Term and Election 3
  2.3. Resignation and Removal 4
  2.4. Vacancies 4
  2.5. Meetings 4
  2.6. Trustee Action by Written Consent 5
  2.7. Officers and Chairman 5
ARTICLE III POWERS AND DUTIES OF TRUSTEES 5
  3.1. General 5
  3.2. Investments 6
  3.3. Legal Title 6
  3.4. Issuance and Repurchase of Shares 6
  3.5. Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage 7
  3.6. Delegation; Committees 7
  3.7. Collection and Payment 7
  3.8. Expenses 7
  3.9. By-Laws 7
  3.10. Miscellaneous Powers 8
  3.11. Further Powers 8
ARTICLE IV ADVISORY, MANAGEMENT AND DISTRIBUTION ARRANGEMENTS 8
  4.1. Advisory and Management Arrangements 8
  4.2. Distribution Arrangements 9
  4.3. Parties to Contract 9
ARTICLE V LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION 9
  5.1. No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc. 9
  5.2. Mandatory Indemnification 10
  5.3. No Bond Required of Trustees 11
  5.4. No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc. 11
  5.5. Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Reliance on Experts, etc. 12
ARTICLE VI SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST 12
  6.1. Beneficial Interest 12
  6.2. Other Securities 13
  6.3. Rights of Shareholders 13
  6.4. Trust Only 13

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Table of Contents

(continued)

 

      Page
  6.5. Issuance of Shares 13
  6.6. Register of Shares 14
  6.7. Transfer Agent and Registrar 14
  6.8. Transfer of Shares 14
  6.9. Notices 15
ARTICLE VII CUSTODIANS 15
  7.1. Appointment and Duties 15
  7.2. Central Certificate System 15
ARTICLE VIII REDEMPTION 16
  8.1. Redemptions 16
  8.2. Disclosure of Holding 16
ARTICLE IX DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE; NET INCOME; DISTRIBUTIONS 16
  9.1. Net Asset Value 16
  9.2. Distributions to Shareholders 16
  9.3. Power to Modify Foregoing Procedures 17
ARTICLE X SHAREHOLDERS 17
  10.1. Meetings of Shareholders 17
  10.2. Voting 17
  10.3. Notice of Meeting and Record Date 18
  10.4. Quorum and Required Vote 18
  10.5. Proxies, etc. 18
  10.6. Reports 19
  10.7. Inspection of Records 19
  10.8. Shareholder Action by Written Consent 19
ARTICLE XI LIMITED TERM OF EXISTENCE; TERMINATION OF TRUST; AMENDMENT; MERGERS, ETC. 19
  11.1. Limited Term of Existence 19
  11.2. Amendment Procedure 21
  11.3. Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets 22
  11.4. Subsidiaries 22
  11.5. Conversion 22
  11.6. Certain Transactions 23
ARTICLE XII MISCELLANEOUS 24
  12.1. Filing 24
  12.2. Resident Agent 25
  12.3. Derivative Actions 25
  12.4. Governing Law 26

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Table of Contents

(continued)

 

      Page
  12.5. Choice of Forum 27
  12.6. Counterparts 27
  12.7. Reliance by Third Parties 27
  12.8. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation 27

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GUGGENHEIM ACTIVE ALLOCATION FUND
AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED AGREEMENT AND DECLARATION OF TRUST made as of the 2nd day of March, 2023, by the Trustees hereunder, and by the holders of shares of beneficial interest issued hereunder as hereinafter provided.

 

WHEREAS, this Trust has been formed to carry on business as set forth more particularly hereinafter;

 

WHEREAS, this Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of its shares of beneficial interest all in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Trustees have agreed to manage all property coming into their hands as Trustees of a Delaware statutory trust in accordance with the provisions hereinafter set forth;

 

WHEREAS, the Trust was created by the Certificate of Trust filed with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware on May 20, 2021, and is a statutory trust under the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

 

NOW, THEREFORE, the Trustees hereby declare that they will hold all cash, securities, and other assets that the Trust now possesses or may hereafter acquire from time to time in any manner and manage and dispose of the same upon the following terms and conditions.

 

ARTICLE I

The Trust

 

1.1.       Name. This Trust shall be known as the “Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund” and 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.

 

1.2.       Definitions. As used in this Declaration, the following terms shall have the following meanings:

 

The “1940 Act” refers to the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder and exemptions granted therefrom, as amended from time to time.

 

The terms “Affiliated Person”, “Assignment”, “Commission”, “Interested Person” and “Principal Underwriter” shall have the meanings given them in the 1940 Act.

 

“By-Laws” shall mean the By-Laws of the Trust as amended from time to time by the Trustees.

 

“Code” shall mean the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended, and the regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

 

“Commission” shall mean the Securities and Exchange Commission.

 

“Continuing Trustee” means a Trustee who either (a) has been a member of the Board of Trustees for a period of at least thirty-six months (or since the commencement of the Trust’s operations, if fewer than thirty-six months) or (b) was nominated to serve as a member of the Board of Trustees, or designated as a Continuing Trustee, by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then members of the Board of Trustees.

 

“Declaration” shall mean this Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, as amended, supplemented or amended and restated from time to time.

 

“Delaware Statutory Trust Statute” shall mean the provisions of the Delaware Statutory Trust Act, 12 Del. C.ss.3801, et. seq., as such Act may be amended from time to time.

 

“Delaware General Corporation Law” means the Delaware General Corporation Law, 8 Del. C.ss.100, et. seq., as amended from time to time.

 

“Fundamental Policies” shall mean the investment policies and restrictions as set forth from time to time in any Registration Statement of the Trust filed with the Commission and designated as fundamental policies therein or as otherwise adopted by the Trustees and the Shareholders in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act, as they may be amended from time to time in accordance with the requirements of the 1940 Act.

 

“Majority Shareholder Vote” shall mean a vote of “a majority of the outstanding voting securities” (as such term is defined in the 1940 Act) of the Trust with each class and series of Shares voting together as a single class, except to the extent otherwise required by the 1940 Act or this Declaration with respect to any one or more classes or series of Shares, in which case the applicable proportion of such classes or series of Shares voting as a separate class or series, as the case may be, also will be required.

 

“Person” shall mean and include individuals, corporations, partnerships, trusts, limited liability companies, associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal entities, and governments, agencies and political subdivisions thereof.

 

“Prospectus” shall mean the Prospectus of the Trust, if any, as in effect from time to time under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended.

 

“Shareholders” shall mean as of any particular time the holders of record of outstanding Shares of the Trust, at such time.

 

“Shares” shall mean the transferable units of beneficial interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time and includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares. In addition, Shares also means any preferred shares or preferred units of beneficial interest which may be issued from time to time, as described herein. All references to Shares shall be deemed to be Shares of any or all series or classes as the context may require.

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“Trust” shall mean the trust established by this Declaration, as amended from time to time, inclusive of each such amendment.

 

“Trust Property” shall mean as of any particular time any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, which at such time is owned or held by or for the account of the Trust or the Trustees in such capacity.

 

“Trustees” shall mean the signatories to this Declaration, so long as they shall continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all other persons who at the time in question have been duly elected or appointed and have qualified as trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof and are then in office.

 

ARTICLE II

Trustees

 

2.1.       Number and Qualification. Prior to a public offering of Shares there may be a sole Trustee. Thereafter, the number of Trustees shall be determined by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees then in office, provided that the number of Trustees shall be no less than two (2) or more than fifteen (15). No reduction in the number of Trustees shall have the effect of removing any Trustee from office prior to the expiration of his term. An individual nominated as a Trustee shall be at least 21 years of age and not older than 80 years of age at the time of nomination and not under legal disability. Trustees need not own Shares and may succeed themselves in office.

 

2.2.       Term and Election. The Board of Trustees shall be divided into three classes, designated Class I, Class II, and Class III. Each class shall consist, as nearly as may be possible, of one-third of the total number of trustees constituting the entire Board of Trustees. Within the limits above specified, the number of the Trustees in each class shall be determined by resolution of the Board of Trustees. The term of office of the first class shall expire on the date of the first annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following the effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The term of office of the second class shall expire on the date of the second annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following the effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. The term of office of the third class shall expire on the date of the third annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following the effective date of the Registration Statement relating to the Shares under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended. Upon expiration of the term of office of each class as set forth above, the number of Trustees in such class, as determined by the Board of Trustees, shall be elected for a term expiring on the date of the third annual meeting of Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof following such expiration to succeed the Trustees whose terms of office expire. Except as provided in Section 2.3 of this Article, the Trustees shall be elected at an annual meeting of the Shareholders or special meeting in lieu thereof called by the Board for that purpose, and each Trustee elected shall hold office until his or her successor shall have been elected and shall have qualified. The term of office of a Trustee shall terminate and a vacancy shall occur in the event of the death, resignation, removal, bankruptcy, adjudicated incompetence or other incapacity to perform the duties of the office, or removal, of a Trustee.

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2.3.       Resignation and Removal. Any of the Trustees may resign their trust (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by such Trustee and delivered or mailed to the Trustees or the Chairman, if any, the Chief Executive Officer or the Secretary and such resignation shall be effective upon such delivery, or at a later date according to the terms of the instrument. Any of the Trustees may be removed (provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such removal shall not be less than the minimum number required by Section 2.1 hereof) for cause only, and not without cause, and only by action taken by a majority of the remaining Continuing Trustees followed by the holders of at least seventy-five percent (75%) of the outstanding Shares then entitled to vote in an election of such Trustee. Upon the resignation or removal of a Trustee, each such resigning or removed Trustee 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 the name of such resigning or removed Trustee. Upon the incapacity or death of any Trustee, such Trustee’s legal representative shall execute and deliver on such Trustee’s behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require as provided in the preceding sentence.

 

2.4.       Vacancies. Whenever a vacancy in the Board of Trustees shall occur, the remaining Continuing Trustees may fill such vacancy by appointing an individual having the qualifications described in this Article by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office or may leave such vacancy unfilled or may reduce the number of Trustees; provided the aggregate number of Trustees after such reduction shall not be less than the minimum number required by Section 2.1 hereof; provided, further, that if the Shareholders of any class or series of Shares are entitled separately to elect one or more Trustees, a majority of the remaining Trustees or the sole remaining Trustee elected by that class or series may fill any vacancy among the number of Trustees elected by that class or series. Any vacancy created by an increase in Trustees may be filled by the appointment of an individual having the qualifications described in this Article made by a written instrument signed by a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office. No vacancy shall operate to annul this Declaration or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of this Declaration. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided herein, 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.

 

2.5.       Meetings. Meetings of the Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the call of the Chairman, if any, or the Chief Executive Officer or any three Trustees. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice at a time and place fixed by the By-Laws or by resolution of the Trustees. Notice of any other meeting shall be given by the Secretary and shall be delivered to the Trustees orally not less than 24 hours, or in writing not less than 72 hours, before the meeting, but may be waived in writing by any Trustee either before or after such meeting. The attendance of a Trustee at a meeting shall constitute a waiver of notice of such meeting except where a Trustee attends a meeting for the express purpose of objecting to the transaction of any business on the ground that the meeting has not been properly called or convened. Any time there is more than one Trustee, a quorum for all meetings of the Trustees shall be a majority, but not less than three, of the Trustees. Unless provided otherwise in this Declaration and except as required under the 1940 Act, 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.

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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 all of the members.

 

With respect to actions of the Trustees and any committee of the Trustees, Trustees who are Interested Persons in any action to be taken may be counted for quorum purposes under this Section and shall be entitled to vote to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act. For any committee of the Trustees comprised of one Trustee, a quorum shall be one.

 

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; participation in a meeting pursuant to any such communications system shall constitute presence in person at such meeting.

 

2.6.       Trustee Action by Written Consent. Any action which may be taken by Trustees by vote may be taken without a meeting if that number of the Trustees, or members of a committee, as the case may be, required for approval of such action at a meeting of the Trustees or of such committee consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Trustees. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Trustees.

 

2.7.       Officers and Chairman. The Continuing Trustees shall elect a Chief Executive Officer, a Chief Financial Officer and a Secretary, who shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees or until their successors are elected. The Chief Executive Officer and Chief Financial Officer may, but need not, be a Trustee. The Continuing Trustees may elect a Chairman of the Board, who shall be a Trustee and who shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees or until a successor is elected. The Continuing Trustees may elect or appoint or may authorize the Chairman of the Board, if any, or Chief Executive Officer to appoint such other officers or agents with such powers as the Continuing Trustees may deem to be advisable. The Chairman is not an officer of the Trust.

 

ARTICLE III

Powers and Duties of Trustees

 

3.1.       General. Except as required by federal law including the 1940 Act, neither the Trustees nor any officer of the Trust shall owe any fiduciary duty to the Trust or any series or class or any Shareholder. The Trustees shall have exclusive and absolute control over the Trust Property and over the business of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the Trust Property and business in their own right, but with such powers of delegation as may be permitted by this Declaration. The Trustees may perform such acts as in their sole discretion are proper for conducting the business of the Trust. Unless another standard is specified herein, in conducting the business of the Trust and in exercising their rights and powers hereunder, the Trustees may take any actions and make any determinations in their subjective belief that such actions or determinations are in, or not opposed to, the best interest of the Trust. The Trustees have the power to construe and interpret this Declaration and to act upon any such construction or interpretation. Any construction or interpretation of this Declaration by the Trustees and any action taken pursuant thereto and any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust and the Shareholders made by the Trustees in good faith shall, in each case, be conclusive and binding on all Shareholders and all other Persons for all purposes. The enumeration of any specific power herein shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid power. Such powers of the Trustees may be exercised without order of or resort to any court.

