0001420040 cik0001420040:S000038195Member 2012-09-14 2012-09-14 0001420040 cik0001420040:S000038195Member cik0001420040:C000117785Member 2012-09-14 2012-09-14 0001420040 cik0001420040:S000038195Member cik0001420040:C000117784Member 2012-09-14 2012-09-14 0001420040 cik0001420040:S000038195Member cik0001420040:C000117783Member 2012-09-14 2012-09-14 0001420040 2012-09-14 2012-09-14 iso4217:USD xbrli:pure false 2012-09-19 2012-09-19 2012-09-19 Other 0001420040 Dunham Funds 0.0001 0.0001 0.0001 <div> &lt;div style="display:none;" &gt;~ http://www.dunham.com/role/ScheduleAnnualFundOperatingExpensesDunhamAlternativeIncomeFundNew column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001420040_S000038195Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~&lt;/div&gt; </div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Performance: </b></p></div> 0.0025 0.01 0 0 0 0 You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $<font class="_mt">50,000</font> in the Fund. 50000 <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b><i>Example:</i></b> </p></div> <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin-top: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:</p></div> </div> <div> &lt;div style="display:none;" &gt;~ http://www.dunham.com/role/ScheduleExpenseExampleTransposedDunhamAlternativeIncomeFund row period compact * row primary compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001420040_S000038195Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * ~&lt;/div&gt; </div> 742 252 152 1091 776 471 <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Fees and Expenses of the Fund:</b></p></div> <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the Fund.&nbsp;<font class="_mt">You may qualify for sales charge discounts on purchases of Class A shares if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $<font class="_mt">50,000</font> in the Fund.</font> More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in <b>How to Purchase Shares </b>on page 17 of this Prospectus and in<b> How to Buy and Sell Shares </b>on page 67 of the Fund's Statement of Additional Information).</p></div> </div> The operating expenses in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. 0.0174 0.0249 0.0149 0.0105 0.0105 0.0105 0.01 0 0 0.0575 0 0 0 0 0 <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Investment Objective: </b></p></div> <div> The Fund primarily seeks to maximize income </div> <div> with capital appreciation as a secondary goal. </div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt">Annual Fund Operating Expenses</font></b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt"> </font></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt">(expenses that you pay each year as a </font></b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt"> </font></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt">percentage of the value of your investment)</font></b></p></div> Estimated for the Fund's first fiscal year 0.0043 0.0043 0.0043 <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><font class="_mt">Because the Fund has less than a full calendar year of investment operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time.</font>&nbsp;In the future, performance information will be presented in this section of the Prospectus.</p></div> </div> Because the Fund has less than a full calendar year of investment operations, no performance information is presented for the Fund at this time. <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Portfolio Turnover:</b> </p></div> <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or "turns over" its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the Example, affect the Fund's performance. </p></div> </div> 2012-09-14 0 0 0 <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Principal Investment Risks: </b></p></div> <b><i>As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. </i></b> <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b><i><font class="_mt"><b><i>As with all mutual funds, there is the risk that you could lose money through your investment in the Fund. </i></b></font>Although the Fund will strive to meet its investment objective, there is no assurance that it will do so. Many factors affect the Fund's net asset value and performance.</i></b><font style="font-size: 11pt;" class="_mt"><b><i> </i></b></font></p> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px;" align="justify"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Foreign Investing &#8211;</i> Investments in securities of foreign issuers are subject to country-specific risks such as political, diplomatic, regional conflicts, terrorism, war, social and economic instability and policies that have the effect of decreasing the value of foreign securities. Foreign investments may experience greater volatility than U.S. investments.</p> <p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;"><i>Liquidity Risk</i> <i>&#8211;</i> Some securities may have few market-makers and low trading volume, which tend to increase transaction costs and may make it impossible for a Fund to dispose of a security position at all or at a price which represents current or fair market value.</p> <p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Management Risk &#8211;</i> The Fund is subject to management risk because it is an actively managed investment portfolio. The Sub-Adviser's judgments about the attractiveness, "growth" potential of a company and the potential appreciation of securities may prove to be inaccurate and may not produce the desired results. The Sub-Adviser will apply its investment techniques and risk analyses in making investment decisions for the Fund, but there is no guarantee that its decisions will produce the intended result.</p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">&nbsp;</p> <p style="margin: 0px;" align="justify"><font style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" class="_mt"><strike> </strike></font><em><font style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" class="_mt">MLP Risk</font><font style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" class="_mt"> &#8211; </font></em><font style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" class="_mt">Prices of common units of individual MLPs, like the prices other equity securities, can be affected by fundamentals unique to the partnership or company, including earnings power and coverage ratios. MLPs common units have limited rights to vote on matters affecting the MLP and risks related to potential conflicts of interest between the MLP and the MLP's general partner. MLPs do not pay U.S. federal income tax at the partnership level. A change in current tax law, or a change in the underlying business mix of a given MLP, could result in an MLP being treated as a corporation for U.S. federal income tax purposes, which would result in such MLP being required to pay U.S. federal income tax on its taxable income. </font></p><br /> <p style="margin-top: 0px; text-indent: 72px; width: 96px; font-family: Symbol; margin-bottom: -2px; float: left; font-size: 12pt;">&#183;</p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; padding-left: 96px; font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 8px; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Energy Related Risk.