EX-99.(H)(9) 3 d381643dex99h9.htm (H)(9) FOF IMS AGREE (6-24-2022) (E-VALUATOR) (h)(9) FoF IMS Agree (6-24-2022) (E-Valuator)

Execution Version

FUND OF FUNDS INVESTMENT AGREEMENT

THIS AGREEMENT, dated as of June 24, 2022, is made among each entity listed on Schedule A (as amended from time to time), severally and not jointly (each, an Acquiring Fund”), and each Acquired Fund listed on Schedule A (as amended from time to time), severally and not jointly (each, an “Acquired Fund” or a “Columbia Fund” and, together with the Acquiring Funds, the “Funds”).

WHEREAS, each Fund is registered with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) as an investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, (the “1940 Act”);

WHEREAS, Section 12(d)(1)(A) of the 1940 Act limits the extent to which a registered investment company may invest in shares of other registered investment companies, Section 12(d)(1)(B) limits the extent to which a registered investment company, its principal underwriter or registered brokers or dealers knowingly sell shares of such registered investment company to other investment companies, and Section 12(d)(1)(C) limits the extent to which an investment company may invest in the shares of a registered closed-end investment company;

WHEREAS, Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act (the “Rule”) permits registered investment companies, such as the Acquiring Funds, to invest in shares of other registered investment companies, such as the Acquired Funds, in excess of the limits of Sections 12(d)(1)(A)-(C) of the 1940 Act subject to compliance with the conditions of the Rule;

WHEREAS, an Acquiring Fund may, from time to time, invest in shares of one or more Acquired Funds in excess of the limitations of Section 12(d)(1)(A) in reliance on the Rule; and

WHEREAS, shares of one or more Columbia Funds may from time to time be sold by such Columbia Fund(s), their principal underwriter or another broker or dealer to an Acquiring Fund in excess of the limitations of Section 12(d)(1)(B) in reliance on the Rule.

NOW THEREFORE, in accordance with the Rule, the Acquiring Funds and the Acquired Funds desire to set forth the following terms pursuant to which the Acquiring Funds may invest in the Acquired Funds in reliance on the Rule.

 

1.

Terms of Investment

(a) In order to help reasonably address the risk of undue influence on an Acquired Fund by an Acquiring Fund, and to assist the Acquired Fund’s investment adviser with making the required findings under the Rule, each Acquiring Fund and each Acquired Fund agree as follows:

(i) In-kind redemptions. The Acquiring Fund acknowledges and agrees that, if and to the extent consistent with the Acquired Fund’s registration statement, as amended from time to time, and Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act, the Acquired Fund may honor any redemption request from the Authorized Participant acting as intermediary to execute the Acquiring Fund’s transaction partially or wholly in kind.

 

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(ii) Timing/advance notice of redemptions. Only upon the request of the Acquired Fund, the Acquiring Fund will use reasonable efforts to spread orders given to an Authorized Participant that reasonably are expected to result in that Authorized Participant redeeming shares from the Acquired Fund over multiple days or to provide advance notification of such orders to the Acquired Fund whenever practicable and consistent with the Acquiring Fund’s and its shareholders’ best interests. The Acquired Fund acknowledges and agrees that any notification provided pursuant to the foregoing is not a commitment to sell the Acquired Fund shares and constitutes an estimate that may differ materially from the amount, timing and manner in which a redemption request is submitted, if any. The Acquiring Fund and Acquired Fund each acknowledge and agree that this voluntary notification provision does not apply to trades placed by the Acquiring Fund in secondary markets.

(iii) Scale of investment. Upon a reasonable request by an Acquired Fund, the Acquiring Fund will provide summary information regarding the anticipated timeline and scale of its contemplated investment in the Acquired Fund.

(b) In order to assist the Acquiring Fund’s investment adviser with evaluating the complexity of the structure and fees and expenses associated with an investment in an Acquired Fund, each Acquired Fund shall provide each Acquiring Fund with information on the fees and expenses of the Acquired Fund reasonably requested by the Acquiring Fund with reference to the Rule. Such fee and expense information shall be limited to that which is made publicly available by the Acquired Fund.