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3.2.       Investments. The Trustees shall have power, subject to the Fundamental Policies in effect from time to time with respect to the Trust, to: (a) manage, conduct, operate and carry on the business of an investment company; and (b) subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute or otherwise deal in or dispose of any and all sorts of property, tangible or intangible, including but not limited to securities of any type whatsoever, whether equity or non-equity, of any issuer, evidences of indebtedness of any person and any other rights, interests, instruments or property of any sort and to exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description, including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights, powers and privileges in respect of any of said investments. The Trustees shall not be limited by any law limiting the investments which may be made by fiduciaries.

 

3.3.       Legal Title. Legal title to all the Trust Property shall be vested in the Trustees as joint tenants 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 the Trust, or in the name of any other Person as nominee, custodian or pledgee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine, provided that the interest of the Trust 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 his due election and qualification. Upon the ceasing of any person to be a Trustee for any reason, such person shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the 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.

 

3.4.       Issuance and Repurchase of Shares. The Trustees shall have the power to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, classify and/or reclassify, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in, Shares, including Shares in fractional denominations, and, subject to the more detailed provisions set forth in Articles VIII and IX, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds or property whether capital or surplus or otherwise, to the full extent now or hereafter permitted corporations formed under the Delaware General Corporation Law.

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3.5.       Borrow Money or Utilize Leverage. Subject to the Fundamental Policies in effect from time to time with respect to the Trust, the Trustees shall have the power to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit or utilize leverage to the maximum extent permitted by law or regulation as such may be needed from time to time and to secure the same by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the assets of the Trust, including the lending of portfolio securities, and to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance of any obligation, contract or engagement of any other person, firm, association or corporation.

 

3.6.       Delegation; Committees. The Trustees shall have the power, consistent with their continuing exclusive authority over the management of the Trust and the Trust Property, to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to officers, employees or agents of the Trust the doing of such things, including any matters set forth in this Declaration, and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Trustees or otherwise as the Trustees may deem to be desirable, expedient or necessary in order to effect the purpose hereof. The Trustees may, to the extent that they determine it necessary, desirable and appropriate, designate committees with such powers as the Trustees deem appropriate, each of which shall consist of at least one Trustee, which shall have all or such lesser portion of the authority of the entire Board of Trustees as the Trustees shall determine from time to time, except to the extent action by the entire Board of Trustees or particular Trustees is required by the 1940 Act.

 

3.7.       Collection and Payment. The Trustees shall have the power to collect all property due to the Trust; to pay all claims, including taxes, against the Trust Property or the Trust, the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust; to prosecute, defend, compromise or abandon any claims relating to the Trust Property or the Trust, or the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust; to foreclose any security interest securing any obligations, by virtue of which any property is owed to the Trust; and to enter into releases, agreements and other instruments. The Shareholders shall have no power to vote as to whether or not a court action, legal proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders.

 

3.8.       Expenses. The Trustees shall have the power to incur and pay out of the assets or income of the Trust any expenses which in the opinion of the Trustees are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of this Declaration, and the business of the Trust, 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, underwriting, syndicating and brokerage services, as they in good faith may deem reasonable reimbursement for expenses reasonably incurred by themselves on behalf of the Trust.

 

3.9.       By-Laws. The Trustees shall have the exclusive authority to adopt and from time to time amend or repeal By-Laws for the conduct of the business of the Trust.

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3.10.     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 business of the Trust; (b) enter into joint ventures, partnerships and any other combinations or associations; (c) purchase, and pay for out of Trust Property, insurance policies insuring the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees, agents, investment advisors, distributors, selected dealers or independent contractors of the Trust against all claims arising by reason of holding any such position or by reason of any action taken or omitted by any such Person in such capacity, whether or not constituting negligence, or whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability; (d) establish pension, profit-sharing, share purchase, and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans for any Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust; (e) make donations, irrespective of any benefit to the Trust, for charitable, religious, educational, scientific, civic or similar purposes; (f) to the extent permitted by law, indemnify any Person with whom the Trust has dealings, including without limitation any advisor, administrator, manager, transfer agent, custodian, distributor or selected dealer, or any other person as the Trustees may see fit to such extent as the Trustees shall determine; (g) guarantee indebtedness or contractual obligations of others; (h) determine and change the fiscal year of the Trust and the method in which its accounts shall be kept; (i) notwithstanding the Fundamental Policies of the Trust, convert the Trust to a master-feeder structure; provided, however, the Trust obtains the approval of shareholders holding at least a majority of the Trust’s Shares present at a meeting of Shareholders at which a quorum is present and (j) adopt a seal for the Trust, but the absence of such seal shall not impair the validity of any instrument executed on behalf of the Trust.

 

3.11.     Further Powers. The Trustees shall have the power to conduct the business of the Trust and carry on its operations in any and all of its branches and maintain offices both within and without the State of Delaware, in any and all states of the United States of America, in the District of Columbia, 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 although such things are not herein specifically mentioned. Any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust 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 will not be required to obtain any court order to deal with the Trust Property.

 

ARTICLE IV

Advisory, Management and Distribution Arrangements

 

4.1.       Advisory and Management Arrangements. Subject to the requirements of applicable law as in effect from time to time, the Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into advisory, administration or management contracts (including, in each case, one or more sub-advisory, sub-administration or sub-management contracts) whereby the other party to any such contract shall undertake to furnish such advisory, administrative and management services, with respect to the Trust as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine. Notwithstanding any provisions of this Declaration, the Trustees may authorize any advisor, administrator or manager (subject to such general or specific instructions as the Trustees may from time to time adopt) to effect investment transactions with respect to the assets on behalf of the Trust to the full extent of the power of the Trustees to effect such transactions or may authorize any officer, employee or Trustee to effect such transactions pursuant to recommendations of any such advisor, administrator or manager (and all without further action by the Trustees). Any such investment transaction shall be deemed to have been authorized by all of the Trustees.

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4.2.       Distribution Arrangements. Subject to compliance with the 1940 Act, the Trustees may retain underwriters, placement agents and/or other distribution agents to sell Shares or other securities of the Trust. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more contracts, providing for the sale of securities of the Trust, whereby the Trust may either agree to sell such securities to the other party to the contract or appoint such other party its sales agent for such securities. In either case, the contract shall be on such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article IV or the By-Laws; and such contract may also provide for the repurchase or sale of securities of the Trust by such other party as principal or as agent of the Trust and may provide that such other party may enter into selected dealer agreements with registered securities dealers and brokers and servicing and similar agreements with persons who are not registered securities dealers to further the purposes of the distribution or repurchase of securities of the Trust.

 

4.3.       Parties to Contract. Any contract of the character described in Sections 4.1 and 4.2 of this Article IV or in Article VII hereof may be entered into with any Person, although one or more of the Trustees, officers or employees 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 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 Sections 4.1 and 4.2 above or Article VII, 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 4.3.

 

ARTICLE V

Limitations of Liability and Indemnification

 

5.1.       No Personal Liability of Shareholders, Trustees, etc. No Shareholder of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust. Shareholders shall have the same limitation of personal liability as is extended to stockholders of a private corporation for profit incorporated under the Delaware General Corporation Law. No Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be subject in such capacity to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person, save only liability to the Trust or its Shareholders for any action or inaction as Trustee hereunder that results solely from his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard for his duty to such Person; and, subject to the foregoing exception, all such Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. If any Shareholder, Trustee or officer, as such, of the Trust, is made a party to any suit or proceeding to enforce any such liability, subject to the foregoing exception, he shall not, on account thereof, be held to any personal liability. Any repeal or modification of this Section 5.1 shall not adversely affect any right or protection of a Trustee or officer of the Trust existing at the time of such repeal or modification with respect to acts or omissions occurring prior to such repeal or modification.

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5.2.       Mandatory Indemnification.

 

(a)        The Trust hereby agrees to indemnify each person who at any time serves as a Trustee or officer of the Trust (each such person being an “indemnitee”) against any liabilities and expenses, including amounts paid in satisfaction of judgments, in compromise or as fines and penalties, and reasonable counsel fees reasonably incurred by such indemnitee in connection with the defense or disposition of any action, suit or other proceeding, whether civil or criminal, before any court or administrative or investigative body in which he may be or may have been involved as a party or otherwise or with which he may be or may have been threatened, while acting in any capacity set forth in this Article V by reason of his having acted in any such capacity, except with respect to any matter as to which he shall not have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that his action was in the best interest of the Trust or, in the case of any criminal proceeding, as to which he shall have had reasonable cause to believe that the conduct was unlawful, provided, however, that no indemnitee shall be indemnified hereunder against any liability to any person or any expense of such indemnitee arising by reason of (i) willful misfeasance, (ii) bad faith, (iii) gross negligence, or (iv) reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his position (the conduct referred to in such clauses (i) through (iv) being sometimes referred to herein as “disabling conduct”). Notwithstanding the foregoing, with respect to any action, suit or other proceeding voluntarily prosecuted by any indemnitee as plaintiff, indemnification shall be mandatory only if the prosecution of such action, suit or other proceeding by such indemnitee (1) was authorized by a majority of the Trustees or (2) was instituted by the indemnitee to enforce his or her rights to indemnification hereunder in a case in which the indemnitee is found to be entitled to such indemnification. The rights to indemnification set forth in this Declaration shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Trustee or officer of the Trust and shall inure to the benefit of his or her heirs, executors and personal and legal representatives. No amendment or restatement of this Declaration or repeal of any of its provisions shall limit or eliminate any of the benefits provided to any person who at any time is or was a Trustee or officer of the Trust or otherwise entitled to indemnification hereunder in respect of any act or omission that occurred prior to such amendment, restatement or repeal.

 

(b)        Notwithstanding the foregoing, no indemnification shall be made hereunder unless there has been a determination (i) by a final decision on the merits by a court or other body of competent jurisdiction before whom the issue of entitlement to indemnification hereunder was brought that such indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder or, (ii) in the absence of such a decision, by (1) a majority vote of a quorum of those Trustees who are neither “interested persons” of the Trust (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) nor parties to the proceeding (“Disinterested Non-Party Trustees”), that the indemnitee is entitled to indemnification hereunder, or (2) if such quorum is not obtainable or even if obtainable, if such majority so directs, independent legal counsel in a written opinion concludes that the indemnitee should be entitled to indemnification hereunder. All determinations to make advance payments in connection with the expense of defending any proceeding shall be authorized and made in accordance with the immediately succeeding paragraph (c) below.

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(c)        The Trust shall make advance payments in connection with the expenses of defending any action with respect to which indemnification might be sought hereunder if the Trust receives a written affirmation by the indemnitee of the indemnitee’s good faith belief that the standards of conduct necessary for indemnification have been met and a written undertaking to reimburse the Trust unless it is subsequently determined that the indemnitee is entitled to such indemnification and if a majority of the Trustees determine that the applicable standards of conduct necessary for indemnification appear to have been met. In addition, at least one of the following conditions must be met: (i) the indemnitee shall provide adequate security for his undertaking, (ii) the Trust shall be insured against losses arising by reason of any lawful advances, or (iii) a majority of a quorum of the Disinterested Non-Party Trustees, or if a majority vote of such quorum so direct, independent legal counsel in a written opinion, shall conclude, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is substantial reason to believe that the indemnitee ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

 

(d)        The rights accruing to any indemnitee under these provisions shall not exclude any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under this Declaration, the By-Laws of the Trust, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or Trustees who are “disinterested persons” (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) or any other right to which he or she may be lawfully entitled. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent the Trust enters into a written agreement with any Trustee to indemnify such Trustee, any indemnification of such Trustee by the Trust shall be governed by the terms of such written agreement, including with respect to determinations required, applicable presumptions and the burden of proof with respect to such Trustee’s entitlement to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses.

 

(e)        Subject to any limitations provided by the 1940 Act and this Declaration, the Trust shall have the power and authority to indemnify and provide for the advance payment of expenses to employees, agents and other Persons providing services to the Trust or serving in any capacity at the request of the Trust to the full extent corporations organized under the Delaware General Corporation Law may indemnify or provide for the advance payment of expenses for such Persons, provided that such indemnification has been approved by a majority of the Trustees.

 

5.3.       No Bond Required of Trustees. No Trustee shall, as such, be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his duties hereunder.

 

5.4.       No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments, etc. No purchaser, lender, transfer agent 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, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, undertaking, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively taken 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. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, its Shareholders, 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 or is required by the 1940 Act.

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5.5.       Trustee’s Good Faith Action, Reliance on Experts, etc. The exercise in good faith by the Trustees of their powers and discretions hereunder shall be binding upon everyone interested. The Trustees may rely in good faith upon advice of counsel or other experts with respect to the meaning and operation of this Declaration and their duties as Trustees hereunder and shall be under no liability for any act or omission in accordance with such advice; provided the Trustees shall be under no liability for failing to follow such advice. A Trustee shall be fully protected in relying in good faith upon the records of the Trust and upon information, opinions, reports or statements presented by another Trustee or any officer, employee or other agent of the Trust, or by any other Person as to matters the Trustee believes in good faith are within such other Person’s professional or expert competence, including information, opinions, reports or statements as to the value and amount of the assets, liabilities, profits or losses of the Trust or any series or class, or the value and amount of assets or reserves or contracts, agreements or other undertakings that would be sufficient to pay claims and obligations of the Trust or any series or class or to make reasonable provision to pay such claims and obligations, or any other facts pertinent to the existence and amount of assets from which distributions to Shareholders or creditors of the Trust might properly be paid. The appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as a Chairman of the Board of Trustees, a member or chair of a committee of the Trustees, an expert on any topic or in any area (including an audit committee financial expert), or the lead independent Trustee, or any other special appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee, shall not impose on that person any standard of care or liability that is greater than that imposed on that person as a Trustee in the absence of the appointment, designation or identification, and no Trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is appointed, designated or identified as aforesaid, shall be held to a higher standard of care by virtue thereof.

