485APOS 1 f45750d1.htm PEA NO. 141 FOR TWO NEW VICTORYSHARES ETFS PEA No. 141 for two New VictoryShares ETFs
Securities Act Registration No. 333-181176
Investment Company Act Registration No. 811-22696
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2026


U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933


Pre-Effective Amendment No. ___
Post-Effective Amendment No. 141
and/or
REGISTRATION STATEMENT
UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940

Amendment No. 142

Victory Portfolios II
(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)
15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256
(Address of Principal Executive Offices)
(877) 660-4400
(Area Code and Telephone Number)
With copy to:
Thomas Dusenberry
Victory Portfolios II
15935 La Cantera Parkway
San Antonio, Texas 78256
Matthew J. Kutner
Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019
It is proposed that this filing will become effective:

Immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

On (date), pursuant to paragraph (b)

60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

On (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

On (September 21, 2026) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of Rule 485.
If appropriate, check the following box:

This post-effective amendment designates a new effective date for a previously filed post-effective amendment




The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state in which the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion | Preliminary Prospectus Dated July 8, 2026
[     ], 2026
Prospectus
VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF (TBD)
Listed and traded on:
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Investment Objective
The VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to maximize total return through a combination of income that is exempt from regular federal income tax and capital appreciation.
Fund Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell 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 tables and example below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.30%
Other Expenses1
[0.xx]%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
[0.xx]%
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursements2
[(0.xx)]%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements2
0.34%
1
Estimated for the current fiscal year.
2
Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund's investment adviser, (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least [October 31, 2027,] so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.34%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund's Board of Trustees.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that (1) you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or continue to hold all of your shares at the end of the period, (2) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (3) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year
3 Years
$[ ]
$[ ]
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 higher taxes when 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. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Principal Investment Strategy
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings, if any, for investment purposes) in debt securities and other obligations issued by or on behalf of states, counties, municipalities, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their authorities, political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax (“municipal securities”). Derivative instruments that provide exposure to municipal securities or have similar economic characteristics may be used to satisfy the Fund’s 80% policy.
Municipal securities generally are issued to finance public works such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation projects, schools, and water and sewer works. Municipal securities may be issued to repay outstanding obligations, to raise funds for general operating expenses, or to make loans to other institutions and facilities. They also may be issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately operated facilities, which are expected to benefit the municipality and its residents, such as business, manufacturing, housing, sports, and pollution control, as well as public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports, and parking.
The Fund may invest in municipal securities of any maturity. Municipal securities with longer maturities are generally more volatile than other fixed income securities with shorter maturities. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its assets in issuers in any one or more states or in the same economic sector or similar project type (such as projects relating to health care, education, transportation, and utilities).
The Fund primarily invests in “high-yield” municipal obligations. “High-yield” municipal obligations are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative. For this purpose, “high-yield” municipal obligations are municipal obligations rated at the time of purchase Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. or BB or lower by Standard and Poor’s Ratings Group or unrated securities determined by the adviser to be of comparable credit quality. The Fund may invest in securities in any rating category, including those in default, and in debtor-in-possession financings.
Interest income from certain types of municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest generally may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (the “AMT”). The Fund may not be suitable for investors subject to the AMT. The rate of interest paid on municipal securities normally is lower than the rate of interest paid on taxable securities.
The Fund’s investments may have fixed or variable principal payments and all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including fixed and floating rates, inverse floating rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred and payment in kind, and auction rate features.
The Fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives, such as synthetic municipal securities, inverse floating rate obligations and credit default swaps. The Fund may use derivatives for a variety of purposes, including: in an attempt to hedge against adverse changes in the market price of securities, interest rates or currency exchange rates; as a substitute for purchasing or selling securities; to attempt to increase the Fund’s return as a non-hedging strategy that may be considered speculative; to manage portfolio characteristics; and as a cash flow management technique. The Fund may choose not to make use of derivatives for a variety of reasons, and any use may be limited by applicable law and regulations.
The Fund also may invest in subordinated securities, asset-backed securities of any rating, including collateralized debt obligations, and may hold cash, or other short-term investments. The Fund’s investments may include mortgage-backed instruments, the underlying assets of which allow for balloon payments (where a substantial portion of a mortgage loan balance is paid at maturity, which can shorten the average life of the mortgage-backed instrument) or negative amortization payments (where as a result of a payment cap, payments on a mortgage loan are less than the amount of
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
principal and interest owed, with excess amounts added to the outstanding principal balance, which can extend the average life of the mortgage-backed instrument).
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in inverse floating rate obligations.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in taxable investments, including securities of other investment companies (including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds), commercial paper, U.S. government securities, U.S. or foreign bank instruments, and repurchase agreements.
The Adviser considers both broad economic factors and issuer specific factors in selecting investments. In assessing the appropriate maturity and rating weighting of the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser considers a variety of factors that are expected to influence economic activity and interest rates. The Adviser selects individual securities to buy and sell based upon such factors as a security’s yield, liquidity and rating, an assessment of credit quality, and issuer diversification.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund’s investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Market Risk —The market prices of securities or other assets held by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political, or regulatory conditions, political instability, recessions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates, lack of liquidity in the bond markets, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, weather or climate events, wars or armed conflicts, market disruptions caused by tariffs, trade disputes, sanctions or other government actions, or other factors or adverse investor sentiment. If the market prices of the Fund’s securities and assets fall, the value of your investment will go down. A change in financial condition or other event affecting a single issuer or market may adversely impact securities markets as a whole.
In the past decade, financial markets throughout the world have experienced increased volatility, depressed valuations, decreased liquidity and heightened uncertainty. Governmental and non-governmental issuers have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts. These conditions may continue, recur, worsen or spread. Events that have contributed to these market conditions include, but are not limited to, major cybersecurity events; geopolitical events (including wars, terror attacks and economic sanctions); measures to address budget deficits; downgrading of sovereign debt; changes in oil and commodity prices; dramatic changes in currency exchange rates; global pandemics; and public sentiment. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets, reduced liquidity of many instruments, increased government debt, inflation, and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
Raising the ceiling on U.S. government debt has become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that the U.S. government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S. government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and markets in the United States and elsewhere. Inflation and interest rates may increase. These circumstances could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests, and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. In addition, inflation, rising interest rates, global supply chain disruptions, and other market events could adversely affect the companies or issuers in which the Fund invests. Following the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, Russian securities lost all, or nearly all, their market value. Other securities or markets could be similarly affected by past or future political, geopolitical, or other events or conditions.
Governments and central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets. These actions have resulted in significant expansion of public debt, including in the United States. The consequences of high public debt, including its future impact on the economy and securities markets, may not be
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
known for some time. U.S. Federal Reserve or other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental or central bank actions, including increases or decreases in interest rates, or contrary actions by different governments, could negatively affect financial markets generally, increase market volatility and reduce the value and liquidity of securities in which the Fund invests. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and these and other events affecting global markets, such as the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (commonly known as “Brexit”), potential trade imbalances with China or other countries or sanctions or other government actions against Russia, other nations or individuals or companies (or their countermeasures), may contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
The United States and other countries are periodically involved in disputes over trade and other matters, which may result in tariffs (or the threat of tariffs), investment restrictions and adverse impacts on affected companies and securities, potentially leading to significant losses for the Fund. For example, the United States has imposed tariffs and other trade barriers on Chinese exports, has restricted sales of certain categories of goods to China, and has established barriers to investments in China. Trade disputes may adversely affect the economies of the United States and its trading partners, as well as companies directly or indirectly affected and financial markets generally. The U.S. government has prohibited U.S. persons, such as the Fund, from investing in Chinese companies designated as related to the Chinese military. These and possible future restrictions could limit the Fund’s opportunities for investment and require the sale of securities at a loss or make them illiquid. Moreover, China’s long-running conflict over Taiwan’s sovereignty, border disputes with many neighbors and historically strained relations with other Asian countries could result in military conflict. If the political climate between the United States and China does not improve or continues to deteriorate, if China enters into military conflict with Taiwan, the Philippines, or another neighbor, or if other geopolitical conflicts develop or get worse, economies, markets and individual securities may be severely affected both regionally and globally, and the value of the Fund’s assets may go down.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, armed conflicts such as between Russia and Ukraine or in the Middle East, terrorism, natural disasters, infectious illness or public health issues, cybersecurity events, supply chain disruptions, sanctions against Russia, other nations or individuals or companies and possible countermeasures, and other circumstances in one country or region could have profound impacts on other countries or regions and on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries or regions directly affected, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected. The Fund may experience a substantial or complete loss on any security or derivative position.
Interest Rate Risk The market prices of the Fund’s fixed income securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. The value of your investment will generally go down when interest rates rise. A rise in rates tends to have a greater impact on the prices of longer term or duration securities. Duration is a measure of a fixed income security’s sensitivity to changes in interest rates. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, the value of a fund’s portfolio with a portfolio duration of ten years would be expected to decrease by 10%, all other things being equal. A general rise in interest rates could adversely affect the price and liquidity of fixed income securities  and could also result in increased redemptions from the Fund. The maturity of a security may be significantly longer than its effective duration. A security’s maturity and other features may be more relevant than its effective duration in determining the security’s sensitivity to other factors affecting the issuer or markets generally, such as changes in credit quality or in the yield premium that the market may establish for certain types of securities (sometimes called “credit spread”). In general, the longer its maturity the more a security may be susceptible to these factors. When the credit spread for a fixed income security goes up or “widens,” the value of the security generally will go down.
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Credit Risk — If an issuer or guarantor of a security held by the Fund or a counterparty to a financial contract with the Fund defaults on its obligation to pay principal and/or interest, has its credit rating downgraded or is perceived to be less creditworthy, or the credit quality or value of any underlying assets declines, the value of your investment will typically  decline. The values of lower-quality debt securities tend to be particularly sensitive to these changes. Changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness may occur quickly. The values of securities also may decline for a number of other reasons that relate directly to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets. The Fund also could be delayed or hindered in its enforcement of rights against an issuer, guarantor or counterparty.
Prepayment or Call Risk — Many issuers have a right to prepay their securities. If interest rates fall, an issuer may exercise this right. If this happens, the Fund will not benefit from the rise in market price that normally accompanies a decline in interest rates, and will be forced to reinvest prepayment proceeds at a time when yields on securities available in the market are lower than the yield on the prepaid security. The Fund also may lose any premium it paid on the security.
Extension Risk — During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because of slower than expected principal payments. This may lock in a below market interest rate, increase the security’s duration and reduce the value of the security.
Liquidity Risk — Some securities and derivatives held by the Fund may be or become impossible or difficult to purchase, sell or unwind, particularly during times of market turmoil. An instrument’s liquidity may be affected by reduced trading volume, a relative lack of market makers or legal restrictions, and illiquid securities and derivatives also may be difficult to value. Markets may become illiquid quickly. Liquidity risk may be magnified in an environment of rising interest rates or widening credit spreads. During times of market turmoil, there have been, and may be, no buyers or sellers for securities in entire asset classes. If the Fund is forced to sell an illiquid asset or unwind a derivative position to meet redemption requests or other cash needs, or to try to limit losses, the Fund may be forced to sell at a substantial loss or may not be able to sell at all. The Fund may not receive its proceeds from the sale of certain securities for an extended period (for example, several weeks or even longer). In extreme cases, this may constrain the Fund’s ability to meet its obligations (including obligations to redeeming shareholders).
High-Yield or “Junk” Bond Risk — Debt securities that are below investment grade, called “junk bonds,” are speculative, have a higher risk of default or are already in default, tend to be less liquid and are more difficult to value than higher grade securities. Junk bonds tend to be volatile and more susceptible to adverse events and negative sentiments, and may become illiquid. These risks are more pronounced for securities that are already in default.
Portfolio Selection Risk — The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield, relative value or market trends affecting a particular sector or region, market segment, security, industry or about interest rates or other market factors may prove to be incorrect or may not produce the desired results, or there may be imperfections, errors or limitations in the models, tools and information used by the Adviser.
Municipal Securities Risk — The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Municipal issuers may be adversely affected by rising health care costs, increasing unfunded pension liabilities, and by the phasing out of federal programs providing financial support. Unfavorable conditions and developments relating to projects financed with municipal securities can result in lower revenues to issuers of municipal securities, potentially resulting in defaults. Issuers often depend on revenues from these projects to make principal and interest payments. The value of municipal securities can also be adversely affected by changes in the financial condition of one or more individual municipal issuers or insurers of
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
municipal issuers, regulatory and political developments, tax law changes or other legislative actions, and by uncertainties and public perceptions concerning these and other factors. Municipal issuers may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. Financial difficulties of municipal issuers may continue or get worse, particularly in the event of political, economic or market turmoil or a recession. To the extent the Fund invests significantly in a single state (including California and New York), city, territory (including Puerto Rico), or region, or in securities the payments on which are dependent upon a single project or source of revenues, or that relate to a sector or industry, including health care facilities, education, tobacco settlement revenue, and industrial development, the Fund will be more susceptible to associated risks and developments.
Debtor-in-Possession Financings Risk — Debtor-in-possession financings are loans to a debtor-in-possession in a proceeding under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that have been approved by the bankruptcy court. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Debtor-in-possession financings can provide creditors with varying levels of protection, as they may carry super-priority repayment status, be secured by a lien on the borrower’s otherwise unencumbered assets, or be secured by a junior lien on the borrower’s encumbered assets. These financings are subject to the risk that the borrower will not emerge successfully from the bankruptcy/reorganization proceedings and will be forced to liquidate its assets.
In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse will be against the property securing the debtor-in-possession loan and any remaining unencumbered assets, which might be insufficient to repay the debtor-in-possession loan in full.
Mortgage-Related and Asset-Backed Securities Risk — The value of mortgage-related securities and asset-backed securities will be influenced by factors affecting the assets underlying such securities. As a result, during periods of declining asset value, difficult or frozen credit markets, swings in interest rates, or deteriorating economic conditions, mortgage-related and asset-backed securities may decline in value, face valuation difficulties, become more volatile and/or become illiquid. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. These securities are also subject to interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. Some of these securities may receive little or no collateral protection from the underlying assets and are thus subject to the risk of default. The risk of such defaults is generally higher in the case of mortgage-backed investments offered by non-governmental issuers and those that include so-called “sub-prime” mortgages. The structure of some of these securities may be complex and there may be less available information than for other types of debt securities. Upon the occurrence of certain triggering events or defaults, the Fund may become the holder of underlying assets at a time when those assets may be difficult to sell or may be sold only at a loss. For debt instruments secured by specific assets, those assets are often the sole source of principal and interest payments for the instrument. Should those assets underperform expectations or decline in value, the Fund could experience shortfalls in principal and interest.
Risks of Investing in Collateralized Debt Obligations — Investment in a collateralized debt obligation (“CDO”) is subject to the credit, subordination, interest rate, valuation, prepayment, extension and other risks of the obligations underlying the CDO and the tranche of the CDO in which the Fund invests. CDOs are subject to liquidity risk. Synthetic CDOs are also subject to the risks of investing in derivatives, such as credit default swaps, and leverage risk.
Risks of Instruments that Allow for Balloon Payments or Negative Amortization Payments Certain debt instruments allow for balloon payments or negative amortization payments. Such instruments permit the borrower to avoid paying currently a portion of the interest accruing on the instrument. While these features make the debt instrument more affordable to the borrower in the near term, they increase the risk that the borrower will be unable to make the resulting higher payment or payments that become due at the maturity of the loan.
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Risks of Subordinated Securities — A holder of securities that are subordinated or “junior” to more senior securities of an issuer is entitled to payment after holders of more senior securities of the issuer. Subordinated securities are more likely to suffer a credit loss than non-subordinated securities of the same issuer, any loss incurred by the subordinated securities is likely to be proportionately greater, and any recovery of interest or principal may take more time. As a result, even a perceived decline in creditworthiness of the issuer is likely to have a greater impact on subordinated securities than more senior securities.
Risks of Zero Coupon Bonds, Payment in Kind, Deferred and Contingent Payment Securities These securities may be more speculative and may fluctuate more in value than securities that pay income periodically and in cash. In addition, although the Fund receives no periodic cash payments on such securities, the Fund is deemed for tax purposes to receive income from such securities, which applicable tax rules generally require the Fund to distribute to shareholders to retain its status as a regulated investment company and avoid being subject to U.S. federal income and excise tax. Such distributions may be taxable when distributed to shareholders.
U.S. Treasury Obligations Risk — The market value of direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury may vary due to changes in interest rates. In addition, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of the Fund’s investments in obligations issued by the U.S. Treasury to decline.
U.S. Government Agency Obligations Risk — The Fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government. Government-sponsored entities such as the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”), the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”) and the Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”), although chartered or sponsored by Congress, are not funded by congressional appropriations and the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by them are neither guaranteed nor issued by the U.S. government. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government obligations may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. government. Such debt and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk of default on the payment of interest and/or principal, similar to debt of private issuers. Although the U.S. government has provided financial support to FNMA and FHLMC in the past, there can be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored entities in the future.
Risks of Investing in Other Funds — Investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and closed-end funds, subjects the Fund to the risks of investing in the underlying securities or assets held by those funds. When investing in another fund, the Fund will bear a pro rata portion of the underlying fund’s expenses, including management fees, in addition to its own expenses. ETFs and closed-end funds are bought and sold based on market prices and can trade at a premium or a discount to the ETF’s or closed-end fund’s net asset value. Such funds may trade at a discount for an extended period and may not ever realize their net asset value.
Tax Risk — The Fund may be adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives may be affected by changes in federal and state income tax rates or changes in the tax-exempt status of interest income from municipal securities. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of the municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Fund’s net asset value and ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels.
Taxable Investment Risk — Although distributions of interest income from the Fund’s tax-exempt securities are generally exempt from regular federal income tax, distributions from other sources, including capital gain distributions, and any gains on the sale of your shares are not. In addition, the interest on the Fund’s municipal securities could become subject to regular federal income tax or the
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
AMT, unfavorable legislation or litigation, or adverse interpretations by regulatory authorities. You should consult a tax adviser about whether the AMT applies to you and about state and local taxes on your Fund distributions.
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — The Fund’s investments in municipal securities rely on the opinion of the issuer’s bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsor’s counsel, that the interest paid on those securities will not be subject to federal income tax. Tax opinions are generally provided at the time the municipal security is initially issued, and neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. However, tax opinions are not binding on the IRS, and if any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liability for the current or past years and shareholders may have to file amended tax returns and pay additional taxes, interest and penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities.
Derivatives Risk — Using synthetic municipal securities, inverse floating rate obligations, credit default swaps and other derivatives can increase Fund losses and reduce opportunities for gains when market prices, interest rates, or the derivative instruments themselves behave in a way not anticipated by the Fund. Using derivatives may increase the volatility of the Fund’s net asset value and may not provide the result intended. Derivatives may have a leveraging effect on the Fund. Some derivatives, such as writing (selling) options, have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the Fund’s initial investment. Derivatives are generally subject to the risks applicable to the assets, rates, indices or other indicators underlying the derivative. Changes in a derivative’s value may not correlate well with the referenced asset or metric. The Fund also may have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations. Derivatives may be difficult to sell, unwind or value, and the counterparty may default on its obligations to the Fund. Use of derivatives or similar instruments may not be as favorable as a direct investment in an underlying investment and may adversely affect the amount, timing and character of income distributed to shareholders. As a result, a larger portion of the Fund's distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains. In addition, certain derivatives are subject to mark-to-market or straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). If such provisions are applicable, there could be an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund. The U.S. government and foreign governments have adopted and implemented or are in the process of adopting and implementing regulations governing derivatives markets, including mandatory clearing of certain derivatives, margin and reporting requirements. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets.
Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk — The Fund is structured as an ETF and, as a result, is subject to special risks, including:
Not Individually Redeemable — Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks known as Creation Units. The Fund may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, the Fund may redeem your shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.
Trading Issues — Trading in shares on the exchange operated by Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the shares. In stressed market conditions, authorized participants may be unwilling to participate in the creation/redemption process, particularly if the market for shares becomes less liquid in
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VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to widening of bid-ask spreads and differences between the market price of the shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers, or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly, particularly in times of market stress. This means that shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Tax-Efficiency Risk — Redemptions of shares may be effected for cash, rather than in kind, which means that the Fund may need to sell portfolio securities in order to complete an in-cash redemption, and may recognize net gains on these sales. As a result, investments in the shares may be less tax-efficient than investments in ETFs that redeem solely or principally in kind, and the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk — The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on tender option bonds, bond receipts and similar synthetic municipal securities, a type of derivative instrument, is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. In addition to the risks of investing in municipal securities and in derivatives generally, investments in synthetic municipal securities are subject to the risk that income derived from such securities is deemed to be taxable.
Risks of Investing in Inverse Floating Rate Obligations — The interest rate on inverse floating rate obligations will generally decrease as short-term interest rates increase, and increase as short-term rates decrease. Due to their leveraged structure, the sensitivity of the market value of an inverse floating rate obligation to changes in interest rates is generally greater than a comparable long-term bond issued by the same issuer and with similar credit quality, redemption and maturity provisions. Inverse floating rate obligations may be volatile and involve leverage risk.
Credit Default Swap Risk — Credit default swap contracts, a type of derivative instrument, involve special risks and may result in losses to the Fund. Credit default swaps may in some cases be illiquid, and they increase credit risk since the Fund has exposure to the issuer of the referenced obligation and either the counterparty to the credit default swap or, if it is a cleared transaction, the brokerage firm through which the trade was cleared and the clearing organization that is the counterparty to that trade.
Leveraging Risk — The value of your investment may be more volatile and other risks tend to be compounded if the Fund borrows or uses derivatives or other investments, such as ETFs,  that have embedded leverage. Leverage generally magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s underlying assets and creates a risk of loss of value on a larger pool of assets than the Fund would otherwise have, potentially resulting in the loss of all assets. Engaging in such transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations. New derivatives regulations require the Fund, to the extent it uses derivatives to a material extent, to, among other things, comply with certain overall limits on leverage. These regulations may limit the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategies and may not be effective to mitigate the Fund’s risk of loss from derivatives.
9

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Repurchase Agreement Risk — In the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Such a delay may involve loss of interest or a decline in price of the security. In addition, if the Fund is characterized by a court as an unsecured creditor, it would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and interest involved in the transaction.
Market Segment Risk — To the extent the Fund emphasizes, from time to time, investments in a market segment, the Fund will be subject to a greater degree to the risks particular to that segment, and may experience greater market fluctuation than a fund without the same focus.
To the extent the Fund invests in issuers of securities the payments on which are derived from gas, electric, telephone, sewer, water, health care, education, tobacco settlement revenue, industrial development and transportation segments of the municipal bond market, the Fund may be subject to risks associated with such segments.
Certain revenue bonds are backed by settlements with tobacco companies. The settlement payments are based on factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Payments could be reduced if consumption decreases or due to other factors.
The education segment can be significantly affected by declining applicant pools, changes in student enrollment, decreases in state and federal financial aid to students, declines in endowment contributions and decreases in endowment portfolio values.
Industrial development bonds are normally secured by the revenues from the project and not by state or local government tax payments. Consequently, the credit quality of these securities depends upon the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds and any guarantor to meet its financial obligations. If the user of the facilities financed by the bonds defaults on its payments, the Fund may not receive any income or get its money back from the investment.
Industries in the health care segment, such as health care supplies, health care services, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, may be significantly affected by government regulation and reimbursement rates, approval of products by government agencies, increases or decreases in the cost of medical products, services and patient care, shortages of skilled personnel and increased personnel costs, and product liability claims, among other factors. Many health care companies are heavily dependent on patent protection, and the expiration of a company’s patent may adversely affect that company’s profitability. Health care companies are subject to competitive forces that may result in price discounting, and may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.
Valuation Risk — Nearly all of the Fund’s investments are valued using a fair value methodology. The sales price the Fund could receive for any particular portfolio investment may differ from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in thin or volatile markets. These differences may increase significantly and affect Fund investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares may receive fewer or more shares or lower or higher redemption proceeds than they would have received if the securities had not been fair-valued or if a different valuation methodology had been used. The ability to value the Fund’s investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Redemption Risk — The Fund may experience heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, accelerate taxable gains and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have, or accelerate transaction costs, which could cause the value of your investment to decline.
Limited History of Operations — The Fund is new and has no history of operations for investors to evaluate.
10

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Cybersecurity Risk — Cybersecurity failures by and breaches of the Adviser, transfer agent, the Distributor, custodian, Fund accounting agent or other service providers may disrupt Fund operations, interfere with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, prevent Fund shareholders from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions or receiving timely information regarding the Fund or their investment in the Fund, cause loss of or unauthorized access to private shareholder information, and result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, or additional compliance costs. New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund’s ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.
Expense Risk — Your actual costs of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Fund Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if overall net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.
Please note that there are many other factors that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its goals.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Any investment involves risk, and there is no assurance that the Fund’s objective will be achieved. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan. As you consider an investment in the Fund, you also should take into account your tolerance for the daily fluctuations of the financial markets and whether you can afford to leave your money in the Fund for long periods of time to ride out down periods. Losing money is a risk of investing in the Fund.
Investment Performance
No performance information is presented since the Fund does not yet have a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund is available online at vcm.com or by calling 866-376-7890. A fund’s performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. The portfolio managers jointly and primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise.
Portfolio Management
 
Title
Tenure with the Fund
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA
Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of
Municipal Bond Portfolio
Management
Since [September 2026]
Lauren Spalten
Portfolio Manager
Since [September 2026]
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund will issue and redeem shares at NAV only in large blocks of 25,000 shares (each block of shares is called a “Creation Unit”). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants (“APs”) that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.
11

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF Summary
Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange. Individual shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at a market price. Because shares of the Fund trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV. An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).
For recent information about the Fund, including the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, visit vcm.com.
Tax Information
Distributions reported by the Fund as “exempt-interest dividends” are exempt from regular federal income tax but may be subject to state or local income taxes and may be tax preference items for purposes of the AMT. Distributions of the Fund’s capital gains generally are subject to tax.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares through an account maintained by a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
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Additional Fund Information
The Fund is organized as an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), having a distinct investment management objective, strategy, risks, and policies.
The Fund has an investment objective of maximizing total return through a combination of income that is exempt from regular federal income tax, and capital appreciation. The Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may change this investment objective without shareholder approval. The Fund will provide shareholders notice of any such change.
Principal Investment Strategies
Under normal circumstances, the Fund invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus the amount of borrowings, if any, for investment purposes) in debt securities and other obligations issued by or on behalf of states, counties, municipalities, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their authorities, political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax (“municipal securities”). Derivative instruments that provide exposure to municipal securities or have similar economic characteristics may be used to satisfy the Fund’s 80% policy.
Municipal securities generally are issued to finance public works such as airports, bridges, highways, housing, hospitals, mass transportation projects, schools and water and sewer works. Municipal securities may be issued to repay outstanding obligations, to raise funds for general operating expenses, or to make loans to other institutions and facilities. They also may be issued by or on behalf of public authorities to finance various privately operated facilities which are expected to benefit the municipality and its residents, such as business, manufacturing, housing, sports and pollution control, as well as public facilities such as airports, mass transit systems, ports and parking.
The Fund may invest in municipal securities of any maturity. Municipal securities with longer maturities are generally more volatile than other fixed income securities with shorter maturities. The Fund may invest 25% or more of its assets in issuers in any one or more states or in the same economic sector or similar project type (such as projects relating to health care, education, transportation, and utilities).
The Fund primarily invests in “high yield” municipal obligations. For this purpose, “high yield” municipal obligations are municipal obligations rated at the time of purchase Ba or lower by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or BB or lower by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Group (“S&P”) or unrated securities determined by the Adviser, to be of comparable credit quality. Municipal securities of below investment grade quality are regarded as having predominantly speculative characteristics with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal, and are commonly referred to as “junk bonds.” The Fund may invest in securities in any rating category, including those in default, and in debtor-in-possession financings.
Interest income from certain types of municipal obligations in which the Fund may invest generally may be subject to the federal alternative minimum tax (the “AMT”). The Fund may not be suitable for investors subject to the AMT. The rate of interest paid on municipal securities normally is lower than the rate of interest paid on taxable securities.
The Fund’s investments may have fixed or variable principal payments and all types of interest rate payment and reset terms, including fixed and floating rates, inverse floating rate, zero coupon, contingent, deferred and payment in kind and auction rate features.
The Fund also may invest in subordinated securities, asset-backed securities of any rating, and may hold cash or other short-term investments.
13

