EX-99.(D)(19) 4 d833475dex99d19.htm EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE REGISTRANT Expense Reimbursement Agreement between the Registrant

Exhibit (d)(19)

NORTHERN FUNDS

EXPENSE REIMBURSEMENT AGREEMENT

Agreement (“Agreement”) dated as of the 22nd day of May, 2020 by and between NORTHERN FUNDS (the “Trust”), a Delaware business trust and a registered investment company under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended, and NORTHERN TRUST INVESTMENTS, INC. (“NTI”).

WHEREAS, NTI serves as investment adviser and administrator to the funds listed on Exhibit A hereto (the “Funds”) pursuant to a Management Agreement (the “Management Agreement”) between the Trust and NTI dated June 30, 2014, as amended.

WHEREAS, the parties to this Agreement wish to provide for an undertaking by NTI to reimburse certain, but not all, of the expenses for the Funds set forth on Exhibit A.

NOW THEREFORE, in consideration of the foregoing, the parties intending to be legally bound hereby, agree as follows:

1. Effective July 31, 2020, NTI shall reimburse a portion of the operating expenses of each Fund set forth on Exhibit A so that after such reimbursement the total annual fund operating expenses of the Fund expressed as a percentage of average daily net assets shall not exceed the amounts set forth on Exhibit A (“Expense Limit”), subject to certain excepted expenses as agreed to by the parties in writing from time to time (“Excepted Expenses”). NTI shall first reimburse management fees payable by each Fund and then reimburse other operating expenses of the Fund to the extent the amount of difference between the Fund’s operating expenses and its Expense Limit exceeds the management fees payable by the Fund.

2. The termination date of this Agreement is July 31, 2021 (the “Initial Term”). This Agreement shall continue automatically for periods of one year (each such one-year period, a “Renewal Year”). This Agreement may be terminated with respect to any Fund, as to any succeeding Renewal Year, by either party upon 60 days’ written notice prior to the end of the current Initial Term or then current Renewal Year. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this Agreement may be terminated by the Trust’s Board of Trustees, with respect to any Fund, at any time if it determines that such termination is in the best interest of the Fund and its shareholders.

3. NTI acknowledges and agrees that it shall not be entitled to collect on or make a claim for reimbursed expenses that are the subject of this Agreement at any time in the future.

4. This Agreement shall be governed by and construed under the laws of the State of Illinois, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. This Agreement may be signed in counterparts.


5. This Agreement represents the entire agreement between the parties regarding its subject matter and supersedes: (i) the Expense Reimbursement Agreement between the parties dated as of June 30, 2014 (the “Prior Agreement”) as to only the Small Cap Core Fund and Global Sustainability Index Fund, but not as to other funds under the Prior Agreement; and the (ii) Expense Reimbursement Agreement between the parties dated August 18, 2017 as to the U.S. Quality ESG Fund.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this instrument to be executed by their officers designated below as of the day and year first above written.

 

NORTHERN FUNDS
By:  

/s/ Randal Rein

Name:   Randal Rein
Title:   Treasurer
NORTHERN TRUST INVESTMENTS, INC.
By:  

/s/ Peter Ewing

Name:   Peter Ewing
Title:   Senior Vice President

 

2


Exhibit A

Northern Funds

 

    

Name of Fund

   Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
After Expense Reimbursement
(expressed as a percentage of the Fund’s
average daily net assets)
 
1.    Small Cap Core Fund (all classes)      0.49
2.    U.S. Quality ESG Fund (all classes)      0.39
3.    Global Sustainability Index Fund (all classes)      0.25

 

A-1