 

ARTICLE VI

Shares of Beneficial Interest

 

6.1.       Beneficial Interest. The beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided into Shares, with a par value of $0.01 per Share (or such other amount as the Trustees shall determine, including no par value). The Trustees may, without the approval of Shareholders, authorize one or more series of Shares and one or more classes of Shares having such preferences, voting powers, terms of repurchase or redemption, if any, and special or relative rights or privileges (including conversion rights, if any) as the Trustees may determine. The number of Shares of the Trust and each series and class authorized hereunder is unlimited. The Trust is authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares, and upon the establishment of any series or class as provided herein, the Trust shall be authorized to issue an unlimited number of Shares of each such series and class, unless otherwise determined, and subject to any conditions set forth, by the Trustees. All references to Shares in this Declaration shall be deemed to be Shares of the Trust and of any or all series or classes, as the context may require. All provisions herein relating to the Trust shall apply equally to each series of the Trust and each class, except as the context otherwise requires. All Shares issued hereunder, including Shares issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split or reverse split of Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable. Except as otherwise provided by the Trustees, Shareholders shall have no preemptive or other right to subscribe to any additional Shares or other securities issued by the Trust. Shares held in the Trust’s treasury shall not confer any voting rights on the Trustees and shall not be entitled to any dividends or other distributions declared with respect to the Shares.

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6.2.       Other Securities. The Trustees may, subject to the Fundamental Policies and the requirements of the 1940 Act, authorize and issue such other securities of the Trust as they determine to be necessary, desirable or appropriate, having such terms, rights, preferences, privileges, limitations and restrictions as the Trustees see fit, including preferred interests, debt securities or other senior securities. Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration, to the extent that the Trustees authorize and issue preferred shares of any class or series, they are hereby authorized and empowered to amend or supplement this Declaration as they deem necessary or appropriate, including to comply with the requirements of the 1940 Act or requirements imposed by the rating agencies or other Persons, all without the approval of Shareholders. Any such supplement or amendment shall be filed as is necessary. The Trustees are also authorized to take such actions and retain such persons as they see fit to offer and to sell such securities.

 

6.3.       Rights of Shareholders. The Shares shall be personal property given only the rights in this Declaration specifically set forth. The ownership of the Trust Property of every description and the right to conduct any business herein before described are vested exclusively in the Trustees, and the Shareholders shall have no interest therein other than the beneficial interest conferred by their Shares, and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of any property, profits, rights or interests of the Trust nor can they be called upon to share or assume any losses of the Trust or suffer an assessment of any kind by virtue of their ownership of Shares. The Shares shall not entitle the holder to preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or exchange rights (except as specified in this Section 6.3, in Section 11.3 or as specified by the Trustees when creating the Shares, as in preferred shares). Ownership of Shares shall not make any Shareholder a third-party beneficiary of any contract entered into by the Trust or any class or series.

 

6.4.       Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only the relationship of Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each Shareholder 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 trust. Nothing in this Declaration shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.

 

6.5.       Issuance of Shares. The Trustees, in their discretion, may from time to time without vote of the Shareholders issue Shares including preferred shares that may have been established pursuant to Section 6.2, in addition to the then issued and outstanding Shares and Shares held in the treasury, to such party or parties and for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or property, at such time or times, and on such terms as the Trustees may determine, 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. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing the proportionate beneficial interest in such Shares. Issuances and redemptions of Shares may be made in whole Shares and/or l/l,000ths of a Share or multiples thereof as the Trustees may determine.

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6.6.       Register of Shares. A register shall be kept at the offices of the Trust or any transfer agent duly appointed by the Trustees under the direction of the Trustees which shall contain the names and addresses of the Shareholders and the number of Shares held by them respectively and a record of all transfers thereof. Separate registers shall be established and maintained for each class or series of Shares. Each such register shall be conclusive as to who the holders of the Shares of the applicable class or series of Shares are and who shall be entitled to receive dividends or distributions or otherwise to exercise or enjoy the rights of Shareholders. No Shareholder shall be entitled to receive payment of any dividend or distribution, nor to have notice given to him as herein provided, until he has given his address to a transfer agent or such other officer or agent of the Trustees as shall keep the register for entry thereon. It is not contemplated that certificates will be issued for the Shares; however, the Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the issuance of share certificates and promulgate appropriate fees therefore and rules and regulations as to their use.

 

6.7.       Transfer Agent and Registrar. The Trustees shall have power to employ a transfer agent or transfer agents, and a registrar or registrars, with respect to the Shares. The transfer agent or transfer agents may keep the applicable register and record therein, the original issues and transfers, if any, of the said Shares. Any such transfer agents and/or registrars shall perform the duties usually performed by transfer agents and registrars of certificates of stock in a corporation, as modified by the Trustees.

 

6.8.       Transfer of Shares. Shares shall be transferable on the records of the Trust only by the record holder thereof or by its agent thereto duly authorized in writing, upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of a duly executed instrument of transfer, together with such evidence of the genuineness of each such execution and authorization and of other matters as may reasonably be required. Upon such delivery the transfer shall be recorded on the applicable register of the Trust. Until such record is made, the Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be the holder of such Shares for all purposes hereof and neither the Trustees nor any transfer agent or registrar nor any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be affected by any notice of the proposed transfer. Any person becoming entitled to any Shares in consequence of the death, bankruptcy, or incompetence of any Shareholder, or otherwise by operation of law, shall be recorded on the applicable register of Shares as the holder of such Shares upon production of the proper evidence thereof to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust, but until such record is made, the Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be the holder of such for all purposes hereof, and neither the Trustees nor any transfer agent or registrar nor any officer or agent of the Trust shall be affected by any notice of such death, bankruptcy or incompetence, or other operation of law.

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6.9.       Notices. Any and all notices to which any Shareholder hereunder may be entitled and any and all communications shall be deemed duly served or given if mailed, postage prepaid, addressed to any Shareholder of record at his last known address as recorded on the applicable register of the Trust.

 

ARTICLE VII

Custodians

 

7.1.       Appointment and Duties. The Trustees shall at all times employ a custodian or custodians, meeting the qualifications for custodians for portfolio securities of investment companies contained in the 1940 Act, as custodian with respect to the assets of the Trust. Any custodian shall have authority as agent of the Trust as determined by the custodian agreement or agreements, but subject to such restrictions, limitations and other requirements, if any, as may be contained in the By-Laws of the Trust and the 1940 Act, including, without limitation, authority:

 

(a)        to hold the securities owned by the Trust and deliver the same upon written order;

 

(b)        to receive any receipt for any moneys due to the Trust and deposit the same in its own banking department (if a bank) or elsewhere as the Trustees may direct;

 

(c)        to disburse such funds upon orders or vouchers;

 

(d)        if authorized by the Trustees, to keep the books and accounts of the Trust and furnish clerical and accounting services; and

 

(e)        if authorized to do so by the Trustees, to compute the net income or net asset value of the Trust;

 

all upon such basis of compensation as may be agreed upon between the Trustees and the custodian.

 

The Trustees may also authorize each custodian to employ one or more sub-custodians from time to time to perform such of the acts and services of the custodian and upon such terms and conditions, as may be agreed upon between the custodian and such sub-custodian and approved by the Trustees, provided that in every case such sub-custodian shall meet the qualifications for custodians contained in the 1940 Act.

 

7.2.       Central Certificate System. Subject to such rules, regulations and orders as the Commission may adopt, the Trustees may direct the custodian to deposit all or any part of the securities owned by the Trust in a system for the central handling of securities established by a national securities exchange or a national securities association registered with the Commission under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or such other Person as may be permitted by the Commission, or otherwise in accordance with the 1940 Act, pursuant to which system all securities of any particular class of any issuer deposited within the system are treated as fungible and may be transferred or pledged by bookkeeping entry without physical delivery of such securities, provided that all such deposits shall be subject to withdrawal only upon the order of the Trust.

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ARTICLE VIII

Redemption

 

8.1.       Redemptions. The Shares of the Trust are not redeemable by the holders.

 

8.2.       Disclosure of Holding. The holders of Shares or other securities of the Trust shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares or other securities of the Trust as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Code, the 1940 Act or other applicable laws or regulations, or to comply with the requirements of any other taxing or regulatory authority, or as the Trustees may otherwise decide, and ownership of Shares may be disclosed by the Trust if so required by applicable law or as the Trustees may otherwise decide.

 

ARTICLE IX

Determination of Net Asset Value; Net Income; Distributions

 

9.1.       Net Asset Value. The net asset value of each outstanding Share of the Trust shall be determined at such time or times on such days as the Trustees may determine, in accordance with the 1940 Act. The method of determination of net asset value shall be determined by the Trustees and shall be as set forth in the Prospectus or as may otherwise be determined by the Trustees. The power and duty to make the net asset value calculations may be delegated by the Trustees and shall be as generally set forth in the Prospectus or as may otherwise be determined by the Trustees.

 

9.2.       Distributions to Shareholders.

 

(a)        The Trustees shall from time to time distribute ratably among the Shareholders of any class of Shares, or any series of any such class, in accordance with the number of outstanding full and fractional Shares of such class or any series of such class, such proportion of the net profits, surplus (including paid-in surplus), capital, or assets held by the Trustees as they may deem proper or as may otherwise be determined in accordance with this Declaration. Any such distribution may be made in cash or property (including without limitation any type of obligations of the Trust or any assets thereof) or Shares of any class or series or any combination thereof, and the Trustees may distribute ratably among the Shareholders of any class of Shares or series of any such class, in accordance with the number of outstanding full and fractional Shares of such class or any series of such class, additional Shares of any class or series in such manner, at such times, and on such terms as the Trustees may deem proper or as may otherwise be determined in accordance with this Declaration.

 

(b)        Distributions pursuant to this Section 9.2 may be among the Shareholders of record of the applicable class or series of Shares at the time of declaring a distribution or among the Shareholders of record at such later date as the Trustees shall determine and specify.

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(c)        The Trustees may always retain from the net profits such amount as they may deem necessary to pay the debts or expenses of the Trust or to meet obligations of the Trust, or as they otherwise may deem desirable to use in the conduct of its affairs or to retain for future requirements or extensions of the business.

 

(d)        Inasmuch as the computation of net income and gains for Federal income tax purposes may vary from the computation thereof on the books, the above provisions shall be interpreted to give the Trustees the power, in their discretion, to distribute for any fiscal year as ordinary dividends and as capital gains distributions, respectively, additional amounts sufficient to enable the Trust to avoid or reduce liability for taxes.

 

9.3.       Power to Modify Foregoing Procedures. Notwithstanding any of the foregoing provisions of this Article IX, the Trustees may prescribe, in their absolute discretion except as may be required by the 1940 Act, such other bases and times for determining the per share asset value of the Trust’s Shares or net income, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions as they may deem necessary or desirable for any reason, including to enable the Trust to comply with any provision of the 1940 Act, or any securities exchange or association registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, or any order of exemption issued by the Commission, all as in effect now or hereafter amended or modified.

 

ARTICLE X

Shareholders

 

10.1.     Meetings of Shareholders. Meetings of Shareholders may be called by the Trustees from time to time for the purpose of taking action upon any matter requiring the vote of the Shareholders as herein provided, or upon any other matter deemed by the Trustees to be necessary or desirable. A special meeting of Shareholders may be called at any time by a majority of the Trustees or the Chief Executive Officer and shall be called by any Trustee for any proper purpose upon written request of Shareholders of the Trust holding in the aggregate not less than fifty-one percent (51%) of the outstanding Shares of the Trust or class or series of Shares having voting rights on the matter, such request specifying the purpose or purposes for which such meeting is to be called. Subject to Section 1.10 of the By-Laws, any shareholder meeting, including a Special Meeting, shall be held within or without the State of Delaware on such day and at such time as the Trustees shall designate.

 

10.2.     Voting. Shareholders shall have no power to vote on any matter except matters on which a vote of Shareholders is required by applicable law, this Declaration or resolution of the Continuing Trustees; provided, that no power to vote on any matter is granted to Shareholders under the Declaration solely because the Delaware Statutory Trust Statute shall require a vote on such matter in the absence of a contrary provision in the Declaration, and any power to vote on such matter is expressly denied under the Declaration unless otherwise required by this Declaration. Except as otherwise provided herein, any matter required to be submitted to Shareholders and affecting one or more classes or series of Shares shall require approval by the required vote of all the affected classes and series of Shares voting together as a single class; provided, however, that as to any matter with respect to which a separate vote of any class or series of Shares is required by the 1940 Act, such requirement as to a separate vote by that class or series of Shares shall apply in addition to a vote of all the affected classes and series voting together as a single class. Shareholders of a particular class or series of Shares shall not be entitled to vote on any matter that affects only one or more other classes or series of Shares. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election or removal of Trustees.

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10.3.     Notice of Meeting and Record Date. Notice of all meetings of Shareholders, stating the time, place and purposes of the meeting, shall be given by the Trustees by mail to each Shareholder of record entitled to vote thereat at its registered address, mailed at least 10 days and not more than 120 days before the commencement of the meeting or otherwise in compliance with applicable law. Only the business stated in the notice of the meeting shall be considered at such meeting. Any adjourned meeting may be held as adjourned one or more times without further notice not later than 180 days after the record date. For the purposes of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice of and to vote at any meeting the Trustees may, without closing the transfer books, fix a date not more than 120 nor less than 10 days prior to the date of such meeting of Shareholders as a record date for the determination of the Persons to be treated as Shareholders of record for such purposes.