Additional Fund Information
The Fund’s investments may include mortgage-backed instruments, the underlying assets of which allow for balloon payments (where a substantial portion of a mortgage loan balance is paid at maturity, which can shorten the average life of the mortgage-backed instrument) or negative amortization payments (where, as a result of a payment cap, payments on a mortgage loan are less than the amount of principal and interest owed, with excess amounts added to the outstanding principal balance, which can extend the average life of the mortgage-backed instrument).
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in inverse floating rate obligations (a type of derivative instrument).
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in taxable investments, including securities of other investment companies (including mutual funds, exchange-traded funds and closed-end funds), commercial paper, U.S. government securities, U.S. or foreign bank instruments, and repurchase agreements.
The Adviser considers both broad economic factors and issuer specific factors in selecting a portfolio designed to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. In assessing the appropriate maturity and rating weighting of the Fund’s portfolio, the Adviser considers a variety of factors that are expected to influence economic activity and interest rates. These factors include fundamental economic indicators, such as the rates of economic growth and inflation, Federal Reserve monetary policy and the relative value of the U.S. dollar compared to other currencies. Once the Adviser determines the preferable portfolio characteristics, the Adviser selects individual securities based upon the terms of the securities (such as yields compared to U.S. Treasuries or comparable issues), liquidity and rating and issuer diversification. The Adviser also employs fundamental research, an evaluation of the issuer based on its financial statements and operations, to assess an issuer’s credit quality, taking into account financial condition, future capital needs and potential for change in rating. In making these portfolio decisions, the Adviser relies on the knowledge, experience and judgment of its staff and the staff of its affiliates who have access to a wide variety of research.
Municipal obligations include general obligation bonds, revenue bonds, tender option bonds, tax and revenue anticipation notes, bond anticipation notes, tax-exempt commercial paper, municipal leases, participation certificates and custodial receipts. General obligation bonds are backed by the full faith and credit of the issuing entity. Revenue bonds are typically used to fund particular projects, such as those relating to education, health care, transportation and utilities, that are expected to produce income sufficient to make the payments on the bonds, since they are not backed by the full taxing power of the municipality. Housing authority bonds are used primarily to fund low to middle income residential projects and may be backed by the payments made on the underlying mortgages. Tax and revenue anticipation notes are generally issued in order to finance short-term cash needs or, occasionally, to finance construction. Tax and revenue anticipation notes are expected to be repaid from taxes or designated revenues in the related period, and they may or may not be general obligations of the issuing entity. Bond anticipation notes are issued with the expectation that their principal and interest will be paid out of proceeds from renewal notes or bonds and may be issued to finance such items as land acquisition, facility acquisition and/or construction and capital improvement projects.
Municipal securities include municipal lease obligations, which are undivided interests issued by a state or municipality in a lease or installment purchase contract which generally relates to equipment or facilities. In some cases, payments under municipal leases do not have to be made unless money is specifically approved for that purpose by an appropriate legislative body.
Although municipal securities are issued by qualifying issuers, payments of principal and interest on municipal securities may be derived solely from revenues from certain facilities, mortgages or private industries, and may not be backed by the issuers themselves. These securities include participation or other interests in municipal securities issued or backed by banks, insurance companies and other financial institutions.
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Additional Fund Information
The Fund purchases municipal securities, the interest on which, in the opinion of bond counsel at the time the securities are issued, is exempt from regular federal income tax. There is no guarantee that this opinion is correct, and there is no assurance that the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) will agree with bond counsel’s opinion. If the IRS determines that an issuer of a municipal security has not complied with applicable requirements, interest from the security could become subject to regular federal income tax, possibly retroactively to the date the security was issued, and the value of the security could decline significantly and a portion of the distributions to Fund shareholders could be recharacterized as taxable. Future litigation or legislation could adversely affect the tax treatment of municipal securities held by the Fund.
The Fund may consider various non-financial ratings or factors, where applicable, through quantitative models or qualitative assessment. The significance these considerations have on security selection varies widely, as the analysis is inherently subjective. Further, the consideration of such factors may not apply to certain instruments and the consideration of such factors is only a part of the investment process.
The Fund’s 80% investment policy may not be changed without shareholder approval. The Fund’s other investment strategies and policies may be changed from time to time without shareholder approval, unless specifically stated otherwise in this prospectus or in the statement of additional information (“SAI”).
15

Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Fund’s assets may be invested in, among other things, any of the following tax-exempt securities, except as otherwise noted:
Investment-Grade Securities
A debt security is considered investment-grade if it is:
Rated BBB or higher at the time of purchase by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC;
Rated the equivalent rating by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization; or
Determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser.
Securities in the lowest category of investment-grade (i.e., BBB) are considered to have speculative characteristics. An investor can still lose significant amounts when investing in investment-grade securities.
Below-Investment-Grade Securities (“Junk Bonds”)
The Fund may invest in debt securities rated below investment grade or, if unrated, of equivalent quality as determined by the Adviser. A debt security is below investment grade if it is rated BB or lower by Standard & Poor’s Financial Services LLC or the equivalent rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization or determined to be of equivalent credit quality by the Adviser. Debt securities rated below investment grade are commonly referred to as “junk bonds” and are considered speculative. Below-investment-grade debt securities involve greater risk of loss, are subject to greater price volatility and are less liquid, especially during periods of economic uncertainty or change, than higher quality debt securities. Below-investment-grade securities also may be more difficult to value.
Debt Rating Considerations
For purposes of the Fund’s credit quality policies, if a security receives different ratings from nationally recognized statistical rating organizations, the Fund will use the rating chosen by the portfolio manager as most representative of the security’s credit quality. The ratings of nationally recognized statistical rating organizations represent their opinions as to the quality of the securities that they undertake to rate and may not accurately describe the risks of the securities. A rating organization may have a conflict of interest with respect to a security for which it assigns a quality rating. In addition, there may be a delay between a change in the credit quality of a security or other asset and a change in the quality rating assigned to the security or other asset by a rating organization. If a rating organization changes the quality rating assigned to one or more of the Fund’s securities, the Adviser will consider if any action is appropriate in light of the Fund’s investment objective and policies. These ratings are used as criteria for the selection of portfolio securities, in addition to the Adviser’s own assessment of the credit quality of potential investments.
U.S. Government Securities
The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities. U.S. government securities are obligations of, or guaranteed by, the U.S. government, its agencies or government-sponsored entities. U.S. government securities include obligations: directly issued by or supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, like Treasury bills, notes and bonds and Government National Mortgage Association (“GNMA”) certificates; supported by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury, like those of the Federal Home Loan Banks (“FHLBs”); supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. government to purchase the agency’s securities, like those of the Federal National Mortgage Association (“FNMA”); or supported only by the credit of the issuer itself, like the Tennessee Valley Authority. U.S. government securities include issues by non-governmental entities (like financial institutions) that carry direct guarantees from U.S. government agencies. U.S. government securities
16

Investments
include zero coupon securities that make payments of interest and principal only upon maturity and which therefore tend to be subject to greater volatility than interest-bearing securities with comparable maturities.
Although the U.S. government guarantees principal and interest payments on securities issued by the U.S. government and some of its agencies, such as securities issued by GNMA, this guarantee does not apply to losses resulting from declines in the market value of these securities. Some of the U.S. government securities that the Fund may hold are not guaranteed or backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government, such as those issued by FNMA and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“FHLMC”).
Debtor-in-Possession Financings
The Fund may participate in or acquire debtor-in-possession financings (commonly known as “DIP financings”). DIP financings are arranged when an entity seeks the protections of the bankruptcy court under Chapter 11 of the U.S. bankruptcy code. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11. Such financings constitute senior liens on unencumbered security (i.e., security not subject to other creditors’ claims). There is a risk that the entity will not emerge from Chapter 11 and be forced to liquidate its assets under Chapter 7 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse would be against the property securing the DIP financing.
Investments in Mortgage-Backed, Asset-Backed, and Other Securities
The Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities may be issued by private issuers, by government-sponsored entities such as FNMA or FHLMC or by agencies of the U.S. government, such as GNMA. Mortgage-backed securities represent direct or indirect participation in, or are collateralized by and payable from, mortgage loans secured by real property. The commercial mortgages underlying certain commercial mortgage-backed securities generally allow all or a substantial portion of the loan balance to be paid at maturity, commonly known as a balloon payment. Some mortgage loans restrict periodic adjustments by limiting changes in the borrower’s monthly principal and interest payments rather than limiting interest rate changes. These payment caps may result in negative amortization, where payments are less than the amount of principal and interest owed, with excess amounts added to the outstanding principal balance, which can extend the average life of the mortgage-backed securities.
The Fund may invest in asset-backed securities and in securities issued by entities, such as trusts, whose underlying assets are municipal securities. The Fund may invest in collateralized debt obligations (“CDOs”), which include collateralized bond obligations (“CBOs”), collateralized loan obligations (“CLOs”) and other similarly structured securities. A CDO is a trust backed by a pool of fixed income securities. The trust typically is split into two or more portions, called tranches, which vary in credit quality and yield. Lower tranches pay higher interest rates but represent lower degrees of credit quality and are more sensitive to the rate of defaults in the pool of obligations. Certain CDOs may use derivatives, such as credit default swaps, to create synthetic exposure to assets rather than holding such assets directly.
Subordinated Securities
The Fund may invest in securities that are subordinated or “junior” to more senior securities of the issuer. The investor in a subordinated security of an issuer is entitled to payment after other holders of debt in that issuer.
17

Investments
Derivatives
The Fund may, but is not required to, use synthetic municipal securities, futures and options on securities, indices swaps and other derivatives. A derivative is a security or instrument whose value is determined by reference to the value or the change in value of one or more securities, indices or other financial instruments. The Fund may use derivatives for a variety of purposes, including:
In an attempt to hedge against adverse changes in the market prices of securities or interest rates
As a substitute for purchasing or selling securities
To attempt to increase the Fund’s return as a non-hedging strategy that may be considered speculative
To manage portfolio characteristics (for example, the duration or credit quality of the Fund’s portfolio)
As a cash flow management technique
The Fund may choose not to make use of derivatives for a variety of reasons, and any use may be limited by applicable law and regulations.
Inverse Floating Rate Obligations
The Fund may invest in inverse floating rate obligations (a type of derivative instrument). Inverse floating rate obligations represent interests in tax-exempt bonds. Inverse floating rate obligations are created by depositing municipal bonds in a trust which divides the income stream of the underlying municipal bond into two parts: a short-term variable rate demand note and a residual interest bond (the inverse floating rate obligation) which receives interest based on the remaining cash flow of the trust after payment of interest on the note and various trust expenses. The interest rate on inverse floating rate obligations will generally decrease as short-term interest rates increase, and increase as short-term rates decrease. Due to their leveraged structure, the sensitivity of the market value of an inverse floating rate obligation to changes in interest rates is generally greater than a comparable long-term bond issued by the same issuer and with similar credit quality, redemption and maturity provisions. Inverse floating rate obligations may be volatile and involve leverage risk.
Repurchase Agreements
In a repurchase agreement, the Fund purchases securities from a broker/dealer or a bank, called the counterparty, upon the agreement of the counterparty to repurchase the securities from the Fund at a later date, and at a specified price. The repurchase price is generally higher than the purchase price paid by the Fund, with the difference being income to the Fund. The securities purchased serve as the Fund’s collateral for the obligation of the counterparty to repurchase the securities. If the counterparty does not repurchase the securities, the Fund is entitled to sell the securities, but the Fund may not be able to sell them for the price at which they were purchased, thus causing a loss. Additionally, if the counterparty becomes insolvent, there is some risk that the Fund will not have a right to the securities, or the immediate right to sell the securities.
Zero Coupon Securities
The Fund may invest in zero coupon securities. Zero coupon securities are debt instruments that do not pay interest during the life of the security but are issued at a discount from the amount the investor will receive when the issuer repays the amount borrowed (the face value). The discount approximates the total amount of interest that would be paid at an assumed interest rate.
18

Investments
Cash Management and Temporary Investments
Normally, the Fund invests substantially all of its assets to meet its investment objective. The Fund may invest the remainder of its assets in money market funds, securities with remaining maturities of less than one year or cash equivalents, including overnight repurchase agreements, or may hold cash. For temporary defensive purposes, including during periods of unusual cash flows, the Fund may depart from its principal investment strategies and invest part or all of its assets in these securities or may hold cash. The Fund may adopt a defensive strategy when the Adviser believes securities in which the Fund normally invests have special or unusual risks or are less attractive due to adverse market, economic, political or other conditions. During such periods, it may be more difficult for the Fund to achieve its investment objective.
19

Investments
Additional Investment Strategies and Related Risks
In addition to the principal investment strategies and related risks discussed in this prospectus, the Fund may also use other techniques, including the following non-principal investment strategies and related risks.
Reverse Repurchase Agreements and Borrowing
The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements pursuant to which the Fund transfers securities to a counterparty in return for cash, and the Fund agrees to repurchase the securities at a later date and for a higher price. Reverse repurchase agreements involve the risk that the other party may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. The Fund could lose money if it is unable to recover the securities and the value of the collateral held by the Fund, including the value of the investments made with cash collateral, is less than the value of the securities. These events could also trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund. Reverse repurchase agreements are treated as borrowings by the Fund, are a form of leverage and may make the value of an investment in the Fund more volatile and increase the risks of investing in the Fund. The Fund also may borrow money from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. The Fund may borrow up to 33 1∕3% of its total assets. Entering into reverse repurchase agreements and other borrowing transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so in order to satisfy its obligations.
Short-Term Trading
The Fund usually does not trade for short-term profits. The Fund will sell an investment, however, even if it has only been held for a short time, if it no longer meets the Fund’s investment criteria. If the Fund does a lot of trading, it may incur additional operating expenses, which would reduce performance, and could cause shareholders to incur a higher level of taxable income or capital gains and a larger portion of the Fund’s distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than long-term capital gains, which generally are taxed at higher rates.
20

Risk Factors
The following provides additional information about the Fund’s principal risks and supplements those risks discussed in the Fund's Summary section of this Prospectus. You could lose money on your investment in the Fund. As with any mutual fund, there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its objective.
Market Risk — The market prices of securities or other assets held by the Fund may go up or down, sometimes rapidly or unpredictably, due to general market conditions, such as real or perceived adverse economic, political, or regulatory conditions, political instability, recessions, inflation, changes in interest or currency rates, lack of liquidity in the bond markets, the spread of infectious illness or other public health issues, weather or climate events, wars or armed conflicts, market disruptions caused by tariffs, trade disputes, sanctions or other government actions, or other factors or adverse investor sentiment. If the market prices of the Fund’s securities and assets fall, the value of your investment will go down. A change in financial condition or other event affecting a single issuer or market may adversely impact securities markets as a whole.
Changes in market conditions may not have the same impact on all types of securities. The value of securities may also fall due to specific conditions that affect a particular sector of the securities market or a particular issuer. In the past decade, financial markets throughout the world have experienced increased volatility, depressed valuations, decreased liquidity and heightened uncertainty. Governmental and non-governmental issuers have defaulted on, or been forced to restructure, their debts. These conditions may continue, recur, worsen or spread. Events that have contributed to these market conditions include, but are not limited to, major cybersecurity events; geopolitical events (including wars, terror attacks and economic sanctions); measures to address budget deficits; downgrading of sovereign debt; changes in oil and commodity prices; dramatic changes in currency exchange rates; global pandemics; and public sentiment. The long-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and its subsequent variants on economies, markets, industries and individual issuers is not known. Some sectors of the economy and individual issuers have experienced or may experience particularly large losses. Periods of extreme volatility in the financial markets, reduced liquidity of many instruments, increased government debt, inflation, and disruptions to supply chains, consumer demand and employee availability, may continue for some time.
Raising the ceiling on U.S. government debt has become increasingly politicized. Any failure to increase the total amount that the U.S. government is authorized to borrow could lead to a default on U.S. government obligations, with unpredictable consequences for economies and markets in the United States and elsewhere. Inflation and interest rates may increase. These circumstances could adversely affect the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments, impair the Fund’s ability to satisfy redemption requests,  and negatively impact the Fund’s performance. In addition, inflation, rising interest rates, global supply chain disruptions and other market events could adversely affect the companies or issuers in which the Fund invests. Following the commencement of the conflict in Ukraine, Russian securities lost all, or nearly all, their market value. Other securities or markets could be similarly affected by past or future political, geopolitical or other events, or conditions.
Governments and central banks, including the U.S. Federal Reserve, have taken extraordinary and unprecedented actions to support local and global economies and the financial markets. These actions have resulted in significant expansion of public debt, including in the United States. The consequences of high public debt, including its future impact on the economy and securities markets, may not be known for some time. U.S. Federal Reserve or other U.S. or non-U.S. governmental or central bank actions, including increases or decreases in interest rates, or contrary actions by different governments, could negatively affect financial markets generally, increase market volatility and reduce the value and liquidity of securities in which the Fund invests. Policy and legislative changes in the United States and in other countries are affecting many aspects of financial regulation, and these and other events affecting global markets, such as the United Kingdom’s exit from the European Union (commonly known as “Brexit”), potential trade imbalances with China or other countries, or sanctions
21

Risk Factors
or other government actions against Russia, other nations or individuals or companies (or their countermeasures), may contribute to decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the financial markets. The impact of these changes on the markets, and the implications for market participants, may not be fully known for some time.
The United States and other countries are periodically involved in disputes over trade and other matters, which may result in tariffs (or the threat of tariffs), investment restrictions and adverse impacts on affected companies and securities, potentially leading to significant losses for the Fund. For example, the United States has imposed tariffs and other trade barriers on Chinese exports, has restricted sales of certain categories of goods to China, and has established barriers to investments in China. Trade disputes may adversely affect the economies of the United States and its trading partners, as well as companies directly or indirectly affected and financial markets generally. The U.S. government has prohibited U.S. persons, such as the Fund, from investing in Chinese companies designated as related to the Chinese military. These and possible future restrictions could limit the Fund’s opportunities for investment and require the sale of securities at a loss or make them illiquid. Moreover, China’s long-running conflict over Taiwan’s sovereignty, border disputes with many neighbors and historically strained relations with other Asian countries could result in military conflict. If the political climate between the United States and China does not improve or continues to deteriorate, if China enters into military conflict with Taiwan, the Philippines, or another neighbor, or if other geopolitical conflicts develop or get worse, economies, markets and individual securities may be severely affected both regionally and globally, and the value of the Fund’s assets may go down.
Economies and financial markets throughout the world are increasingly interconnected. Economic, financial or political events, trading and tariff arrangements, armed conflicts such as between Russia and Ukraine or in the Middle East, terrorism, natural disasters, infectious illness or public health issues, cybersecurity events, supply chain disruptions, sanctions against Russia, other nations or individuals or companies and possible countermeasures, and other circumstances in one country or region, could have profound impacts on other countries or regions and on global economies or markets. As a result, whether or not the Fund invests in securities of issuers located in or with significant exposure to the countries or regions directly affected, the value and liquidity of the Fund’s investments may be negatively affected. The Fund may experience a substantial or complete loss on any security or derivative position.
Until recently, a commonly used reference rate for floating rate securities was LIBOR (London Interbank Offered Rate). ICE Benchmark Administration, the administrator of LIBOR, has ceased publication of most LIBOR settings on a representative basis. Actions by regulators have resulted in the establishment of alternative reference rates to LIBOR in most major currencies. In the United States, a common benchmark replacement is based on the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (SOFR) published by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, including certain spread adjustments and benchmark replacement conforming changes, although other benchmark replacements (with or without spread adjustments) may be used in certain transactions. The impact of the transition from LIBOR on the Fund’s transactions and financial markets generally cannot yet be determined. The transition away from LIBOR may lead to increased volatility and illiquidity in markets for instruments that have relied on LIBOR and may adversely affect the Fund’s performance.
Interest Rate Risk — The market prices of the Fund’s fixed income securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change. When interest rates rise, the value of fixed income securities and therefore the value of your investment in the Fund, generally falls. For example, if interest rates increase by 1%, the value of a fund’s portfolio with a portfolio duration of ten years would be expected to decrease by 10%, all other things being equal.
A general rise in interest rates could adversely affect the price and liquidity of fixed income securities and could also result in increased redemptions from the Fund. A change in interest rates will not have the same impact on all fixed income securities. Generally, the longer the maturity or duration of a
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Risk Factors
fixed income security, the greater the impact of a rise in interest rates on the security’s value. The maturity of a security may be significantly longer than its effective duration. A security’s maturity and other features may be more relevant than its effective duration in determining the security’s sensitivity to other factors affecting the issuer or markets generally, such as changes in credit quality or in the yield premium that the market may establish for certain types of securities (sometimes called “credit spread”). In general, the longer its maturity the more a security may be susceptible to these factors. When the credit spread for a fixed income security goes up or “widens,” the value of the security will generally go down. Calculations of duration and maturity may be based on estimates and may not reliably predict a security’s price sensitivity to changes in interest rates. Moreover, securities can change in value in response to other factors, such as credit risk. In addition, different interest rate measures (such as short- and long-term interest rates and U.S. and foreign interest rates), or interest rates on different types of securities or securities of different issuers, may not necessarily change in the same amount or in the same direction. When interest rates go down, the income received by the Fund, and the Fund’s yield, may decline. Also, when interest rates decline, investments made by the Fund may pay a lower interest rate, which would reduce the income received and distributed by the Fund.
Certain fixed income securities pay interest at variable or floating rates. Variable rate securities tend to reset at specified intervals, while floating rate securities may reset whenever there is a change in a specified index rate. In most cases, these reset provisions reduce the impact of changes in market interest rates on the value of the security. However, some securities do not track the underlying index directly, but reset based on formulas that may produce a leveraging effect; others may also provide for interest payments that vary inversely with market rates. The market prices of these securities may fluctuate significantly when interest rates change.
Yield generated by the Fund may decline due to a decrease in market interest rates.
The values of securities with floating interest rates generally are less sensitive to interest rate changes but may decline in value if their interest rates do not rise as much, or as quickly, as prevailing interest rates. In addition, rising interest rates can also lead to increased default rates, as issuers of floating rate securities find themselves faced with higher payments. Further, in the case of some instruments, if the underlying reference interest rate does not move by at least a prescribed increment, no adjustment will occur in the floating rate instrument’s interest rate. This means that, when prevailing interest rates increase, a corresponding increase in the instrument’s interest rate may not result and the instrument may decline in value. Similarly, certain floating rate obligations have an interest rate floor feature, which prevents the interest rate payable by the security from dropping below a specified level as compared to a reference interest rate. Such a floor protects the Fund from losses resulting from a decrease in the reference interest rate below the specified level. However, if the reference interest rate is below the floor, there will be a lag between a rise in the reference interest rate and a rise in the interest rate payable by the obligation, and the Fund may not benefit from increasing interest rates for a significant amount of time. Unlike fixed rate securities, floating rate securities generally will not increase in value if interest rates decline. Changes in interest rates also will affect the amount of interest income the Fund earns on its floating rate investments. Unlike fixed rate securities, when prevailing interest rates decrease, the interest rate payable on floating rate investments will decrease.
The interest rates of some floating rate obligations adjust only periodically. Between the times that interest rates on floating rate obligations adjust, the interest rate on those obligations may not correlate to prevailing rates, which will affect the value of the loans and may cause the net asset values of the Fund’s shares to fluctuate.
Credit Risk — If an obligor (such as the issuer itself or a party offering credit enhancement) for a security held by the Fund fails to pay, otherwise defaults, is perceived to be less creditworthy, becomes insolvent or files for bankruptcy, a security’s credit rating is downgraded or the credit quality or value
23

Risk Factors
of an underlying asset declines, the value of your investment could decline. The values of lower-quality debt securities tend to be particularly sensitive to these changes. Changes in actual or perceived creditworthiness may occur quickly. The values of securities also may decline for a number of other reasons that relate directly to the issuer, such as management performance, financial leverage and reduced demand for the issuer’s goods and services, as well as the historical and prospective earnings of the issuer and the value of its assets. If the Fund enters into financial contracts (such as certain derivatives, repurchase agreements, reverse repurchase agreements, and when-issued, delayed delivery and forward commitment transactions), the Fund will be subject to the credit risk presented by the counterparty. In particular, the number of municipal insurers is relatively small, and, as a result, changes in the financial condition of an individual municipal insurer may affect the overall municipal market. In addition, the Fund may incur expenses and suffer delays in an effort to protect the Fund’s interests or to enforce its rights. The Fund evaluates the credit quality of issuers and counterparties prior to investing in securities. Credit risk is broadly gauged by the credit ratings of the securities in which the Fund invests. However, ratings are only the opinions of the companies issuing them and are not guarantees as to quality. Securities rated in the lowest category of investment grade (Baa/BBB) may possess certain speculative characteristics.
Prepayment or Call Risk — Many fixed income securities give the issuer the option to prepay or call the security prior to its maturity date. Issuers often exercise this right when interest rates fall. Accordingly, if the Fund holds a fixed income security that can be prepaid or called prior to its maturity date, it will not benefit fully from the increase in value that other fixed income securities generally experience when interest rates fall. Upon prepayment of the security, the Fund also would be forced to reinvest the proceeds at then current yields, which would be lower than the yield of the security that was prepaid or called. In addition, if the Fund purchases a fixed income security at a premium (at a price that exceeds its stated par or principal value), the Fund may lose the amount of the premium paid in the event of prepayment.
Extension Risk — During periods of rising interest rates, the average life of certain types of securities may be extended because of slower than expected principal payments. This may lock in a below market interest rate, increase the security’s duration and reduce the value of the security.
To the extent the Fund invests significantly in mortgage-related and asset-backed securities, its exposure to extension risks may be greater than if it invested in other fixed income securities.
Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF with limited to no history of operations for investors to evaluate. Investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategies, may be unable to implement certain of its investment strategies or may fail to attract sufficient assets, any of which could result in the Fund being liquidated and terminated at any time without shareholder approval and at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders. Such a liquidation could have negative tax consequences for shareholders and may cause shareholders to incur expenses of liquidation.
Liquidity Risk — Liquidity risk is the risk that particular investments, or investments generally, may be or become impossible or difficult to purchase or sell. Although most of the Fund’s securities and other investments must be liquid at the time of investment, securities and other investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil or due to adverse changes in the conditions of a particular issuer. Liquidity and value of investments can deteriorate rapidly. Markets may become illiquid when, for instance, there are few, if any, interested buyers and sellers or when dealers are unwilling to make a market for certain securities or when dealer market-making capacity is otherwise reduced. During times of market turmoil, there have been, and may be, no buyers for securities in entire asset classes, including U.S. Treasury securities. A lack of liquidity or other adverse credit market conditions may affect the Fund’s ability to sell the securities in which it invests or to find and purchase suitable investments. When the Fund holds illiquid investments, the Fund may be harder to value, especially in changing markets. If the Fund is
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Risk Factors
forced to sell or unwind an illiquid investment to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, or to try to limit losses, the Fund may suffer a substantial loss or may not be able to sell at all. The Fund may experience heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, which could cause the value of your investment to decline. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain securities and other investments, the Fund, due to limitations on investments in illiquid securities, may be unable to achieve its desired level of exposure to a certain sector. Further, certain securities, once sold, may not settle for an extended period (for example, several weeks or even longer). The Fund will not receive its sales proceeds until that time, which may constrain the Fund’s ability to meet its obligations (including obligations to redeeming shareholders). Liquidity risk may be magnified in an environment of rising interest rates or widening credit spreads in which investor redemptions from fixed income mutual funds may be higher than normal. If an auction fails for an auction rate security, there may be no secondary market for the security and the Fund may be forced to hold the security until the security is refinanced by the issuer or a secondary market develops. To the extent the Fund holds a material percentage of the outstanding debt securities of an issuer, this practice may impact adversely the liquidity and market value of those investments.
High Yield or “Junk” Bond Risk — Debt securities that are below investment grade, called “junk bonds,” are speculative, have a higher risk of default or are already in default, tend to be less liquid and are more difficult to value than higher grade securities and may involve major risk of exposure to adverse conditions and negative sentiments. These securities have a higher risk of issuer default because, among other reasons, issuers of junk bonds often have more debt in relation to total capitalization than issuers of investment grade securities. Junk bonds tend to be volatile and more susceptible to adverse events and negative sentiments. These risks are more pronounced for securities that are already in default. The Fund may not receive interest payments on defaulted securities and may incur costs to protect its investment. In addition, defaulted securities involve the substantial risk that principal will not be repaid. Changes in economic conditions or developments regarding the individual issuer are more likely to cause price volatility and weaken the capacity of such securities to make principal and interest payments than is the case for higher grade debt securities. The value of lower-quality debt securities often changes in response to company, political, or economic developments and can decline significantly over short as well as long periods of time or during periods of general or regional economic difficulty. Junk bonds may also be less liquid than higher-rated securities, which means that the Fund may have difficulty selling them at times, and it may have to apply a greater degree of judgment in establishing a price for purposes of valuing Fund shares. Junk bonds generally are issued by less creditworthy issuers. Issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt securities relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. In the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of junk bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay junk bond holders. The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer. Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If the issuer redeems junk bonds, the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income.
Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk — The Fund is structured as an ETF and, as a result, is subject to special risks, including:
Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks known as Creation Units. The Fund may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, the Fund may redeem your shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.
Trading Issues — Trading in shares on the exchange operated by Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the
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Risk Factors
Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the shares. In stressed market conditions, authorized participants may be unwilling to participate in the creation/redemption process, particularly if the market for shares becomes less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to widening of bid-ask spreads and differences between the market price of the shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers, or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly, particularly in times of market stress. This means that shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Portfolio Selection Risk — The Adviser’s judgment about the quality, relative yield, relative value or market trends affecting a particular sector or region, market segment, security, industry or about interest rates or other market factors may prove to be incorrect or may not produce the desired results, or there may be imperfections, errors or limitations in the models, tools and information used by the Adviser.
Municipal Securities Risk — The municipal bond market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening. Issuers of municipal securities tend to derive a significant portion of their revenue from taxes, particularly property and income taxes, and decreases in personal income levels and property values and other unfavorable economic factors, such as a general economic recession, adversely affect municipal securities. Municipal issuers may also be adversely affected by rising health care costs, increasing unfunded pension liabilities and by the phasing out of federal programs providing financial support. Where municipal securities are issued to finance particular projects, especially those relating to education, health care, transportation, housing, water or sewer and utilities, issuers often depend on revenues from those projects to make principal and interest payments. Adverse conditions and developments in those sectors can result in lower revenues to issuers of municipal securities, potentially resulting in defaults, and can also have an adverse effect on the broader municipal securities market. To the extent the Fund invests significantly in a single state (including California and New York), city, territory (including Puerto Rico), or region, or in securities the payments on which are dependent upon a single project or source of revenues, or that relate to a sector or industry, including health care facilities, education, tobacco settlement revenue and industrial development, the Fund will be more susceptible to associated risks and developments.
There may be less public information available on municipal issuers or projects than other issuers, and valuing municipal securities may be more difficult. In addition, the secondary market for municipal securities is less well developed and liquid than other markets, and dealers may be less willing to offer and sell municipal securities in times of market turbulence. Changes in the financial condition of one or more individual municipal issuers (or one or more insurers of municipal issuers), or one or more defaults by municipal issuers or insurers, can adversely affect liquidity and valuations in the overall market for municipal securities. The value of municipal securities can also be adversely affected by regulatory and political developments affecting the ability of municipal issuers to pay
26

