Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund

Summary Prospectus

May 28, 2021

Investor Shares & Admiral™ Shares

Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares (VSGBX)
Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Admiral Shares (VSGDX)

The Fund’s statutory Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information dated May 28, 2021, as may be amended or supplemented, are incorporated into and made part of this Summary Prospectus by reference.

Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus and other information about the Fund online at www.vanguard.com/prospectus and https://personal.vanguard.com/us/literature/reports/MFs. You can also obtain this information at no cost by calling 800-662-7447 or by sending an email request to online@vanguard.com.

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Investment Objective

The Fund seeks to provide current income while maintaining limited price volatility.

Fees and Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell Investor Shares or Admiral Shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in the table and example below.

Shareholder Fees
(Fees paid directly from your investment)

	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases	None	None
Purchase Fee	None	None
Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Reinvested Dividends	None	None
Redemption Fee	None	None
Account Service Fee Per Year (for certain fund account balances below $10,000)	$20	$20

Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(Expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

	Investor Shares	Admiral Shares
Management Fees	0.18%	0.09%
12b-1 Distribution Fee	None	None
Other Expenses	0.02%	0.01%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses	0.20%	0.10%

Examples

The following examples are intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund's Investor Shares or Admiral Shares with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. They illustrate the hypothetical expenses that you would incur over various periods if you were to invest $10,000 in the Fund's shares. These examples assume that the shares provide a return of 5% each year and that total annual fund operating expenses remain as stated in the preceding table. You would incur these hypothetical expenses whether or not you were to redeem your investment at the end of the given period. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

	1 Year	3 Years	5 Years	10 Years
Investor Shares	$20	$64	$113	$255
Admiral Shares	$10	$32	$56	$128

Portfolio Turnover

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in more taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the previous expense examples, reduce the Fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 663% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategies

The Fund invests at least 80% of its assets in short-term bonds issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government and its agencies and instrumentalities, many of which are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The Fund is expected to maintain a dollar-weighted average maturity of 1 to 4 years.

Principal Risks

The Fund is designed for investors with a low tolerance for risk, but you could still lose money by investing in it. The Fund is subject to the following risks, which could affect the Fund's performance, and the level of risk may vary based on market conditions:

• Income risk, which is the chance that the Fund’s income will decline because of falling interest rates. Income risk is generally high for short-term bond funds, so investors should expect the Fund’s monthly income to fluctuate.

• Interest rate risk, which is the chance that bond prices overall will decline because of rising interest rates. Interest rate risk should be low for the Fund

because it invests primarily in short-term bonds, whose prices are less sensitive to interest rate changes than are the prices of longer-term bonds.

• Manager risk, which is the chance that poor security selection will cause the Fund to underperform relevant benchmarks or other funds with a similar investment objective.

• Derivatives risk. The Fund may invest in derivatives, which may involve risks different from, and possibly greater than, those of investments directly in the underlying securities or assets.

An investment in the Fund is not a deposit of a bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.

Annual Total Returns

The following bar chart and table are intended to help you understand the risks of investing in the Fund. The bar chart shows how the performance of the Fund's Investor Shares has varied from one calendar year to another over the periods shown. The table shows how the average annual total returns of the share classes presented compare with those of a relevant market index and another comparative index, which have investment characteristics similar to those of the Fund. Keep in mind that the Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available on our website at vanguard.com/performance or by calling Vanguard toll-free at 800-662-7447.

Annual Total Returns — Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares1

1 The year-to-date return as of the most recent calendar quarter, which ended on March 31, 2021, was -0.20%.

During the periods shown in the bar chart, the highest and lowest returns for a calendar quarter were:

	Total Return	Quarter
Highest	2.48%	March 31, 2020
Lowest	-0.90%	June 30, 2013

Average Annual Total Returns for Periods Ended December 31, 2020

	1 Year	5 Years	10 Years
Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares
Return Before Taxes	4.35%	2.30%	1.72%
Return After Taxes on Distributions	3.63	1.57	1.13
Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares	2.57	1.44	1.08
Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Admiral Shares
Return Before Taxes	4.45%	2.40%	1.82%
Comparative Indexes (reflect no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Government Bond Index	4.34%	2.35%	1.79%
Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index	7.51	4.44	3.84

Actual after-tax returns depend on your tax situation and may differ from those shown in the preceding table. When after-tax returns are calculated, it is assumed that the shareholder was in the highest individual federal marginal income tax bracket at the time of each distribution of income or capital gains or upon redemption. State and local income taxes are not reflected in the calculations. Please note that after-tax returns are shown only for the Investor Shares and may differ for each share class. After-tax returns are not relevant for a shareholder who holds fund shares in a tax-deferred account, such as an individual retirement account or a 401(k) plan. Also, figures captioned Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares may be higher than other figures for the same period if a capital loss occurs upon redemption and results in an assumed tax deduction for the shareholder.