 

2.

Representations of the Acquired Funds.

In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquired Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquired Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquiring Fund if such Acquired Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to an investment by the Acquiring Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement.

 

3.

Representations of the Acquiring Funds.

(a) In connection with any investment by an Acquiring Fund in an Acquired Fund in excess of the limitations in Section 12(d)(1)(A), the Acquiring Fund agrees to: (i) comply with all conditions of the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, applicable to Acquiring Funds; (ii) comply with its obligations under this Agreement; and (iii) promptly notify the Acquired Fund if such Acquiring Fund fails to comply with the Rule with respect to its investment in such Acquired Fund, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, or this Agreement.

(b) An Acquiring Fund shall promptly notify an Acquired Fund:

 

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(i) of any purchase or acquisition of shares in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 3% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities;

(ii) of any purchase or acquisition of shares in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 5% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities;

(iii) of any purchase or acquisition of shares in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 25% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities; and

(iv) if at any time an Acquiring Fund no longer holds voting securities of an Acquired Fund in excess of an amount noted in (i), (ii) or (iii) above.

(c) Notwithstanding anything herein to the contrary, any Acquiring Fund that has an “affiliated person” (as defined in the 1940 Act) that is: (i) a broker-dealer, (ii) a broker-dealer or bank that borrows as part of a securities lending program, or (iii) a futures commission merchant or swap dealer, will (a) not make an investment in an Acquired Fund that causes such Acquiring Fund to hold 5% or more of such Acquired Fund’s total outstanding voting securities without prior approval from the Acquired Fund, and (b) notify the Acquired Fund if any investment by the Acquiring Fund that complied with (a) at the time of purchase no longer complies.

(d) An Acquiring Fund shall provide an Acquired Fund with information regarding the amount of such Acquiring Fund’s investments in the Acquired Fund, and information regarding affiliates of the Acquiring Fund, upon the Acquired Fund’s reasonable request.

 

4.

Indemnification.

(a) Each Acquiring Fund agrees to hold harmless and indemnify each Acquired Fund, including any of its principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, against and from any and all losses, expenses or liabilities incurred by or claims or actions (“Claims”) asserted against the Acquired Fund, including any of their principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, to the extent such Claims result from a violation or alleged violation by such Acquiring Fund of any provision of this Agreement, such indemnification to include any reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection with investigating and/or defending such Claims; provided that no Acquiring Fund shall be liable for indemnifying any Acquired Fund for any Claims resulting from violations that occur directly as a result of incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the Acquired Fund to such Acquiring Fund pursuant to terms and conditions of this Agreement.

(b) Each Acquired Fund agrees to hold harmless and indemnify an Acquiring Fund, including any of its principals, directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, against and from any and all losses, expenses or liabilities incurred by or Claims asserted against the Acquiring Fund, including any of its directors or trustees, officers, employees and agents, to the extent such Claims result from a violation or alleged violation by such Acquired Fund of any provision of this Agreement, such indemnification to include any reasonable counsel fees and expenses incurred in connection with investigating and/or defending such Claims; provided that no Acquired Fund shall be liable for indemnifying any Acquiring Fund for any Claims resulting from violations that occur directly as a result of incomplete or inaccurate information provided by the Acquiring Fund to such Acquired Fund pursuant to terms and conditions of this Agreement.

 

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(c) Any liability pursuant to the forgoing provisions shall be several and not joint. In any action involving the parties under this Agreement, the parties agree to look solely to the individual series of the Acquiring Fund(s) or Acquired Fund(s) that is/are involved in the matter in controversy and not to any other Fund or series.

 

5.

Notices

All notices, including all information that either party is required to provide under the terms of this Agreement and the Rule, shall be in writing and shall be delivered by registered or overnight mail, facsimile, or electronic mail to the address for each party specified below.

 

If to an Acquiring Fund:    If to a Columbia Fund:

E-Valuator Funds Trust

Attn: Kevin R. Miller

7760 France Avenue South, Suite 620

Bloomington, MN 55435

Email: kevin.miller@evaluatorfunds.com

 

With a copy to:

 

Deborah Bielicke Eades

Vedder Price P.C.