Risk Factors
interest or repay principal, actual or anticipated tax law changes or other legislative actions, and by uncertainties and public perceptions concerning these and other factors. Municipal securities may be more susceptible to downgrades or defaults during recessions or similar periods of economic stress. Financial difficulties of municipal issuers may continue or get worse, particularly in the event of political, economic or market turmoil or a recession.
The rate of interest paid on municipal securities normally is lower than the rate of interest paid on fully taxable securities. Some municipal securities, such as general obligation issues, are backed by the issuer’s taxing authority, while other municipal securities, such as revenue issues, are backed only by revenues from certain facilities or other sources and not by the issuer itself. The payment of principal and interest on private activity and industrial development revenue bonds is solely dependent on the ability of the facility’s user to meet its financial obligations and the pledge, if any, of the facility or other property as security for payment.
The municipal market can be susceptible to unusual volatility, particularly for lower-rated and unrated securities. Liquidity can be reduced unpredictably in response to overall economic conditions or credit tightening.
Debtor-in-Possession Financings Risk — Debtor-in-possession financings are loans to a debtor-in-possession in a proceeding under the U.S. Bankruptcy Code that have been approved by the bankruptcy court. These financings allow the entity to continue its business operations while reorganizing under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code. Debtor-in-possession financings can provide creditors with varying levels of protection, as they may carry super-priority repayment status, be secured by a lien on the borrower’s otherwise unencumbered assets, or be secured by a junior lien on the borrower’s encumbered assets. These financings are subject to the risk that the borrower will not emerge successfully from the bankruptcy/reorganization proceedings and will be forced to liquidate its assets.
In the event of liquidation, the Fund’s only recourse will be against the property securing the debtor-in-possession loan and any remaining unencumbered assets, which might be insufficient to repay the debtor-in-possession loan in full.
Mortgage-Related and Asset-Backed Securities Risk — The repayment of certain mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities depends primarily on the cash collections received from the issuer’s underlying asset portfolio and, in certain cases, the issuer’s ability to issue replacement securities. As a result, there could be losses to the Fund in the event of credit or market value deterioration in the issuer’s underlying portfolio, mismatches in the timing of the cash flows of the underlying asset interests and the repayment obligations of maturing securities, or the issuer’s inability to issue new or replacement securities. Mortgage-backed securities tend to be more sensitive to changes in interest rates than other types of debt securities. These securities are also subject to interest rate, prepayment and extension risks. Upon the occurrence of certain triggering events or defaults, the investors in a security held by the Fund may become the holders of underlying assets at a time when those assets may be difficult to sell or may be sold only at a loss. In the event of a default, the value of the underlying collateral may be insufficient to pay certain expenses, such as litigation and foreclosure expenses, and inadequate to pay any principal or unpaid interest. The risk of default is generally higher in the case of mortgage-backed investments offered by private issuers and those that include so-called “sub-prime” mortgages. Privately issued mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities are not traded on an exchange and may have a limited market. Without an active trading market, these securities may be particularly difficult to value given the complexities in valuing the underlying collateral.
Certain mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may pay principal only at maturity or may represent only the right to receive payments of principal or interest on the underlying obligations, but not both. The value of these types of instruments may change more than the value of debt securities that pay both principal and interest during periods of changing interest rates. Principal only
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Risk Factors
instruments generally increase in value if interest rates decline, but are also subject to the risk of prepayment. Interest only instruments generally increase in value in a rising interest rate environment when fewer of the underlying obligations are prepaid. Interest only instruments could lose their entire value in a declining interest rate environment if the underlying obligations are prepaid.
Unlike mortgage-related securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government or its agencies and instrumentalities, mortgage-related securities issued by private issuers do not have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee (but may have other credit enhancement), and may, and frequently do, have less favorable collateral, credit risk or other characteristics. The Fund may invest in other mortgage-related securities, including mortgage derivatives and structured securities. These securities typically are not secured by real property. Because these securities have embedded leverage features, small changes in interest or prepayment rates may cause large and sudden price movements. These securities also can become illiquid and difficult to value in volatile or declining markets.
Privately issued mortgage-related securities are also not subject to the same underwriting requirements for the underlying mortgages that are applicable to those mortgage-related securities that have a government or government-sponsored entity guarantee. Privately issued mortgage-related securities are not traded on an exchange and there may be a limited market for the securities, especially when there is a perceived weakness in the mortgage and real estate market sectors. Without an active trading market, mortgage-related securities held in the Fund’s portfolio may be particularly difficult to value because of the complexities involved in assessing the value of the underlying mortgage loans.
Mortgage-backed securities are particularly susceptible to prepayment and extension risks, because prepayments on the underlying mortgages tend to increase when interest rates fall and decrease when interest rates rise. Prepayments may also occur on a scheduled basis or due to foreclosure. When market interest rates increase, mortgage refinancings and prepayments slow, which lengthens the effective duration of these securities. As a result, the negative effect of the interest rate increase on the market value of mortgage-backed securities is usually more pronounced than it is for other types of fixed income securities, potentially increasing the volatility of the Fund. Conversely, when market interest rates decline, while the value of mortgage-backed securities may increase, the rates of prepayment of the underlying mortgages tend to increase, which shortens the effective duration of these securities. Mortgage-backed securities are also subject to the risk that the underlying borrowers will be unable to meet their obligations.
At times, some of the mortgage-backed securities in which the Fund may invest will have higher than market interest rates and therefore will be purchased at a premium above their par value. Prepayments may cause losses on securities purchased at a premium.
The value of mortgage-backed and asset-backed securities may be affected by changes in credit quality or value of the mortgage loans or other assets that support the securities. In addition, for mortgage-backed securities, when market conditions result in an increase in the default rates on the underlying mortgages and the foreclosure values of the underlying real estate are below the outstanding amount of the underlying mortgages, collection of the full amount of accrued interest and principal on these investments may be less likely.
The ability of an issuer of asset-backed securities to enforce its security interest in the underlying assets or to otherwise recover from the underlying obligor may be limited. Certain asset-backed securities present a heightened level of risk because, in the event of default, the liquidation value of the underlying assets may be inadequate to pay any unpaid principal or interest.
Risks of Instruments That Allow for Balloon Payments or Negative Amortization PaymentsCertain debt instruments allow for balloon payments or negative amortization payments. Such instruments permit the borrower to avoid paying currently a portion of the interest accruing on the instrument. In the case of negative amortization payments, the amount of unpaid interest is added to
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Risk Factors
the remaining principal amount due at maturity. A mortgage holder with a balloon payment will owe the full amount of the principal borrowed when the loan matures. A mortgage holder with negative amortization payments pays less interest than is due with each monthly mortgage payment, so that the unpaid interest is added to the principal amount due when the loan matures. While these features make the debt instrument more affordable to the borrower in the near term, they increase the risk that the borrower will be unable to make the resulting higher payment or payments that become due at the maturity of the loan.
Risks of Subordinated Securities — A holder of securities that are subordinated or “junior” to more senior securities of an issuer is entitled to payment after holders of more senior securities of the issuer. Subordinated securities are more likely to suffer a credit loss than non-subordinated securities of the same issuer, any loss incurred by the subordinated securities is likely to be proportionately greater, and any recovery of interest or principal may take more time. If there is a default, bankruptcy or liquidation of the issuer, most subordinated securities are paid only if sufficient assets remain after payment of the issuer’s non-subordinated securities. As a result, even a perceived decline in creditworthiness of the issuer is likely to have a greater impact on subordinated securities than more senior securities.
Risks of Zero Coupon Bonds, Payment in Kind, Deferred and Contingent Payment Securities — Zero coupon bonds (which do not pay interest until maturity) and payment in kind securities (which pay interest in the form of additional securities) may be more speculative and may fluctuate more in value than securities which pay income periodically and in cash. Payment in kind securities are usually less volatile than zero coupon bonds, but more volatile than cash pay securities. These securities are more likely to respond to changes in interest rates than interest-bearing securities having similar maturities and credit quality. The higher interest rates of payment in kind securities reflect the payment deferral and increased credit risk associated with these instruments, and payment in kind instruments generally represent a significantly higher credit risk than coupon bonds. These securities are more sensitive to the credit quality of the underlying issuer. Payment in kind securities may be difficult to value because their continuing accruals require continuing judgments about the collectability of the deferred payments and the value of any associated collateral. Deferred interest securities are obligations that generally provide for a period of delay before the regular payment of interest begins and are issued at a significant discount from face value. The interest rate on contingent payment securities is determined by the outcome of an event, such as the performance of a financial index. If the financial index does not increase by a prescribed amount, the Fund may receive no interest.
Unlike bonds that pay interest throughout the period to maturity, the Fund generally will realize no cash until maturity and, if the issuer defaults, the Fund may obtain no return at all on its investment. In addition, although the Fund receives no periodic cash payments on such securities, the Fund is deemed for tax purposes to receive income from such securities, which applicable tax rules generally require the Fund to distribute to shareholders to retain its status as a regulated investment company and avoid being subject to U.S. federal income and excise tax. Such distributions may be taxable when distributed to shareholders and, in addition, could reduce the Fund’s reserve position and require the Fund to sell securities and incur a gain or loss at a time it may not otherwise want in order to provide the cash necessary for these distributions.
U.S. Treasury Obligations Risk — The market value of direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury may vary due to changes in interest rates. In addition, changes to the financial condition or credit rating of the U.S. government may cause the value of the Fund’s investments in obligations issued by the U.S. Treasury to decline.
U.S. Government Agency Obligations Risk — The Fund invests in obligations issued by agencies and instrumentalities of the U.S. government. Government-sponsored entities such as FNMA, FHLMC and the FHLBs, although chartered or sponsored by Congress, are not funded by congressional appropriations and the debt and mortgage-backed securities issued by them are neither guaranteed
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Risk Factors
nor issued by the U.S. government. The maximum potential liability of the issuers of some U.S. government obligations may greatly exceed their current resources, including any legal right to support from the U.S. government. Such debt and mortgage-backed securities are subject to the risk of default on the payment of interest and/or principal, similar to debt of private issuers. Although the U.S. government has provided financial support to FNMA and FHLMC in the past, there can be no assurance that it will support these or other government-sponsored entities in the future.
Risks of Investing in Other Funds — Investing in other investment companies, including exchange-traded funds (“ETFs”) and closed-end funds, subjects the Fund to the risks of investing in the underlying securities or assets held by those funds. When investing in another fund, the Fund will bear a pro rata portion of the underlying fund’s expenses, including management fees, in addition to its own expenses. ETFs and closed-end funds are bought and sold based on market prices and can trade at a premium or a discount to the ETF’s or closed-end fund’s net asset value. Such funds may trade at a discount for an extended period and may not ever realize their net asset value.
Tax Risk — The Fund may be adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives may be affected by changes in federal and state income tax rates or changes in the tax-exempt status of interest income from municipal securities. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of the municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Fund’s net asset value and ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels.
Taxable Investment Risk — Although distributions of interest income from the Fund’s tax-exempt securities are generally exempt from regular federal income tax, distributions from other sources, including capital gain distributions, and any gains on the sale of your shares are not. In addition, the interest on the Fund’s municipal securities could become subject to regular federal income tax or the AMT, unfavorable legislation or litigation, or adverse interpretations by regulatory authorities. You should consult a tax adviser about whether the AMT applies to you and about state and local taxes on your Fund distributions.
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — The Fund’s investments in municipal securities rely on the opinion of the issuer’s bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsor’s counsel, that the interest paid on those securities will not be subject to federal income tax. Tax opinions are generally provided at the time the municipal security is initially issued, and neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. However, tax opinions are not binding on the IRS, and if any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liability for the current or past years and shareholders may have to file amended tax returns and pay additional taxes, interest and penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities.
Derivatives Risk — Using synthetic municipal securities, inverse floating rate obligations, credit default swaps and other derivatives exposes the Fund to special risks and costs and may result in losses to the Fund, even when used for hedging purposes. Using derivatives can increase losses and reduce opportunities for gain when market prices, interest rates, or the derivative instruments themselves, behave in a way not anticipated by the Fund, especially in abnormal market conditions. Using derivatives can have a leveraging effect (which may increase investment losses) and increase the Fund’s volatility, which is the degree to which the Fund’s share price may fluctuate within a short time period. Certain derivatives, such as writing (selling) options, have the potential for unlimited loss, regardless of the size of the Fund’s initial investment. Derivatives generally are subject to the risks applicable to the assets, rates, indices, or other indicators underlying the derivative. If changes in a derivative’s value do not correspond to changes in the value of the Fund’s other investments or do not
30

Risk Factors
correlate well with the underlying assets, rate or index, the Fund may not fully benefit from, or could lose money on, or could experience unusually high expenses as a result of, the derivative position. The other parties to certain derivative transactions present the same types of credit risk as issuers of fixed income securities. Derivatives also tend to involve greater liquidity risk and they may be difficult to value. The Fund may be unable to terminate or sell its derivative positions. In fact, many over-the-counter derivatives will not have liquidity beyond the counterparty to the instrument. The Fund also may have to sell assets at inopportune times to satisfy its obligations. Use of derivatives or similar instruments may not be as favorable as a direct investment in an underlying investment and may adversely affect the amount, timing and character of income distributed to shareholders. As a result, a larger portion of the Fund’s distributions may be treated as ordinary income rather than capital gains. In addition, certain derivatives are subject to mark-to-market or straddle provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”). If such provisions are applicable, there could be an increase (or decrease) in the amount of taxable dividends paid by the Fund. Risks associated with the use of derivatives are magnified to the extent that an increased portion of the Fund’s assets are committed to derivatives in general or are invested in just one or a few types of derivatives.
Investments by the Fund in structured securities, a type of derivative, raise certain tax, legal, regulatory and accounting issues that may not be presented by direct investments in securities. These issues could be resolved in a manner that could hurt the performance of the Fund. Swap agreements and options to enter into swap agreements (“swaptions”) tend to shift the Fund’s investment exposure from one type of investment to another. For example, the Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, which involve the exchange of interest payments by the Fund with another party, such as the exchange of floating rate payments for fixed interest payments with respect to a notional amount of principal. If an interest rate swap intended to be used as a hedge negates a favorable interest rate movement, the investment performance of the Fund would be less than it would have been if the Fund had not entered into the interest rate swap.
The U.S. government and foreign governments have adopted and implemented or are in the process of adopting and implementing regulations governing derivatives markets, including mandatory clearing of certain derivatives, margin and reporting requirements. The ultimate impact of the regulations remains unclear. Additional regulation of derivatives may make derivatives more costly, limit their availability or utility, otherwise adversely affect their performance or disrupt markets. The Fund may be exposed to additional risks as a result of the additional regulations. The extent and impact of the regulations are not yet fully known and may not be for some time.
The Fund will be required to maintain its positions with a clearing organization through one or more clearing brokers. The clearing organization will require the Fund to post margin and the broker may require the Fund to post additional margin to secure the Fund’s obligations. The amount of margin required may change from time to time. In addition, cleared transactions may be more expensive to maintain than over-the-counter transactions and may require the Fund to deposit larger amounts of margin. The Fund may not be able to recover margin amounts if the broker has financial difficulties. Also, the broker may require the Fund to terminate a derivatives position under certain circumstances. This may cause the Fund to lose money. The Fund’s ability to use certain derivative instruments currently is limited by Commodity Futures Trading Commission rules.
Synthetic Municipal Securities Risk — The tax-exempt character of the interest paid on tender option bonds, bond receipts and similar synthetic municipal securities, a type of derivative instrument, is based on the tax-exempt income stream from the collateral. In addition to the risks of investing in municipal securities and in derivatives generally, investments in synthetic municipal securities are subject to the risk that income derived from such securities is deemed to be taxable.
31

Risk Factors
Risks of Investing in Inverse Floating Rate Obligations — The interest rate on inverse floating rate obligations will generally decrease as short-term interest rates increase, and increase as short-term rates decrease. Due to their leveraged structure, the sensitivity of the market value of an inverse floating rate obligation to changes in interest rates is generally greater than a comparable long-term bond issued by the same issuer and with similar credit quality, redemption and maturity provisions. Inverse floating rate obligations may be volatile and involve leverage risk.
Leveraging Risk — The value of your investment may be more volatile and other risks tend to be compounded if the Fund borrows or uses derivatives or other investments, such as ETFs,  that have embedded leverage. Leverage generally magnifies the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s underlying assets and creates a risk of loss of value on a larger pool of assets than the Fund would otherwise have, potentially resulting in the loss of all assets. Engaging in such transactions may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations. New derivatives regulations require the Fund, to the extent it uses derivatives to a material extent, to, among other things, comply with certain overall limits on leverage. These regulations may limit the ability of the Fund to pursue its investment strategies and may not be effective to mitigate the Fund’s risk of loss from derivatives.
Repurchase Agreement Risk — In the event that the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations, the Fund may encounter delay and incur costs before being able to sell the security. Such a delay may involve loss of interest or a decline in price of the security. In addition, if the Fund is characterized by a court as an unsecured creditor, it would be at risk of losing some or all of the principal and interest involved in the transaction.
Market Segment Risk — To the extent the Fund emphasizes, from time to time, investments in a market segment, the Fund will be subject to a greater degree to the risks particular to that segment, and may experience greater market fluctuation, than a fund without the same focus.
To the extent the Fund invests in issuers of securities the payments on which are derived from gas, electric, telephone, sewer, water, health care, education, tobacco settlement revenue, industrial development and transportation segments of the municipal bond market, the Fund may be subject to risks associated with such segments.
The profitability of companies in the health care segment may be affected by extensive government regulation and reform, restrictions on government reimbursement for medical expenses, rising costs of medical products, services and patient care, shortages of skilled personnel and increased personnel costs, pricing pressure, an increased emphasis on outpatient services, limited number of products, industry innovation, changes in technologies and other market developments. Many health care companies depend on patent protection. The expiration of patents may adversely affect the profitability of these companies and the value of their securities. Health care companies are also subject to extensive litigation based on product liability and similar claims. Many new products are subject to approval of the Food and Drug Administration. The process of obtaining such approval can be long and costly. Health care companies are also subject to competitive forces that may make it difficult to attract a sufficient number of patients or customers or to raise prices to offset increased costs and, in fact, may result in price discounting. Health care companies may be thinly capitalized and susceptible to product obsolescence.
The education segment can be significantly affected by declining applicant pools, changes in student enrollment, decreases in state and federal financial aid to students, declines in endowment contributions and decreases in endowment portfolio values.
Companies in the transportation segment can be significantly affected by changes in the economy, fuel prices, labor relations, and insurance costs. The trend in the United States has been to deregulate the transportation industry, which could have a favorable long-term effect, but future government decisions could adversely affect transportation companies.
32

Risk Factors
Industrial development bonds are normally secured by the revenues from the project and not by state or local government tax payments. Consequently, the credit quality of these securities depends upon the ability of the user of the facilities financed by the bonds and any guarantor to meet its financial obligations. If the user of the facilities financed by the bonds defaults on its payments, the Fund may not receive any income or get its money back from the investment.
Gas transmission and distribution companies are undergoing significant changes. In the United States, the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission is reducing its regulation of interstate transmission of gas. In addition, gas utility companies have, in the recent past, been adversely affected by disruptions in the oil industry, increased concentration and increased competition. Many companies have diversified into oil and gas exploration and development, making returns more sensitive to energy prices. In the recent decade, gas utility companies have been adversely affected by disruptions in the oil industry and have also been affected by increased concentration and competition. Natural gas is the cleanest of the hydrocarbon fuels, and this may result in incremental shifts in fuel consumption toward natural gas and away from oil and coal, even for electricity generation. However, technological or regulatory changes within the industry may delay or prevent this result.
The electric utilities segment has been experiencing, and will continue to experience, increased competitive pressures. Federal legislation in the last few years will open transmission access to any electricity supplier, although it is not presently known to what extent competition will evolve. Other risks include the availability and cost of fuel, the availability and cost of capital, the effects of conservation on energy demand, the effects of rapidly changing environmental, safety, and licensing requirements, and other federal, state, and local regulations, timely and sufficient rate increases, and opposition to nuclear power. The utilities sector is also subject to potential terrorist attacks, natural disasters and severe weather conditions, catastrophic accidents or other events, as well as regulatory and operational burdens associated with the operation and maintenance of facilities.
The telephone segment is large and highly concentrated. The greatest portion of this segment is comprised of companies that distribute telephone services and provide access to the telephone networks. While many telephone companies have diversified into other businesses in recent years, the profitability of telephone utility companies could be adversely affected by increasing competition, technological innovations, and other structural changes in the industry.
Public resistance to rate increases, costly environmental litigation, and federal environmental mandates are challenges faced by issuers of water and sewer bonds. In addition, lack of water supply due to insufficient rain, run-off, or snow pack has, in the past, had an adverse effect on the water segment of the municipal bond market. Further, the water utility segment is highly fragmented because most of the water supplies are owned by local authorities. Water utility companies are generally mature and are experiencing little or no per capita volume growth.
Certain revenue bonds are backed by settlements with tobacco companies. In 1998, the largest U.S. tobacco manufacturers reached an out of court agreement, known as the Master Settlement Agreement (the “MSA”), to settle claims against them by 46 states and six other U.S. jurisdictions. The tobacco manufacturers agreed to make annual payments to the government entities in exchange for the release of all litigation claims. A number of the states have sold bonds that are backed by those future payments. The settlement payments are based on factors, including, but not limited to, annual domestic cigarette shipments, cigarette consumption, inflation and the financial capability of participating tobacco companies. Payments could be reduced if consumption decreases, if market share is lost to non-MSA manufacturers, or if there is a negative outcome in litigation regarding the MSA.
Valuation Risk — Many factors may influence the price at which the Fund could sell any particular portfolio investment. The sales price may well differ – higher or lower – from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, and such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. These
33

Risk Factors
differences may increase significantly and affect Fund investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. Nearly all of the Fund’s investments are valued using fair value methodologies. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received if the securities had not been fair-valued or if a different valuation methodology had been used. Fixed income securities typically are valued using fair value methodologies. The value of foreign securities, certain fixed income securities and currencies, as applicable, may be materially affected by events after the close of the markets on which they are traded, but before the Fund determines its net asset value. The ability to value the Fund’s investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Redemption Risk — The Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, accelerate taxable gains and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have or accelerate transaction costs, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that the Fund has investors with large shareholdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, redemption risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil.
Cybersecurity Risk — Cybersecurity failures by and breaches of the Adviser, transfer agent, the Distributor, custodian, Fund accounting agent or other service providers may disrupt Fund operations, interfere with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, prevent Fund shareholders from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions or receiving timely information regarding the Fund or their investment in the Fund, cause loss of or unauthorized access to private shareholder information, and result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, or additional compliance costs. Substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund’s ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.
Cash Management Risk — The value of the investments held by the Fund for cash management or temporary defensive purposes may be affected by market risks, changing interest rates and by changes in credit ratings of the investments. To the extent that the Fund has any uninvested cash, the Fund would be subject to credit risk with respect to the depository institution holding the cash. If the Fund holds cash uninvested, the Fund will not earn income on the cash and the Fund’s yield will go down. During such periods, it may be more difficult for the Fund to achieve its investment objective.
Expense Risk — Your actual costs of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Fund Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if overall net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.
To learn more about the Fund’s investments and risks, you should obtain and read the SAI. Please note that there are many other factors that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its goals.
34

Organization and Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement and oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). As of May 31, 2026, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $337.1 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser’s principal address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
A discussion regarding the basis of the Board’s approval of the Fund's Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund's first reports filed on Form N-CSRS following the commencement of operations.
The Adviser is a diversified global asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which employs an independent approach to investing. Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, are equal to the following:
Fund
Advisory Fee
VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF
0.30%
See “Fund Fees and Expenses” for information about any contractual agreement by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
Portfolio Management
Day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio is the responsibility of Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA and Lauren Spalten. Mr. Hattman and Ms. Spalten are supported by the fixed income team. Members of this team manage other Victory Funds investing primarily in fixed-income securities.
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Municipal Bond Portfolio Management with Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, has co-managed the Fund since [September 2026]. Mr. Hattman has 14 years of investment management experience, eight of which were with USAA Asset Management Company (“AMCO”), which was acquired by the Adviser’s parent company in 2019. Mr. Hattman holds CFA and CAIA designations.
Lauren Spalten, Portfolio Manager with Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, has co-managed the Fund since [September 2026]. In 2018, Ms. Spalten joined USAA Investments, which was acquired by the Adviser’s parent company in 2019, as a Municipal Analyst covering the Southeast region. Prior to joining USAA, Ms. Spalten was an Associate Director at Standard & Poor’s (now S&P Global Ratings), where she specialized in evaluating creditworthiness of state and local governments across the Southwest United States. She has additional experience in commercial real estate development and business plan development, primarily for medical and non-profit entities.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage, and any ownership interests they may have in the Fund.
35

Investing with Victory
Share Price
The net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund generally is determined at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, the Fund’s NAV will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. The NAV is computed by determining the aggregate market value of all assets of the Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding.
NAV=
Total Assets - Liabilities
Number of Shares Outstanding
The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees (if any), which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for the Fund for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. The NYSE is closed on weekends, most national holidays, and Good Friday.
Generally, the Fund's investments are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each investment’s primary exchange. Investments traded or dealt in upon one or more exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the last bid on the primary exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“Nasdaq”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the Nasdaq Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, investments will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and evaluated by the Board as to the reliability of the fair value method used. In these cases, the Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio investments’ fair value rather than their market price. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for an investment is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that investment. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available.
The Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund’s securities or other assets. In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for the Fund. In computing the NAV, the Fund values foreign securities held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. The value of the Fund’s securities may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase and redeem the Fund’s shares if the Fund has portfolio securities that primarily are traded in foreign markets that are open on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. If events materially affecting the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before the Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser may need to price the security using the Fund’s fair value pricing guidelines. Without a fair value price, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund’s portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Fund’s NAV by short-term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective
36

Share Price
judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other funds to determine NAV, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.
With respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), the Fund’s NAV is calculated based upon the NAVs of those open-end management investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. Short-term debt obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.
Premium/Discount Information
Since investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers at market prices, the Funds' shares will trade at market prices. The market price of shares may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of shares of the Fund.
For recent information about the Fund, including the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads visit vcm.com.
37

How to Buy and Sell Shares
Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange under the ticker symbols listed on the cover of this Prospectus. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share. Shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares, and shares typically trade in blocks of less than a Creation Unit. There is no minimum investment required. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market when the Exchange is open for trading.
When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. The commission is often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell smaller amounts of shares. You may also pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity.
Only an Authorized Participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund's APs are institutions and large investors, such as market makers or other large broker-dealers, which have entered into a Participation Agreement with the Fund's distributor to undertake the responsibility of obtaining or selling the underlying assets needed to purchase or redeem, respectively, Creation Units of the Fund. APs may acquire shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share only in large blocks, or Creation Units, of 25,000 shares. Purchases and redemptions directly with the Fund must follow the Fund's procedures, which are described in the SAI.
The Fund may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.
Share Trading Prices
The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for Fund shares and for the securities or other instruments held by the Fund, economic conditions, and other factors.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” form.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Fund’s shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund by APs in Creation Units. Direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the Fund’s shares trade at or close to NAV. The cash to be contributed to (or received from) the Fund in connection with a Creation Unit generally is negligible compared to the total amount of the trade. In addition, the Fund imposes transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in
38

How to Buy and Sell Shares
effecting trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances.
Trading of the Fund’s shares by individual shareholders occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Fund, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs and the realization of capital gains.
Given this structure, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to monitor for frequent in-kind purchases and redemptions of shares or market timing activity by the APs or on the shares’ secondary market.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase Fund shares through an investment professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, Victory Capital (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees Victory Capital receives from the Fund, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other investment professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. Victory Capital also may reimburse the distributor (or the distributor’s affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or other investment professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as “revenue sharing.” In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or investment professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund to its customers. You should ask your dealer or investment professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
39

Distribution and Service Plan
The Fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees to the distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides these services, the Fund may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the Fund and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees were charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.
40

Distributions and Taxes
Unlike interests in conventional mutual funds, which typically are bought and sold from and to the fund only at closing NAVs, the Fund’s shares are traded throughout the day in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis and are created and redeemed in-kind and/or for cash in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. In-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from the adverse effects on the Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders if the mutual fund needs to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet net fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the ongoing shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for the Fund or its ongoing shareholders.
Taxes on Distributions
The Fund ordinarily declares and pays dividends from net investment income and net tax-exempt income, if any, monthly, and net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The Fund may make additional distributions, if necessary, to comply with U.S. federal tax requirements and avoid U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available.
The Fund intends to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends attributable to interest on obligations exempt from U.S. federal income tax. Exempt-interest dividends generally are excludable from a shareholder’s gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to the extent properly reported as such by the Fund. Although exempt-interest dividends generally are excluded from gross income, all or a portion of such dividends may be taken into account in determining the AMT for individual shareholders and may be subject to state and local taxes. Gains from the sale or disposition of tax-exempt obligations may be taxable.
The Fund may also realize and distribute ordinary income or capital gains from its investment activities, including its investments in tax-exempt obligations. Such distributions generally are taxable to shareholders, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares.
Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) your basis in the shares and any excess amount will be treated as capital gain.
Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Funds and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Funds. Exempt-interest dividends from the Fund generally are not included in net investment income for purposes of this tax.
If at the time a shareholder purchases shares of the Fund, the value of shares reflects undistributed net investment income, recognized net capital gain, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder.
Shareholders that generally are exempt from U.S. federal income tax, such as shareholders investing through tax-qualified accounts and nonresident aliens or foreign entities, will not gain additional tax benefit from the exempt-interest dividends that are expected to be paid by the Fund or gain any other
41

Distributions and Taxes
tax benefit. Because the Fund’s pre-tax returns generally will be lower than those of funds that own taxable debt instruments of comparable quality, an investment in the Fund may not be a suitable investment for those kinds of investors.
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares.
Unless your investment in shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:
The Fund makes distributions,
You sell your shares listed on the Exchange, and
You purchase or redeem Creation Units (if applicable).
If you are a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends may be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares generally is treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
A nonresident alien individual and a foreign corporation generally is exempt from U.S. federal income or withholding tax on gains realized on the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund, but certain exceptions apply under which such shareholders may be subject to U.S. federal tax on such sale or other disposition. See the section titled “TAXES–Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash it pays. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received plus any cash equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed and the value of the securities. However, a loss realized by an AP upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” or for other reasons. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Any capital gain or loss realized on the purchase or redemption of Creation Units generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities surrendered to purchase the Creation Units or the Creation Units, as applicable, have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the securities surrendered or the Creation Units, as applicable, have been held for one year or less.
If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares you purchased or sold and at what price. See “TAXES” in the SAI for a description of the requirement regarding basis determination methods applicable to share redemptions and the Fund’s obligation to report basis information to the IRS.
42