Investment Advisor

The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard)

Portfolio Manager

Brian W. Quigley, CFA, Portfolio Manager at Vanguard. He has managed the Fund since 2015.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares online through our website (vanguard.com), by mail (The Vanguard Group, P.O. Box 982901, El Paso, TX 79998-2901), or by telephone (800-662-2739). The minimum investment amount required to open and maintain a Fund account for Investor Shares or Admiral Shares is $3,000 or $50,000, respectively. The minimum investment amount required to add to an existing Fund account is generally $1. Financial intermediaries, institutional clients, and Vanguard-advised clients should contact Vanguard for information on

special eligibility rules that may apply to them regarding Admiral Shares. If you are investing through an intermediary, please contact that firm directly for more information regarding your eligibility. If you are investing through an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, your plan administrator or your benefits office can provide you with detailed information on how you can invest through your plan.

Tax Information

The Fund’s distributions may be taxable as ordinary income or capital gain. If you are investing through a tax-advantaged account, such as an IRA or an employer-sponsored retirement or savings plan, special tax rules apply.

Payments to Financial Intermediaries

The Fund and its investment advisor do not pay financial intermediaries for sales of Fund shares.

CFA® is a registered trademark owned by CFA Institute.

BLOOMBERG is a trademark and service mark of Bloomberg Finance L.P. BARCLAYS is a trademark and service mark of Barclays Bank Plc, used under license. Bloomberg Finance L.P. and its affiliates, including Bloomberg Index Services Limited (BISL) (collectively, Bloomberg), or Bloomberg’s licensors, own all proprietary rights in the Bloomberg Barclays U.S. 1-5 Year Government Bond Index and Bloomberg Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (the Indices or Bloomberg Barclays Indices).

Neither Barclays Bank Plc, Barclays Capital Inc., or any affiliate (collectively Barclays) or Bloomberg is the issuer or producer of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund and neither Bloomberg nor Barclays has any responsibilities, obligations or duties to investors in the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund. The Indices are licensed for use by The Vanguard Group, Inc. (Vanguard) as the sponsor of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund. Bloomberg and Barclays’ only relationship with Vanguard in respect to the Indices is the licensing of the Indices, which is determined, composed and calculated by BISL, or any successor thereto, without regard to the Issuer or the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund or the owners of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund.

Additionally, Vanguard may for itself execute transaction(s) with Barclays in or relating to the Indices in connection with the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund. Investors acquire the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund from Vanguard and investors neither acquire any interest in the Indices nor enter into any relationship of any kind whatsoever with Bloomberg or Barclays upon making an investment in the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund. The Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by Bloomberg or Barclays. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays makes any representation or warranty, express or implied regarding the advisability of investing in the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund or the advisability of investing in securities generally or the ability of the Indices to track corresponding or relative market performance. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays has passed on the legality or suitability of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund with respect to any person or entity. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays is responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the timing of, prices at, or quantities of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund to be issued. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays has any obligation to take the needs of the Issuer or the owners of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund or any other third party into consideration in determining, composing or calculating the Indices. Neither Bloomberg nor Barclays has any obligation or liability in connection with administration, marketing or trading of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund.

The licensing agreement between Bloomberg and Barclays is solely for the benefit of Bloomberg and Barclays and not for the benefit of the owners of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund, investors or other third parties. In addition, the licensing agreement between Vanguard and Bloomberg is solely for the benefit of Vanguard and Bloomberg and not for the benefit of the owners of the Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund, investors or other third parties.

NEITHER BLOOMBERG NOR BARCLAYS SHALL HAVE ANY LIABILITY TO THE ISSUER, INVESTORS OR TO OTHER THIRD PARTIES FOR THE QUALITY, ACCURACY AND/OR COMPLETENESS OF THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN OR FOR INTERRUPTIONS IN THE DELIVERY OF THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES. NEITHER BLOOMBERG NOR BARCLAYS MAKES ANY WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE ISSUER, THE INVESTORS OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. NEITHER BLOOMBERG NOR BARCLAYS MAKES ANY EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EACH HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. BLOOMBERG RESERVES THE RIGHT TO CHANGE THE METHODS OF CALCULATION OR PUBLICATION, OR TO CEASE THE CALCULATION OR PUBLICATION OF THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES, AND NEITHER BLOOMBERG NOR BARCLAYS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY MISCALCULATION OF OR ANY INCORRECT, DELAYED OR INTERRUPTED PUBLICATION WITH RESPECT TO THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES. NEITHER BLOOMBERG NOR BARCLAYS SHALL BE LIABLE FOR ANY DAMAGES, INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY SPECIAL, INDIRECT OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES, OR ANY LOST PROFITS AND EVEN IF ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH, RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE BLOOMBERG BARCLAYS INDICES OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN OR WITH RESPECT TO THE SHORT-TERM FEDERAL FUND.

None of the information supplied by Bloomberg or Barclays and used in this publication may be reproduced in any manner without the prior written permission of both Bloomberg and Barclays Capital, the investment banking division of Barclays Bank Plc. Barclays Bank Plc is registered in England No. 1026167, registered office 1 Churchill Place London E14 5HP.

Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Investor Shares—Fund Number 49
Vanguard Short-Term Federal Fund Admiral Shares—Fund Number 549

To request additional information about the Fund, please visit vanguard.com or contact us at 800-662-7447.

Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

SP 49 052021