 

10.4.     Quorum and Required Vote.

 

(a)        Subject to Section 1.10 of the By-Laws, the holders of a majority of the Shares entitled to vote on any matter at a meeting present in person or by proxy shall constitute a quorum for the purpose of conducting business at such meeting of the Shareholders. The absence from any meeting, in person or by proxy, of a quorum of Shareholders for action upon any given matter shall not prevent action at such meeting upon any other matter or matters which may properly come before the meeting, if there shall be present thereat, in person or by proxy, a quorum of Shareholders in respect of such other matters.

 

(b)        Subject to any provision of applicable law, this Declaration, the By-Laws or a resolution of the Trustees specifying a greater or a lesser vote requirement for the transaction of any item of business at any meeting of Shareholders, (i) the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares present in person or represented by proxy and entitled to vote on the subject matter shall be the act of the Shareholders with respect to such matter, and (ii) where a separate vote of one or more classes or series of Shares is required on any matter, the affirmative vote of a majority of the Shares of such class or series of Shares present in person or represented by proxy at the meeting shall be the act of the Shareholders of such class or series with respect to such matter.

 

10.5.     Proxies, etc. At any meeting of Shareholders, any holder of Shares entitled to vote thereat may vote by properly executed 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 or employees of the Trust. No proxy shall be valid after the expiration of 11 months from the date thereof, unless otherwise provided in the proxy. Only Shareholders of record shall be entitled to vote. Each full Share shall be entitled to one vote and fractional Shares shall be entitled to a vote of such fraction. When any Share is held jointly by several persons, any one of them may vote at any meeting in person or by proxy in respect of such Share (subject to Section 1.10 of the By-Laws), 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 Share. A proxy purporting to be executed by or on behalf of a Shareholder 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 of any such Share 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 such Share, he may vote by his guardian or such other person appointed or having such control, and such vote may be given in person or by proxy (subject to Section 1.10 of the By-Laws).

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10.6.     Reports. The Trustees shall cause to be prepared at least annually and more frequently to the extent and in the form required by law, regulation or any exchange on which Trust Shares are listed a report of operations containing a balance sheet and statement of income and undistributed income of the Trust prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and an opinion of an independent public accountant on such financial statements. Copies of such reports shall be mailed to all Shareholders of record within the time required by the 1940 Act, and in any event within a reasonable period preceding the meeting of Shareholders. The Trustees shall, in addition, furnish to the Shareholders at least semi-annually to the extent required by law, interim reports containing an unaudited balance sheet of the Trust 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.

 

10.7.     Inspection of Records. No Shareholder shall have any right to inspect any account, book or document of the Trust that is not publicly available, except as conferred by the Trustees. The books and records of the Trust may be kept at such place or places as the Board of Trustees or the officers of the Trust may from time to time determine, except as otherwise required by law.

 

10.8.     Shareholder Action by Written Consent. Any action which may be taken by Shareholders by vote may be taken without a meeting if the holders entitled to vote thereon of the proportion of Shares required for approval of such action at a meeting of Shareholders pursuant to Section 10.4 consent to the action in writing and the written consents are filed with the records of the meetings of Shareholders. Such consent shall be treated for all purposes as a vote taken at a meeting of Shareholders.

 

ARTICLE XI

LIMITED TERM OF EXISTENCE; Termination of Trust; Amendment; Mergers, Etc.

 

11.1.     Limited Term of Existence; Termination.

 

(a)        Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration or the By-Laws, unless dissolved sooner in accordance with paragraph (b) of this Section 11.1, and except as otherwise provided in this Section 11.1, the Trust shall dissolve as of the first business day following the twelfth anniversary of the effective date of the Trust’s initial registration statement on Form N-2 (the “Dissolution Date”); provided, however, that:

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(i)         The Board of Trustees may approve an extension of the Dissolution Date to a date after the Dissolution Date for one period that may in no event exceed two years following the Dissolution Date (the “Extended Dissolution Date”), upon the vote or consent of a majority of the entire Board of Trustees and seventy-five percent (75%) of the Continuing Trustees (a “Board Action Vote”), and without Shareholder approval (the “Limited Term Provision”).

 

(ii)        As of a date within six to 18 months preceding the Dissolution Date, or, as applicable, within six to 18 months preceding the Extended Dissolution Date, the Board of Trustees may, by a Board Action Vote, and without Shareholder approval cause the Trust to conduct a tender offer to all common Shareholders to purchase all outstanding common Shares of the Trust at a price equal to the net asset value per common share on the expiration date of the tender offer (an “Eligible Tender Offer”). If the payment for properly tendered Shares would result in the Trust’s net assets totaling less than $200 million (the “Dissolution Threshold”), the Eligible Tender Offer shall be canceled, no Shares will be repurchased pursuant to the Eligible Tender Offer, and the Trust will dissolve as scheduled in accordance with clause (a) of this Section 11.1; provided that if the Eligible Tender Offer was made prior to the Dissolution Date, the Board may approve an extension of the Dissolution Date in accordance with clause (a)(i) of this Section 11.1. If an Eligible Tender Offer is conducted and the payment for properly tendered Shares would result in the Trust’s net assets totaling greater than or equal to the Dissolution Threshold, all common Shares properly tendered and not withdrawn will be purchased by the Trust pursuant to the terms of the Eligible Tender Offer. Following the consummation of an Eligible Tender Offer, the Board of Trustees may, by a Board Action Vote, and without Shareholder approval, amend this Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust to eliminate the Dissolution Date or the Extended Dissolution Date (as the case may be) and provide that the Trust shall have a perpetual term, subject to the ability of the Shareholders or the Board of Trustees to dissolve the Trust as provided in Section 11.1(b).

 

(b)        In addition to dissolution pursuant to the Limited Term Provision in paragraph (a) of this Section 11.1, the Trust may be dissolved at any time after a majority of the Trustees have approved a resolution therefor, followed by approval by not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each class or series outstanding and entitled to vote, voting as separate classes or series, unless such dissolution has been approved by eighty percent (80%) of the Trustees, in which case approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be required.

 

(c)        Upon the dissolution of the Trust:

 

(i)         The Trust shall 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 and all of the powers of the Trustees under this Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the Trust shall have been wound up, including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, merge where the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property to one or more Persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part in cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business; provided that any sale, conveyance, assignment, exchange, merger in which the Trust is not the survivor, transfer or other disposition of all or substantially all the Trust Property of the Trust shall require approval of the principal terms of the transaction and the nature and amount of the consideration by Shareholders with the same vote as required to open-end the Trust.

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(iii)        After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, 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, in cash or in kind or partly each, among the Shareholders according to their respective rights.

 

(d)        After the winding up and termination of the Trust and distribution to the Shareholders as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees or an authorized officer of the Trust shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such termination and shall execute and file a certificate of cancellation with the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware. Upon termination of the Trust, the Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder, and the rights and interests of all Shareholders shall thereupon cease.

 

11.2.     Amendment Procedure.

 

(a)        Except as provided in subsection (b) and (c) of this Section 11.2, this Declaration may be amended, after a majority of the Trustees have approved a resolution therefor, by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than a majority of the affected Shares. The Trustees also may amend this Declaration without any vote of Shareholders of any class or series to divide the Shares of the Trust into one or more classes or additional classes, or one or more series of any such class or classes, to determine the rights, powers, preferences, limitations and restrictions of any class or series of Shares, to change the name of the Trust or any class or series of Shares, to make any change that in the good faith judgment of the Continuing Trustees does not change the relative rights or preferences of one or more classes or series of Shares so as to materially and adversely affect them, as they may deem necessary, or to conform this Declaration to the requirements of the 1940 Act or any other applicable federal laws or regulations including pursuant to Section 6.2 or the requirements of the regulated investment company provisions of the Code, but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do so.

 

(b)        No amendment may be made to Section 2.1, Section 2.2, Section 2.3, Section 3.9, Section 5.1, Section 5.2, Section 11.1(a), this Section 11.2, Section 11.3, Section 11.4 or Section 11.6 of this Declaration and no amendment may be made to this Declaration which would change any rights with respect to any Shares of the Trust by reducing the amount payable thereon upon liquidation of the Trust or by diminishing or eliminating any voting rights pertaining thereto (except that this provision shall not limit the ability of the Trustees to authorize, and to cause the Trust to issue, other securities pursuant to Section 6.2), except after a majority of the Trustees have approved a resolution therefor, followed by approval by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, or unless such amendment has been approved by eighty percent (80%) of the Trustees, in which case approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be required. Nothing contained in this Declaration shall permit the amendment of this Declaration to impair the exemption from personal liability of the Shareholders, Trustees, officers, employees and agents of the Trust or to permit assessments upon Shareholders. For the avoidance of doubt, nothing in this Section 11.2 shall limit the authority of the Trustees to amend or supplement this Declaration in connection with the authorization and issuance of other securities.

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(c)        An amendment duly adopted by the requisite vote of the Board of Trustees and, if required, the Shareholders as aforesaid, shall become effective at the time of such adoption or at such other time as may be designated by the Board of Trustees or Shareholders, as the case may be. A certification in recordable form signed by a majority of the Trustees setting forth an amendment and reciting that it was duly adopted by the Trustees and, if required, the Shareholders as aforesaid, or a copy of the Declaration, as amended, in recordable form, and executed by a majority of the Trustees, shall be conclusive evidence of such amendment when lodged among the records of the Trust or at such other time designated by the Board.

 

Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, until such time as a Registration Statement under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, covering the first public offering of Shares of the Trust shall have become effective, this Declaration may be terminated or amended in any respect by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees or by an instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees.

 

11.3.     Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets. Except as provided in Section 11.6, the Trust may merge or consolidate with any other corporation, association, trust or other organization or may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Trust Property or the property, including its good will, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as authorized by two-thirds of the Continuing Trustees, followed by approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote, and any such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange shall be determined for all purposes to have been accomplished under and pursuant to the statutes of the State of Delaware.

 

11.4.     Subsidiaries. Without approval by Shareholders, the Continuing Trustees may cause to be organized or assist in organizing one or more corporations, trusts, partnerships, associations or other organizations to take over any or all of the Trust Property or to carry on any business in which the Trust shall directly or indirectly have any interest, and to sell, convey and transfer all or a portion of the Trust Property to any such corporation, trust, limited liability company, association or organization in exchange for the shares or securities thereof, or otherwise, and to lend money to, subscribe for the shares or securities of, and enter into any contracts with any such corporation, trust, limited liability company, partnership, association or organization, or any corporation, partnership, trust, limited liability company, association or organization in which the Trust holds or is about to acquire shares or any other interests.

 

11.5.     Conversion. Notwithstanding any other provisions of this Declaration or the By-Laws of the Trust, a favorable vote of a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office followed by the favorable vote of the holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, shall be required to approve, adopt or authorize an amendment to this Declaration that makes the Shares a “redeemable security” as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, unless such amendment has been approved by eighty percent (80%) of the Continuing Trustees, in which case approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be required. Upon the adoption of a proposal to convert the Trust from a “closed-end company” to an “open-end company” as those terms are defined by the 1940 Act and the necessary amendments to this Declaration to permit such a conversion of the Trust’s outstanding Shares entitled to vote, the Trust shall, upon complying with any requirements of the 1940 Act and state law, become an “open-end” investment company. Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the holders of the Shares otherwise required by law, or any agreement between the Trust and any national securities exchange.

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11.6.     Certain Transactions.

 

(a)        Notwithstanding any other provision of this Declaration and subject to the exceptions provided in paragraph (d) of this Section, the types of transactions described in paragraph (c) of this Section shall require the affirmative vote or consent of a majority of the Continuing Trustees then in office followed by the affirmative vote of the holders of not less than seventy-five percent (75%) of the Shares of each affected class or series outstanding, voting as separate classes or series, when a Principal Shareholder (as defined in paragraph (b) of this Section) is a party to the transaction. Such affirmative vote or consent shall be in addition to the vote or consent of the holders of Shares otherwise required by law or by the terms of any class or series of preferred stock, whether now or hereafter authorized, or any agreement between the Trust and any national securities exchange.

 

(b)        The term “Principal Shareholder” shall mean any corporation, Person or other entity which is the beneficial owner, directly or indirectly, of five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares of any class or series and shall include any affiliate or associate, as such terms are defined in clause (ii) below, of a Principal Shareholder. For the purposes of this Section, in addition to the Shares which a corporation, Person or other entity beneficially owns directly, (a) any corporation, Person or other entity shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of any Shares (i) which it has the right to acquire pursuant to any agreement or upon exercise of conversion rights or warrants, or otherwise (but excluding share options granted by the Trust) or (ii) which are beneficially owned, directly or indirectly (including Shares deemed owned through application of clause (i) above), by any other corporation, Person or entity with which its “affiliate” or “associate” (as defined below) has any agreement, arrangement or understanding for the purpose of acquiring, holding, voting or disposing of Shares, or which is its “affiliate” or “associate” as those terms are defined in Rule 12b-2 of the General Rules and Regulations under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, and (b) the outstanding Shares shall include Shares deemed owned through application of clauses (i) and (ii) above but shall not include any other Shares which may be issuable pursuant to any agreement, or upon exercise of conversion rights or warrants, or otherwise.

 

(c)        This Section shall apply to the following transactions: (i) the merger or consolidation of the Trust or any subsidiary of the Trust with or into any Principal Shareholder, (ii) the issuance of any securities of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder for cash (other than (x) an issuance of preferred stock approved by eighty percent (80%) of the Continuing Trustees or (y) pursuant to any automatic dividend reinvestment plan), (iii) the sale, lease or exchange of all or any substantial part of the assets of the Trust to any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purpose of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period), and (iv) the sale, lease or exchange to the Trust or any subsidiary thereof, in exchange for securities of the Trust, of any assets of any Principal Shareholder (except assets having an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, aggregating for the purposes of such computation all assets sold, leased or exchanged in any series of similar transactions within a twelve-month period).