222 North LaSalle Street

Chicago, Illinois 60601

Email: deades@vedderprice.com

  

Daniel Beckman

c/o Columbia Threadneedle Investments

290 Congress Street

Boston, MA 02110

Email: dan.beckman@columbiathreadneedle.com

 

With a copy to:

Ryan Larrenaga

c/o Columbia Threadneedle Investments

290 Congress Street

Boston, MA 02110

Email:ryan.c.larrenaga@columbiathreadneedle.com

 

6.

Term and Termination; Assignment; Amendment

(a) This Agreement shall be effective for the duration of the Acquired Funds’ and the Acquiring Funds’ reliance on the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time. While the terms of the Agreement shall only be applicable to investments in Funds made in reliance on the Rule, as interpreted or modified by the SEC or its Staff from time to time, the Agreement shall continue in effect until terminated pursuant to Section 6(b).

(b) This Agreement shall continue until terminated in writing by either party upon sixty (60) days’ notice to the other party. Upon termination of this Agreement, the Acquiring Fund may not purchase additional shares of the Acquired Fund beyond the Section 12(d)(1)(A) limits in reliance on the Rule.

(c) This Agreement may not be assigned by either party without the prior written consent of the other.

 

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(d) This Agreement may be amended only by a writing that is signed by each affected party.

(e) In any action involving the Acquiring Funds under this Agreement, each Acquired Fund agrees to look solely to the individual Acquiring Fund(s) that is/are involved in the matter in controversy and not to any other series of the Acquiring Funds.

(f) In any action involving the Acquired Funds under this Agreement, each Acquiring Fund agrees to look solely to the individual Acquired Fund(s) that is/are involved in the matter in controversy and not to any other series of the Acquired Funds.

(g) In the case of the any Fund which is a series of Columbia ETF Trust I (each, a “Massachusetts Business Trust”), a copy of the Declaration of Trust of each Massachusetts Business Trust is on file with the Secretary of The Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and notice is hereby given that no trustee, officer, employee, agent, employee or shareholder of a Massachusetts Business Trust shall have any personal liability under this Agreement, and that this Agreement is binding only upon the assets and property of the applicable series of each Massachusetts Business Trust.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties have executed this Agreement as of the date first written above.

Columbia ETF Trust I, on behalf of its series set forth on Schedule A, severally and not jointly

 

By:  

/s/ Ryan C. Larrenaga

Name:   Ryan C. Larrenaga
Title:   Senior Vice President

Columbia ETF Trust II, on behalf of its series set forth on Schedule A, severally and not jointly

 

By:  

/s/ Ryan C. Larrenaga

Name:   Ryan C. Larrenaga
Title:   Senior Vice President

E-Valuator Funds Trust, on Behalf of its Series Set Forth in Schedule A, Severally and Not Jointly

 

By:  

Kevin R. Miller

Name:   Kevin R. Miller
Title:   President

 

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SCHEDULE A

List of Funds to Which the Agreement Applies

Acquiring Funds

E-Valuator Funds Trust

The E-Valuator Very Conservative (0%-15%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Conservative (15%-30%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Conservative/Moderate (30%-50%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Moderate (50%-70%) RMS Fund

The E-Valuator Growth (70%-85%) RMS Fund The

E-Valuator Aggressive Growth (85%-99%) RMS Fund

Columbia Funds

Columbia ETF Trust I

Columbia Diversified Fixed Income Allocation ETF

Columbia Multi-Sector Municipal Income ETF

Columbia Research Enhanced Core ETF

Columbia Research Enhanced Value ETF

Columbia Seligman Semiconductor and Technology ETF

Columbia Short Duration Bond ETF

Columbia Sustainable International Equity Income ETF

Columbia Sustainable U.S. Equity Income ETF

Columbia ETF Trust II

Columbia EM Core ex-China ETF

Columbia Emerging Markets Consumer ETF

Columbia India Consumer ETF

 

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