Distributions and Taxes
Backup Withholding
By law, the Fund is required to withhold 24% of your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided the Fund with a correct Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and in certain other situations.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
Under the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” unless certain foreign entities comply with certain IRS requirements that generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% U.S. withholding tax may apply to dividends paid by the Fund to such entities. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
IRA Distribution Withholding Disclosure
We generally must withhold federal income tax at a rate of 10% of the taxable portion of your distribution, and if you live in a state that requires state income tax withholding, at your state’s tax rate. However, you may elect not to have withholding apply or to have income tax withheld at a higher rate. Any withholding election that you make will apply to any subsequent distribution unless and until you change or revoke the election. If you wish to make a withholding election, or change or revoke a prior withholding election, call 866-376-7890, and form W-4P (OMB No. 1545-0074 withholding certificate for pension or annuity payments) will be sent electronically.
If you do not have a withholding election in place by the date of a distribution, federal income tax will be withheld from the taxable portion of your distribution at a rate of 10%. If you must pay estimated taxes, you may be subject to estimated tax penalties if your estimated tax payments are not sufficient and sufficient tax is not withheld from your distribution.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. The foregoing discussion also does not discuss any state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences associated with an investment in the Fund. The tax information in this Prospectus is based on tax law in effect on the date of this Prospectus and it does not address any proposals to modify such tax laws. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the shares under all applicable tax laws.
For more specific information, please consult your tax adviser.
43

Other Information
Investments by Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) as permitted by any rules and regulations adopted under applicable law, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund.
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.
Dealers effecting transactions in the Fund's shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, generally are required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund's policies regarding disclosure of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. The Fund’s portfolio is disclosed daily on the Fund's website at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com. Shareholders also may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 866-376-7890.
44

Other Information
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, financial statements, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 866-376-7890, and they will be delivered promptly.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
Other Disclosures
Victory Capital means Victory Capital Management Inc., the investment adviser of the VictoryShares ETFs. VictoryShares ETFs are distributed by Victory Capital Services, Inc. (“VCS”), an affiliate of Victory Capital. VCS is a member of FINRA.
45

Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations prior to the date of this prospectus, financial highlights are not available.
46

4900 Tiedeman Road,
4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies, and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you do not request a copy.
Annual/Semi Annual Reports and Form N-CSR/Form N-CSRS: Annual and semi annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period. The Fund's Form N-CSR and Form N-CSRS filings contain the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI, annual and semi annual reports and other information such as Fund financial statements and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at VictorySharesLiterature.com, by contacting the Fund at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call VictoryShares at
866-376-7890
By mail:
VictoryShares
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI, other reports and other information such as Fund financial statements) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC’s Edgar database at sec.gov, or after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
VS-MUNIHINC_ETF-PRO

(09/26)


The information in this prospectus is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This prospectus is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state in which the offer or sale is not permitted.
Subject to Completion | Preliminary Prospectus Dated July 8, 2026
[     ], 2026
Prospectus
VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF (TBD)
Listed and traded on:
The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC
The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or determined whether this Prospectus is accurate or complete. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
VictorySharesLiterature.com
866-376-7890

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
Investment Objective
The VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF (the “Fund”) seeks to provide investors with interest income that is exempt from federal income tax.
Fund Fees and Expenses
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell 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 tables and example below.
Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)
None
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
Management Fees
0.15%
Other Expenses1
[0.xx]%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
[0.xx]%
Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursements2
[(0.xx)]%
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursements2
0.18%
1
Estimated for the current fiscal year.
2
Victory Capital Management Inc., the Fund’s investment adviser, (the “Adviser”) has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses through at least [October 31, 2027,] so that the total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and expense reimbursement (excluding certain items such as interest, taxes and brokerage commissions) do not exceed 0.18%. The Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed by it for up to three years after the fiscal year in which the waiver or reimbursement took place, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Fund’s Board of Trustees.
Example:
This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other funds. The example assumes that (1) you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then sell or continue to hold all of your shares at the end of the period, (2) your investment has a 5% return each year, and (3) the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. The amounts shown reflect any fee waiver/expense reimbursement in place through its expiration date. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based upon these assumptions your costs would be:
1 Year
3 Years
$[ ]
$[ ]
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 higher taxes when 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. Because the Fund has not yet commenced investment operations, no portfolio turnover information is available at this time.
1

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
Principal Investment Strategy
The Fund invests primarily in investment-grade securities, the interest from which is expected to be excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes (referred to herein as “tax-exempt securities”). During normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will consist of tax-exempt securities. The Fund generally seeks to maintain an effective duration within two years of the Bloomberg Municipal Bond 3 Year (2-4) Total Return Index. “Effective duration” is a measure, expressed in years, of a bond’s or portfolio’s expected price sensitivity to changes in interest rates, taking into account the timing of expected cash flows and embedded features such as calls or prepayments.
In addition, during normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will consist of tax-exempt securities the interest income from which is expected to be excludable from the calculation of federal alternative minimum tax (“AMT”). This policy may be changed only by a shareholder vote.
Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund
The Fund’s investments are subject to the following principal risks:
Debt Securities or Bond Risk — The Fund is subject to the risk that the market value of the bonds in the Fund’s portfolio will fluctuate because of changes in interest rates, changes in the supply of and demand for debt securities, and other market factors. Bond prices generally are linked to the prevailing market interest rates. In general, when interest rates rise, bond prices typically fall; conversely, when interest rates fall, bond prices typically rise. The price volatility of a bond also depends on its duration, which is a measure of a bond’s sensitivity to a change in interest rates. Generally, the longer the duration of a bond, the greater is its sensitivity to interest rates. To compensate investors for this higher interest rate risk, bonds with longer durations generally offer higher yields than bonds with shorter durations. Should the U.S. Federal Reserve raise interest rates, the Fund may be subject to risks associated with rising interest rates. The fixed-income securities in the Fund’s portfolio also are subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of a fixed-income security cannot make timely interest and principal payments on its securities or that negative market perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. The Fund accepts some credit risk as a recognized means to enhance an investor’s return.
Credit Risk – The fixed-income securities held in the Fund's portfolio are subject to credit risk, which is the possibility that an issuer of a fixed-income security will fail to make timely interest and/or principal payments on its securities or that negative market perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. The Fund accepts some credit risk as a recognized means to enhance an investor’s return. All fixed-income securities, varying from the highest quality to the very speculative, have some degree of credit risk.
Call Risk – During a period of declining interest rates, many municipal bonds may be “called,” or redeemed, by the issuer before the stated maturity. An issuer might call, or refinance, a higher-yielding bond for the same reason that a homeowner would refinance a home mortgage. When bonds are called, the Fund is affected in several ways. Most likely, the Fund will reinvest the bond-call proceeds in bonds with lower interest rates. The Fund’s income may drop as a result. The Fund also may realize a taxable capital gain (or loss).
General Market Risk — The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments, and/or general economic conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, or general investor sentiment. During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by the Fund will rise in value.
2

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
Structural Risk – Some tax-exempt securities are subject to special risks due to their unique structure. For instance, variable-rate demand notes (“VRDNs”) generally are long-term municipal bonds combined with a demand feature, which represents the right to sell the instrument back to the remarketer or liquidity provider, usually a bank, for repurchase on short notice, normally one day or seven days. Because the demand feature is dependent upon the bank, the Fund will only purchase VRDNs of this type where it believes that the banks would be able to honor their guarantees on the demand feature. Some VRDNs, sometimes referred to as “structured instruments” or “synthetic instruments,” are created by combining an intermediate- or long-term municipal bond with a right to sell the instrument back to the remarketer or liquidity provider for repurchase on short notice, referred to as a “tender option.” However, the tender option usually is subject to a conditional guarantee, which means that the bank is not required to pay under the guarantee if there is a default by the municipality or if certain other events occur. Because there is the risk that the Fund will not be able to exercise the demand feature at all times, the Fund will not purchase a synthetic instrument of this type unless the Fund believes there is minimal risk that the Fund will not be able to exercise the tender option at all times. The Fund will not purchase a synthetic instrument unless counsel for the issuer has issued an opinion that interest paid on the instrument is entitled to tax-exempt treatment.
Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk — The Fund is structured as an ETF and, as a result, is subject to special risks, including:
Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks known as Creation Units. The Fund may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, the Fund may redeem your shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.
Trading Issues — Trading in shares on the exchange operated by Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the shares. In stressed market conditions, authorized participants may be unwilling to participate in the creation/redemption process, particularly if the market for shares becomes less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to widening of bid-ask spreads and differences between the market price of the shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers, or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly, particularly in times of market stress. This means that shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Tax-Efficiency Risk — Redemptions of shares may be effected for cash, rather than in kind, which means that the Fund may need to sell portfolio securities in order to complete an in-cash redemption, and may recognize net gains on these sales. As a result, investments in the shares may be less tax-efficient than investments in ETFs that redeem solely or principally in kind, and the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
3

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
Regulatory Risk — The Fund is subject to regulatory risk, which is the risk that legislative, regulatory, or tax policies or developments may have an adverse impact on the value of the Fund’s investments and the Fund’s NAV.
Limited History of Operations — The Fund is new and has no history of operations for investors to evaluate.
Liquidity Risk – Market developments and other factors, including changes in interest rates, have the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Such a move, coupled with a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to buy or hold fixed-income securities, may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income markets. Heavy redemptions of fixed-income mutual funds and decreased liquidity from fixed-income securities could hurt the Fund’s performance. In addition, significant securities market disruptions, including economic, financial and public health crises, may lead to dislocation in the market for a variety of fixed-income securities (including municipal obligations), which can decrease liquidity and sharply reduce returns. Changes in government or central bank monetary policy may have a substantial and immediate impact on interest rates, which could result in losses to the Fund.
Large Shareholder Risk – The actions by one large shareholder or multiple shareholders acting simultaneously may have an impact on the Fund and, therefore, indirectly on other shareholders. Shareholder purchase and redemption activity may affect the per share amount of the Fund’s distributions of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, thereby affecting the tax burden on the Fund’s shareholders subject to federal income tax. To the extent a larger shareholder is permitted to invest in the Fund, the Fund may experience large inflows or outflows of cash from time to time. This activity could magnify these adverse effects on the Fund.
Management Risk — The Fund is actively managed. The Adviser’s judgments about a particular security, markets, or investment strategy may prove to be incorrect and may cause the Fund to incur losses. There can be no assurance that the Adviser’s investment techniques and decisions will produce the desired results.
Taxable Investment Risk — Although distributions of interest income from the Fund’s tax-exempt securities are generally exempt from regular federal income tax, distributions from other sources, including capital gain distributions, and any gains on the sale of your shares are not. In addition, the interest on the Fund’s municipal securities could become subject to regular federal income tax or the AMT, unfavorable legislation or litigation, or adverse interpretations by regulatory authorities. You should consult a tax adviser about whether the AMT applies to you and about state and local taxes on your Fund distributions.
Tax Risk — The Fund may be adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives may be affected by changes in federal and state income tax rates or changes in the tax-exempt status of interest income from municipal securities. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of the municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Fund’s net asset value and ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels.
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — The Fund’s investments in municipal securities rely on the opinion of the issuer’s bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsor’s counsel, that the interest paid on those securities will not be subject to federal income tax. Tax opinions are generally provided at the time the municipal security is initially issued, and neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. However, tax opinions are not binding on the IRS, and if any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject
4

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
to substantial tax liability for the current or past years and shareholders may have to file amended tax returns and pay additional taxes, interest and penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities.
Cybersecurity Risk — Cybersecurity failures by and breaches of the Adviser, transfer agent, the Distributor, custodian, Fund accounting agent or other service providers may disrupt Fund operations, interfere with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, prevent Fund shareholders from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions or receiving timely information regarding the Fund or their investment in the Fund, cause loss of or unauthorized access to private shareholder information, and result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, or additional compliance costs. New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund’s ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.
Expense Risk — Your actual costs of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Fund Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if overall net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.
Please note that there are many other factors that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its goals.
An investment in the Fund is not a bank deposit and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency.
Any investment involves risk, and there is no assurance that the Fund’s objective will be achieved. By itself, the Fund does not constitute a complete investment plan. As you consider an investment in the Fund, you also should take into account your tolerance for the daily fluctuations of the financial markets and whether you can afford to leave your money in the Fund for long periods of time to ride out down periods. Losing money is a risk of investing in the Fund.
Investment Performance
No performance information is presented since the Fund does not yet have a full calendar year of performance. Performance data for the Fund is available online at vcm.com or by calling 866-376-7890. A fund’s performance is not necessarily an indication of how that fund will perform in the future.
Management of the Fund
Investment Adviser
Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser”) serves as the Fund’s investment adviser. The portfolio managers jointly and primarily responsible for day-to-day management of the Fund are members of Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise.
Portfolio Management
 
Title
Tenure with the Fund
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA
Senior Portfolio Manager, Head of
Municipal Bond Portfolio
Management
Since [September 2026]
Lauren Spalten
Portfolio Manager
Since [September 2026]
5

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF Summary
Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares
The Fund will issue and redeem shares at NAV only in large blocks of 25,000 shares (each block of shares is called a “Creation Unit”). Creation Units are issued and redeemed for cash and/or in-kind for securities by Authorized Participants (“APs”) that have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares are not redeemable securities of the Fund.
Shares of the Fund are listed for trading on the Exchange. Individual shares may only be purchased and sold in the secondary market through a broker or dealer at a market price. Because shares of the Fund trade at market prices rather than NAV, shares may trade at a price that is greater than (a premium), at, or less than (a discount) NAV. An investor may incur costs attributable to the difference between the highest price a buyer is willing to pay to purchase shares (bid) and the lowest price a seller is willing to accept for shares (ask) when buying or selling shares in the secondary market (the “bid-ask spread”).
For recent information about the Fund, including the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads, visit vcm.com.
Tax Information
Distributions reported by the Fund as “exempt-interest dividends” are exempt from regular federal income tax but may be subject to state or local income taxes and may be tax preference items for purposes of the AMT. Distributions of the Fund’s capital gains generally are subject to tax.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares through an account maintained by a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
6

Additional Fund Information
The Fund is organized as an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”), having a distinct investment management objective, strategy, risks, and policies.
The Fund has an investment objective of providing investors with interest income that is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes (“tax-exempt”). The Fund has separate investment policies to achieve its objective. The Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) may change the Fund’s investment objective without shareholder approval. The Fund will provide shareholders notice of any such change.
Under normal circumstances, at least 80% of the Fund’s annual net investment income dividends are expected to be excludable from a shareholder’s gross income for federal income tax purposes (exempt-interest dividends). Furthermore, it is our intention generally to purchase only securities that pay interest income exempt from federal income tax. In addition, during normal market conditions, at least 80% of the Fund’s net assets will consist of tax-exempt securities the interest income from which is expected to be excludable from the calculation of federal AMT. This policy may be changed only by a shareholder vote.
The Fund is considered diversified under the federal securities laws, which generally means that the Fund must comply with certain limitations on the amount that it may invest in any single issuer. For further discussion of diversification, see Investment Objectives, Practices, Policies, and Risks in the SAI.
The Fund also may not invest more than 25% of its assets in securities issued in connection with the financing of projects with similar characteristics, such as toll road revenue bonds, housing revenue bonds, electric power project revenue bonds, or in industrial development revenue bonds that are based, directly or indirectly, on the credit of private entities of any one industry. However, the Fund may invest more than 25% of its assets in tax-exempt industrial development revenue bonds. The 25% industry limitation does not apply to U.S. government securities, general obligation bonds, or bonds that are escrowed.
Some of the bonds purchased for the Fund are secured by bond insurance that guarantees scheduled principal and interest payments. In addition, we may purchase bond insurance for individual uninsured securities when we believe it will provide an anticipated benefit to the Fund. However, this insurance may not eliminate the risk of investing in the issuer.
The Fund may consider various non-financial factors, where applicable, through quantitative models or qualitative assessments, including, for example, third-party sustainability ratings or governance and risk-related factors. Any consideration of such factors is only one part of the investment process and may have little to no weight on investment decisions, whether on an individual security basis or in the context of overall portfolio construction.
Under normal market conditions, the Fund’s assets will be invested so that at least 50% of the total market value of the tax-exempt securities are rated within the three highest long-term rating categories (A or higher) or in the highest short-term rating category by such rating agencies as Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) and S&P Global Ratings (“S&P”).
Investment-grade securities include securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities, as well as securities rated or subject to a guarantee of an obligor that is rated within the categories listed by at least one of the Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating
7

Additional Fund Information
Organizations (“NRSROs”). Below are investment-grade ratings for two of the current NRSROs approved by the SEC:
Rating Agency
Long-Term Debt Securities
Short-Term Debt Securities
Moody’s
At least Baa3
At least Prime–3 or MIG 3
S&P
At least BBB–
At least A–3 or SP–2
If a security does not meet the requirements set forth above or is unrated, the Fund’s Adviser will make a determination that the unrated security is of equivalent investment quality to a comparable security of the same issuer that is rated by a NRSRO.
On occasion, we may pay a rating agency to rate a particular security when we believe it will provide an anticipated benefit to the Fund. On securities possessing a third-party guarantor, we reserve the right to place such security in the rating category of the underlying issuer (or if unrated in the comparable rating category as determined by us), if the third-party guarantor is no longer relied upon for ratings eligibility.
The Fund may invest up to 20% of its net assets in securities that at the time of purchase are below-investment-grade securities (also known as “junk” bonds).
You will find a further description of tax-exempt ratings in the SAI.
The Fund may, from time to time, take temporary defensive positions that are inconsistent with the Fund's principal investment strategies as a response to adverse market, economic, political, or other conditions. The effect of taking such a temporary defensive position is that the Fund may not achieve its investment objective. To the extent that these temporary investments produce taxable income, that income may result in the Fund not fully achieving its investment objective during the time it is in the temporary defensive posture.
Victory Income Investors
We manage the Funds based on the common sense premise that our investors value tax-exempt income over taxable capital gain distributions. When weighing the decision to buy or sell a security, we strive to balance the amount of the tax-exempt income, the credit risk of the issuer, and the price volatility of the bond. We generally intend to hold investments until maturity, resulting in lower portfolio turnover in the Funds, although these intentions may be adjusted in response to the market or other events.
8

Investments
The following describes the types of securities the Fund may purchase under normal market conditions to achieve its principal investment strategy. The Fund’s assets may be invested in, among other things, any of the following tax-exempt securities, except as otherwise noted:
General Obligation Bonds
Secured by the issuer’s pledge of its full faith, credit, and taxing power for the payment of principal and interest.
Revenue Bonds
Payable from the revenue derived from a particular facility or class of facilities or, in some cases, from the proceeds of a special excise tax or other specific revenue source, but not from the general taxing power.
Municipal Lease Obligations
Backed by the municipality’s covenant to budget for the payments due under the lease obligation.
Industrial Development Revenue Bonds
Issued by or on behalf of public authorities to obtain funds for privately operated facilities, such as pollution control revenue bonds.
Inverse Floating Rate Securities
Securities with coupons that vary inversely with changes in short-term tax-exempt interest rates and, thus, are considered leveraged investments in an underlying municipal bond. Up to 10% of the Fund's net assets may be invested in inverse floating rate securities (or securities with similar economic characteristics). These securities present special risks for two reasons: (1) if short-term interest rates rise (fall), the income the Fund earns on the inverse floating rate security will fall (rise); and (2) if long-term interest rates rise (fall) the value of the inverse floating rate security will fall (rise) more than the value of the underlying bond because of the leveraged nature of the investment. The Fund may seek to buy these securities at attractive values and yields that over time more than compensate the Fund for the securities’ price volatility.
Repurchase Agreements
In a repurchase agreement, the Fund purchases securities from a broker/dealer or a bank, called the counterparty, upon the agreement of the counterparty to repurchase the securities from the Fund at a later date, and at a specified price. The repurchase price is generally higher than the purchase price paid by the Fund, with the difference being income to the Fund. The securities purchased serve as the Fund’s collateral for the obligation of the counterparty to repurchase the securities. If the counterparty does not repurchase the securities, the Fund is entitled to sell the securities, but the Fund may not be able to sell them for the price at which they were purchased, thus causing a loss. Additionally, if the counterparty becomes insolvent, there is some risk that the Fund will not have a right to the securities, or the immediate right to sell the securities.
Securities Offered on a When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Basis
Delivery and payment take place after the date of the commitment to purchase, normally within 35 days, both price and interest rate are fixed at the time of commitment, the Fund does not earn interest on the securities until settlement, and the market value of the securities may fluctuate between purchase and settlement. Such securities can be sold before settlement date. Securities that require more than 35 days to settle are considered senior securities and are treated as a derivative.
9

Investments
Synthetic Instruments
Combine a municipality’s obligation to pay interest and principal with the obligation of a third party to repurchase the instrument on short notice.
Variable-Rate Demand Notes (“VRDNs”)
Provide the right to sell the security at face value on either that day or within the rate-reset period. The interest rate is adjusted at a stipulated daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or other specified time interval to reflect current market conditions. VRDNs normally trade as if the maturity is the earlier put date, even though stated maturity is longer.
10

Risk Factors
The following describes the principal risks that you may assume as an investor in the Fund. These risks could adversely affect the net asset value, total return, and the value of the Fund and your investment. The risk descriptions below provide a more detailed explanation of the principal investment risks that correspond to the risks described in the Fund Summary section of this Prospectus.
There is no assurance that the Fund will achieve its investment objective. The Fund’s share price will fluctuate with changes in the market value of its portfolio investments. When you sell your Fund shares, they may be worth less than what you paid for them; and accordingly, you can lose money investing in the Fund. The Fund, by itself, is not intended to be a complete investment program.
Call Risk: Many municipal bonds may be “called,” or redeemed, by the issuer before the stated maturity. During a period of declining interest rates, an issuer might call, or refinance, a higher-yielding bond for the same reason that a homeowner would refinance a home mortgage.
Intermediate- and long-term municipal bonds have the greatest call risk because most municipal bonds may not be called until after 10 years from the date of issue. The period of “call protection” may be longer or shorter than 10 years; but regardless, bonds purchased closest to the date of issue will have the most call protection. Typically, bonds with original maturities of 10 years or less are not callable.
Although bond prices generally rise when interest rates drop, falling interest rates create the environment necessary to “call” the higher-yielding bonds from the Fund. When bonds are called, the Fund is affected in several ways. Most likely, we must reinvest the bond-call proceeds at lower interest rates. The Fund’s income may drop as a result. The Fund also may realize a taxable capital gain (or loss).
Changes in Tax Law Risk: In order to attempt to pay interest that is exempt from federal or state and local income tax, tax-exempt securities must meet certain legal requirements. Failure to meet such requirements may cause the interest earned and distributed to shareholders by the Fund to be taxable. In addition, interest from one or more municipal bonds held by the Fund could be declared taxable because of unfavorable changes in tax or other laws, adverse interpretations by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) or state tax authorities, or noncompliant conduct of a bond issuer. Changes or proposed changes in federal or state income tax or other laws also may cause the prices of tax-exempt securities to fall. A portion of the Fund’s otherwise exempt-interest dividends may be taxable to shareholders subject to the federal AMT due to federal tax law changes or other unforeseen circumstances.
Credit Risk: Credit risk is the possibility that an issuer of a fixed-income security will fail to make timely interest and/or principal payments on its securities or that negative market perceptions of the issuer’s ability to make such payments will cause the price of that security to decline. All fixed-income securities, varying from the highest quality to the very speculative, have some degree of credit risk and may apply to certain other securities in which the Fund may invest. The Fund accepts some credit risk as a recognized means to enhance investors’ return. Market events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a fixed-income security and may impair an issuer’s ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
When evaluating potential investments for the Fund, our analysts independently assess credit risk and its potential impact on the Fund’s portfolio. In addition, credit rating agencies may provide estimates of the credit quality of the potential investment. The ratings may not take into account every risk that interest and/or principal will be repaid on a timely basis. Lower credit ratings typically correspond to higher perceived credit risk and higher credit ratings typically correspond to lower perceived credit risk. Securities in the lowest-rated investment-grade category have speculative characteristics. Credit ratings do not provide assurance against default or other loss of money. Nevertheless, even investment-grade securities typically are subject to some credit risk. We also attempt to minimize the
11

Risk Factors
Fund’s overall credit risk by diversifying the Fund’s investments across many securities with slightly different risk characteristics and across different economic sectors and geographic regions. Thus, if a random credit event should occur, such as a default, the Fund generally would suffer a smaller loss than if the Fund were concentrated in relatively large holdings with highly correlated risks. If a security has not received a rating, the Fund must rely entirely upon the Adviser’s credit assessment.
Securities rated below investment grade (“junk” or high-yield bonds) should be regarded as speculative because their issuers are more susceptible to financial setbacks and recession than more creditworthy companies. If the Fund invests in securities whose issuers develop unexpected credit problems, the Fund’s net asset value (“NAV”) could decline. Changes in economic conditions or other circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capability to make principal and interest payments on these securities than on higher-rated securities.
Debt Securities Risk: The value of a debt security or other income-producing security changes in response to various factors, including, for example, market-related factors (such as changes in interest rates or changes in the risk appetite of investors generally) and changes in the actual or perceived ability of the issuer (or of issuers generally) to meet its (or their) obligations.
Other factors that may affect the value of debt securities, include, among others, economic conditions, market events, public health crises, and responses by governments and companies to such developments. These and other events may affect the creditworthiness of the issuer of a debt security and may impair an issuer’s ability to timely meet its debt obligations as they come due.
Exchange-Traded Fund (“ETF”) Structure Risk — The Fund is structured as an ETF and, as a result, is subject to special risks, including:
Not Individually Redeemable — The Fund’s shares are not individually redeemable and may be redeemed by the Fund at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large blocks known as Creation Units. The Fund may incur brokerage costs purchasing enough shares to constitute a Creation Unit. Alternatively, the Fund may redeem your shares by selling them on the secondary market at prevailing market prices.
Trading Issues — Trading in shares on the exchange operated by Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (the “Exchange”) may be halted due to market conditions or for reasons that, in the view of the Exchange, make trading in shares inadvisable, such as extraordinary market volatility. There can be no assurance that shares will continue to meet the listing requirements of the Exchange. There is no guarantee that an active secondary market will develop for the shares. In stressed market conditions, authorized participants may be unwilling to participate in the creation/redemption process, particularly if the market for shares becomes less liquid in response to deteriorating liquidity in the markets for the Fund’s underlying portfolio holdings, which may lead to widening of bid-ask spreads and differences between the market price of the shares and the underlying value of those shares.
Market Price Variance Risk — The market prices of shares will fluctuate in response to changes in NAV and supply and demand for shares and will include a bid-ask spread charged by the exchange specialists, market makers, or other participants that trade the particular security. There may be times when the market price and the NAV vary significantly, particularly in times of market stress. This means that shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
Authorized Participants Concentration Risk — A limited number of financial institutions may be responsible for all or a significant portion of the creation and redemption activity for the Fund. If these firms exit the business or are unable or unwilling to process creation and/or redemption orders, shares may trade at a premium or discount to NAV and bid-ask spreads may widen.
12

Risk Factors
Tax-Efficiency Risk — Redemptions of shares may be effected for cash, rather than in kind, which means that the Fund may need to sell portfolio securities in order to complete an in-cash redemption, and may recognize net gains on these sales. As a result, investments in the shares may be less tax-efficient than investments in ETFs that redeem solely or principally in kind, and the Fund may pay out higher annual capital gain distributions than if the in-kind redemption process was used.
General Market Risk — Any investment involves risk, and there is no assurance that the Fund’s investment objective will be achieved. Losing money is a risk of investing in the Fund. The value of the securities in which the Fund invests may go up or down in response to the prospects of individual companies, particular sectors or governments, and/or general economic conditions throughout the world due to increasingly interconnected global economies and financial markets, or general investor sentiment. During a general downturn in the financial markets, multiple asset classes may decline in value. When markets perform well, there can be no assurance that specific investments held by the Fund will rise in value. In addition, markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately price its investments.
Market turmoil may be reflected in perceptions of economic uncertainty, price volatility in the equity and debt markets, and fluctuating trading liquidity. In response, governments may adopt a variety of fiscal and monetary policy changes, including but not limited to, direct capital infusions into companies, new monetary programs, and changes in interest rates. An unexpected or quick reversal of these policies could increase volatility in the equity and debt markets. Market conditions and economic risks could have a significant effect on domestic and international economies and could add significantly to the risks of increased volatility for the Fund. Equity securities tend to be more volatile than debt securities.
Geopolitical/Natural Disaster Risk — Global economies and financial markets are increasingly interconnected, which increases the possibilities that conditions in one country or region might adversely affect issuers in another country or region. Geopolitical and other risks, including war, economic sanctions, currency controls or other actions by countries or international bodies, terrorism, trade disputes, embargoes, political or economic dysfunction within some nations, public health crises and related geopolitical events, as well as environmental disasters such as earthquakes, fires, and floods, may add to instability in world economies and markets generally. Changes in trade policies and international trade agreements could affect the economies of many countries in unpredictable ways. Epidemics and/or pandemics, such as the coronavirus (or COVID-19), may result in, among other things, closing borders, disruptions to healthcare service preparation and delivery, quarantines, cancellations, disruptions to supply chains and consumer activity, as well as general concern and uncertainty. The impact may be short-term or may last for extended periods.
Information Technology and Operational Risk — Markets and market participants are increasingly reliant upon both publicly available and proprietary information data systems. Data imprecision, software or other technology malfunctions, programming inaccuracies, unauthorized use or access, and similar circumstances may impair the performance of these systems and may have an adverse impact upon a single issuer, a group of issuers, or the market at large. The information technology and other operational systems upon which the Fund’s service providers rely may be subject to cyber attack or other technological disruptions, and could otherwise disrupt the ability of these service providers to perform essential tasks for the
13