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(d)        The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable to (i) any of the transactions described in paragraph (c) of this Section if eighty percent (80%) of the Continuing Trustees shall by resolution have approved a memorandum of understanding with such Principal Shareholder with respect to and substantially consistent with such transaction, in which case approval by a Majority Shareholder Vote shall be the only vote of Shareholders required by this Section, or (ii) any such transaction with any entity of which a majority of the outstanding shares of all classes and series of a stock normally entitled to vote in elections of directors is owned of record or beneficially by the Trust and its subsidiaries.

 

(e)        The Continuing Trustees shall have the power and duty to determine for the purposes of this Section on the basis of information known to the Trust whether (i) a corporation, person or entity beneficially owns five percent (5%) or more of the outstanding Shares of any class or series, (ii) a corporation, person or entity is an “affiliate” or “associate” (as defined above) of another, (iii) the assets being acquired or leased to or by the Trust or any subsidiary thereof constitute a substantial part of the assets of the Trust and have an aggregate fair market value of less than $1,000,000, and (iv) the memorandum of understanding referred to in paragraph (d) hereof is substantially consistent with the transaction covered thereby. Any such determination shall be conclusive and binding for all purposes of this Section.

 

ARTICLE XII

Miscellaneous

 

12.1.     Filing.

 

(a)        This Declaration and any amendment or supplement hereto shall be filed in such places as may be required by law or as the Trustees deem appropriate. Each amendment or supplement shall be accompanied by a certificate signed and acknowledged by an authorized officer stating that such action was duly taken in a manner provided herein, and shall, upon insertion in the Trust’s minute book, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein. A restated Declaration, containing the original Declaration and all amendments and supplements theretofore made, may be executed from time to time by an authorized officer and shall, upon insertion in the Trust’s minute book, be conclusive evidence of all amendments and supplements contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the various amendments and supplements thereto.

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(b)        The Trustees hereby authorize and direct a Certificate of Trust to be executed and filed with the Office of the Secretary of State of the State of Delaware in accordance with the Delaware Statutory Trust Act.

 

12.2.     Resident Agent. The Trust shall maintain a resident agent in the State of Delaware, which agent shall initially be The Corporation Trust Company, 1209 Orange Street, Wilmington, Delaware 19801. The Trustees may designate a successor resident agent, provided, however, that such appointment shall not become effective until written notice thereof is delivered to the office of the Secretary of the State.

 

12.3.     Derivative Actions. In addition to all suits, claims or other actions (collectively, “claims”) that under applicable law must be brought as derivative claims, each Shareholder of the Trust or any series or class thereof agrees that any claim that affects all Shareholders of the Trust or any series or class equally, that is, proportionately based on their number of outstanding Shares in the Trust or in such series or class, must be brought as a derivative claim subject to this Section 12.3 irrespective of whether such claim involves a violation of the Shareholders’ rights under this Declaration or any other alleged violation of contractual or individual rights that might otherwise give rise to a direct claim.

 

(a)        Shareholders of the Trust or any series or class may not bring a derivative action to enforce the right of the Trust or an affected series or class, as applicable, unless each of the following conditions is met:

 

(i)         Each complaining Shareholder was a Shareholder of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable, at the time of the action or failure to act complained of, or acquired the Shares afterwards by operation of law from a Person who was a Shareholder at that time;

 

(ii)        Each complaining Shareholder was a Shareholder of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable, as of the time the demand required by subparagraph (iii) below was made;

 

(iii)       Prior to the commencement of such derivative action, the complaining Shareholders have made a written demand to the Board of Trustees requesting that they cause the Trust or affected series or class, as applicable, to file the action itself. In order to warrant consideration, any such written demand must include at least the following:

 

(1)          a detailed description of the action or failure to act complained of and the facts upon which each such allegation is made;

 

(2)          a statement to the effect that the complaining Shareholders believe that they will fairly and adequately represent the interests of similarly situated Shareholders in enforcing the right of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable and an explanation of why the complaining Shareholders believe that to be the case;

 

(3)          a certification that the requirements of sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) have been met, as well as information reasonably designed to allow the Trustees to verify that certification; and

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(4)          a certification that each complaining Shareholder will be a Shareholder of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable as of the commencement of the derivative action;

 

(iv)       At least 10% of the Shareholders of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable, must join in bringing the derivative action; and

 

(v)        A copy of the derivative complaint must be served on the Trust, assuming the requirements of sub-paragraphs (i)-(iv) above have already been met and the derivative action has not been barred in accordance with paragraph (b)(ii) below.

 

(b)        Demands for derivative action submitted in accordance with the requirements above will be considered by those Trustees who are not deemed to be Interested Persons of the Trust. Within 30 calendar days of the receipt of such demand by the Board of Trustees, those Trustees who are not deemed to be Interested Persons of the Trust will consider the merits of the claim and determine whether maintaining a suit would be in the best interests of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable. Trustees that are not deemed to be Interested Persons of the Trust are deemed independent for all purposes, including for the purpose of approving or dismissing a demand for derivative action.

 

(i)         If the demand for derivative action has not been considered within 30 calendar days of the receipt of such demand by the Board of Trustees, a decision has not been communicated to the complaining Shareholders within the time permitted by sub-paragraph (ii) below, and sub-paragraphs (i)-(iv) of paragraph (a) above have been met, the complaining Shareholders shall not be barred by this Declaration from commencing a derivative action.

 

(ii)        If the demand for derivative action has been considered by the Board of Trustees, and a majority of those Trustees who are not deemed to be Interested Persons of the Trust, after considering the merits of the claim, has determined that maintaining a suit would not be in the best interests of the Trust or the affected series or class, as applicable, the complaining Shareholders shall be barred from commencing the derivative action. If upon such consideration the appropriate members of the Board determine that such a suit should be maintained, then the appropriate officers of the Trust shall commence initiation of that suit and such suit shall proceed directly rather than derivatively. The Board of Trustees, or the appropriate officers of the Trust, shall inform the complaining Shareholders of any decision reached under this sub-paragraph (ii) in writing within five business days of such decision having been reached.

 

(c)        A Shareholder of a particular series or class of the Trust shall not be entitled to participate in a derivative action on behalf of any other series or class of the Trust.

 

12.4.     Governing Law. This Declaration is executed by the Trustees in accordance with and under the laws of the State of Delaware and with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to laws of said State, provided that such law shall not be viewed as limiting the powers otherwise granted to the Trustees hereunder and any ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers. Subject to Section 12.5 of this Declaration, all disputes arising under this Declaration shall be brought in the Delaware Court of Chancery unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act.

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12.5.     Choice of Forum. In accordance with Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Act, unless the Trust consents in writing to the selection of an alternative forum, the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware shall be the sole and exclusive forum for (i) any derivative action or proceeding brought on behalf of the Trust, (ii) any action asserting a claim of breach of a fiduciary duty owed by any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust to the Trust or the Shareholders, (iii) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust arising pursuant to any provision of the Delaware Act, this Declaration or the By-Laws, or (iv) any action asserting a claim against the Trust or any trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust governed by the internal affairs doctrine of the State of Delaware; provided, however, that, (a) in the event that the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware lacks jurisdiction over any such action or proceeding, the sole and exclusive forum for such action or proceeding shall be another state or federal court located within the State of Delaware and (b) any claims, suits, actions or proceedings arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, shall be exclusively brought in the federal district courts of the United States of America. Failure to enforce the foregoing provisions would cause the Trust irreparable harm and the Trust shall be entitled to equitable relief, including injunctive relief and specific performance, to enforce the foregoing provisions. Any person or entity purchasing or otherwise acquiring any interest in Shares of the Trust shall be deemed to have notice of and consented to the provisions of this Section 12.5.

 

12.6.     Counterparts. This 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.

 

12.7.     Reliance by Third Parties. Any certificate executed by an individual who, according to the records of the Trust, or of any recording office in which this Declaration may be recorded, appears to be a Trustee hereunder, certifying to: (a) the number or identity of Trustees or Shareholders, (b) the name of the Trust, (c) the due authorization of the execution of any instrument or writing, (d) the form of any vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Shareholders, (e) the fact that the number of Trustees or Shareholders present at any meeting or executing any written instrument satisfies the requirements of this Declaration, (f) the form of any By Laws adopted by or the identity of any officers elected by the Trustees, or (g) the existence of any fact or facts which 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.

 

12.8.     Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation.

 

(a)        The provisions of this Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company provisions of the Code or with other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of this Declaration; 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.

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(b)        If any provision of this Declaration shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach 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.

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned, being the Trustees of Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund, have executed this Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust as of the date first written above.

 

  /s/ Randall C. Barnes  
  Randall C. Barnes  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Angela Brock-Kyle  
  Angela Brock-Kyle  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Thomas F. Lydon, Jr.  
  Thomas F. Lydon, Jr.  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Ronald A. Nyberg  
  Ronald A. Nyberg  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Sandra G. Sponem  
  Sandra G. Sponem  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.  
  Ronald E. Toupin, Jr.  
  As Trustee and not individually  
     
  /s/ Amy J. Lee  
  Amy J. Lee    
  As Trustee and not individually      

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS

 

OF

 

GUGGENHEIM ACTIVE ALLOCATION FUND

 

 

GUGGENHEIM ACTIVE ALLOCATION FUND

 

AMENDED AND RESTATED BY-LAWS

 

These Amended and Restated By-Laws (the “By-Laws”), dated as of March 2, 2023, are made and adopted pursuant to Section 3.9 of the Agreement and Declaration of Trust of Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund (the “Trust”), dated as of March 2, 2023, as from time to time amended (hereinafter called the “Declaration”).

 

All words and terms capitalized in these By-Laws and not defined herein shall have the meaning or meanings set forth for such words or terms in the Declaration.

 

As used in these By-Laws, the following terms shall have the meaning ascribed to them:

 

Beneficial Owner” of a security shall mean any Person who, directly or indirectly, through any contract, arrangement, understanding, relationship or otherwise (A) has or shares: (1) voting power which includes the power to vote, or to direct the voting of, such security; and/or, (2) investment power which includes the power to dispose, or to direct the disposition, of such security or (B) owns, controls or holds with power to vote such security. A Person shall be deemed to be the beneficial owner of shares if that Person has the right to acquire beneficial ownership of such shares at any time whether or not within sixty days. “Beneficially own,” “own beneficially” and related terms shall have correlative meaning.

 

Control” shall mean the power to exercise a controlling influence over a Person, which in the case of a company means the power to exercise a controlling influence over the management or policies of such company, unless such power is solely the result of an official position with such company.

 

Disclosable Relationship” with respect to another Person means (A) the existence at any time during the current calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed calendar years of any agreement, arrangement, understanding (whether written or oral) or practice, including the sharing of information, decisions or actions, of a Person with such other Person with respect to the Trust or Shares, (B) the beneficial ownership of securities of any Person known by such Person to beneficially own Shares and of which such Person knows such other Person also beneficially owns any securities, (C) sharing beneficial ownership of any securities with such other Person, (D) being an immediate family member of such other Person, (E) the existence at any time during the current calendar year or at any time within the two most recently completed calendar years of a material business or professional relationship with such other Person or with any Person of which such other Person is a 5% Holder, officer, director, trustee, general partner, manager, managing member or employee or (F) controlling, being controlled by or being under common control with such other Person.

 

Exchange Act” shall mean the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder.

 

Immediate Family Member” shall mean any parent, child, spouse, spouse of a parent, spouse of a child, brother or sister (including step and adoptive relationships).

 

 

Proposed Nominee” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.6(A)(4)(a) of these By-Laws.

 

Proposed Nominee Associate” of any Proposed Nominee shall mean any Person who has a Disclosable Relationship with such Proposed Nominee.

 

Public announcement” shall include, but is not limited to, disclosure in a press release reported by the Dow Jones News Service, Associated Press or other national news service or in a document publicly filed by the Trust with the Securities and Exchange Commission pursuant to Section 13, 14 or 15(d) of the Exchange Act.

 

Questionnaire” shall mean the Trust’s form of annual trustee questionnaire, as supplemented from time to time, containing questions intended to, among other things, identify and evaluate potential conflicts of interest, obtain information needed to prepare regulatory filings, including registration statements, annual reports and proxy statements, determine whether a Trustee or a trustee nominee is an “interested person” of the Trust (as defined in section 2(a)(19) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, the “1940 Act”), update records, and otherwise comply with any applicable laws and regulations.

 

Shareholder Associate” of any Shareholder or beneficial owner of Shares shall mean any Person who has a Disclosable Relationship with such Shareholder or beneficial owner.

 

Special Meeting Request” shall have the meaning set forth in Section 1.7(B) of these By-Laws.

 

ARTICLE I

Shareholder Meetings

 

1.1.       Chairman. Unless otherwise determined by the Trustees, a committee of the Board of Trustees or an officer of the Trust to whom such authority has been delegated by the Board of Trustees, the Chairman, if any, shall act as chairman at all meetings of the Shareholders; in the Chairman’s absence, any officer of the Trust or Trustee shall act as chairman for the meeting.

 

1.2.       Proxies; Voting. Shareholders may vote either in person or by duly executed proxy and each full share represented at the meeting shall have one vote, all as provided in Article 10 of the Declaration.

 

1.3.       Fixing Record Dates. For the purpose of determining the Shareholders who are entitled to notice of or to vote or act at any meeting, including any adjournment or postponement thereof, or who are entitled to participate in any dividends, or for any other proper purpose, the Trustees may from time to time, without closing the transfer books, fix a record date in the manner provided in Section 10.3 of the Declaration. If the Trustees do not prior to any meeting of Shareholders so fix a record date or close the transfer books, then the date on which mailing of notice of the meeting is commenced or the date upon which the dividend resolution is adopted, as the case may be, shall be the record date.