&nbsp; </i><strike> </strike>MLP securities are typically focused in the energy infrastructure sector. Because of the <strike> </strike>focus in this sector, the performance of the MLPs in which the Fund may invest is tied closely to and affected by developments in the energy sector, such as the possibility that government regulation will negatively impact companies in this sector. Energy infrastructure entities are also subject to the risks specific to the industry they serve. </p> <p style="margin: 0px; clear: left;" align="justify"><br /></p> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Non-Diversification Risk &#8211;</i> A Fund that is a non-diversified investment company means that more of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Fund's shares more susceptible to certain risk than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund has a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.</p></div> <p style="margin: 0px;" align="justify"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Real Estate Investment Trust Risk &#8211; </i>A REIT's performance depends on the types and locations of the rental properties it owns and on how well it manages those properties. A decline in rental income may occur because of extended vacancies, increased competition from other properties, tenants' failure to pay rent or poor management.</p> <p style="margin: 0px;"><br /></p> <p style="margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Stock Market Risk</i> <i>&#8211;</i> Stock markets can be volatile. In other words, the prices of stocks can fall rapidly in response to developments affecting a specific company or industry, or to changing economic, political or market conditions. The Fund's investments may decline in value if the stock markets perform poorly.</p></div> </div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><i>Non-Diversification Risk &#8211;</i> A Fund that is a non-diversified investment company means that more of the Fund's assets may be invested in the securities of a single issuer than a diversified investment company. This may make the value of the Fund's shares more susceptible to certain risk than shares of a diversified investment company. As a non-diversified fund, the Fund has a greater potential to realize losses upon the occurrence of adverse events affecting a particular issuer.</p></div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 14pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial,Times New Roman; font-size: 14pt; border-top: #000000 1px solid; padding-top: 4px;"><b>Dunham Alternative Income Fund</b></p></div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt">Shareholder Fees</font></b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt"> </font></p> <p style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt;"><b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt">(fees paid directly from your investment)</font></b><font style="font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif'; font-size: 10pt;" class="_mt"> </font></p></div> <div> &lt;div style="display:none;" &gt;~ http://www.dunham.com/role/ScheduleShareholderFeesDunhamAlternativeIncomeFund column period compact * column dei_LegalEntityAxis compact cik0001420040_S000038195Member column rr_ProspectusShareClassAxis compact * row primary compact * ~&lt;/div&gt; </div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin-top: 6px; font-family: Arial; margin-bottom: 6px; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify"><b>Principal Investment Strategies: </b></p></div> <div> <div class="MetaData"> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">The Fund <strike> </strike>seeks to achieve <strike> </strike>its investment objective by investing primarily in domestic and foreign income-producing equity securities which Harbor Springs Financial Management, LLC ( the " Sub-Adviser ") believes will pay above-average, sustainable, dividends. The Fund defines equity securities to include the common stock or securities convertible to common stock of companies traded on U.S. stock exchanges or in the over-the-counter markets, as well as preferred stocks, common or preferred interests or units of real estate investment trusts ("REITs") and Master Limited Partnerships ("MLPs"). MLPs are typically publicly traded partnerships engaged in the transportation, storage, processing, refining, marketing, exploration, production, and mining of minerals and natural resources. The Fund expects to invest no more than 10% of its total assets in foreign securities and no more than 25% in MLPs. The Sub-Adviser's investment philosophy focuses on the analysis of the company's financial statements, the company's business model, the company's management track record, the company's debt structure, and the sustainability and growth of its distributed dividend income. In general, the Sub-Adviser buys securities when the company is providing above-average dividend income and cash flow growth. The Sub-Adviser may choose to sell a security when it believes the company may have difficulty sustaining its dividend distributions, as measured by slowing revenue growth or slowing cash flow growth, or when the Sub-Adviser wishes to take advantage of what it believes to be a better investment opportunity. </p> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px;" align="justify"><br /></p> <p style="line-height: 13pt; margin: 0px; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt;" align="justify">The Fund is non-diversified, which means that it can invest a greater percentage of its assets in any one issuer than a diversified fund.</p></div> </div> Estimated for the Fund's first fiscal year. Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The operating expenses in this fee table may not correlate to the expense ratio in the Fund's financial highlights because the financial statements include only the direct operating expenses incurred by the Fund, not the indirect costs of investing in other investment companies. The management fees above assume the Sub-Adviser's base fee. Actual sub-advisory fees may be higher or lower depending on Fund performance compared to the Dow Jones US Select Dividend Index. The sub-advisory fee is a fulcrum fee with a base or fulcrum of 0.40% and can range from 0.10% to 0.70% depending on the effect of performance fees.