Risk Factors
Fund. In certain cases, an exchange or market may close or issue trading halts on either specific securities or even the entire market, which may result in the Fund being, among other things, unable to buy or sell certain securities or financial instruments or accurately price its investments.
High-Yield Bond Risk — Fixed-income securities rated below investment grade, also known as “junk” or high-yield bonds, generally entail greater credit and liquidity risk than investment- grade securities. Their prices also may be more volatile, especially during economic downturns and financial setbacks or liquidity events. The Fund’s value could be hurt by price declines due to actual or perceived changes in an issuer’s ability to make such payments. These securities are considered by the major rating agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s continuing ability to pay principal and interest and carry a greater risk that the issuer of such securities will default in the timely payment of principal and interest. Issuers of securities that are in default or have defaulted may fail to resume principal or interest payments, in which case the Fund may lose its entire investment. The creditworthiness of issuers of these securities may be more complex to analyze than that of issuers of investment- grade debt securities, and the overreliance on credit ratings may present additional risks.
Interest Rate Risk: Each Fund is subject to the risk that the market value of the bonds in the Fund’s portfolio will fluctuate because of changes in interest rates, changes in supply and demand for tax-exempt securities, or other market factors. Bond prices are linked to the prevailing market interest rates. In general, when interest rates rise, bond prices fall; and when interest rates fall, bond prices rise. The price volatility of a bond also depends on its duration. Duration is a measure that relates the expected price volatility of a bond to changes in interest rates. The duration of a bond may be shorter than or equal to the full maturity of a bond. Generally, the longer the duration of a bond, the greater is its sensitivity to interest rates. For example, a bond with a duration of three years will decrease in value by approximately 3% if interest rates increase by 1%. To compensate investors for this higher interest rate risk, bonds with longer durations generally offer higher yields than bonds with shorter durations.
If interest rates increase, the yield of the Fund may increase and the market value of the Fund's securities may decline, adversely affecting the Fund’s NAV and total return.
If interest rates decrease, the yield of the Fund may decrease, and the market value of the Fund's securities may increase, which may increase the Fund’s NAV and total return.
Changes in government monetary policy, including changes in a central bank’s (e.g., the U.S. Federal Reserve (the “Fed”)) implementation of specific policy goals, may have a substantial impact on interest rates, which in turn can significantly impact the value of the Fund’s investments. There can be no assurance that a central bank’s policy will be continued, discontinued, or changed, or that any such policy will have the desired effect. A central bank’s policy changes and related market speculation as to the timing of potential interest rate changes may expose fixed-income markets to heightened volatility and may reduce liquidity for certain Fund investments, causing the value of the Fund’s investments and share price to decline. For example, market developments and other factors, including a general rise in interest rates, have the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. Such a move, coupled with a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to buy or hold fixed-income securities, may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income markets. Heavy redemptions of fixed-income mutual funds and decreased liquidity of fixed-income securities could hurt the Fund’s performance.
Decisions by the Fed regarding interest rate and monetary policy can have a significant effect on the value of debt securities as well as the overall strength of the U.S. economy. Precise interest rate predictions are difficult to make, and interest rates may change unexpectedly and dramatically in
14

Risk Factors
response to extreme changes in market or economic conditions. Changes to interest rates may not work as intended, and the impact on various markets that interest rate or other significant policy changes may have is unknown.
Large Shareholder Risk — The Fund, like all investment companies, pools the investments of many investors, including authorized participants and other funds advised by the Adviser. Actions by one shareholder or multiple shareholders may have an impact on the Fund and, therefore, indirectly on other shareholders. For example, significant levels of new investments in the Fund by shareholders may cause the Fund to have more cash than would otherwise be the case, which might have a positive or negative impact on Fund performance. Similarly, to the extent the Fund redeems shares in cash, redemption activity might cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities when it might not otherwise do so, which may increase transaction costs and might generate a capital gain or loss, or cause it to borrow funds on a short-term basis to cover redemptions, which would cause the Fund to incur costs that, in effect, would be borne by all shareholders and not just the redeeming shareholders. Shareholder purchase and redemption activity also may affect the per share amount of the Fund's distributions of its net investment income and net realized capital gains, if any, thereby affecting the tax burden on the Fund's shareholders subject to federal income tax, and/or accelerate the realization of taxable income and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to such tax year. To the extent a larger shareholder, including an authorized participant, invests in the Fund, the Fund may experience large inflows or outflows of cash from time to time. This activity could magnify these adverse effects on the Fund. If large shareholders transact in shares on the secondary market, transactions by large shareholders may account for a large percentage of the trading volume for the shares of a Fund and may, therefore, have a material upward or downward effect on the market price of the Fund shares.
Limited History of Operations — The Fund is a new ETF with limited to no history of operations for investors to evaluate. Investors in the Fund bear the risk that the Fund may not be successful in implementing its investment strategies, may be unable to implement certain of its investment strategies or may fail to attract sufficient assets, any of which could result in the Fund being liquidated and terminated at any time without shareholder approval and at a time that may not be favorable for all shareholders. Such a liquidation could have negative tax consequences for shareholders and may cause shareholders to incur expenses of liquidation.
Liquidity Risk: Liquidity in the tax-exempt bond market may be reduced for a number of reasons including as a result of overall economic conditions and credit tightening. During times of reduced market liquidity, there may be little trading in the secondary market for particular bonds and other debt securities, which may make them more difficult to value or sell at the time desired.
Management Risk: The Fund is subject to management risk, which is the possibility that the investment techniques and risk analyses used in managing the Fund's portfolio will not produce the desired results. In addition, we operate multiple investment franchises within the Adviser, and we also may utilize a “manager-of-managers” structure, which gives us the right, with the prior approval of the Board and without shareholder approval, to change subadviser(s). If we add or replace an investment franchise or a subadviser to the Fund, the Fund could experience higher portfolio turnover and higher transaction costs than normal if the new investment franchise or subadviser realigns the portfolio to reflect its investment techniques and philosophy. A realignment of the Fund’s portfolio could take place at a disadvantageous time and also could result in higher capital gains and distributions, which could affect the tax efficiency of the Fund negatively. In addition, the Fund may not be fully invested under its investment program while such realignment takes place, which may negatively impact the Fund’s performance.
15

Risk Factors
Redemption Risk: The Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to sell assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value. Redemption risk is heightened during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Heavy redemptions could hurt the Fund's performance. Market developments and other factors, including changes in interest rates, have the potential to cause investors to move out of fixed-income securities on a large scale, which may increase redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities. The market making capacity of dealers has been reduced in recent years, in part as a result of structural changes, such as fewer proprietary trading desks at broker-dealers and increased regulatory capital requirements. In addition, significant securities market disruptions may lead to dislocation in the market for a variety of fixed-income securities (including, without limitation, commercial paper, corporate debt securities, certificates of deposit, asset-backed debt securities, and municipal obligations), which can decrease liquidity and sharply reduced returns. Increased redemptions from mutual funds that hold large amounts of fixed-income securities, coupled with a reduction in the ability or willingness of dealers and other institutional investors to buy or hold fixed-income securities, may result in decreased liquidity and increased volatility in the fixed-income markets.
Structural Risk: VRDNs generally are long-term municipal bonds with a demand feature that is used to shorten the maturity. The demand feature represents the right to sell the security back to the remarketer or liquidity provider for repurchase on short notice, normally one day or seven days. Usually, the demand feature is backed by a letter of credit or similar guarantee from a bank. Since we are relying on the demand feature to shorten maturity, the ability to exercise the demand feature would be dependent upon the bank. We would only purchase VRDNs where we were comfortable that the banks would be able to honor their obligation on the demand feature.
Some VRDNs, sometimes referred to as “structured instruments” or “synthetic instruments,” are created by combining an intermediate- or long-term municipal bond with a right to sell the instrument back to the remarketer or liquidity provider for repurchase on short notice, referred to as a “tender option.” Usually, the tender option is backed by a letter of credit or similar guarantee from a bank. The guarantee, however, typically is conditional, which means that the bank is not required to pay under the guarantee if there is a default by the municipality or if certain other events occur. We will not purchase a synthetic instrument unless counsel for the issuer has issued an opinion that interest paid on the instrument is entitled to tax-exempt treatment. We will not purchase a synthetic instrument unless we believe there is only minimal risk that we will not be able to exercise our tender option.
Tax Risk — The Fund may be adversely impacted by changes in tax rates and policies. Because interest income from municipal securities is normally not subject to regular federal income taxation, the attractiveness of municipal securities in relation to other investment alternatives may be affected by changes in federal and state income tax rates or changes in the tax-exempt status of interest income from municipal securities. Any proposed or actual changes in such rates or exempt status, therefore, can significantly affect the demand for and supply, liquidity and marketability of the municipal securities. This could in turn affect the Fund’s net asset value and ability to acquire and dispose of municipal securities at desirable yield and price levels.
Taxable Investment Risk — Although distributions of interest income from the Fund’s tax-exempt securities are generally exempt from regular federal income tax, distributions from other sources, including capital gain distributions, and any gains on the sale of your shares are not. In addition, the interest on the Fund’s municipal securities could become subject to regular federal income tax or the AMT, unfavorable legislation or litigation, or adverse interpretations by regulatory authorities. You should consult a tax adviser about whether the AMT applies to you and about state and local taxes on your Fund distributions.
16

Risk Factors
Tax-Exempt Status Risk — The Fund’s investments in municipal securities rely on the opinion of the issuer’s bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsor’s counsel, that the interest paid on those securities will not be subject to federal income tax. Tax opinions are generally provided at the time the municipal security is initially issued, and neither the Fund nor the Adviser will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. However, tax opinions are not binding on the IRS, and if any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liability for the current or past years and shareholders may have to file amended tax returns and pay additional taxes, interest and penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities.
Valuation Risk — Many factors may influence the price at which the Fund could sell any particular portfolio investment. The sales price may well differ – higher or lower – from the Fund’s valuation of the investment, and such differences could be significant, particularly for illiquid securities and securities that trade in thin markets and/or markets that experience extreme volatility. These differences may increase significantly and affect Fund investments more broadly during periods of market volatility. Nearly all of the Fund’s investments are valued using fair value methodologies. Investors who purchase or redeem Fund shares may receive fewer or more shares, or lower or higher redemption proceeds, than they would have received if the securities had not been fair-valued or if a different valuation methodology had been used. Fixed income securities typically are valued using fair value methodologies. The value of foreign securities, certain fixed income securities and currencies, as applicable, may be materially affected by events after the close of the markets on which they are traded, but before the Fund determines its net asset value. The ability to value the Fund’s investments may also be impacted by technological issues and/or errors by pricing services or other third-party service providers.
Redemption Risk — The Fund may experience periods of heavy redemptions that could cause the Fund to liquidate its assets at inopportune times or at a loss or depressed value, accelerate taxable gains and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to its shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have or accelerate transaction costs, particularly during periods of declining or illiquid markets. Redemption risk is greater to the extent that the Fund has investors with large shareholdings, short investment horizons, or unpredictable cash flow needs. In addition, redemption risk is heightened during periods of overall market turmoil.
Cybersecurity Risk — Cybersecurity failures by and breaches of the Adviser, transfer agent, the Distributor, custodian, Fund accounting agent or other service providers may disrupt Fund operations, interfere with the Fund’s ability to calculate its NAV, prevent Fund shareholders from purchasing, redeeming or exchanging shares or receiving distributions or receiving timely information regarding the Fund or their investment in the Fund, cause loss of or unauthorized access to private shareholder information, and result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders, regulatory fines, penalties, reputational damage, or additional compliance costs. Substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. The Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result. New ways to carry out cyber attacks continue to develop. Therefore, there is a chance that some risks have not been identified or prepared for, or that an attack may not be detected, which puts limitations on the Fund’s ability to plan for or respond to a cyber attack.
Cash Management Risk — The value of the investments held by the Fund for cash management or temporary defensive purposes may be affected by market risks, changing interest rates and by changes in credit ratings of the investments. To the extent that the Fund has any uninvested cash, the Fund would be subject to credit risk with respect to the depository institution holding the cash. If the Fund holds cash uninvested, the Fund will not earn income on the cash and the Fund’s yield will go down. During such periods, it may be more difficult for the Fund to achieve its investment objective.
17

Risk Factors
Expense Risk — Your actual costs of investing in the Fund may be higher than the expenses shown in “Annual Fund Operating Expenses” for a variety of reasons. For example, expense ratios may be higher than those shown if overall net assets decrease. Net assets are more likely to decrease and Fund expense ratios are more likely to increase when markets are volatile.
To learn more about the Fund’s investments and risks, you should obtain and read the SAI. Please note that there are many other factors that could adversely affect your investment and that could prevent the Fund from achieving its goals.
18

Organization and Management of the Fund
The Fund's Board has the overall responsibility for overseeing the management of the Fund.
The Investment Adviser
The Adviser serves as the investment adviser to each of the Victory Funds pursuant to an investment advisory agreement and oversees the operations of the Fund according to investment policies and procedures adopted by the Board. The Adviser is a New York corporation that is registered as an investment adviser with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). As of May 31, 2026, the Adviser managed and advised assets totaling in excess of $337.1 billion for individual and institutional clients. The Adviser’s principal address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256.
A discussion regarding the basis of the Board’s approval of the Fund's Advisory Agreement will be available in the Fund's first reports filed on Form N-CSRS following the commencement of operations.
The Adviser is a diversified global asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which employs an independent approach to investing. Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, is responsible for the day-to-day investment management of the Fund.
Advisory fees to be paid annually, before waivers, are equal to the following:
Fund
Advisory Fee
VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF
0.15%
See “Fund Fees and Expenses” for information about any contractual agreement by the Adviser to waive fees and/or reimburse expenses with respect to the Fund. From time to time, the Adviser also may voluntarily waive fees and/or reimburse expenses in amounts exceeding those required to be waived or reimbursed under any contractual agreement that may be in place with respect to the Fund.
Portfolio Management
Day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio is the responsibility of Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA and Lauren Spalten. Mr. Hattman and Ms. Spalten are supported by the fixed income team. Members of this team manage other Victory Funds investing primarily in fixed-income securities.
Andrew Hattman, CFA, CAIA, Senior Portfolio Manager and Head of Municipal Bond Portfolio Management with Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, has co-managed the Fund since [September 2026]. Mr. Hattman has 14 years of investment management experience, eight of which were with USAA Asset Management Company (“AMCO”), which was acquired by the Adviser’s parent company in 2019. Mr. Hattman holds CFA and CAIA designations.
Lauren Spalten, Portfolio Manager with Victory Income Investors, a Victory Capital investment franchise, has co-managed the Fund since [September 2026]. In 2018, Ms. Spalten joined USAA Investments, which was acquired by the Adviser’s parent company in 2019, as a Municipal Analyst covering the Southeast region. Prior to joining USAA, Ms. Spalten was an Associate Director at Standard & Poor’s (now S&P Global Ratings), where she specialized in evaluating creditworthiness of state and local governments across the Southwest United States. She has additional experience in commercial real estate development and business plan development, primarily for medical and non-profit entities.
The Fund's SAI provides additional information about the portfolio managers' method of compensation, other accounts they manage, and any ownership interests they may have in the Fund.
19

Investing with Victory
Share Price
The net asset value (“NAV”) of the Fund generally is determined at 4:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) on each day the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) is open for business. In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, the Fund’s NAV will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE. The NAV is computed by determining the aggregate market value of all assets of the Fund, less its liabilities, divided by the total number of shares outstanding.
NAV=
Total Assets - Liabilities
Number of Shares Outstanding
The NAV takes into account the expenses and fees of the Fund, including management, administration, and distribution fees (if any), which are accrued daily. The determination of NAV for the Fund for a particular day is applicable to all applications for the purchase of shares, as well as all requests for the redemption of shares, received by the Fund (or an authorized broker or agent, or its authorized designee) before the close of trading on the NYSE on that day. The NYSE is closed on weekends, most national holidays, and Good Friday.
Generally, the Fund's investments are valued each day at the last quoted sales price on each investment’s primary exchange. Investments traded or dealt in upon one or more exchanges (whether domestic or foreign) for which market quotations are readily available and not subject to restrictions against resale shall be valued at the last quoted sales price on the primary exchange or, in the absence of a sale on the primary exchange, at the last bid on the primary exchange. Securities primarily traded in the National Association of Securities Dealers’ Automated Quotation System (“Nasdaq”) National Market System for which market quotations are readily available shall be valued using the Nasdaq Official Closing Price. If market quotations are not readily available, investments will be valued at their fair market value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with procedures approved by the Board and evaluated by the Board as to the reliability of the fair value method used. In these cases, the Fund’s NAV will reflect certain portfolio investments’ fair value rather than their market price. Fair value pricing involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for an investment is materially different than the value that could be realized upon the sale of that investment. The fair value prices can differ from market prices when they become available or when a price becomes available.
The Fund may use independent pricing services to assist in calculating the value of the Fund’s securities or other assets. In addition, market prices for foreign securities are not determined at the same time of day as the NAV for the Fund. In computing the NAV, the Fund values foreign securities held by the Fund at the latest closing price on the exchange in which they are traded immediately prior to closing of the NYSE. Prices of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies are translated into U.S. dollars at current rates. The value of the Fund’s securities may change on days when shareholders are not able to purchase and redeem the Fund’s shares if the Fund has portfolio securities that primarily are traded in foreign markets that are open on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. If events materially affecting the value of a security in the Fund’s portfolio, particularly foreign securities, occur after the close of trading on a foreign market but before the Fund prices its shares, the security will be valued at fair value. For example, if trading in a portfolio security is halted and does not resume before the Fund calculates its NAV, the Adviser may need to price the security using the Fund’s fair value pricing guidelines. Without a fair value price, short-term traders could take advantage of the arbitrage opportunity and dilute the NAV of long-term investors. Fair valuation of the Fund’s portfolio securities can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that fair value pricing policies will prevent dilution of the Fund’s NAV by short-term traders. The determination of fair value involves subjective
20

Share Price
judgments. As a result, using fair value to price a security may result in a price materially different from the prices used by other funds to determine NAV, or from the price that may be realized upon the actual sale of the security.
With respect to any portion of the Fund’s assets that are invested in one or more open-end management investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (“1940 Act”), the Fund’s NAV is calculated based upon the NAVs of those open-end management investment companies, and the prospectuses for these companies explain the circumstances under which those companies will use fair value pricing and the effects of using fair value pricing.
Short-term debt obligations with remaining maturities in excess of 60 days are valued at current market prices, as discussed above. Short-term debt obligations with 60 days or less remaining to maturity are, unless conditions indicate otherwise, amortized to maturity based on their cost to the Fund if acquired within 60 days of maturity or, if already held by the Fund on the 60th day, based on the value determined on the 61st day.
Premium/Discount Information
Since investors will buy and sell shares of the Fund in secondary market transactions through brokers at market prices, the Funds' shares will trade at market prices. The market price of shares may be greater than, equal to, or less than NAV. Market forces of supply and demand, economic conditions and other factors may affect the trading prices of shares of the Fund.
For recent information about the Fund, including the Fund’s NAV, market price, premiums and discounts, and bid-ask spreads visit vcm.com.
21

How to Buy and Sell Shares
Shares of the Fund will be listed for trading on the Exchange under the ticker symbols listed on the cover of this Prospectus. Share prices are reported in dollars and cents per share. Shares can be bought and sold on the secondary market throughout the trading day like other publicly traded shares, and shares typically trade in blocks of less than a Creation Unit. There is no minimum investment required. Shares may only be purchased and sold on the secondary market when the Exchange is open for trading.
When buying or selling shares through a broker, you will incur customary brokerage commissions and charges. The commission is often a fixed amount and may be a significant proportional cost for investors seeking to buy or sell smaller amounts of shares. You may also pay some or all of the spread between the bid and the offered price in the secondary market on each leg of a round trip (purchase and sale) transaction. The spread varies over time for shares of the Fund based on the Fund’s trading volume and market liquidity, and is generally lower if the Fund’s shares have more trading volume and market liquidity and higher if the Fund’s shares have little trading volume and market liquidity.
Only an Authorized Participant (“AP”) may engage in creation or redemption transactions directly with the Fund. The Fund's APs are institutions and large investors, such as market makers or other large broker-dealers, which have entered into a Participation Agreement with the Fund's distributor to undertake the responsibility of obtaining or selling the underlying assets needed to purchase or redeem, respectively, Creation Units of the Fund. APs may acquire shares directly from the Fund, and APs may tender their shares for redemption directly to the Fund, at NAV per share only in large blocks, or Creation Units, of 25,000 shares. Purchases and redemptions directly with the Fund must follow the Fund's procedures, which are described in the SAI.
The Fund may liquidate and terminate at any time without shareholder approval.
Share Trading Prices
The trading prices of the Fund’s shares in the secondary market generally differ from the Fund’s daily NAV and are affected by market forces such as the supply of and demand for Fund shares and for the securities or other instruments held by the Fund, economic conditions, and other factors.
Book Entry
Shares are held in book entry form, which means that no stock certificates are issued. The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) or its nominee is the record owner of all outstanding shares of the Fund and is recognized as the owner of all shares for all purposes.
Investors owning shares are beneficial owners as shown on the records of DTC or its participants. DTC serves as the securities depository for all shares. Participants in DTC include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and other institutions that directly or indirectly maintain a custodial relationship with DTC. As a beneficial owner of shares, you are not entitled to receive physical delivery of stock certificates or to have shares registered in your name, and you are not considered a registered owner of shares. Therefore, to exercise any right as an owner of shares, you must rely upon the procedures of DTC and its participants. These procedures are the same as those that apply to any other securities that you hold in book entry or “street name” form.
Frequent Purchases and Redemptions of Fund Shares
The Fund’s shares can only be purchased and redeemed directly from the Fund by APs in Creation Units. Direct trading by APs is critical to ensuring that the Fund’s shares trade at or close to NAV. The cash to be contributed to (or received from) the Fund in connection with a Creation Unit generally is negligible compared to the total amount of the trade. In addition, the Fund impose transaction fees on purchases and redemptions of shares to cover the custodial and other costs incurred by the Fund in
22

How to Buy and Sell Shares
effecting trades. These fees increase if an investor substitutes cash in part or in whole for securities, reflecting the fact that the Fund’s trading costs increase in those circumstances.
Trading of the Fund’s shares by individual shareholders occurs on the secondary market. Because the secondary market trades do not directly involve the Fund, it is unlikely those trades would cause the harmful effects of market timing, including dilution, disruption of portfolio management, increases in the Fund’s trading costs and the realization of capital gains.
Given this structure, the Board has determined that it is not necessary to monitor for frequent in-kind purchases and redemptions of shares or market timing activity by the APs or on the shares’ secondary market.
Other Payments to Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase Fund shares through an investment professional, a broker dealer, or other financial intermediary, the Fund may pay for sub-transfer agent, recordkeeping and/or similar administrative services. In addition, Victory Capital (and its affiliates) may make substantial payments out of its own resources, including the profits from the advisory fees Victory Capital receives from the Fund, to affiliated and unaffiliated dealers or other investment professionals and service providers for distribution, administrative and/or shareholder servicing activities. Victory Capital also may reimburse the distributor (or the distributor’s affiliates) for making these payments. Some of these distribution-related payments may be made to dealers or other investment professionals for marketing, promotional or related expenses; these payments are often referred to as “revenue sharing.” In some circumstances, these types of payments may create an incentive for a dealer or investment professional or its representatives to recommend or offer shares of the Fund to its customers. You should ask your dealer or investment professional for more details about any such payments it receives.
23

Distribution and Service Plan
The Fund has adopted a distribution and service plan (“Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Under the Plan, the Fund is authorized to pay distribution fees to the distributor and other firms that provide distribution and shareholder services (“Service Providers”). If a Service Provider provides these services, the Fund may pay fees at an annual rate not to exceed 0.25% of average daily net assets, pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act.
No distribution or service fees are currently paid by the Fund and there are no current plans to impose these fees. In the event Rule 12b-1 fees were charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Fund.
24

Distributions and Taxes
Unlike interests in conventional mutual funds, which typically are bought and sold from and to the fund only at closing NAVs, the Fund’s shares are traded throughout the day in the secondary market on a national securities exchange on an intra-day basis and are created and redeemed in-kind and/or for cash in Creation Units at each day’s next calculated NAV. In-kind arrangements are designed to protect ongoing shareholders from the adverse effects on the Fund’s portfolio that could arise from frequent cash redemption transactions. In a conventional mutual fund, redemptions can have an adverse tax impact on taxable shareholders if the mutual fund needs to sell portfolio securities to obtain cash to meet net fund redemptions. These sales may generate taxable gains for the ongoing shareholders of the mutual fund, whereas the shares’ in-kind redemption mechanism generally will not lead to a tax event for the Fund or its ongoing shareholders.
Taxes on Distributions
The Fund ordinarily declares and pays dividends from net investment income and net tax-exempt income, if any, monthly, and net realized capital gains, if any, annually. The Fund may make additional distributions, if necessary, to comply with U.S. federal tax requirements and avoid U.S. federal income or excise tax.
Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available.
The Fund intends to qualify to pay exempt-interest dividends attributable to interest on obligations exempt from U.S. federal income tax. Exempt-interest dividends generally are excludable from a shareholder’s gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes, to the extent properly reported as such by the Fund. Although exempt-interest dividends generally are excluded from gross income, all or a portion of such dividends may be taken into account in determining the AMT for individual shareholders and may be subject to state and local taxes. Gains from the sale or disposition of tax-exempt obligations may be taxable.
The Fund may also realize and distribute ordinary income or capital gains from its investment activities, including its investments in tax-exempt obligations. Such distributions generally are taxable to shareholders, whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares.
Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash.
Distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits are treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) your basis in the shares and any excess amount will be treated as capital gain.
Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from the Funds and net gains from the disposition of shares of the Funds. Exempt-interest dividends from the Fund generally are not included in net investment income for purposes of this tax.
If at the time a shareholder purchases shares of the Fund, the value of shares reflects undistributed net investment income, recognized net capital gain, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder.
Shareholders that generally are exempt from U.S. federal income tax, such as shareholders investing through tax-qualified accounts and nonresident aliens or foreign entities, will not gain additional tax benefit from the exempt-interest dividends that are expected to be paid by the Fund or gain any other
25

Distributions and Taxes
tax benefit. Because the Fund’s pre-tax returns generally will be lower than those of funds that own taxable debt instruments of comparable quality, an investment in the Fund may not be a suitable investment for those kinds of investors.
As with any investment, you should consider how your investment in shares will be taxed. The tax information in this Prospectus is provided as general information. You should consult your own tax professional about the tax consequences of an investment in shares.
Unless your investment in shares is made through a tax-exempt entity or tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when:
The Fund makes distributions,
You sell your shares listed on the Exchange, and
You purchase or redeem Creation Units (if applicable).
If you are a nonresident alien individual, foreign trust or estate, foreign corporation or foreign partnership, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends may be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
Taxes on Exchange-Listed Share Sales
Any capital gain or loss realized upon a sale of shares generally is treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for one year or less. The ability to deduct capital losses from sales of shares may be limited.
A nonresident alien individual and a foreign corporation generally is exempt from U.S. federal income or withholding tax on gains realized on the sale or other disposition of shares of the Fund, but certain exceptions apply under which such shareholders may be subject to U.S. federal tax on such sale or other disposition. See the section titled “TAXES–Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
Taxes on Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units
An AP who exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize gain or loss equal to the difference between the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and the sum of the AP’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered plus any cash it pays. An AP who exchanges Creation Units for securities generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate market value of the securities received plus any cash equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares being redeemed and the value of the securities. However, a loss realized by an AP upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be deducted currently under the rules governing “wash sales” or for other reasons. Persons exchanging securities should consult their own tax advisor with respect to whether wash sale rules apply and when a loss might be deductible.
Any capital gain or loss realized on the purchase or redemption of Creation Units generally will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities surrendered to purchase the Creation Units or the Creation Units, as applicable, have been held for more than one year and as short-term capital gain or loss if the securities surrendered or the Creation Units, as applicable, have been held for one year or less.
If you purchase or redeem Creation Units, you will be sent a confirmation statement showing how many shares you purchased or sold and at what price. See “TAXES” in the SAI for a description of the requirement regarding basis determination methods applicable to share redemptions and the Fund’s obligation to report basis information to the IRS.
26

Distributions and Taxes
Backup Withholding
By law, the Fund is required to withhold 24% of your distributions and proceeds if you have not provided the Fund with a correct Social Security number or other taxpayer identification number and in certain other situations.
Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act
Under the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act,” unless certain foreign entities comply with certain IRS requirements that generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% U.S. withholding tax may apply to dividends paid by the Fund to such entities. See the section titled “TAXES—Foreign Shareholders” in the SAI for details.
IRA Distribution Withholding Disclosure
We generally must withhold federal income tax at a rate of 10% of the taxable portion of your distribution, and if you live in a state that requires state income tax withholding, at your state’s tax rate. However, you may elect not to have withholding apply or to have income tax withheld at a higher rate. Any withholding election that you make will apply to any subsequent distribution unless and until you change or revoke the election. If you wish to make a withholding election, or change or revoke a prior withholding election, call 866-376-7890, and form W-4P (OMB No. 1545-0074 withholding certificate for pension or annuity payments) will be sent electronically.
If you do not have a withholding election in place by the date of a distribution, federal income tax will be withheld from the taxable portion of your distribution at a rate of 10%. If you must pay estimated taxes, you may be subject to estimated tax penalties if your estimated tax payments are not sufficient and sufficient tax is not withheld from your distribution.
The foregoing discussion summarizes some of the possible consequences under current federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. The foregoing discussion also does not discuss any state, local, or non-U.S. tax consequences associated with an investment in the Fund. The tax information in this Prospectus is based on tax law in effect on the date of this Prospectus and it does not address any proposals to modify such tax laws. Consult your personal tax advisor about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the shares under all applicable tax laws.
For more specific information, please consult your tax adviser.
27

Other Information
Investments by Investment Companies
Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of the Fund. Registered investment companies are permitted to invest in the Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) as permitted by any rules and regulations adopted under applicable law, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund.
Continuous Offering
The method by which Creation Units of shares are created and traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units of shares are issued and sold by the Fund on an ongoing basis, a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”), may occur at any point. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery requirement and liability provisions of the Securities Act.
For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if it takes Creation Units after placing an order with the distributor, breaks them down into constituent shares and sells the shares directly to customers or if it chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the Securities Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a characterization as an underwriter.
Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, generally are required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the 1940 Act. As a result, broker-dealer firms should note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are participating in a distribution (as contrasted with engaging in ordinary secondary market transactions) and thus dealing with the shares that are part of an overallotment within the meaning of Section 4(a)(3)(C) of the Securities Act, will be unable to take advantage of the prospectus delivery exemption provided by Section 4(a)(3) of the Securities Act. For delivery of prospectuses to exchange members, the prospectus delivery mechanism of Rule 153 under the Securities Act is only available with respect to transactions on a national exchange.
Dealers effecting transactions in the Fund's shares, whether or not participating in this distribution, generally are required to deliver a Prospectus. This is in addition to any obligation of dealers to deliver a Prospectus when acting as underwriters.
Portfolio Holdings Disclosure
A description of the Fund's policies regarding disclosure of the securities in the Fund’s portfolio is found in the Statement of Additional Information. The Fund’s portfolio is disclosed daily on the Fund's website at www.VictorySharesLiterature.com. Shareholders also may request portfolio holdings schedules at no charge by calling toll free 866-376-7890.
28

Other Information
Shareholder Communications
In order to eliminate duplicate mailings to an address at which two or more shareholders with the same last name reside, the Victory Funds may send only one copy of any shareholder reports, financial statements, proxy statements, prospectuses and their supplements, unless you have instructed us to the contrary. You may request that the Victory Funds send these documents to each shareholder individually by calling the Victory Funds at 866-376-7890, and they will be delivered promptly.
While this Prospectus and the SAI of the Trust describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Fund, neither this Prospectus nor the SAI represents a contract between the Trust or the Fund and any shareholder.
Other Disclosures
Victory Capital means Victory Capital Management Inc., the investment adviser of the VictoryShares ETFs. VictoryShares ETFs are distributed by Victory Capital Services, Inc. (“VCS”), an affiliate of Victory Capital. VCS is a member of FINRA.
29

Financial Highlights
Because the Fund has not commenced operations prior to the date of this prospectus, financial highlights are not available.
30

4900 Tiedeman Road,
4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
Statement of Additional Information (SAI): The SAI contains more information about the Fund's operations, investment restrictions, policies, and practices. The SAI is incorporated by reference into this Prospectus, which means that it is legally part of this Prospectus, even if you do not request a copy.
Annual/Semi Annual Reports and Form N-CSR/Form N-CSRS: Annual and semi annual reports contain more information about the Fund's investments and the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund's performance during the most recent fiscal period. The Fund's Form N-CSR and Form N-CSRS filings contain the Fund's annual and semi-annual financial statements.
How to Obtain Information: You may obtain a free copy of the SAI, annual and semi annual reports and other information such as Fund financial statements and ask questions about the Fund or your accounts, online at VictorySharesLiterature.com, by contacting the Fund at the following address or telephone number, or by contacting your financial intermediary.
By telephone:
Call VictoryShares at
866-376-7890
By mail:
VictoryShares
4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor
Brooklyn, OH 44144
You also can get information about the Fund (including the SAI, other reports and other information such as Fund financial statements) from the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on the SEC’s Edgar database at sec.gov, or after paying a duplicating fee, by electronic request sent to the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov.
Investment Company Act File Number 811-22696
VS-SDM_ETF-PRO (09/26)


The information in this Statement of Additional Information is not complete and may be changed. We may not sell these securities until the registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission is effective. This Statement of Additional Information is not an offer to sell these securities and is not soliciting an offer to buy these securities in any state where the offer or sale is not permitted.