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1.4.       Inspectors of Election. In advance of any meeting of Shareholders, the Trustees may appoint Inspectors of Election to act at the meeting or any adjournment or postponement thereof. If Inspectors of Election are not so appointed, the Chairman, if any, of any meeting of Shareholders may appoint Inspectors of Election of the meeting. The number of Inspectors of Election shall be either one or three. In case any Person appointed as Inspector of Election fails to appear or fails or refuses to act, the vacancy may be filled by appointment made by the Trustees in advance of the convening of the meeting or at the meeting by the chairman of the meeting. The Inspectors of Election shall determine the number of Shares outstanding, the Shares represented at the meeting, the existence of a quorum, the authenticity, validity and effect of proxies, shall receive votes, ballots or consents, shall hear and determine all challenges and questions in any way arising in connection with the right to vote, shall count and tabulate all votes or consents, determine the results, and do such other acts as may be proper to conduct the election or vote with fairness to all Shareholders. If there are three Inspectors of Election, the decision, act or certificate of a majority is effective in all respects as the decision, act or certificate of all. On request of the Chairman, if any, of the meeting the Inspectors of Election shall make a report in writing of any challenge or question or matter determined by them and shall execute a certificate of any facts found by them.

 

1.5.       Records at Shareholder Meetings. At each meeting of the Shareholders, there shall be made available for inspection at a convenient time and place during normal business hours, if requested by Shareholders for a purpose germane to the meeting, the minutes of the last previous Annual or Special Meeting of Shareholders of the Trust and a list of the Shareholders of the Trust, as of the record date of the meeting or the date of closing of transfer books, as the case may be. Such list of Shareholders shall contain the name and the address of each Shareholder in alphabetical order and the number of Shares owned by such Shareholder and shall not be required to contain any other information.

 

Shareholders shall have such other rights and procedures of inspection of the books and records of the Trust as are granted to shareholders by the Trustees and provided, that (i) the Trustees or the officers may require any Person to whom access to the Trust’s books and records is granted to enter into a confidentiality agreement on terms acceptable to the Trustees or the officers in their sole discretion; (ii) the Trustees or the officers may require any Person to whom access to the Trust’s books and records is granted to pay the reasonable expenses associated with providing any such books and records for inspection; and (iii) any such inspection shall be conducted during normal business hours at the Trust’s principal place of business or at such other location or during such other hours as the Trustees or the officers, in their sole discretion, may direct.

 

1.6.       Notice of Shareholder Business and Nominations.

 

(A)        Annual Meetings of Shareholders.

 

(1)        Nominations of individuals for election as a Trustee of the Trust and the proposal of other business to be considered by the Shareholders may be made at an annual meeting of Shareholders only as set forth in this Section 1.6, and only:

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(a)        pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof,

 

(b)        otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof, or

 

(c)        by any one or more Shareholders of the Trust who (i) are each a Shareholder of the Trust at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.6 is delivered to the Secretary of the Trust and on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting of Shareholders, (ii) are each entitled to make nominations or proposals and to vote at the meeting and (iii) comply with the notice procedures set forth in these By-Laws, or

 

(d)        with respect to business other than a nomination, by a Shareholder that has notified the Trust of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at the annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law) and which proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Trust to solicit proxies for such annual meeting of shareholders.

 

(2)        For any nominations or other business to be properly brought before an annual meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to clause (c) of paragraph (A) (1) of this Section 1.6, the Shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Trust and any such proposed business (other than the nominations of individuals for election to the Trust) must constitute a proper matter for Shareholder action.

 

(3)        To be timely, a Shareholder’s notice shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than the close of business on the one hundred twentieth (120th) day, nor earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day, prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting. In the event, however, that the date of the annual meeting is more than thirty (30) days before or more than seventy (70) days after such anniversary date, notice by the Shareholder must be so delivered not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to such annual meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such annual meeting or the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement of the date of such meeting is first made by the Trust). In no event shall the public announcement or announcement at the meeting of an adjournment or postponement of an annual meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Shareholder’s notice as described above.

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(4)        To be in proper written form, such Shareholder’s notice shall set forth:

 

(a)        as to each individual whom the Shareholder proposes to nominate for election as a Trustee (a “Proposed Nominee”) and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee:

 

(i)          the name, age, business address and residence address of such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

 

(ii)         the principal occupation or employment of such Proposed Nominee during the past five years,

 

(iii)        other directorships, trusteeships or comparable positions held during the past five years,

 

(iv)        the class or series and number of Shares which are owned beneficially and of record by such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

 

(v)         the name of each nominee holder of Shares owned beneficially but not of record by such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, and the number of such Shares held by each such nominee holder,

 

(vi)        a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares), that has been entered into as of the date of the Shareholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Proposed Nominee and each Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee, with respect to Shares of the Trust,

 

(vii)        a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings (whether written or oral) between such Proposed Nominee and any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee related to, and any material interest of such Proposed Nominee Associate in, such nomination, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to such Proposed Nominee Associate,

 

(viii)       a description of all agreements, arrangements, or understandings (whether written or oral) between such Proposed Nominee or any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee and the nominating Shareholder or any Shareholder Associate of such nominating Shareholder related to such nomination, including with respect to the voting of any matters to come before the Board of Trustees or any anticipated benefit therefrom to the Proposed Nominee of any Proposed Nominee Associate of such Proposed Nominee,

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(ix)        a description of all commercial and professional relationships and transactions between or among such Proposed Nominee or any Proposed Nominee Associate, and any other Person or Persons known to such Proposed Nominee or Proposed Nominee Associate to have a material interest in such nomination,

 

(x)         a representation as to whether such Proposed Nominee is an “interested person” of the Trust, as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

 

(xi)        a representation as to whether such Proposed Nominee meets all applicable legal requirements relevant to service as a Trustee, including, but not limited to, the rules adopted by the principal listing exchange (if any) upon which Shares are listed, Rule 10A-3 under the Exchange Act, Article 2-01 of Regulation S-X under the Exchange Act (17 C.F.R. § 210.2-01) (with respect to the Trust’s independent registered public accounting firm) and any other criteria established by the 1940 Act related to service as a director/trustee of a management investment company or the permitted composition of the board of directors/trustees of a management investment company, together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

 

(xii)       a representation that the Proposed Nominee satisfies the Trustee qualifications as set out in these By-Laws, together with information regarding such individual that is sufficient, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof, to examine such representation,

 

(xiii)      any other information relating to the Proposed Nominee that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies for election of Trustees in a solicitation subject to Rule 14A under the Exchange Act, whether or not the Shareholder submitting the notice intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies and whether or not an election contest is involved, and

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(xiv)      such Proposed Nominee’s written consent to being named as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected;

 

(b)        as to any other business that the Shareholder proposes to bring before the meeting, a brief description of the business desired to be brought before the meeting, the text of the proposal or business (including the text of any resolutions proposed for consideration), the reasons for conducting such business at the meeting and any material interest in such business of such Shareholder and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the proposal is made; and

 

(c)        as to the Shareholder giving the notice and the beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made:

 

(i)          the name and address of such Shareholder, as they appear on the Trust’s books, and of such beneficial owner,

 

(ii)         the class or series and number of Shares which are owned beneficially and of record by such Shareholder and such beneficial owner and their respective Shareholder Associates,

 

(iii)        the name of each nominee holder of Shares owned beneficially but not of record by such Shareholder and such beneficial owner and their respective Shareholder Associates, and the number of such Shares held by each such nominee holder,

 

(iv)        a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding (whether written or oral) with respect to the nomination or proposal between or among such Shareholder and such beneficial owner, any of their respective Shareholder Associates, and any other Person or Persons (including their names) and any material interest of such Person or any Shareholder Associate of such Person, in the matter that is the subject of such notice, including any anticipated benefit therefrom to such Person, or any Shareholder Associate of such Person,

 

(v)         a description of any agreement, arrangement or understanding, whether written or oral (including any derivative or short positions, profit interests, options, warrants, stock appreciation or similar rights, hedging transactions, and borrowed or loaned shares), that has been entered into as of the date of the Shareholder’s notice by, or on behalf of, such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholder Associates, the effect or intent of which is to mitigate loss to, manage risk or benefit of share price changes for, or increase or decrease the voting power of, such Shareholder or such beneficial owner or their respective Shareholder Associates, with respect to Shares of the Trust,

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(vi)        a description of all commercial and professional relationships and transactions between or among a such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholder Associates, and any other Person or Persons known to such Shareholder and such beneficial owners or their respective Shareholders Associate to have a material interest in the matter that is the subject of such notice,

 

(vii)       a representation that the Shareholder is a holder of record of Shares of the Trust entitled to vote at such meeting and intends to appear in person or by proxy at the meeting to propose such business or nomination,

 

(viii)      a representation whether the Shareholder or the beneficial owner, if any, intends or is part of a group which intends (a) to deliver a proxy statement and/or form of proxy to holders of at least the percentage of the Trust’s outstanding Shares required to approve or adopt the proposal or elect the nominee and/or (b) otherwise to solicit proxies from Shareholders in support of such proposal or nomination, and

 

(ix)        any other information relating to such Shareholder and such beneficial owner that would be required to be disclosed in a proxy statement or other filing required to be made in connection with the solicitation of proxies by such Person with respect to the proposed business to be brought by such Person before the annual meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, whether or not such Person intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies.

 

(5)        The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee and/or any Shareholder of record nominating such Proposed Nominee to furnish such other information as it may reasonably request regarding any such Proposed Nominee and/or any such Shareholder of record nominating such Proposed Nominee, and such other information shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the first request by or on behalf of the Board of Trustees for such other information was sent to such Shareholder of record, group of Shareholders of record or Proposed Nominee. Any request for any such other information that is not answered in a reasonably complete, accurate, diligent and good faith manner, or that is not timely received by the Trust in accordance with this Section 1.6(A)(5), will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. If the same request for such other information is sent to multiple Persons, then the earliest such date and time on which such request for information was sent shall apply for the purpose of determining compliance with this Section 1.6(A)(5).

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(6)        The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee or any individual nominated by the current Trustees for election as a Trustee to complete and duly execute the Questionnaire; any Questionnaire that is not completed in a reasonably complete, diligent, accurate and good faith manner as determined by the Board of Trustees, or that is not duly executed and received by the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the Board of Trustees or its designee first sends the Questionnaire to such Proposed Nominee or any Shareholder(s) of record nominating such Proposed Nominee, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. If the Questionnaire is sent to multiple Persons, then the earliest such date and time on which the Questionnaire was sent shall apply for the purpose of determining compliance with this Section 1.6(A)(6).

 

(7)        The Trust may require any Proposed Nominee to consent to and cooperate with a background screening conducted by a background screening company selected by the Board of Trustees or any committee thereof.

 

(8)        A Shareholder providing notice of any nomination or other business proposed to be brought before an annual meeting of shareholders shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to Section 1.6(A)(4) shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting of Shareholders and such update and supplement shall be received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the annual meeting of Shareholders.

 

(9)        If information submitted pursuant to this Section 1.6 by any Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall be or become inaccurate in any way, such information shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6. Any such Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall notify the Trust in writing of any inaccuracy or change and update such information to cause it to be complete and accurate, within seven (7) calendar days of becoming aware of such inaccuracy. If a Shareholder or Proposed Nominee fails to provide such written notification and update within such period, the information that was or becomes inaccurate shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6 and, accordingly, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws. Upon written request by the Secretary of the Trust or the Board of Trustees, any such Shareholder or Proposed Nominee shall provide, within seven (7) calendar days of the sending of such request (or such other period as may be specified in such request), (A) written verification, satisfactory, in the discretion of the Board of Trustees or any authorized officer of the Trust, to demonstrate the accuracy of any information submitted by the Shareholder or Proposed Nominee pursuant to this Section 1.6, and (B) a written update of any information (including, if requested by the Trust, written confirmation by such Shareholder that it continues to intend to bring such nomination) submitted by the Shareholder or the Proposed Nominee pursuant to this Section 1.6 as of an earlier date. If a Shareholder or Proposed Nominee fails to provide such written verification or written update within such period, the information as to which written verification or a written update was requested shall be deemed not to have been provided in accordance with this Section 1.6 and, accordingly, will render the nomination ineffective for failure to satisfy the requirements of these By-Laws.

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(10)      The foregoing notice requirements of this Section 1.6 shall be deemed satisfied by a Shareholder with respect to business other than a nomination if the Shareholder has notified the Trust of his, her or its intention to present a proposal at an annual meeting in compliance with Rule 14a-8 promulgated under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law) and such Shareholder’s proposal has been included in a proxy statement that has been prepared by the Trust to solicit proxies for such annual meeting.

 

(11)      Notwithstanding anything in paragraph (A)(3) of this Section 1.6 to the contrary, in the event that the number of Trustees to be elected to the Board of Trustees of the Trust is increased effective at the annual meeting and there is no public announcement by the Trust naming the nominees for the additional trusteeships at least one hundred (100) days prior to the first anniversary of the preceding year’s annual meeting, a Shareholder’s notice required by this Section 1.6 shall also be considered timely, but only with respect to nominees for the additional trusteeships, if it shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than the close of business on the tenth (10th) day following the day on which such public announcement is first made by the Trust.

 

(B)       Special Meetings of Shareholders.

 

(1)        Special meetings of Shareholders shall be called only as contemplated by Section 10.1 of the Declaration.

 

(2)        Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting of Shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof.