Subject to Completion—Dated July 8, 2026

VICTORYSHARES

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

[

], 2026

 

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF

[

]

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF

[

]

(each a “Fund” and together, the “Funds”)

Each Fund is a series of Victory Portfolios II (the “Trust”)

Listed and traded on:

The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC

This Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with each Fund’s prospectus, dated [ ], 2026, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time (each, a “Prospectus”). This SAI is incorporated by reference in its entirety into each Prospectus. Copies of the Prospectus of each Fund can be obtained without charge upon request made to Victory Funds, P.O. Box 182593, Columbus, OH 43218-2593, at VictorySharesLiterature.com or by calling toll free 1-866-376-7890.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

GENERAL INFORMATION

1

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND LIMITATIONS

1

INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS, AND RISKS

4

INVESTMENTS IN THE FUNDS BY OTHER REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANIES

25

DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (“NAV”) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

25

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

26

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

33

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

40

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

40

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

44

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

46

CODE OF ETHICS

47

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

47

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE COMMISSIONS

49

DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

53

TAXES

53

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

61

APPENDIX A

66

2

GENERAL INFORMATION

The Funds are each diversified series of the Trust (formerly named “Compass EMP Funds Trust”), a Delaware statutory trust organized on April 11, 2012. The Trust is registered as an open-end management investment company. The Trust currently consists of 30 series of beneficial interests (“shares”). This SAI relates to the shares of two series of the Trust (each a “Fund,” and collectively, the “Funds”).

Victory Capital Management Inc. (the “Adviser” or “Victory Capital”) is the Funds’ investment adviser. Each Fund’s investment objective(s), restrictions and policies are more fully described below and in each Fund’s Prospectus, as applicable. The Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board” or “Trustees”) may organize and offer shares of a new fund or liquidate a Fund at any time.

Much of the information contained in this SAI expands on subjects discussed in each Fund’s Prospectus. Capitalized terms not defined herein are used as defined in the Prospectuses. No investment in shares of a Fund should be made without first reading that Fund’s Prospectus.

The Funds’ shares are offered at net asset value (“NAV”) only in aggregations of 50,000 shares (each a “Creation Unit”). The Funds will issue and redeem Creation Units principally in exchange for a basket of securities (the “Deposit Securities”), together with the deposit of a specified cash payment (the “Cash Component”), plus a transaction fee. Each Fund may issue and redeem Creation Units in exchange for a specified all-cash payment (“Cash Deposit”). The Funds are approved for listing on The Nasdaq Stock Market LLC (“Nasdaq” or the “Exchange”). Shares trade on the Exchange at market prices that may be below, at, or above NAV. The Trust reserves the right to adjust the prices of shares in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the applicable Fund.

The Funds reserve the right to offer creations and redemptions of shares for cash. In addition, shares may be issued in advance of receipt of Deposit Securities subject to various conditions, including a requirement to maintain on deposit with the Trust cash equal to at least 105% of the market value of the missing Deposit Securities. In each instance of such cash creations or redemptions, transaction fees may be imposed and may be higher than the transaction fees associated with in-kind creations or redemptions. See “Purchase and Redemption of Shares” below.

Shares of each Fund are listed for trading and trade throughout the day on Nasdaq.

INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES, POLICIES, AND LIMITATIONS

Investment Objectives

Each Fund’s investment objective is non-fundamental, meaning it may be changed by a vote of the Trustees without a vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities. There can be no assurance that a Fund will achieve its investment objective.

Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds

Unless a policy of a Fund is expressly deemed to be a fundamental policy, changeable only by an affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of that Fund’s outstanding voting securities, the Fund’s policies are non-fundamental and may be changed without a shareholder vote.

A Fund may, following notice to its shareholders, employ other investment practices that presently are not contemplated for use by the Fund or that currently are not available but that may be developed to the extent such investment practices are both consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund. Such investment practices, if they arise, may involve risks that exceed those involved in the activities described in the Fund’s Prospectus.

A Fund’s classification and sub-classification is a matter of fundamental policy. Each Fund is classified as an open-end investment company. Each Fund is sub-classified as a diversified investment company, which under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended ("1940 Act") means that, with respect to 75% of a Fund’s total assets, the Fund may not invest in securities of any issuer if, immediately after such investment, (i) more than 5% of the total assets of the Fund (taken at current value) would be invested in the securities of that issuer or (ii) more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of the issuer would be held by the Fund (this limitation does not apply to obligations of the U.S. government, its agencies or instrumentalities, and securities of other investment companies). A diversified fund is not subject to this limitation with respect to the remaining 25% of its total assets. In addition, each Fund has elected to qualify as a “regulated investment company” under the United States Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”). To qualify

3

as a regulated investment company, the Funds must meet certain diversification requirements as determined at the close of each quarter of each taxable year. The Code’s diversification test is described in “TAXES.”

The policies and limitations stated in this SAI supplement the Funds’ investment policies set forth in each Fund’s Prospectus. Unless otherwise noted, whenever an investment policy or limitation states a maximum percentage of a Fund’s assets that may be invested in any security or other asset, or sets forth a policy regarding quality standards, such standard or percentage limitation will be determined immediately after and as a result of the Fund’s acquisition of such security or other asset except in the case of borrowing (or other activities that may be deemed to result in the issuance of a “senior security” under the 1940 Act). Accordingly, any subsequent change in values, net assets, or other circumstances will not be considered when determining whether the investment complies with a Fund’s investment policies and limitations. If the value of a Fund’s holdings of illiquid investments at any time exceeds the percentage limitation applicable at the time of acquisition due to subsequent fluctuations in value or other reasons, the Board will consider what actions, if any, are appropriate to maintain adequate liquidity.

Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds

The following investment policies and limitations are fundamental and may not be changed without the affirmative vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities, as defined under the 1940 Act. Under the 1940 Act, the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of a Fund means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are represented in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. Portions of the Funds’ fundamental investment restrictions (e.g., references to “except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction”) provide the Funds with flexibility to change limitations in connection with changes in applicable law, rules, regulations or exemptive relief. The language used in these restrictions provides the necessary flexibility to allow the Board to respond efficiently to these kinds of developments without the delay and expense of a shareholder meeting.

Senior Securities

None of the Funds may issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.

This limitation is not applicable to activities that may be deemed to involve the issuance or sale of a senior security by the Fund, provided that the Fund’s engagement in such activities is consistent with or permitted by the 1940 Act, the rules and regulations promulgated thereunder, or interpretations of the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) or its staff.

Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund to enter into Derivatives Transactions (as defined below) and certain other transactions notwithstanding the restrictions on the issuance of “senior securities” under Section 18 of the 1940 Act. Section 18 of the 1940 Act, among other things, prohibits open-end funds, including the Funds, from issuing or selling any “senior security,” other than borrowing from a bank (subject to a requirement to maintain 300% “asset coverage”).

Under Rule 18f-4, “Derivatives Transactions” include the following: (1) any swap, security-based swap (including a contract for differences), futures contract, forward contract, option (excluding purchased options), any combination of the foregoing, or any similar instrument, under which the Fund is or may be required to make any payment or delivery of cash or other assets during the life of the instrument or at maturity or early termination, whether as margin or settlement payment or otherwise; (2) any short sale borrowing; (3) reverse repurchase agreements and similar financing transactions (e.g., recourse and non-recourse tender option bonds, and borrowed bonds), if the Fund elects to treat these transactions as Derivatives Transactions under Rule 18f-4; and (4) when-issued or forward-settling securities (e.g., firm and standby commitments, including to-be-announced (“TBA”) commitments, and dollar rolls) and non-standard settlement cycle securities, unless a Fund intends to physically settle the transaction and the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date.

Unless a Fund is relying on the Limited Derivatives User Exception (as defined below), a Fund must comply with Rule 18f-4 with respect to its Derivatives Transactions. Rule 18f-4, among other things, requires the Funds to adopt and implement a comprehensive written derivatives risk management program (“DRMP”) and comply with a relative or absolute limit on Fund leverage risk calculated based on value-at-risk (“VaR”). The DRMP is administered by a “derivatives risk manager,” who is appointed by the Board, including a majority of Independent Trustees, and periodically reviews the DRMP and reports to the Board.

Rule 18f-4 provides an exception from the DRMP, VaR limit and certain other requirements if the Fund’s “derivatives exposure” (as defined in Rule 18f-4) is limited to 10% of its net assets (as calculated in accordance with Rule 18f-4) and the Fund adopts and

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implements written policies and procedures reasonably designed to manage its derivatives risks (the “Limited Derivatives User Exception”). As of the date of this SAI, the Funds rely on the Limited Derivatives User Exception.

Borrowing

None of the Funds may borrow money, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, or by order of the SEC and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction.

A Fund’s ability to borrow money is limited by its investment policies and limitations, by the 1940 Act, and by applicable exemptions, no action letters, interpretations, and other pronouncements issued from time to time by regulatory authorities, including the SEC and its staff. Under the 1940 Act, a fund is required to maintain continuous asset coverage (that is, total assets including the proceeds of borrowings, less liabilities excluding borrowings) of not less than 300% of the amount borrowed, with an exception for borrowings not in excess of 5% of the fund’s total assets made for temporary purposes. Any borrowings for temporary purposes in excess of 5% are subject to the minimum 300% asset coverage requirement. If the value of the assets set aside to meet the 300 percent asset coverage were to decline below 300% due to market fluctuations or other causes, a Fund may be required to sell some of its portfolio holdings within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to reduce the debt and comply with the 300% minimum asset coverage requirement, even in circumstances where it is considered disadvantageous from an investment perspective to sell securities at that time or at the prices then available.

Underwriting, Purchasing Securities on Margin, or Participating on a Joint Basis

None of the Funds may underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that a Fund may be considered an underwriter within the meaning of the Securities Act of 1933 (the “1933 Act”), in the disposition of restricted securities.

Real Estate

None of the Funds may purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of direct ownership of securities or other instruments. This restriction shall not prevent any of these Funds from investing in the following: (i) securities or other instruments backed by real estate;

(ii)securities of real estate operating companies; or (iii) securities of companies engaged in the real estate business, including real estate investment trusts. This restriction does not preclude any of these Funds from buying securities backed by mortgages on real estate or securities of companies engaged in such activities.

Concentration

None of the Funds may concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as the term “concentration” is used in the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction. This restriction shall not prevent any Fund from investing all of its assets in a “master” fund that has adopted similar investment objectives, policies, and restrictions.

Concentration means investing more than 25% of a Fund’s net assets in a particular industry or a specified group of industries.

With respect to each Fund’s concentration policy, the Fund applies that restriction to investments in a particular industry or group of industries.

Commodities

None of the Funds may purchase or sell physical commodities unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments (but this shall not prevent a Fund from purchasing or selling options and futures contracts or from investing in securities or other instruments backed by physical commodities).

Lending

None of the Funds may make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, and as interpreted or modified from time to time by regulatory authorities having jurisdiction. Generally, the 1940 Act prohibits loans if a fund’s investment policies do not permit loans, and if the loans are made, directly or indirectly, to persons deemed to control or to be under common control with the registered investment company.

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Rule 35d-1 Policies

Each Fund has an investment policy that requires it to invest at least 80% of its assets in the type of investments suggested by its name. To the extent required by SEC rules, each such policy may be changed only by a shareholder vote. Under normal circumstances, the VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF invests at least 80% of its net assets (plus borrowings for investment purposes) in debt securities and other obligations issued by or on behalf of states, counties, municipalities, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and their authorities, political subdivisions, agencies and instrumentalities, the interest on which is exempt from regular federal income tax. Under normal market conditions, the VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF will invest at least 80% of its net assets in tax-exempt securities.

Non-Fundamental Investment Policies and Limitations of the Funds

The following investment policies and restrictions are non-fundamental and may be changed by a vote of a majority of the Trustees.

No Fund may purchase the securities of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or Section 12(d)(1)(G) of the 1940 Act, which permits operation as a “fund of funds.” Except as provided in the next paragraph and below in “Securities of Other Investment Companies,” none of the Funds may: (1) invest more than 5% of its total assets in the securities of any one investment company; (2) own more than 3% of the securities of any one investment company; or (3) invest more than 10% of its total assets in the securities of other investment companies.

Each Fund may purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the acquiring Fund pays no “sales charge” or “service fee” (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee. For purposes of this investment restriction, a “money market fund” is either: (1) an open-end investment company registered under the 1940 Act and regulated as a money market fund in accordance with Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; or (2) a company that is exempt from registration as an investment company under Sections 3(c)(1) or 3(c)(7) of the 1940 Act and that: (a) limits its investments to those permitted under Rule 2a-7 under the 1940 Act; and (b) undertakes to comply with all the other requirements of Rule 2a-7, except that, if the company has no board of directors, the company’s investment adviser performs the duties of the board of directors.

No Fund may make short sales of securities, other than short sales “against the box,” or purchase securities on margin except for short-term credits necessary for clearance of portfolio transactions, provided that this restriction will not be applied to limit the use of options, futures contracts and related options, in the manner otherwise permitted by the investment restrictions, policies and investment program of the Fund.

INVESTMENT PRACTICES, INSTRUMENTS, AND RISKS

In addition to the principal investment strategies and the principal risks of the Funds described in each Prospectus, each Fund may, but will not necessarily, employ other investment practices and may be subject to additional risks which are described further below. Because the following is a combined description of investment strategies and risks for all of the Funds, certain strategies and/or risks described below may not apply to every Fund. Unless a strategy or policy described below is specifically prohibited with respect to a particular Fund by the investment restrictions listed in the Prospectus, under “Investment Objectives Policies and Limitations” in this SAI, or by applicable law, a Fund may, but will not necessarily, engage in each of the practices described below. The Funds’ use of the investment practices and instruments, and exposure to risks, discussed below may be through a Fund’s investments in ETFs.

Adjustable-Rate Securities

Each Fund may invest in adjustable-rate securities. The interest on an adjustable-rate security fluctuates periodically. Generally, the security’s yield is based on a U.S. dollar-based interest-rate benchmark such as the Federal Funds Rate, the 90-day U.S. Treasury bill rate, or the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”). The yields on these securities are reset on a periodic basis (for example, daily, weekly, or quarterly) or upon a change in the benchmark interest rate. The yields are closely correlated to changes in money market interest rates.

Asset-Backed Securities

Each Fund may invest in asset-backed securities (“ABS”). ABS represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, a stream of payments generated by particular assets, such as credit card, motor vehicle, or trade receivables. They may be pass-through certificates, which have characteristics very similar to mortgage-backed securities, discussed below. Such pass-through certificates may include

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equipment trust certificates (“ETC”) secured by specific equipment, such as airplanes and railroad cars. ETC securities also may be enhanced by letters of credit. An ABS may also be in the form of asset-backed commercial paper, which is issued by a special purpose entity, organized solely to issue the commercial paper and to purchase interests in the assets.

The credit quality of ABS depends primarily on the quality of the underlying assets, the rights of recourse available against the underlying assets and/or the issuer, the level of credit enhancement, if any, provided for the securities, and the credit quality of the credit-support provider, if any. To lessen the effect of failures by obligors on underlying assets to make payments, the securities may contain elements of credit support which fall into two categories: (i) liquidity protection and (ii) protection against losses resulting from ultimate default by an obligor on the underlying assets. Liquidity protection refers to the provision of advances, generally by the entity administering the pool of assets, to ensure that the receipt of payments on the underlying pool occurs in a timely fashion. Protection against losses resulting from ultimate default ensures payment through insurance policies or letters of credit obtained by the issuer or sponsor from third parties. A Fund will not pay any additional or separate fees for credit support. The degree of credit support provided for each issue is generally based on historical information respecting the level of credit risk associated with the underlying assets. Delinquency or loss in excess of that anticipated credit support or failure of the credit support could adversely affect the return on an investment in such a security. In addition, the risk of default by borrowers is greater during times of rising interest rates and/or unemployment rates and generally is higher in the case of asset pools that include subprime assets.

ABS may be subject to interest rate risk and prepayment risk. In a period of declining interest rates, borrowers may prepay the underlying assets more quickly than anticipated, thereby reducing the yield to maturity and the average life of the asset-backed securities. Moreover, when a Fund reinvests the proceeds of a prepayment in these circumstances, it will likely receive a rate of interest that is lower than the rate on the security that was prepaid. In a period of rising interest rates, prepayments of the underlying assets may occur at a slower than expected rate, creating maturity extension risk. This particular risk may effectively change a security that was considered short- or intermediate-term at the time of purchase into a longer-term security. Since the value of longer-term securities generally fluctuates more widely in response to changes in interest rates than does the value of shorter-term securities, maturity extension risk could increase the volatility of a Fund. The weighted average life of such securities is likely to be substantially shorter than their stated final maturity as a result of scheduled principal payments and unscheduled principal prepayments.

Bonds

Each Fund may invest in bonds, which are fixed or variable-rate debt obligations, including bills, notes, debentures, money market instruments and similar instruments and securities. Mortgage- and asset-backed securities are types of bonds, and certain types of income- producing, non-convertible preferred stocks may be treated as bonds for investment purposes. Bonds generally are used by corporations, governments, and other issuers to borrow money from investors. The issuer pays the investor a fixed or variable rate of interest and normally must repay the amount borrowed on or before maturity. Many preferred stocks and some bonds are “perpetual” in that they have no maturity date. Bonds are subject to interest rate risk and credit risk. Interest rate risk generally is the risk that interest rates will rise and that, as a result, bond prices will fall, lowering the value of a fund’s investments in bonds. In general, bonds with longer durations are more sensitive to interest rate changes than bonds with shorter durations. Credit risk, generally, is the risk that an issuer may be unable or unwilling to pay interest and/or principal on the bond. Credit risk can be affected by many factors, including adverse changes in the issuer’s own financial condition or in economic conditions.

Borrowing Money and Issuing Senior Securities

Pursuant to the investment restrictions that have been adopted by the Trust for each Fund, each Fund may not issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act. “Senior securities” are defined as any bond, debenture, note, or similar obligation or instrument constituting a security and evidencing indebtedness, and any Fund obligations that have a priority over the Fund’s shares with respect to the payment of dividends or the distribution of Fund assets. The 1940 Act prohibits a Fund from issuing senior securities except that the Fund may borrow money in amounts of up to one-third (33 1/3%) of the Fund’s total assets (including the amount borrowed) less liabilities (other than borrowings) from banks. Any borrowings that exceed this amount will be reduced within three days (excluding Sundays and holidays) to the extent necessary to comply with the 33 1/3% limitation even if it is not advantageous to sell securities at that time. Borrowings may be used for a variety of purposes, including (i) for temporary or emergency purposes, (ii) in anticipation of or in response to adverse market conditions, (iii) for cash management purposes, and (iv) for investment purposes. Borrowed money will cost a Fund interest expense and/or other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce a Fund’s return. To the extent that a Fund has outstanding borrowings, it will be leveraged. Leveraging generally exaggerates the effect on NAV of any increase or decrease in the market value of a Fund’s securities.

Each Fund, together with other funds of the Trust and Victory Portfolios and Victory Portfolios II, participates in a 364-day committed credit facility and a 364-day uncommitted, demand credit facility with Citibank, N.A. (Citibank). Each such credit facility may be renewed if so agreed by the parties. Under the agreement with Citibank, the Funds may borrow up to $600 million, of which $300

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million is committed and $300 million is uncommitted. Of this amount, $40 million committed of the line of credit and $60 million of the uncommitted line of credit are reserved for use by the Victory Floating Rate Fund (a series of Victory Portfolios), with that Fund paying the related commitment fees for that amount. The purpose of each agreement is to meet temporary or emergency cash needs. For the committed credit facility, Citibank receives an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund pays a pro-rata portion (adjusted for the amount of credit reserved for the Victory Floating Rate Fund) of these fees and pays the interest on any amount that it borrows.

Certificates of Deposit and Bankers’ Acceptances

Certificates of deposit are receipts issued by a depository institution in exchange for the deposit of funds. The issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the receipt on the date specified on the certificate. The certificate usually can be traded in the secondary market prior to maturity.

A Fund may invest in insured bank obligations. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (“FDIC”) insures the deposits of federally insured banks and savings and loan associations (collectively referred to as “banks”) up to $250,000. A Fund may purchase bank obligations that are fully insured as to principal by the FDIC. Currently, to remain fully insured as to principal, these investments must be limited to $250,000 per bank; if the principal amount and accrued interest together exceed $250,000, the excess principal and accrued interest will not be insured. Insured bank obligations may have limited marketability.

Bankers’ acceptances typically arise from short-term credit arrangements designed to enable businesses to obtain funds to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an earning asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of discount for a specific maturity. Although maturities for acceptances can be as long as 270 days, most acceptances have maturities of six months or less.

Commercial Paper

Each Fund may invest in commercial paper. Commercial paper, which consists of short-term (usually from one to 270 days) unsecured promissory notes issued by corporations in order to finance their current operations. A variable amount master demand note (which is a type of commercial paper) represents a direct borrowing arrangement involving periodically- fluctuating rates of interest under a letter agreement between a commercial paper issuer and an institutional lender pursuant to which the lender may determine to invest varying amounts.

Investments in commercial paper are subject to the risk the issuer cannot issue enough new commercial paper to satisfy its outstanding commercial paper, also known as rollover risk. Commercial paper may become illiquid or may suffer from reduced liquidity in certain circumstances. Like all fixed income securities, commercial paper prices are susceptible to fluctuations in interest rates. If interest rates rise, commercial paper prices will decline. The short-term nature of a commercial paper investment makes it less susceptible to interest rate risk than many other fixed income securities because interest rate risk typically increases as maturity lengths increase.

Commercial paper tends to yield smaller returns than longer-term corporate debt because securities with shorter maturities typically have lower effective yields than those with longer maturities. As with all fixed income securities, there is a chance that the issuer will default on its commercial paper obligation.

Convertible Securities

Each Fund may invest in convertible securities, which are bonds, preferred stocks, and other securities that pay interest or dividends and offer the buyer the ability to convert the security into common stock. The value of convertible securities depends partially on interest rate changes and the credit quality of the issuer. Because a convertible security affords an investor the opportunity, through its conversion feature, to participate in the capital appreciation of the underlying common stock, the value of convertible securities also depends on the price of the underlying common stock.

A convertible security entitles the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt or the dividend paid on preferred stock until the convertible security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged. Before conversion, convertible securities have characteristics similar to nonconvertible income securities in that they ordinarily provide a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than those of common stocks of the same or similar issuers, but lower yields than comparable nonconvertible securities. The value of a convertible security is influenced by changes in interest rates, with investment value declining as interest rates increase and increasing as interest rates decline. The credit standing of the issuer and other factors also may have an effect on the convertible security’s investment

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value. Convertible securities are subordinate in rank to any senior debt obligations of the same issuer and, therefore, an issuer’s convertible securities entail more risk than its debt obligations.

The convertible securities in which the Funds will invest may be rated below investment grade as determined by Moody’s or S&P, or unrated but judged by the Adviser to be of comparable quality (commonly called “junk” bonds). Ratings represent a rating agency’s opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuer’s financial condition. For a more complete description of debt ratings, see Appendix A. Such securities are deemed to be speculative and involve greater risk of default due to changes in interest rates, economic conditions, and the issuer’s creditworthiness. As a result, their market prices tend to fluctuate more than those of higher-quality securities. During periods of general economic downturns or rising interest rates, issuers of such securities may experience financial difficulties, which could affect their ability to make timely interest and principal payments. The Fund’s ability to timely and accurately value and dispose of lower-quality securities also may be affected by the absence or periodic discontinuance of liquid trading markets.

Cover

Transactions using certain derivative instruments, other than purchased options, expose a Fund to an obligation to another party. A Fund will not enter into any such transactions unless it owns either (1) an offsetting (“covered”) position in securities, currencies or other options, futures contracts, or forward contracts, or (2) cash or liquid assets with a value, marked-to-market daily, sufficient to cover its potential obligations to the extent not covered as provided in (1) above.

For more information about these practices, see the “Derivatives” section.

Cybersecurity Risk

Technology, such as the internet, has become more prevalent in the course of business; and as such, each Fund and its service providers are susceptible to operational and information security risk resulting from cyber incidents. Cyber incidents refer to both intentional attacks and unintentional events including: processing errors, human errors, technical errors including computer glitches and system malfunctions, inadequate or failed internal or external processes, market-wide technical-related disruptions, unauthorized access to digital systems (through “hacking” or malicious software coding), computer viruses, and cyber-attacks that shut down, disable, slow or otherwise disrupt operations, business processes, or website access or functionality (including denial of service attacks). Cyber incidents could adversely impact a Fund and its shareholders and cause the Fund to incur financial loss and expense, as well as face exposure to regulatory penalties, reputational damage, and additional compliance costs associated with corrective measures. Cyber incidents may cause a Fund or its service providers to lose proprietary information, suffer data corruption, lose operational capacity (e.g., the loss of the ability to process transactions, calculate a Fund’s NAV, or allow shareholders to transact business), and/or fail to comply with applicable privacy and other laws. Among other potentially harmful effects, cyber incidents also may result in theft, unauthorized monitoring and failures in the physical infrastructure or operating systems that support the Fund and its service providers. In addition, substantial costs may be incurred in order to prevent any cyber incidents in the future. While the Funds’ service providers have established business continuity plans in the event of, and risk management systems to prevent, such cyber incidents, there are inherent limitations in such plans and systems including the possibility that certain risks have not been identified. Furthermore, each Fund cannot control the cybersecurity plans and systems put in place by its service providers or any other third parties whose operations may affect each Fund or its shareholders. In certain situations, the Funds, the Adviser, or a service provider may be required to comply with law enforcement in responding to a cybersecurity incident, which may prevent each Funds from fully implementing their cybersecurity plans and systems, and (in certain situations) may result in additional information loss or damage. Each Fund and its shareholders could be negatively impacted as a result.

Depositary Receipts

A Fund may invest in sponsored and unsponsored depositary receipts, such as American Depositary Receipts (“ADRs”), which are receipts issued by an American bank or trust company evidencing ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign issuer. ADRs, in registered form, are designed for use in U.S. securities markets. Unsponsored ADRs may be created without the participation of the foreign issuer. Holders of these ADRs generally bear all the costs of the ADR facility, whereas foreign issuers typically bear certain costs in a sponsored ADR. The bank or trust company depositary of an unsponsored ADR may be under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the foreign issuer or to pass through voting rights. Many of the risks described below regarding foreign securities apply to investments in ADRs. Without limitation, a Fund may also invest in European Depositary Receipts (“EDRs”) and Global Depositary Receipts (“GDRs”). EDRs are receipts issued in Europe that evidence a similar ownership arrangement. GDRs are receipts issued throughout the world that evidence a similar arrangement.

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Investments in depositary receipts may be less liquid and more volatile than the underlying securities in their primary trading market. If a depositary receipt is denominated in a different currency than its underlying securities, a Fund will be subject to the currency risk of both the investment in the depositary receipt and the underlying security. The values of depositary receipts may decline for a number of reasons relating to the issuers or sponsors of the depositary receipts, including, but not limited to, insolvency of the issuer or sponsor. Holders of depositary receipts may have limited or no rights to take action with respect to the underlying securities or to compel the issuer of the receipts to take action. The prices of depositary receipts may differ from the prices of securities upon which they are based.

A Fund may invest in unsponsored depositary receipts, which are issued by one or more depositaries without a formal agreement with the company that issues the underlying securities. Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs thereof, and the depositaries of unsponsored depositary receipts frequently are under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuers of the underlying securities or to pass through voting rights with respect to the underlying securities. In addition, the issuers of the securities underlying unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose material information to the market and, therefore, there may be less information available regarding such issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts.

Derivatives

The use of derivatives is a highly specialized activity that can involve investment techniques and risks different from, and in some respects greater than, those associated with investing in more traditional investments such as stocks and bonds. Derivatives may have varying degrees of volatility at different times, or under different market conditions, and may perform in unanticipated ways. New regulation of derivatives may make them more costly, or may otherwise adversely affect their liquidity, value, or performance.

Rule 18f-4 regulates the use of derivatives for certain funds registered under the 1940 Act. Unless the Fund qualifies as a “limited derivatives user,” Rule 18f-4 requires, among other things, that the Fund establishes a comprehensive derivatives risk management program, to comply with certain value-at-risk based leverage limits, to appoint a derivatives risk manager and to provide additional disclosure both publicly and to the SEC regarding its derivatives positions. Rule 18f-4 also has eliminated the general asset segregation requirement in connection with certain derivatives transactions, in light of Rule 18f-4’s requirements for funds to establish and maintain derivatives risk management programs that comply with certain risk-based limits. For funds that qualify as limited derivatives users, Rule 18f-4 requires policies and procedures to manage aggregate derivatives risk. These requirements could have an impact on the Fund, including a potential increase in cost to enter into derivatives transactions. The full impact of Rule 18f-4 on the Fund, however, remains uncertain.

Under circumstances in which such instruments are expected by the Adviser to aid in achieving each Fund’s investment objective, each Fund may buy and sell certain types of derivatives. Derivatives are instruments that derive their value from the value of one or more underlying assets, reference rates or indices, and may include futures contracts, options on futures contracts, swaps, options on currencies, securities, and securities indices. Derivatives also may possess the characteristics of both futures and securities (e.g., debt instruments with interest and principal payments determined by reference to the value of a commodity or a currency at a future time) and therefore, possess the risks of both futures and securities investments.

Permissible derivative instruments include “market access products,” which offer synthetic exposure to an underlying local foreign stock. They include, for example, equity-linked notes, warrants, zero strike options, and total return swaps. Market access products are subject to the same risks as direct investments in securities of foreign issuers. If the underlying stock decreases in value, the market access product will decrease commensurately. In addition, market access products are subject to counterparty risk due to the fact that the security is issued by a broker. If the broker suffers a significant credit event and cannot perform under the terms of an agreement, a market access product may lose value regardless of the strength of the underlying stock.

Derivatives, such as futures contracts; options on currencies, securities, and securities indexes; options on futures contracts; and swaps enable a Fund to take both “short” positions (positions which anticipate a decline in the market value of a particular asset or index) and “long” positions (positions which anticipate an increase in the market value of a particular asset or index). Each Fund also may use strategies that involve simultaneous short and long positions in response to specific market conditions, such as where the Adviser anticipates unusually high or low market volatility.

The Adviser may enter into derivative positions for either hedging or non-hedging purposes as permitted for each Fund as described in its prospectus and in this SAI. The term “hedging” is applied to defensive strategies designed to protect a Fund from an expected decline in the market value of an asset or group of assets that a Fund owns (in the case of a short hedge) or to protect a Fund from an expected rise in the market value of an asset or group of assets which it intends to acquire in the future (in the case of a long or “anticipatory” hedge). Non- hedging strategies include strategies designed to produce incremental income (such as the option writing strategy described below) or “speculative” strategies, which are undertaken to equitize the cash or cash-equivalent portion of a Fund’s portfolio or to profit from (i) an

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expected decline in the market value of an asset or group of assets which a Fund does not own or (ii) expected increases in the market value of an asset which it does not plan to acquire. Information about specific types of instruments is provided below.

Exchange-Traded Funds (“ETFs”)

Each Fund may invest in ETFs, which are, with a few exceptions, open-end investment companies that trade throughout the day. ETFs trade on stock exchanges. Because they trade like a stock, they offer trading flexibility desired by both individuals and institutions. The value of the underlying securities held by an ETF is a major factor in determining an ETF’s price. However, ETFs do not necessarily trade at their NAV. The price of an ETF also is determined by supply and demand and, as a result, the share price of an ETF may trade at a premium or discount to its NAV.

To the extent a Fund invests in ETFs, it will be exposed to the same risks of the ETFs’ holdings as the ETFs themselves in direct proportion to the allocation of the Fund’s assets among those ETFs. You also will indirectly bear fees and expenses charged by the ETFs in which the Fund invests in addition to the Fund’s direct fees and expenses. In addition, the ETFs that the Funds invest in are typically “passive investors” that invest in the securities and sectors contained in the indexes they seek to track without regard for or analysis of the prospects of such securities or sectors (“Passive ETFs”). A Passive ETF may invest in all of the securities in such index or in a representative sample of such securities.

Passive ETFs generally do not attempt to take defensive positions in volatile or declining markets or under other conditions. Furthermore, Passive ETFs usually are not able to duplicate exactly the performance of the underlying indexes they track. The difference in performance between a Passive ETF and the index it seeks to track can be due to, among other factors, the expenses that the Passive ETF pays, regulatory constraints, investment strategies, techniques undertaken by the Passive ETF and changes to an underlying index. There also may be a lack of correlation between the securities in an index and those actually held by a Passive ETF. The performance of a fund that invests in such an ETF could be adversely impacted. In addition, although ETFs (both active and passive) are generally listed on securities exchanges, there can be no assurances that an active trading market for such ETFs will be maintained. Secondary market trading in the ETFs also may be halted by a national securities exchange because of market conditions or for other reasons. There can be no assurances that the requirement necessary to maintain the listing of the ETFs will continue to be met or will remain unchanged.

Impact of Activity by Other Shareholders

The Funds, like all mutual funds, pool the investments of many investors. Actions by one shareholder or multiple shareholders may have an impact on the Fund and, therefore, indirectly on other shareholders. For example, significant levels of new investments in the Fund by shareholders may cause the Fund to have more cash than would otherwise be the case, which may have a positive or negative impact on Fund performance. Similarly, redemption activity might cause the Fund to sell portfolio securities, which may increase transaction costs and accelerate the realization of income and cause the Fund to make taxable distributions to shareholders earlier than the Fund otherwise would have, or cause it to borrow funds on a short-term basis to cover redemptions, which would cause the Fund to incur costs that, in effect, would be borne by all shareholders, not just the redeeming shareholders. In addition, under certain circumstances, non-redeeming shareholders may be treated as receiving a disproportionately large taxable distribution during or with respect to a year in which there are large redemptions. To the extent a larger shareholder (including, for example, a fund-of-funds) invests in a Fund or the markets are highly volatile, the Fund may experience large inflows or outflows of cash from time to time. This activity could magnify these adverse effects on the Fund.

Inverse Floating Rate Securities

Each Fund may invest up to 10% of its net assets in municipal securities whose coupons vary inversely with changes in short-term tax- exempt interest rates and thus are considered a leveraged investment in an underlying municipal bond (or securities with similar economic characteristics). In creating such a security, a municipality issues a certain amount of debt and pays a fixed interest rate. A portion of the debt is issued as variable rate short-term obligations, the interest rate of which is reset at short intervals, typically seven days or less. The other portion of the debt is issued as inverse floating rate obligations, the interest rate of which is calculated based on the difference between a multiple of (approximately two times) the interest paid by the issuer and the interest paid on the short-term obligation. These securities present special risks for two reasons: (1) if short-term interest rates rise (fall), the income the Fund earns on the inverse floating rate security will fall (rise); and (2) if long-term interest rates rise (fall) the value of the inverse floating rate security will fall (rise) more than the value of the underlying bond because of the leveraged nature of the investment. The Funds will seek to buy these securities at attractive values and yields that more than compensate the Funds for the securities’ price volatility.

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Lending of Portfolio Securities

A Fund may, from time to time, lend securities from their portfolios to broker-dealers, banks, financial institutions, and institutional borrowers of securities and receive collateral in the form of cash or U.S. government obligations. Under the Fund’s current practices (which are subject to change), a Fund must receive initial collateral at least equal to the maintenance requirements (e.g., 102% for U.S. equity securities and 105% for non-U.S. securities). This collateral must be valued daily and should the market value of the loaned securities increase, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to a Fund sufficient to maintain the value of the collateral equal to at least 100% of the value of the loaned securities. The lending agent receives a pre-negotiated percentage of the net earnings on the investment of the collateral. A Fund will not lend portfolio securities to: (a) any “affiliated person” (as that term is defined in the 1940 Act) of any Fund; (b) any affiliated person of the Adviser; or (c) any affiliated person of such an affiliated person. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities plus any fee negotiated between the parties to the lending agreement. Loans will be subject to termination by the Funds or the borrower at any time. While a Fund will not have the right to vote securities on loan, they intend to terminate loans and regain the right to vote if that is considered important with respect to the investment. A Fund will enter into loan arrangements only with broker-dealers, banks, or other institutions that either the Adviser or the lending agent has determined are creditworthy under guidelines established by the Board. Although these loans are fully collateralized, there are risks associated with securities lending. A Fund’s performance could be hurt if a borrower defaults or becomes insolvent, or if the Fund wishes to sell a security before its return can be arranged. The return on invested cash collateral will result in gains and losses for the Funds. Each Fund will limit its securities lending to 33-1/3% of its total assets.

Limitations and Risks of Options and Futures Activity

Each Fund may engage in both hedging and non-hedging strategies. Although effective hedging can generally capture the bulk of a desired risk adjustment, no hedge is completely effective. A Fund’s ability to hedge effectively through transactions in futures and options depends on the degree to which price movements in the hedged asset correlate with price movements of the futures and options.

Non-hedging strategies typically involve special risks. The profitability of a Fund’s non-hedging strategies will depend on the ability of the Adviser to analyze both the applicable derivatives market and the market for the underlying asset or group of assets. Derivatives markets are often more volatile than corresponding securities markets and a relatively small change in the price of the underlying asset or group of assets can have a magnified effect upon the price of a related derivative instrument.

Derivatives markets also are often less liquid than the market for the underlying asset or group of assets. Some positions in futures and options may be closed out only on an exchange that provides a secondary market. There can be no assurance that a liquid secondary market will exist for any particular futures contract or option at any specific time. Thus, it may not be possible to close such an option or futures position prior to maturity. The inability to close options and futures positions also could have an adverse impact on a fund’s ability to effectively carry out its derivative strategies and might, in some cases, require the fund to deposit cash to meet applicable margin requirements.

Under certain circumstances, futures exchanges may establish daily limits on the amount that the price of a futures contract or an option on a futures contract can vary from the previous day’s settlement price; once that limit is reached, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond the limit. Daily price limits do not limit potential losses because prices could move to the daily limit for several consecutive days with little or no trading, thereby preventing liquidation of unfavorable positions.

If a Fund were unable to liquidate a futures contract or an option on a futures position due to the absence of a liquid secondary market or the imposition of price limits, it could incur substantial losses. The Fund would continue to be subject to market risk with respect to the position. In addition, except in the case of purchased options, the Fund would continue to be required to make daily variation margin payments and might be required to maintain the position being hedged by the future or option.

Historically, advisers of registered investment companies trading “commodity interests” (such as futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and swaps), such as a Fund, have been excluded from the definition of Commodity Pool Operator (“CPO”) pursuant to Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) Regulation 4.5 (the “exclusion”). To qualify for an exclusion under CFTC Regulation 4.5, if a Fund trades in commodity interests other than for bona fide hedging purposes (as defined in CFTC regulations), the aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish these positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 5% of the Fund’s NAV (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions and excluding the amount by which options that are “in-the-money” at the time of purchase are “in-the-money”) or, alternatively, the aggregate net notional value of those positions, determined at the time the most recent position was established, may not exceed 100% of a Fund’s NAV (after taking into account unrealized profits and unrealized losses on any such positions). In addition to meeting one of the foregoing trading limitations, a Fund may not be marketed as a commodity pool or otherwise as a vehicle for trading commodity interests.

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The Adviser currently claims an exclusion (under CFTC Regulation 4.5) from the definition of CPO in connection with its operation of a Fund and, in its management of a Fund, intends to comply with one of the two alternative trading limitations described above and the marketing limitation. Complying with the trading limitations may restrict the Adviser’s ability to use derivatives as part of a Fund’s investment strategies. Although the Adviser expects to be able to execute a Fund’s investment strategies within the limitations, the Fund’s performance could be adversely affected.

Liquidity Determinations

A Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid investments. Rule 22e-4 under the 1940 Act defines illiquid investments as investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment.

Illiquid investments include investments subject to contractual or legal restrictions on resale (e.g., because they have not been registered under the 1933 Act and securities that are otherwise not readily marketable (e.g., because trading in the investments is suspended or because market makers do not exist or will not entertain bids or offers). Investments that have not been registered under the 1933 Act are referred to as private placements or restricted securities and are purchased directly from the issuer or in the secondary market. Foreign securities that are freely tradable in their principal markets are not considered to be illiquid.

Restricted and other illiquid investments may be subject to the potential for delays on resale and uncertainty in valuation. A Fund might be unable to dispose of illiquid investments promptly or at reasonable prices and might thereby experience difficulty in satisfying redemption requests from shareholders. A Fund might have to register restricted investments in order to dispose of them, resulting in additional expense and delay. Adverse market conditions could impede such a public offering of investments.

A large institutional market exists for certain securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act, including foreign securities. The fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or to certain institutions may not be indicative of the liquidity of such investments. Rule 144A under the 1933 Act allows such a broader institutional trading market for securities otherwise subject to restrictions on resale to the general public.

Rule 144A establishes a “safe harbor” from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resale of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers. Rule 144A has produced enhanced liquidity for many restricted securities, and market liquidity for such securities may continue to expand as a result of this regulation and the consequent existence of the PORTAL system, which is an automated system for the trading, clearance, and settlement of unregistered securities of domestic and foreign issuers sponsored by the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”).

Under guidelines adopted by the Trust’s Board, the Adviser may determine that particular Rule 144A securities, and commercial paper issued in reliance on the private placement exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act, are liquid even though they are not registered. A determination of whether such a security is liquid or not is a question of fact. In making this determination, the Adviser will consider, as it deems appropriate under the circumstances and among other factors: (1) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (2) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security; (3) the number of other potential purchasers of the security; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; (5) the nature of the security (e.g., debt or equity, date of maturity, terms of dividend or interest payments, and other material terms) and the nature of the marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers, and the mechanics of transfer); and (6) the rating of the security and the financial condition and prospects of the issuer. In the case of commercial paper, the Adviser will also determine that the paper (1) is not traded flat or in default as to principal and interest and (2) is rated in one of the two highest rating categories by at least two National Statistical Rating Organizations (“NRSROs”) or, if only one NRSRO rates the security, by that NRSRO, or, if the security is unrated, the Adviser determines that it is of equivalent quality.

Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper that have been deemed liquid as described above will continue to be monitored by the Adviser to determine if the security is no longer liquid as the result of changed conditions. Investing in Rule 144A securities or Section 4(a)(2) commercial paper could have the effect of increasing the amount of a Fund’s assets invested in illiquid investments if institutional buyers are unwilling to purchase such securities.

The Funds have adopted a liquidity risk management program designed to meet the requirements of the rules under the 1940 Act related to liquidity.

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Loan Interests and Direct Debt Instruments (“Bank Loans”)

Each Fund may invest in loan interests and direct debt instruments, which are interests in amounts owed by a corporate, governmental, or other borrower to lenders or lending syndicates (in the case of loans and loan participations), to suppliers of goods or services (in the case of trade claims or other receivables) or to other parties. These investments involve a risk of loss in case of the default, insolvency, or bankruptcy of the borrower.

Loans normally are not registered with the SEC or any state securities commission or listed on any securities exchange. As a result, there is typically less public information available about a specific loan than there would be if the loan were registered or traded on exchange. Loans also may not be considered “securities,” and purchasers, such as the Funds, may not be entitled to rely on the anti-fraud protections of the federal securities laws with respect to any loans they own in the event of fraud or misrepresentation by a borrower.

A Fund may come into possession of material non-public information about a borrower as a result of its ownership of a loan or other debt instrument of such borrower. Because of prohibitions on trading in securities of issuers while possessing such information, a Fund might be unable to enter into a transaction in a publicly traded security of that borrower when it would otherwise be advantageous to do so.

Purchasers of loans and other forms of direct indebtedness depend primarily upon the creditworthiness of the borrower for payment of interest and repayment of principal. If scheduled interest or principal payments are not made, or are not made in a timely manner, the value of the instrument may be adversely affected. Loans that are fully secured provide more protections than unsecured loans in the event of failure to make scheduled interest or principal payments. However, there is no assurance that the liquidation of collateral from a secured loan would satisfy the borrower’s obligation, or that the collateral could be liquidated. Indebtedness of borrowers whose creditworthiness is poor involves substantially greater risks and may be highly speculative. Borrowers that are in bankruptcy or restructuring may never pay off their indebtedness, or may only pay a small fraction of the amount owed. Direct indebtedness of developing countries also involves a risk that the governmental entities responsible for the repayment of the debt may be unable, or unwilling, to pay interest and repay principal when due.

Investments in loans through direct assignment of a financial institution’s interests with respect to a loan may involve additional risks, such as a loan foreclosure and costs and liabilities associated with owning and disposing of the collateral. In addition, it is possible that a purchaser could be held liable as a co-lender. Direct debt instruments also may involve a risk of insolvency of the lending bank or other intermediary.

A loan is often administered by a bank or other financial institution that acts as agent for all holders. The agent administers the terms of the loan, as specified in the loan agreement. Unless the purchaser has direct recourse against the borrower, the purchaser may have to rely on the agent to apply appropriate credit remedies against a borrower under the terms of the loan or other indebtedness. If assets held by the agent for the benefit of a purchaser were determined to be subject to the claims of the agent’s general creditors, the purchaser might incur certain costs and delays in realizing payment on the loan or loan participation and could suffer a loss of principal or interest.

Direct indebtedness may include letters of credit, revolving credit facilities, or other standby financing commitments that obligate purchasers to make additional cash payments on demand. These commitments may have the effect of requiring a purchaser to increase its investment in a borrower at a time when it would not otherwise have done so, even if the borrower’s condition makes it unlikely that the amount will ever be repaid.

For purposes of Fund investment limitations, a Fund generally will treat the borrower as the “issuer” of indebtedness held by the Fund. In the case of loan participations where a bank or other lending institution serves as financial intermediary between a fund and the borrower, if the participation does not shift to the Fund the direct debtor-creditor relationship with the borrower, SEC interpretations require the Fund, in some circumstances, to treat both the lending bank or other lending institution and the borrower as “issuers” for purposes of the Fund’s investment policies. Treating a financial intermediary as an issuer of indebtedness may restrict a Fund’s ability to invest in indebtedness related to a single financial intermediary, or a group of intermediaries engaged in the same industry, even if the underlying borrowers represent many different companies and industries.

Loans may have extended settlement periods. Accordingly, the proceeds from the sale of a loan may not be available to make additional investments or to meet redemption obligations until potentially a substantial period after the sale of the loan. The extended trade settlement periods could force a Fund to liquidate other securities to meet redemptions and may present a risk that the Fund may incur losses in order to timely honor redemptions.

Certain of the debt obligations (including municipal securities, certificates of participation, commercial paper, and other short-term obligations) that the Funds may purchase may be backed by an unconditional and irrevocable letter of credit of a bank, savings and loan

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association, or insurance company which assumes the obligation for payment of principal and interest in the event of default by the issuer. Only banks, savings and loan associations and insurance companies which, in the opinion of the Adviser, are of comparable quality to issuers of other permitted investments of a Fund, may be used for letter of credit-backed investments.

Master Demand Notes

Each Fund may invest in master demand notes, which are obligations that permit the investment of fluctuating amounts by each Fund, at varying rates of interest using direct arrangements between the Fund, as lender, and the borrower. These notes permit daily changes in the amounts borrowed. Each Fund has the right to increase the amount under the note at any time up to the full amount provided by the note agreement, or to decrease the amount, and the borrower may repay up to the full amount of the note without penalty. Frequently, such obligations are secured by letters of credit or other credit support arrangements provided by banks. Because master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the lender and borrower, these instruments generally will not be traded, and there, generally, is no secondary market for these notes, although they are redeemable (and immediately repayable by the borrower) at face value, plus accrued interest, at any time. The Adviser will invest a Fund’s assets in master demand notes only if the Board or its delegate has determined that they are of credit quality comparable to the debt securities in which the Fund generally may invest.

Mortgage-Backed Securities

Each Fund may invest in mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage-backed securities include, but are not limited to, securities issued by the Government National Mortgage Association (“Ginnie Mae,” also known as “GNMA”), Federal National Mortgage Association (“Fannie Mae”), and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (“Freddie Mac”). These securities represent ownership in a pool of mortgage loans. They differ from conventional bonds in that principal is paid back to the investor as payments are made on the underlying mortgages in the pool. Accordingly, a Fund receives monthly scheduled payments of principal and interest along with any unscheduled principal prepayments on the underlying mortgages. Because these scheduled and unscheduled principal payments must be reinvested at prevailing interest rates, mortgage-backed securities do not provide an effective means of locking in long-term interest rates for the investor. Like other fixed income securities, when interest rates rise, the value of mortgage-backed securities with prepayment features will generally decline. In addition, when interest rates are declining, the value of mortgage-backed securities with prepayment features may not increase as much as other fixed income securities. The weighted average life of such securities is likely to be substantially shorter than the stated final maturity as a result of scheduled principal payments and unscheduled principal prepayments.

Ginnie Mae is a government-owned corporation that is an agency of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. It guarantees, with the full faith and credit of the United States, full and timely payment of all monthly principal and interest on its mortgage- backed securities. Until recently, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were government-sponsored corporations owned entirely by private stockholders. Both issue mortgage-related securities that contain guarantees as to timely payment of interest and principal but that are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. government. The value of the companies’ securities fell sharply in 2008 due to concerns that the firms did not have sufficient capital to offset losses. The U.S. Treasury has historically had the authority to purchase obligations of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac. In addition, in 2008, due to capitalization concerns, Congress provided the U.S. Treasury with additional authority to lend Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac emergency funds and to purchase the companies’ stock, as described below. In September 2008, the U.S. Treasury and the Federal Housing Finance Agency (“FHFA”) announced that Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had been placed in conservatorship.

Since that time, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have received significant capital support through U.S. Treasury preferred stock purchases and Federal Reserve (“Fed”) purchases of their mortgage-backed securities. While the Fed’s purchases have terminated, the U.S. Treasury announced in December 2009 that it would continue its support for the entities’ capital as necessary to prevent a negative net worth. From the time Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were placed into conservatorship through the fourth quarter of 2017, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac have required U.S. Treasury support of approximately $187.5 billion through draws under the preferred stock purchase agreements. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also have paid the U.S. Treasury approximately $278.8 billion in aggregate cash dividends. However, such payments do not constitute a repayment of the draws Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac received from the U.S. Treasury. In the first quarter of 2018, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac each reported that the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in December 2017 had resulted in a decrease in the value of their deferred tax assets. As a result, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac reported net losses during the fourth quarter of 2017, and indicated that they would request draws from the U.S. Treasury in the amount of $3.7 billion and $0.3 billion, respectively. Accordingly, no assurance can be given that the Fed, U.S. Treasury or FHFA initiatives will ensure that Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac will remain successful in meeting their obligations with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities they issue. Moreover, there remains significant uncertainty as to whether (or when) Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will emerge from conservatorship, which has no specified termination date. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac also are the subject of several continuing class action lawsuits and investigations by federal regulators, which (along with any resulting financial restatements) may adversely affect the guaranteeing entities. The future of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac is in question as Congress is considering several pieces of legislation that would reform Fannie Mae and Freddie

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Mac, proposing to address their structure, mission, portfolio limits and guarantee fees, among other issues. The potential impact of these developments is unclear, but could cause a Fund to lose money.

Each Fund also may invest in mortgage-backed securities that include collateralized mortgage obligations (“CMOs”), commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBSs”), stripped mortgage-backed securities (“SMBSs”), interest-only commercial mortgage-backed securities (“CMBS IOs”), and mortgage dollar rolls.

CMOs are obligations fully collateralized by a portfolio of mortgages or mortgage-related securities. CMOs are divided into pieces (tranches) with varying maturities. The cash flow from the underlying mortgages is used to pay off each tranche separately. CMOs are designed to provide investors with more predictable cash flows than regular mortgage securities, but such cash flows can be difficult to predict because of the effect of prepayments. Failure to accurately predict prepayments can adversely affect a Fund’s return on these investments. CMOs also may be less marketable than other securities.

CMBSs include securities that reflect an interest in, and are secured by, mortgage loans on commercial real property, such as industrial and warehouse properties, office buildings, retail space and shopping malls, apartments, hotels and motels, nursing homes, hospitals, and senior living centers. Many of the risks of investing in commercial mortgage-backed securities reflect the risks of investing in the real estate securing the underlying mortgage loans. These risks reflect the effects of local and other economic conditions on real estate markets, the ability of tenants to make loan payments, and the ability of a property to attract and retain tenants. In addition, commercial properties, particularly industrial and warehouse properties, are subject to environmental risks and the burdens and costs of compliance with environmental laws and regulations. CMBSs may be less liquid and exhibit greater price volatility than other types of mortgage-backed securities.

SMBSs are derivative multi-class mortgage securities. SMBSs may be issued by agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, or by private originators of, or investors in, mortgage loans, including savings and loan associations, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, and special purpose entities of the foregoing. SMBSs are usually structured with two classes that receive different proportions of the interest and principal distributions on a pool of mortgage assets. A common type of SMBS will have one class receiving some of the interest and most of the principal from the mortgage assets, while the other class will receive most of the interest and the remainder of the principal. In the most extreme case, one class will receive all of the interest (the interest-only or “IO” class), while the other class will receive all of the principal (the principal-only or “PO” class). The yield to maturity on an IO class is extremely sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets, and a rapid rate of principal payments may have a material adverse effect on a Fund’s yield to maturity from these securities. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, a Fund may fail to recoup some or all of its initial investment in these securities even if the security is in one of the highest rating categories. Although SMBSs are purchased and sold by institutional investors through several investment banking firms acting as brokers or dealers, established trading markets for these types of securities are not as developed and, accordingly, these securities may be deemed “illiquid” and subject to a Fund’s limitations on illiquid investments. CMBS IOs are similar to the SMBSs described above, but are contrasted by being backed by loans that have various forms of prepayment protection, which include lock-out provisions, yield maintenance provisions, and prepayment penalties. Therefore, they generally have less prepayment risk than SMBSs, and also are less sensitive to interest rate changes. CMBS IOs are subject to default-related prepayments that may have a negative impact on yield.

In mortgage dollar roll transactions, a Fund sells mortgage-backed securities for delivery in the current month and simultaneously contracts to purchase substantially similar securities on a specified future date. While the Fund would forego principal and interest paid on the mortgage-backed securities during the roll period, the Fund would be compensated by the difference between the current sales price and the lower price for the future purchase as well as by any interest earned on the proceeds of the initial sale. At the time a Fund enters into a mortgage dollar roll, it designates on its books and records cash or liquid securities to secure its obligation for the forward commitment to buy mortgage-backed securities. Mortgage dollar roll transactions may be considered a borrowing by a Fund. The mortgage dollar rolls entered into by a Fund may be used as arbitrage transactions in which the Fund will maintain an offsetting position in investment grade debt obligations or repurchase agreements that mature on or before the settlement date on the related mortgage dollar roll. Because a Fund will receive interest on the securities or repurchase agreements in which it invests the transaction proceeds, such transactions may involve leverage.

Municipal Lease Obligations

Each Fund may invest in municipal lease obligations, installment purchase contract obligations and certificates of participation in such obligations (collectively, “lease obligations”). Lease obligations do not constitute general obligations of the municipality for which the municipality’s taxing power is pledged, although lease obligations are ordinarily backed by a municipality’s covenant to budget for the payments due under the lease obligation.

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Certain lease obligations contain “non-appropriation” clauses, which provide that the municipality has no obligation to make lease obligation payments in future years unless money is appropriated for such purpose on a yearly basis. Although “non-appropriation” lease obligations are secured by the leased property, disposition of the property in the event of foreclosure might prove difficult. In evaluating a potential investment in such a lease obligation, the Adviser will consider: (1) the credit quality of the obligor; (2) whether the underlying property is essential to a governmental function; and (3) whether the lease obligation contains covenants prohibiting the obligor from substituting similar property if the obligor fails to make appropriations for the lease obligation.

Non-Investment-Grade Securities or “Junk Bonds”

A Fund may invest directly or indirectly in or hold “junk bonds” or non-investment-grade securities. Non-investment-grade securities (i.e., BB or lower by S&P or Fitch, or Ba or lower by Moody’s or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Adviser) are speculative in nature, involve greater risk of default by the issuing entity, and may be subject to greater market fluctuations than higher rated fixed income securities. Non-investment grade bonds, sometimes referred to as “junk bonds,” are usually issued by companies without long track records of sales and earnings, or by those companies with questionable credit strength. The retail secondary market for these “junk bonds” may be less liquid than that of higher-rated securities and adverse conditions could make it difficult at times to sell certain securities or could result in lower prices than those used in calculating a Fund’s NAV. Also, there may be significant disparities in the prices quoted for “junk bonds” by various dealers. Under such conditions, a Fund may find it difficult to value its “junk bonds” accurately. A Fund’s investments in “junk bonds” may also be subject to greater credit risk because it may invest in debt securities issued in connection with corporate restructuring by highly-leveraged issuers or in debt securities not current in the payment of interest or principal or in default. If the issuer of a security is in default with respect to interest or principal payments, a Fund may lose its entire investment. Because of the risks involved in investing in below investment grade securities, an investment in a Fund that invests substantially in such securities should be considered speculative. “Junk bonds” may contain redemption or call provisions. If an issuer exercises these provisions in a declining interest rate market, a Fund would have to replace the security with a lower-yielding security, resulting in a decreased return. Conversely, a “junk bond’s” value will decrease in a rising interest rate market, as will the value of a Fund’s assets. The credit rating of a below investment grade security does not necessarily address its market value risk and may not reflect its actual credit risk. Ratings and market value may change from time to time, positively or negatively, to reflect new developments regarding the issuer. If a Fund that invests in “junk bonds” experiences unexpected net redemptions, this may force it to sell its non-investment grade securities, without regard to their investment merits, thereby decreasing the asset base upon which a Fund’s expenses can be spread and possibly reducing the Fund’s rate of return.