 

(3)        Nominations of individuals for election to the Board of Trustees may be made at a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting only as set forth in this Section 1.6, and only:

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(a)        pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto) given by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof,

 

(b)        otherwise by or at the direction of the Board of Trustees or any duly authorized committee thereof, or

 

(c)        provided that the Board of Trustees has determined that Trustees shall be elected at such special meeting, by one or more Shareholders of the Trust who (i) are each a Shareholder of the Trust at the time the notice provided for in this Section 1.6(B) is delivered to the Secretary of the Trust and on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such special meeting of Shareholders, (ii) are each entitled to make nominations and to vote at the meeting and (iii) each comply with the notice procedures set forth in these By-Laws.

 

(4)        In the event a special meeting of Shareholders is called pursuant to Section 10.1 of the Declaration for the purpose of electing one or more Trustees to the Board of Trustees, for any nominations to be properly brought before such special meeting by a Shareholder pursuant to Section 1.6(B)(3)(c), the Shareholder must have given timely notice thereof in proper written form to the Secretary of the Trust.

 

(5)        To be timely, a Shareholder’s notice of a nomination for election to the Board of Trustees at a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting, shall be delivered to the Secretary of the Trust at the principal executive offices of the Trust not earlier than the close of business on the one hundred fiftieth (150th) day prior to such special meeting and not later than the close of business on the later of (i) the one hundred twentieth (120th) day prior to such special meeting or (ii) the tenth (10th) day following the day on which public announcement is first made of the date of the special meeting and of the nominees proposed by the Board of Trustees to be elected at such meeting. In no event shall the public announcement or announcement at the meeting of an adjournment or postponement of a special meeting commence a new time period (or extend any time period) for the giving of a Shareholder’s notice as described above.

 

(6)        To be in proper written form, such Shareholder’s notice shall set forth all information required by Section 1.6(A)(4).

 

(7)        A Shareholder providing notice of any nomination to be brought before a special meeting of Shareholders at which Trustees are to be elected pursuant to the Trust’s notice of meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to Section 1.6(B)(6) shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting of Shareholders and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than seven (7) calendar days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting of Shareholders.

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(C)       General.

 

(1)        Only such individuals who are nominated in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6 shall be eligible to be elected at an annual or special meeting of Shareholders of the Trust to serve as Trustees and only such business shall be conducted at a meeting of Shareholders as shall have been brought before the meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6.

 

(2)        If the Shareholders of any class or series of Shares are entitled separately to elect one or more Trustees, only such Persons who are holders of record of such class or series of Shares at the time notice is provided pursuant to this Section 1.6 and on the record date for the determination of Shareholders entitled to notice of and to vote at such annual meeting or special meeting of Shareholders shall be entitled to nominate individuals for election as a Trustee by such class or series of Shares voting separately.

 

(3)        Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.6, unless otherwise required by law, if the Shareholder (or a qualified representative of the Shareholder) does not appear at the annual or special meeting of Shareholders of the Trust to present a nomination or proposed business, such nomination shall be disregarded and such proposed business shall not be transacted, notwithstanding that proxies in respect of such vote may have been received by the Trust. For purposes of this Section 1.6, to be considered a qualified representative of the Shareholder, a Person must be a duly authorized officer, manager or partner of such Shareholder or must be authorized by a writing executed by such Shareholder delivered by such Shareholder to act for such Shareholder as proxy at the meeting of Shareholders and such Person must produce such writing at the meeting of Shareholders.

 

(4)        Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions of this Section 1.6, a Shareholder shall also comply with all applicable requirements of the Exchange Act and the rules and regulations thereunder with respect to the matters set forth in this Section 1.6; provided however, that any references in these By-laws to the Exchange Act or the rules promulgated thereunder are not intended to and shall not limit any requirements applicable to nominations or proposals as to any other business to be considered pursuant to this Section 1.6, and compliance with paragraphs (A) and (B) of this Section 1.6 shall be the exclusive means for a Shareholder to make nominations or submit other business (other than, as provided in paragraph 1.6(A)(10), matters brought properly under and in compliance with Rule 14a-8 of the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law)).

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(5)        Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in this Section 1.6 or otherwise in these By-laws, except with respect to nominations of individuals for election as a Trustee of the Trust or as required by federal law, no proposal of other business may be considered or brought at a meeting of Shareholders unless such matter has been approved for these purposes by a majority of the Trustees.

 

(6)        A notice of one or more Shareholders making a nomination pursuant to Section 1.6(A)(1)(c) or 1.6(B)(3)(c), as applicable, shall be accompanied by a:

 

(a)        signed statement of each Shareholder giving the notice certifying that (1) all information contained in the notice is true and complete in all respects, (2) the notice complies with this Section 1.6, and (3) such Shareholder will continue to hold all Shares referenced in Section 1.6(A)(1)(c) or 1.6(B)(3)(c), as applicable, through and including the time of the annual or special meeting (including any adjournment or postponement thereof); and

 

(b)        signed certificate of each Proposed Nominee (1) certifying that the information contained in the notice regarding such Proposed Nominee and any Proposed Nominee Associate is true and complete and complies with this Section 1.6 and (2) consenting to being named in the Shareholder’s proxy statement as a nominee and to serving as a Trustee if elected.

 

(7)        All judgments and determinations made by the Board of Trustees or the chairman of the meeting, as applicable, under this Section 1.6 (including, without limitation, judgments as to whether any matter or thing is satisfactory to the Board of Trustees and determinations as to the propriety of a proposed nomination or a proposal of other business for consideration by Shareholders) shall be final and binding unless determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to have been made in bad faith.

 

(8)        Notwithstanding anything in these By-Laws to the contrary, no business, including nominations, shall be conducted at any annual or special meeting except in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6. The chairman of the annual or special meeting shall, if the facts warrant, determine and declare to the meeting that business was not properly brought before the meeting in accordance with the provisions of this Section 1.6, and, if the chairman should determine, the chairman shall so declare to the meeting that any such business not properly brought before the meeting shall not be considered or transacted.

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1.7.       Special Shareholders Meetings.

 

(A)       Special meetings of Shareholders may be called only by the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee), except a special meeting shall be called by the Trustees upon the timely receipt by the Secretary of a request in proper written form from one or more Shareholders acting pursuant to and in accordance with Section 10.1 of the Declaration. Only such business shall be conducted at a special meeting as shall be specified in the notice of meeting (or any supplement thereto). In fixing a date for any special meeting, the Board of Trustees (or any duly authorized committee thereof) may consider such factors as it deems relevant, including, without limitation, the nature of the matters to be considered, the facts and circumstances surrounding any request for the meeting and any plan of the Board of Trustees to call an annual meeting or a special meeting.

 

(B)       Any Shareholder(s) seeking to request a special meeting shall send written notice to the Secretary (the “Special Meeting Request”) by registered mail, return receipt requested, requesting the Secretary to call a special meeting. Proof of the requesting Shareholder’s ownership of Shares at the time of giving the Special Meeting Request to the Secretary must accompany the requesting Shareholder’s Special Meeting Request. The Special Meeting Request shall set forth the purpose of the meeting and the matters proposed to be acted on at the meeting, shall be signed by one or more Shareholders (or their duly authorized agents), shall bear the date of signature of each requesting Shareholder (or its duly authorized agent) signing the Special Meeting Request and shall set forth all information that each such Shareholder and, with respect to the beneficial owners of Shares on whose behalf such request is being made, each such beneficial owner of Shares would be required to disclose in a proxy statement or other filings required to be made in connection with solicitations of proxies with respect to the proposed business to be brought before the meeting pursuant to Section 14 of the Exchange Act, whether or not such Person intends to deliver a proxy statement or solicit proxies, as well as all additional information required by Section 1.6(A)(4)(c) of these By-Laws. Upon receiving the Special Meeting Request, the Trustees may in their discretion fix a date for the special meeting, which need not be the same date as that requested in the Special Meeting Request.

 

(C)       The Shareholder(s) providing notice of business proposed to be brought before a special meeting shall further update and supplement such notice, if necessary, so that the information provided or required to be provided in such notice pursuant to this Section 1.7 shall be true and correct as of the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting and such update and supplement shall be delivered to or be mailed and received by the Secretary at the principal executive offices of the Trust not later than five (5) business days after the record date for determining the Shareholders entitled to receive notice of the special meeting.

 

(D)       The Board of Trustees shall determine the validity of any purported Special Meeting Request received by the Secretary.

 

(E)       No business shall be conducted at a special meeting of Shareholders except business brought before any such meeting in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.7 and in compliance with Section 10.1 of the Declaration. If the chairman of a special meeting determines that business was not properly brought before such meeting in accordance with the foregoing procedures, the chair shall declare to the meeting that the business was not properly brought before the meeting and such business shall not be transacted.

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(F)       Nothing contained in this Section 1.7 shall be deemed to affect any rights of Shareholders to request inclusion of proposals in the Trust’s proxy statement pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act (or any successor provision of law).

 

1.8.       Conduct of Meetings.

 

(A)       Every meeting of Shareholders shall be conducted by the chairman of the meeting. The Secretary, or, in the Secretary’s absence, an Assistant Secretary, or, in the absence of both the Secretary and Assistant Secretaries, an individual appointed by the Board of Trustees or, in the absence of such appointment, an individual appointed by the chairman of the meeting shall act as secretary of the meeting.

 

(B)       Except as otherwise provided by law, the chairman of the meeting shall have the power and duty:

 

(1)        to determine whether a nomination or any business proposed to be brought before the meeting was made or proposed, as the case may be, in accordance with the procedures set forth in this Section 1.6 (including whether the Shareholder or beneficial owner, if any, on whose behalf the nomination or proposal is made solicited (or is part of a group which solicited) or did not so solicit, as the case may be, proxies in support of such Shareholder’s nominee or proposal in compliance with such Shareholder’s representation as required by clause (A)(4)(c)(viii) of Section 1.6), and

 

(2)        if any proposed nomination or business was not made or proposed in compliance with Section 1.6, to declare that such nomination shall be disregarded or that such proposed business shall not be transacted; provided, however, that such nomination or such proposed business shall not be presumed to be valid in the absence of such a declaration.

 

(C)       The Board of Trustees may adopt by resolution such rules and regulations for the conduct of any meeting of the Shareholders as it shall deem appropriate. Except to the extent inconsistent with such rules and regulations as adopted by the Board of Trustees, the chairman of any meeting of Shareholders shall have the right and authority to prescribe such rules, regulations and procedures and to do all such acts as, in the judgment of such chair, are appropriate for the proper conduct of the meeting. Such rules, regulations or procedures, whether adopted by the Board of Trustees or prescribed by the chairman of the meeting, may include, without limitation, the following: (a) the establishment of an agenda or order of business for the meeting; (b) the determination of when the polls shall open and close for any given matter to be voted on at the meeting; (c) rules and procedures for maintaining order at the meeting and the safety of those present; (d) limitations on attendance at and participation in the meeting to Shareholders, their duly authorized and constituted proxies or such other Persons as the chair of the meeting shall determine; (e) restrictions on entry to the meeting after the time fixed for the commencement thereof; (f) limitations on the time allotted to questions or comments by Shareholders; and (g) the extent to which, if any, other participants are permitted to speak.

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1.9.       Adjourned Meeting. Subject to the requirements of Section 10.3 of the Declaration, any meeting of Shareholders, whether or not a quorum is present, may be adjourned from time to time by: (a) the vote of the majority of the Shares represented at that meeting, either in person or by proxy; or (b) in his or her discretion by the chairman of the meeting. At any adjourned meeting, any business may be transacted which might have been transacted at the original meeting.

 

1.10.     Meetings by Remote Communications. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in these By-Laws, the Trustees or a committee of the Board of Trustees or the President (or Chief Executive Officer), Vice-President, Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer) or Secretary of the Trust may determine at any time, including, without limitation, after the calling of any meeting of Shareholders, that any meeting of Shareholders be held solely by means of remote communication or both at a physical location and by means of remote communication. If the Trustees or a committee of the Board of Trustees or the President (or Chief Executive Officer), Vice-President, Treasurer (or Chief Financial Officer) or Secretary of the Trust shall determine that any meeting of Shareholders be held solely by means of remote communication or both at a physical location and by means of remote communication, subject to such guidelines and procedures as the Trustees or such committee or such officer may adopt, Shareholders and proxyholders not physically present at a meeting of Shareholders may, by means of remote communication: (a) participate in a meeting of Shareholders; and (b) be deemed present in person and vote at a meeting of Shareholders whether such meeting is to be held at a designated place or solely by means of remote communication, provided that: (i) the Trust shall implement such measures as the Board of Trustees deem to be reasonable (A) to verify that each person deemed present and permitted to vote at the meeting by means of remote communication is a Shareholder or proxyholder; and (B) to provide such Shareholders and proxyholders a reasonable opportunity to participate in the meeting and to vote on matters submitted to the Shareholders; and (ii) if any Shareholder or proxyholder votes or takes other action at the meeting by means of remote communication, a record of such vote or other action shall be maintained by the Trust.

 

ARTICLE II

Trustees

 

2.1.       Annual and Regular Meetings. Meetings of the Trustees shall be held from time to time upon the call of the Chairman, if any, the Chief Executive Officer, the Secretary or any two Trustees. Regular meetings of the Trustees may be held without call or notice and shall generally be held quarterly. Neither the business to be transacted at, nor the purpose of, any meeting of the Board of Trustees need be stated in the notice or waiver of notice of such meeting, and no notice need be given of action proposed to be taken by unanimous written consent.

 

2.2.       Chairman. The Board of Trustees may elect from among its members a Chairman of the Board who shall at all times be a trustee of the Trust. The Chairman of the Board shall preside over all meetings of the Board of Trustees and shall have such other responsibilities in furthering the Board’s functions as may be prescribed from time to time by resolution of the Board. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall, if present, preside at all meetings of the Shareholders and of the Trustees and shall exercise and perform such other powers and duties as may be from time to time assigned by the Trustees. In absence of a chairman, the Trustees present shall elect one of their number to act as temporary chairman to preside over a meeting of the Trustees. The Chairman of the Board, if any, shall be elected by the Board of Trustees to hold office until his successor shall have been duly elected and shall have qualified, or until his death, or until he shall have resigned, or have been removed, as herein provided in these by-laws. Each Trustee, including the Chairman of the Board, if any, shall have one vote.

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The Chairman of the Board, if any, may resign at any time by giving written notice of resignation to the Board of Trustees. Any such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein or, if the time when it shall become effective shall not be specified therein, immediately upon its receipt; and, unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective. The Chairman of the Board, if any, may be removed by the Board of Trustees with or without cause at any time.

 

2.3.       Records. The results of all actions taken at a meeting of the Trustees, or by unanimous written consent of the Trustees, shall be recorded by the secretary of the meeting appointed by the Board of Trustees.

 

2.4.       Standard of Care. It shall be understood that each Trustee, including the Chairman of the Board of the Trust or any chairman or member of any committee of the Board created herein or by the Board of Trustees shall have the same level of responsibility to the Trust required of his or her being a Trustee, regardless of (a) any other position held with the Trust, (b) the Trustee’s individual training or expertise and (c) the role performed by the Trustee on behalf of the Trust in his or her capacity as Trustee even if such role requires the Trustee to possess specific or unique qualifications under applicable law or regulation. The Chairman of the Board of the Trust or any chairman or member of any committee of the Board created herein or by the Board of Trustees shall serve in such capacity for the Board of Trustees and does not serve in such capacity as an officer of the Trust.

 

2.5.       Indemnification. In accordance with Section 5.2(d) of the Declaration, the rights accruing to any indemnitee under the provisions of Section 5.2 of the Declaration shall not exclude any other right which any person may have or hereafter acquire under the Declaration, these By-Laws, any statute, agreement, vote of stockholders or Trustees who are “disinterested persons” (as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act) or any other right to which he or she may be lawfully entitled. For the avoidance of doubt, to the extent the Trust enters into a written agreement with any Trustee to indemnify such Trustee, any indemnification of such Trustee by the Trust shall be governed by the terms of such written agreement, including with respect to determinations required, applicable presumptions and burden of proof with respect to such Trustee’s entitlement to indemnification and/or advancement of expenses.

 

2.6.       Governance. The Board of Trustees may from time to time require all its members and any Proposed Nominee to agree in writing as to matters of corporate governance, business ethics and confidentiality while such Persons serve as a Trustee, such agreement to be on the terms of, and in a form determined satisfactory by, the Board of Trustees, as amended and supplemented from time to time in the discretion of the Board of Trustees.

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ARTICLE III

Officers

 

3.1.       Officers of the Trust. The officers of the Trust shall consist of a Chief Executive Officer, a Secretary, a Treasurer, a Chief Compliance Officer and such other officers or assistant officers as may be elected or authorized by the Trustees. Any two or more of the offices may be held by the same Person, except that the same Person may not be both Chief Executive Officer and Secretary. No officer of the Trust need be a Trustee.

 

3.2.       Election and Tenure. At the initial organization meeting, the Trustees shall elect the Chief Executive Officer, Secretary, Treasurer and such other officers as the Trustees shall deem necessary or appropriate in order to carry out the business of the Trust. Such officers shall serve at the pleasure of the Trustees or until their successors have been duly elected and qualified. The Trustees may fill any vacancy in office or add any additional officers at any time.

 

3.3.       Removal of Officers. Any officer may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by action of a majority of the Trustees. This provision shall not prevent the making of a contract of employment for a definite term with any officer and shall have no effect upon any cause of action which any officer may have as a result of removal in breach of a contract of employment. Any officer may resign at any time by notice in writing signed by such officer and delivered or mailed to the Chief Executive Officer, or Secretary, and such resignation shall take effect immediately upon receipt by the Chief Executive Officer, or Secretary, or at a later date according to the terms of such notice in writing.

 

3.4.       Bonds and Surety. Any officer may be required by the Trustees to be bonded for the faithful performance of such officer’s duties in such amount and with such sureties as the Trustees may determine.

 

3.5.       Chief Executive Officer and Vice Presidents. Subject to such supervisory powers, if any, as may be given by the Trustees to the Chairman, if any, the Chief Executive Officer shall be the chief executive officer of the Trust and, subject to the control of the Trustees, shall have general supervision, direction and control of the business of the Trust and of its employees and shall exercise such general powers of management as are usually vested in the office of Chief Executive Officer or President of a corporation. Subject to the direction of the Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer shall have power in the name and on behalf of the Trust to execute any and all loans, documents, contracts, agreements, deeds, mortgages, registration statements, applications, requests, filings and other instruments in writing, and to employ and discharge employees and agents of the Trust. Unless otherwise directed by the Trustees, the Chief Executive Officer shall have full authority and power, on behalf of all of the Trustees, to attend and to act and to vote, on behalf of the Trust at any meetings of business organizations in which the Trust holds an interest, or to confer such powers upon any other Persons, by executing any proxies duly authorizing such Persons. The Chief Executive Officer shall have such further authorities and duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine. In the absence or disability of the Chief Executive Officer, the Vice-Presidents in order of their rank as fixed by the Trustees or, if more than one and not ranked, the Vice-President designated by the Trustees, shall perform all of the duties of the Chief Executive Officer, and when so acting shall have all the powers of and be subject to all of the restrictions upon the Chief Executive Officer. Subject to the direction of the Trustees, and of the Chief Executive Officer, each Vice-President shall have the power in the name and on behalf of the Trust to execute any and all instruments in writing, and, in addition, shall have such other duties and powers as shall be designated from time to time by the Trustees or by the Chief Executive Officer.

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3.6.       Secretary. The Secretary shall maintain the minutes of all meetings of, and record all votes of, Shareholders, Trustees and the Executive Committee, if any. The Secretary shall be custodian of the seal of the Trust, if any, and the Secretary (and any other Person so authorized by the Trustees) shall affix the seal, or if permitted, facsimile thereof, to any instrument executed by the Trust which would be sealed by a Delaware business corporation executing the same or a similar instrument and shall attest the seal and the signature or signatures of the officer or officers executing such instrument on behalf of the Trust. The Secretary shall also perform any other duties commonly incident to such office in a Delaware business corporation, and shall have such other authorities and duties as the Trustees shall from time to time determine.

 

3.7.       Treasurer. Except as otherwise directed by the Trustees, the Treasurer shall have the general supervision of the monies, funds, securities, notes receivable and other valuable papers and documents of the Trust, and shall have and exercise under the supervision of the Trustees and of the Chief Executive Officer all powers and duties normally incident to the office. The Treasurer may endorse for deposit or collection all notes, checks and other instruments payable to the Trust or to its order. The Treasurer shall deposit all funds of the Trust in such depositories as the Trustees shall designate. The Treasurer shall be responsible for such disbursement of the funds of the Trust as may be ordered by the Trustees or the Chief Executive Officer. The Treasurer shall keep accurate account of the books of the Trust’s transactions which shall be the property of the Trust, and which together with all other property of the Trust in the Treasurer’s possession, shall be subject at all times to the inspection and control of the Trustees. Unless the Trustees shall otherwise determine, the Treasurer shall be the principal accounting officer of the Trust and shall also be the principal financial officer of the Trust. The Treasurer shall have such other duties and authorities as the Trustees shall from time to time determine. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary herein contained, the Trustees may authorize any adviser, administrator, manager or transfer agent to maintain bank accounts and deposit and disburse funds of any series of the Trust on behalf of such series.

 

3.8.       Other Officers and Duties. The Trustees may elect such other officers and assistant officers as they shall from time to time determine to be necessary or desirable in order to conduct the business of the Trust. Assistant officers shall act generally in the absence of the officer whom they assist and shall assist that officer in the duties of the office. Each officer, employee and agent of the Trust shall have such other duties and authority as may be conferred upon such Person by the Trustees or delegated to such Person by the Chief Executive Officer.

 

ARTICLE IV

Miscellaneous

 

4.1.       Depositories. In accordance with Section 7.1 of the Declaration, the funds of the Trust shall be deposited in such custodians as the Trustees shall designate and shall be drawn out on checks, drafts or other orders signed by such officer, officers, agent or agents (including the adviser, administrator or manager), as the Trustees may from time to time authorize.

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4.2.       Signatures. All contracts and other instruments shall be executed on behalf of the Trust by its properly authorized officers, agent or agents, as provided in the Declaration or By-laws or as the Trustees may from time to time by resolution provide.

 

4.3.       Seal. The Trust is not required to have any seal, and the adoption or use of a seal shall be purely ornamental and be of no legal effect. The seal, if any, of the Trust may be affixed to any instrument, and the seal and its attestation may be lithographed, engraved or otherwise printed on any document with the same force and effect as if it had been imprinted and affixed manually in the same manner and with the same force and effect as if done by a Delaware business corporation. The presence or absence of a seal shall have no effect on the validity, enforceability or binding nature of any document or instrument that is otherwise duly authorized, executed and delivered.

 

4.4.       Governing Law. These By-Laws and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of the state of Delaware, although such law shall not be viewed as limiting the powers otherwise granted to the Trustees hereunder and any ambiguity shall be viewed in favor of such powers.

 

4.5.       Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulation.

 

(A)       The provisions of these By-Laws 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 or with other applicable binding laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of these By-Laws; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of these By-Laws or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.

 

(B)       If any provision of these By-Laws shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach 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 these By-Laws in any jurisdiction.

 

ARTICLE V

Stock Transfers

 

5.1.       Transfer Agents, Registrars and the Like. As provided in Section 6.7 of the Declaration, the Trustees shall have authority to employ and compensate such transfer agents and registrars with respect to the Shares of the Trust as the Trustees shall deem necessary or desirable. In addition, the Trustees shall have power to employ and compensate such dividend disbursing agents, warrant agents and agents for the reinvestment of dividends as they shall deem necessary or desirable. Any of such agents shall have such power and authority as is delegated to any of them by the Trustees.

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5.2.       Transfer of Shares. The Shares of the Trust shall be transferable on the books of the Trust only upon delivery to the Trustees or a transfer agent of the Trust of proper documentation as provided in Section 6.8 of the Declaration. The Trust, or its transfer agents, shall be authorized to refuse any transfer unless and until presentation of such evidence as may be reasonably required to show that the requested transfer is proper.

 

5.3.       Registered Shareholders. The Trust may deem and treat the holder of record of any Shares as the absolute owner thereof for all purposes and shall not be required to take any notice of any right or claim of right of any other Person.

 

ARTICLE VI

Amendment of By-Laws

 

6.1.       Amendment and Repeal of By-Laws. In accordance with Section 3.9 of the Declaration, the Trustees shall have the exclusive power to amend or repeal the By-Laws or adopt new By-Laws at any time. Action by the Trustees with respect to the By-Laws shall be taken by an affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees. The Trustees shall in no event adopt By-Laws which are in conflict with the Declaration, and any apparent inconsistency shall be construed in favor of the related provisions in the Declaration.

 

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Ernst & Young LLP

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Tel: +1 703 7470000

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Report of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

 

To the Shareholders and

Board of Trustees of Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund

 

In planning and performing our audit of the financial statements of Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund (the “Fund”) as of and for the year ended May 31, 2023, in accordance with the standards of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (United States) (“PCAOB”), we considered the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting, including controls over safeguarding securities, as a basis for designing our auditing procedures for the purpose of expressing our opinion on the financial statements and to comply with the requirements of Form N-CEN, but not for the purpose of expressing an opinion on the effectiveness of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting. Accordingly, we express no such opinion.

 

The management of the Fund is responsible for establishing and maintaining effective internal control over financial reporting. In fulfilling this responsibility, estimates and judgments by management are required to assess the expected benefits and related costs of controls. A company’s internal control over financial reporting is a process designed to provide reasonable assurance regarding the reliability of financial reporting and the preparation of financial statements for external purposes in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles. A company’s internal control over financial reporting includes those policies and procedures that (1) pertain to the maintenance of records that, in reasonable detail, accurately and fairly reflect the transactions and dispositions of the assets of the company; (2) provide reasonable assurance that transactions are recorded as necessary to permit preparation of financial statements in accordance with U.S. generally accepted accounting principles, and that receipts and expenditures of the company are being made only in accordance with authorizations of management and directors of the company; and (3) provide reasonable assurance regarding prevention or timely detection of unauthorized acquisition, use or disposition of a company’s assets that could have a material effect on the financial statements.

 

Because of its inherent limitations, internal control over financial reporting may not prevent or detect misstatements. Also, projections of any evaluation of effectiveness to future periods are subject to the risk that controls may become inadequate because of changes in conditions, or that the degree of compliance with the policies or procedures may deteriorate.

 

A deficiency in internal control over financial reporting exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent or detect misstatements on a timely basis. A material weakness is a deficiency, or a combination of deficiencies, in internal control over financial reporting, such that there is a reasonable possibility that a material misstatement of the company’s annual or interim financial statements will not be prevented or detected on a timely basis.

 

Our consideration of the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting was for the limited purpose described in the first paragraph and would not necessarily disclose all deficiencies in internal control that might be material weaknesses under standards established by the PCAOB. However, we noted no deficiencies in the Fund’s internal control over financial reporting and its operation, including controls over safeguarding securities, that we consider to be a material weakness as defined above as of May 31, 2023.

 

This report is intended solely for the information and use of management and the Board of Trustees of Guggenheim Active Allocation Fund and the Securities and Exchange Commission and is not intended to be and should not be used by anyone other than these specified parties.

 

/s/ Ernst & Young LLP

 

Tysons, Virginia

July 25, 2023

 

A member firm of Ernst & Young Global Limited


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