Ratings represent a rating agency’s opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuer’s financial condition. For a more complete description of debt ratings, see Appendix B.

Periodic Auction Reset Bonds

Each Fund may invest in periodic auction reset bonds, which are bonds whose interest rates are reset periodically through an auction mechanism. For purposes of calculating the portfolio weighted average maturity of each Fund, the maturity of periodic auction reset bonds will be deemed to be the next interest reset date, rather than the remaining stated maturity of the instrument.

Periodic auction reset bonds, similar to short-term debt instruments, are generally subject to less interest rate risk than long-term fixed rate debt instruments because the interest rate will be periodically reset in a market auction. Periodic auction reset bonds with a long remaining stated maturity (i.e., ten years or more), however, could have greater market risk than fixed short-term debt instruments, arising from the possibility of auction failure or insufficient demand at an auction, resulting in greater price volatility of such instruments compared to fixed short-term bonds.

Private Placements

Each Fund may invest in securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act (“restricted securities”). Restricted securities may be sold in private placement transactions between issuers and their purchasers and may be neither listed on an exchange nor traded in other established markets. In many cases, privately placed securities may not be freely transferable under the laws of the applicable jurisdiction or due to contractual restrictions on resale. As a result of the absence of a public trading market, privately placed securities may be less liquid and more difficult to value than publicly traded securities. To the extent that privately placed securities may be resold in privately negotiated transactions, the prices realized from the sales, due to illiquidity, could be less than those originally paid by the Fund or less than their fair market value. In addition, issuers whose securities are not publicly traded may not be subject to the disclosure and other investor protection requirements that may be applicable if their securities were publicly traded. Certain of the Fund’s investments in private placements may consist of direct investments and may include investments in smaller, less seasoned issuers, which may involve greater risks. These issuers may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or they may be dependent on a limited

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management group. In making investments in such securities, a Fund may obtain access to material nonpublic information, which may restrict the Fund’s ability to conduct portfolio transactions in such securities.

Some of these securities are new and complex, and trade only among institutions; the markets for these securities are still developing, and may not function as efficiently as established markets. Because there may not be an established market price for these securities, the Fund may have to estimate their value. Transactions in restricted or illiquid investments may entail registration expense and other transaction costs that are higher than those for transactions in unrestricted or liquid securities. Where registration is required for restricted or illiquid investments, a considerable time period may elapse between the time the Fund decides to sell the security and the time it is actually permitted to sell the security under an effective registration statement. If during such period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain less-favorable pricing terms that when it decided to sell the security.

Put Bonds

Each Fund may invest in securities, the interest on which is excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes (tax exempt securities) (including securities with variable interest rates) that may be redeemed or sold back (“put”) to the issuer of the security or a third party prior to stated maturity (“put bonds”). Such securities will normally trade as if maturity is the earlier put date, even though stated maturity is longer. Under a Fund’s portfolio allocation procedure, maturity for put bonds is deemed to be the date on which the put becomes exercisable.

Recent Market Conditions and Events

There have been multiple periods in recent decades of high levels of stress and volatility in financial markets. Periods of market volatility, restrictive credit conditions, lack of confidence in key market participants, and broadly negative sentiment, sometimes limited to a particular sector or a geography, continue to recur. Political changes, trade policies and trade disputes (including sanctions and tariffs), tax and budget policies, debt disputes, geopolitical developments, environmental and public health events, and central bank actions (including withdrawals, or “tapering,” of market support and changes in interest rate targets) have all at times represented sources of stress and instability in world economies and markets. For example, Russia’s military campaign in Ukraine resulted in broad-based sanctions by the U.S. and other countries and rapid price movements in sectors (such as energy) where Russian companies are important market participants, with related impacts both globally and regionally. Also for example, the COVID-19 pandemic and related quarantines and restrictions resulted in high unemployment, disruptions to supply chains and customer activity, and general concern and uncertainty, with corresponding impacts on financial markets worldwide. COVID-19 remains a risk with the potential that new variants could lead to increased government restrictions and consumer caution. More recently, a number of major economies, including the United States, adjusted to reduced levels of market and monetary support following periods of fiscal and monetary interventions. Recent periods of rising inflation and increases in interest rate targets by central banks have generated significant market stress and volatility, with market sentiment changing rapidly in response to changes in inflation or interest rate expectations.

Market Risk and Turmoil. The Funds are subject to market risk. Market risk includes unexpected directional price movements, deviations from historical pricing relationships, changes in the regulatory environment, changes in market volatility, panicked or forced selling of assets and contraction of available credit or other financing sources. The success of a Fund’s activities may be affected by general economic and market conditions, such as interest rates, availability of credit, inflation rates, economic uncertainty, changes in laws and national and international political circumstances. Although globally and among developed countries there has been a relatively stable political environment for decades, there is no guarantee that such stability will be maintained in the future. International policies, relationships, and trade agreements, which have generally been perceived as stable or evolving, appear to be much more in flux. Adjustments in major trade relationships have already been met by retaliatory measures from other countries and could cause potential escalation in protectionist behavior leading to a drag on growth prospects as trade and investment and productivity growth are reinforcing and linked. Other drivers of geopolitical, economic and market risk also may come from, among other things, increased political tension on the domestic and international stages, substantial slowdown and outright recessions in certain markets, pressure on oil prices, rising corporate leverage, continuous abnormally low global interest rates, structural stresses in the European Union, international terrorist activity, and armed conflicts and risk of armed conflicts. Similarly, environmental and public health risks, such as natural disasters, pandemics or epidemics, or widespread fear that such events may occur, may impact markets adversely and cause market volatility in both the short- and long-term. In addition, the expanded influence of social media platforms on the market, combined with the access to low cost retail brokerage, can exacerbate the volatility of particular instruments. Any of these developments, or the perception that any of these developments are likely to occur or worsen, could have a material adverse effect on economic growth or business activity, result in the relocation of businesses, cause business interruptions, lead to economic recession (or depression), and impact the stability of financial markets or financial institutions and the financial and monetary system. A Fund may be affected by these developments in ways that are not foreseeable, and there is a possibility that such developments could have a significant adverse effect on a Fund and its ability to achieve its investment objective. Market turmoil may negatively affect a Fund’s performance. Such factors may affect the level and volatility of security prices and liquidity of a Fund’s investments. Credit markets may become illiquid, credit spreads may widen and the equity

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markets may lose substantial value. Such market conditions may cause a Fund to suffer substantial losses and/or implement measures that adversely affect a Fund. Changes in the value of securities may be temporary or may last for extended periods.

Risks Related to Cybersecurity and Information Technology. The Funds and their service providers have administrative and technical safeguards in place with respect to information security. Nevertheless, the Funds and their service providers are potentially susceptible to operational and information security risks resulting from a cyber-attack as the Funds are highly dependent upon the effective operation of their computer systems and those of their business partners. These risks include, among other things, the theft, misuse, corruption and destruction of data maintained online or digitally, denial of service on websites and other operational disruption and unauthorized release of confidential customer information. Cyber-attacks affecting the Adviser, Victory Capital Services, Inc. (the “Distributor,”), the Funds, the custodian, the transfer agent, financial intermediaries and other affiliated or third-party service providers may adversely affect the Funds and their shareholders. For instance, cyber-attacks may interfere with the processing of Fund transactions, including the processing of orders, impact a Fund’s ability to calculate net asset values, cause the release and possible destruction of confidential customer or business information, impede trading, subject a Fund and/or its service providers and intermediaries to regulatory fines and financial losses and/or cause reputational damage. Cybersecurity risks may also affect the issuers of securities in which a Fund invests, which may cause a Fund’s investments to lose value. A Fund may also incur additional costs for cybersecurity risk management in the future. Although the Funds and their service providers have adopted security procedures to minimize the risk of a cyber-attack, there can be no assurance that the Funds or their service providers will avoid losses affecting the Funds due to cyber-attacks or information security breaches in the future.

Recent technological advances in artificial intelligence, robotics and machine learning technologies, and their current and potential future applications including in the financial sectors, as well as the legal and regulatory frameworks within which they operate, continue to rapidly evolve. It is not possible to predict the full extent of current or future risks of these new technologies. Regulations related to these technologies also may impose certain obligations on organizations, and the costs of monitoring and responding to such regulations, as well as the consequences of non-compliance, could have an adverse effect on organizations connected to the Funds and their investments. In addition, the Funds and their investments could be exposed to risks to the extent third-party service providers or any counterparties use these technologies in their business activities.

Reference Rate Transition Risk. The London Interbank Offered Rate, or “LIBOR,” which had historically been the principal floating rate benchmark in the financial markets, has been discontinued. Its discontinuation has affected and will continue to affect the financial markets generally and may also affect a Fund’s operations, finances, and investments specifically. The UK Financial Conduct Authority, which is the regulator of the LIBOR administrator, has ceased publishing all LIBOR tenors. As an alternative to LIBOR, the market has generally coalesced around the use of the Secured Overnight Financing Rate (“SOFR”) as a replacement for U.S. dollar LIBOR. SOFR is a risk-free overnight floating rate that is currently published in multiple formats, including as an overnight rate, as a compounded average and as an index. In addition to the SOFR rate variations, other alternative floating rates have been developed and various market participants have adopted these floating rates to various degrees, although market practice remains in flux. Uncertainty as to the nature of alternative reference rates and as to potential changes or other reforms to alternative reference rates, or any changes announced with respect to such reforms, may result in a sudden or prolonged increase or decrease in the reported reference rates and the value of reference rate-based loans and securities. The effects of these potential changes on the Funds, issuers of instruments in which the Funds invests and financial markets generally and the effectiveness of changes already made, remain uncertain. If a Fund invests in instruments that utilize an alternative reference rate that falls out of favor, the value of such instrument may decline due to a lack of liquidity or other factors.

Repurchase Agreements

A Fund may enter into repurchase agreements. In a repurchase agreement, an investor (such as the Fund) purchases a security (known as the “underlying security”) from a securities dealer or bank. Any such dealer or bank must be deemed creditworthy by the Adviser. At that time, the bank or securities dealer agrees to repurchase the underlying security at a mutually agreed upon price on a designated future date. The repurchase price may be higher than the purchase price, the difference being income to the Fund, or the purchase and repurchase prices may be the same, with interest at an agreed upon rate due to the Fund on repurchase. In either case, the income to the Fund generally will be unrelated to the interest rate on the underlying securities. Repurchase agreements must be “fully collateralized,” in that the market value of the underlying securities (including accrued interest) must at all times be equal to or greater than the repurchase price. Therefore, a repurchase agreement can be considered a loan collateralized by the underlying securities.

Repurchase agreements are generally for a short period of time, often less than a week, and will generally be used by a Fund to invest excess cash or as part of a temporary defensive strategy. Repurchase agreements that do not provide for payment within seven days will be treated as illiquid investments. In the event of a bankruptcy or other default by the seller of a repurchase agreement, the Fund could experience both delays in liquidating the underlying security and losses. These losses could result from: (a) possible decline in the value of the underlying security while the Fund is seeking to enforce its rights under the repurchase agreement; (b) possible reduced levels of income or lack of access to income during this period; and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.

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Regulation as a Commodity Pool Operator

The Funds have filed with the National Futures Association (“NFA”), a notice claiming an exclusion from the definition of the term “commodity pool operator” under the Commodity Exchange Act, as amended, and the rules of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission promulgated thereunder, with respect to the Funds’ operations. Accordingly, the Funds will not be subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool.

Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper and Rule 144A Securities

Each Fund may invest in commercial paper issued in reliance on the “private placement” exemption from registration afforded by Section 4(a)(2) of the 1933 Act (“Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper”). Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper is restricted as to disposition under the federal securities laws; therefore, any resale of Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper must be effected in a transaction exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper normally is resold to other investors through or with the assistance of the issuer or investment dealers who make a market in Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper, thus providing liquidity.

Each Fund also may purchase restricted securities eligible for resale to “qualified institutional buyers” pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act (“Rule 144A Securities”). Rule 144A provides a non-exclusive safe harbor from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resales of certain securities to institutional investors.

However, investing in Rule 144A securities and Section 4(a)(2) Commercial Paper could have the effect of increasing the level of a Fund’s illiquidity to the extent that qualified institutional buyers become, for a time, uninterested in purchasing these securities.

Securities as a Result of Exchanges or Workouts

Each Fund may hold various instruments received in an exchange or workout of a distressed security (i.e., a low-rated debt security that is in default or at risk of becoming in default). Such instruments may include, but are not limited to, equity securities, warrants, rights, participation interests in sales of assets and contingent-interest obligations.

Securities of Other Investment Companies

General. Except as described in the following paragraphs, each Fund currently intends to limit its investments in securities issued by other investment companies so that, as determined immediately after a purchase of such securities is made: (1) not more than 5% of the value of a Fund’s total assets will be invested in the securities of any one investment company; (2) not more than 10% of the value of its total assets will be invested in the aggregate in securities of investment companies as a group; and (3) not more than 3% of the outstanding voting stock of any one investment company will be owned by a Fund.

A Fund may also purchase and redeem shares issued by a money market fund without limit, provided that either: (1) the Fund pays no “sales charge” or “service fee” (as each of those terms is defined in the FINRA Conduct Rules); or (2) the Adviser waives its advisory fee in an amount necessary to offset any such sales charge or service fee.

Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act permits a Fund, absent any other investment restrictions to the contrary and subject to the conditions of Rule 12d1-4, to invest in registered investment companies in excess of the limits set forth in Section 12(d) of the 1940 Act.

As a shareholder of an investment company, a Fund indirectly will bear its proportionate share of any management fees and other expenses paid by such investment company in addition to the fees and expenses a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations. These securities represent interests in professionally managed portfolios that may invest in various types of instruments pursuant to a wide range of investment styles. A Fund would also bear the risk of all of the underlying investments held by the other investment company. An investment company may not achieve its investment objective.

Exchange-Traded Funds. (“ETFs”) are investment companies, many of which pursue investment objectives to achieve the same rate of return as a particular market index or commodity while trading throughout the day on an exchange. Certain ETFs are actively managed portfolios rather than being based upon an underlying index. ETF shares are sold initially in the primary market in units, often consisting of 25,000 or more shares (“creation units”). A creation unit represents a bundle of securities or commodities that replicates, or is a representative sample of, a particular index or commodity and that is deposited with the ETF. Once owned, the individual shares comprising each creation unit are traded on an exchange in secondary market transactions for cash. The secondary market for ETF shares allows them to be readily converted into cash, like commonly traded stocks. The combination of primary and secondary markets permits

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ETF shares to be traded throughout the day close to the value of the ETF’s underlying portfolio securities. A Fund would purchase and sell individual shares of ETFs in the secondary market. These secondary market transactions require the payment of commissions.

Unit Investment Trusts. (“UITs”) are investment companies that hold a fixed portfolio of securities until the fixed maturity date of the UIT. A Fund would generally only purchase UITs in the secondary market for cash, which would result in the payment of commissions.

Risk Factors Associated with Investments in ETFs and UITs. ETF and UIT shares are subject to the same risk of price fluctuation due to supply and demand as any other stock traded on an exchange, which means that a Fund could receive less from the sale of shares of an ETF or UIT it holds than it paid at the time it purchased those shares. Furthermore, there may be times when the exchange halts trading, in which case a Fund owning ETF or UIT shares would be unable to sell them until trading is resumed. There can be no assurance that an ETF or UIT will continue to meet the listing requirements of the exchange or that an active secondary market will develop for shares. In addition, because ETFs and UITs invest in a portfolio of common stocks or other instruments or commodities, the value of an ETF or UIT could decline if prices of those instruments or commodities decline. An overall decline of those instruments or commodities comprising an ETF’s or UIT’s benchmark index could have a greater impact on the ETF or UIT and investors than might be the case in an investment company with a more widely diversified portfolio. Losses could also occur if the ETF or UIT is unable to replicate the performance of the chosen benchmark index. There may be times when the market price for an ETF or UIT and its NAV vary significantly and a Fund may pay more than (premium) or less than (discount) NAV when buying shares on the secondary market. The market price of an ETF’s or UIT’s shares includes a “bid-ask spread” charged by the exchange specialists, market makers or other participants that trade the particular security. In times of severe market disruption, the bid-ask spread often increases significantly. This means that the shares may trade at a discount to NAV and the discount is likely to be greatest when the price of shares is falling fastest.

Other risks associated with ETFs and UITs include the possibility that: (i) an ETF’s or UIT’s distributions may decline if the issuers of the ETF’s or UIT’s portfolio securities fail to continue to pay dividends; and (ii) under certain circumstances, an ETF or UIT could be terminated. Should termination occur, the ETF or UIT could have to liquidate its portfolio securities when the prices for those securities are falling. In addition, inadequate or irregularly provided information about an ETF or UIT or its investments, because ETFs and UITs are generally passively managed, could expose investors in ETFs and UITs to unknown risks. Actively managed ETFs are also subject to the risk of underperformance relative to their chosen benchmark.

Swap Arrangements

Each Fund may enter into various forms of swap arrangements with counterparties with respect to interest rates, currency rates or indexes, including purchase of caps, floors and collars as described below. Swap agreements are two-party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for periods ranging from a few weeks to more than one year.

In an interest rate swap a Fund could agree for a specified period to pay a bank or investment banker the floating rate of interest on a so-called notional principal amount (i.e., an assumed figure selected by the parties for this purpose) in exchange for agreement by the bank or investment banker to pay a Fund a fixed rate of interest on the notional principal amount. In a currency swap a Fund would agree with the other party to exchange cash flows based on the relative differences in values of a notional amount of two (or more) currencies; in an index swap, a Fund would agree to exchange cash flows on a notional amount based on changes in the values of the selected indexes. The purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive payments from the seller on a notional amount to the extent that the selected index exceeds an agreed upon interest rate or amount, whereas the purchase of a floor entitles the purchaser to receive such payments to the extent the selected index falls below an agreed upon interest rate or amount. A collar combines buying a cap and selling a floor.

Most swaps entered into by a Fund will be on a net basis. For example, in an interest rate swap, amounts generated by application of the fixed rate and floating rate to the notional principal amount would first offset one another, with the Fund either receiving or paying the difference between such amounts. In order to be in a position to meet any obligations resulting from swaps, a Fund will set up a segregated custodial account to hold liquid assets, including cash. For swaps entered into on a net basis, assets will be segregated having an NAV equal to any excess of a Fund’s accrued obligations over the accrued obligations of the other party; for swaps on other than a net basis, assets will be segregated having a value equal to the total amount of a Fund’s obligations. Collateral is treated as illiquid.

Swap agreements historically have been individually negotiated, and most swap arrangements are currently traded over-the-counter. Certain standardized swaps currently are, and more in the future will be, centrally cleared and traded on either a swap execution facility or a designated contract market. Cleared swaps are transmitted through FCMs that are members of central clearinghouses with the clearinghouse serving as a central counterparty similar to transactions in futures contracts. Central clearing is expected to decrease counterparty risk and increase liquidity compared to uncleared swaps because central clearing interposes the central clearinghouse as the counterparty to each participant’s swap. However, central clearing does not eliminate counterparty risk or illiquidity risk entirely. For example, swaps that are centrally cleared are subject to the creditworthiness of the clearing organization involved in the transaction. An investor could lose margin payments it has deposited with its FCM as well as the net amount of gains not yet paid by the clearing

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organization if the clearing organization becomes insolvent or goes into bankruptcy. In the event of bankruptcy of the clearing organization, the investor may be entitled to the net amount of gains the investor is entitled to receive plus the return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the clearing organization’s other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the investor. In addition, depending on the size of a portfolio and other factors, the margin required under the rules of a clearinghouse and by a clearing member FCM may be in excess of the collateral required to be posted by a portfolio to support its obligations under a similar uncleared swap. It is expected, however, that regulators will adopt rules imposing certain margin requirements, including minimums, on uncleared swaps in the near future, which could reduce the distinction.

These swap arrangements will be made primarily for hedging purposes to preserve the return on an investment or on a portion of a Fund’s portfolio. However, a Fund may, as noted above, enter into such arrangements for income purposes to the extent permitted by applicable law. In entering into a swap arrangement, a Fund is dependent upon the creditworthiness and good faith of the counterparty. A Fund will attempt to reduce the risk of nonperformance by the counterparty by dealing only with established, reputable institutions. The swap market has grown substantially in recent years with a large number of banks and investment banking firms acting both as principals and as agents utilizing standardized swap documentation and in some cases transacting in swaps that are centrally cleared and exchange-traded. As a result, the swap market has become relatively liquid. Certain swap transactions involve more recent innovations for which standardized documentation has not yet been fully developed and generally will not be centrally cleared or traded on an exchange and, accordingly, they are less liquid than traditional swap transactions.

A Fund may enter into interest rate swaps, the use of which is a highly specialized activity that involves investment techniques and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio securities transactions. If the Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of market values, interest rates, or other applicable factors, the investment performance of a Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these investment techniques were not used. Moreover, even if the Adviser is correct in its forecasts, there is a risk that the swap position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being hedged.

Each Fund may enter into credit default swap (“CDS”) contracts for investment purposes. The Funds also may invest in credit default swap indexes, which are portfolios of credit default swaps with similar characteristics. If a Fund is a seller of a CDS contract, a Fund would be required to pay the par (or other agreed upon) value of a referenced debt obligation to the counterparty in the event of a default by a third party, such as a U.S. or foreign corporate issuer, on the debt obligation. In return, a Fund would receive from the counterparty a periodic stream of payments over the term of the contract provided that no event of default has occurred. If no default occurs, a Fund would keep the stream of payments and would have no payment obligations. As the seller, a Fund would be subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. As the seller, a Fund also is not required to remain in the CDS contract until default or maturity and could terminate the contract and incur a realized gain or loss.

Each Fund also may purchase CDS contracts in order to hedge against the risk of default of debt securities it holds, in which case a Fund would function as the counterparty referenced above. This would involve the risk that the swap may expire worthless and would only generate income in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial instability). It also would involve credit risk; the seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations to a Fund in the event of a default. As the buyer, a Fund is not required to remain in the CDS contract until default or maturity and could terminate the contract and incur a realized gain or loss.

The regulation of the U.S. and non-U.S. swaps markets has undergone substantial change in recent years. Although the CFTC released final rules relating to clearing, reporting, recordkeeping and registration requirements under the Dodd-Frank Act, many of the provisions of the Dodd-Frank Act are subject to further final rule making or phase-in periods, and thus their ultimate impact remains unclear. New regulations could, among other things, restrict a Fund’s ability to engage in swap transactions (for example, by making certain types of swaps no longer available to a Fund) and/or increase the costs of such swap transactions (for example, by increasing margin or capital requirements), and an Underlying Fund might be unable to fully execute its investment strategies as a result. Limits or restrictions applicable to the counterparties with which a Fund engages in swaps also could prevent a Fund from using these instruments or affect the pricing or other factors relating to these instruments, or may change the availability of certain investment.

Regulations adopted by the CFTC, SEC and banking regulators may require a Fund to post margin on OTC swaps, and exchanges will set minimum margin requirements for exchange-traded and cleared swaps. The prudential regulators issued final rules that will require banks subject to their supervision to exchange variation and initial margin in respect of their obligations arising under OTC swap agreements. The CFTC adopted similar rules that apply to CFTC-registered swap dealers that are not banks. Such rules generally require a Fund to segregate additional assets in order to meet the new variation and initial margin requirements when they enter into OTC swap agreements. The European Supervisory Authorities (“ESA”), various national regulators in Europe, the Australian Securities & Investment Commission, the Japanese Financial Services Agency and the Canadian Office of the Superintendent of Financial Institutions adopted rules and regulations that are similar to that of the Federal Reserve. The variation margin requirements are now effective and the initial margin requirements are being phased-in through 2022 based on average daily aggregate notional amount of covered swaps

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between swap dealers and swap entities. Due to these regulations, a Fund could be required to engage in greater documentation and recordkeeping with respect to swap agreements.

Separately, on December 8, 2020, the CFTC adopted regulations allowing investment advisers for registered investment companies and other institutional investors to apply a minimum transfer amount (“MTA”) of variation margin based upon the separately managed investment account or sleeve (“Sleeve”) that the adviser is responsible for, rather than having to calculate the MTA across all accounts of the investor. An investment manager must abide by the following conditions: (1) any such swaps are entered into with the swap dealer by an asset manager on behalf of a Sleeve owned by the legal entity pursuant to authority granted under an investment management agreement; (2) the swaps of such Sleeve are subject to a master netting agreement that does not permit netting of initial or variation margin obligations across Sleeves of the legal entity that have swaps outstanding with the swap dealer; and (3) the swap dealer applies an MTA no greater than $50,000 to the initial and variation margin collection and posting obligations required of such Sleeve. As of the date of this SAI, the banking regulators have not provided similar relief, although swaps dealers subject to a banking regulator are expected to act in a manner consistent with the relief provided by the CFTC.

Regulations adopted by the prudential regulators require certain banks to include in a range of financial contracts, including swap agreements, terms delaying or restricting default, termination and other rights in the event that the bank and/or its affiliates become subject to certain types of resolution or insolvency proceedings. The regulations could limit a Fund’s ability to exercise a range of cross- default rights if its counterparty, or an affiliate of the counterparty, is subject to bankruptcy or similar proceedings. Such regulations could further negatively impact a Fund’s use of swaps.

Swap agreements can take many different forms and are known by a variety of names including, but not limited to, interest rate swaps, mortgage swaps, total return swaps, inflation swaps, asset swaps (where parties exchange assets, typically a debt security), currency swaps, equity swaps, credit default swaps, commodity-linked swaps, and contracts for differences. Each Fund also may write (sell) and purchase options on swaps (swaptions).

For more information about these practices, see the “Derivatives” section.

Synthetic Instruments

Each Fund may invest in tender option bonds, bond receipts, and similar synthetic municipal instruments. A synthetic instrument is a security created by combining an intermediate or long-term municipal bond with a right to sell the instrument back to the remarketer or liquidity provider for repurchase on short notice. This right to sell is commonly referred to as a tender option. Usually, the tender option is backed by a conditional guarantee or letter of credit from a bank or other financial institution. Under its terms, the guarantee may expire if the municipality defaults on payments of interest or principal on the underlying bond, if the credit rating of the municipality is downgraded, or interest on the underlying bond ceases to be excludable from gross income for federal income tax purposes. The recent economic downturn and budgetary constraints have made municipal securities more susceptible to downgrade, default, and bankruptcy. Synthetic instruments involve structural risks that could adversely affect the value of the instrument or could result in a Fund’s holding an instrument for a longer period of time than originally anticipated. For example, because of the structure of a synthetic instrument, there is a risk that a Fund will not be able to exercise its tender option.

Time Deposits and Variable Rate Notes

A Fund may invest in fixed time deposits, whether or not subject to withdrawal penalties. The commercial paper obligations, which the Fund may buy are unsecured and may include variable rate notes. The nature and terms of a variable rate note (i.e., a “Master Note”) permit the Fund to invest fluctuating amounts at varying rates of interest pursuant to a direct arrangement between the Fund as Lender, and the issuer, as borrower. It permits daily changes in the amounts borrowed. A Fund has the right at any time to increase, up to the full amount stated in the note agreement, or to decrease the amount outstanding under the note. The issuer may prepay at any time and without penalty any part of or the full amount of the note. The note may or may not be backed by one or more bank letters of credit. Because these notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, it is not generally contemplated that they will be traded; moreover, there is currently no secondary market for them. Except as specifically provided in the Prospectus, there is no limitation on the type of issuer from whom these notes may be purchased; however, in connection with such purchase and on an ongoing basis, the Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuer, and its ability to pay principal and interest on demand, including a situation in which all holders of such notes made demand simultaneously. Variable rate notes are subject to the Fund’s investment restriction on illiquid investments unless such notes can be put back to the issuer on demand within seven days.

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U.S. Government Obligations

These consist of various types of marketable securities issued by the U.S. Treasury e.g., bills, notes and bonds. Such securities are direct obligations of the U.S. government and differ mainly in the length of their maturity. Treasury bills, the most frequently issued marketable government security, have a maturity of up to one year and are issued on a discount basis. A Fund may also invest in Treasury Inflation- Protected Securities (“TIPS”). TIPS are special types of treasury bonds that were created in order to offer bond investors protection from inflation. The values of the TIPS are automatically adjusted to the inflation rate as measured by the Consumer Price Index (“CPI”). If the CPI goes up by half a percent, the value of the bond (the TIPS) would also go up by half a percent. If the CPI falls, the value of the bond does not fall because the government guarantees that the original investment will stay the same. TIPS decline in value when real interest rates rise. However, in certain interest rate environments, such as when real interest rates are rising faster than nominal interest rates, TIPS may experience greater losses than other fixed income securities with similar duration.

Obligations of U.S. government agencies and instrumentalities are not necessarily backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury, but rather of the government agency or instrumentality itself (see “U.S. Government Agency Obligations,” below.) Although a Fund may hold securities that carry U.S. government guarantees, these guarantees do not extend to shares of the Fund itself and do not guarantee the market prices of the securities. In recent periods, the values of U.S. government securities have been affected substantially by increased demand for them in the global markets. Increases or decreases in the demand for U.S. government securities may occur at any time and may result in increased volatility in the values of those securities.

Variable-Rate Demand Notes (“VRDNs”)

Each Fund may invest in VRDNs, which are securities that provide the right to sell the security at face value on either that day or within a rate-reset period. The interest rate is adjusted at a stipulated daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or other specified time interval to a rate that reflects current market conditions. The effective maturity for these instruments is deemed to be less than 397 days in accordance with detailed SEC regulatory requirements. These interest rate adjustments can both raise and lower the income generated by such securities. These changes will have the same effect on the income earned by a Fund depending on the proportion of such securities held. VRDNs are tax-exempt securities.

Warrants

A Fund may invest in warrants. Warrants are options to purchase common stock at a specific price (usually at a premium above the market value of the optioned common stock at issuance) valid for a specific period of time. Warrants may have a life ranging from less than one year to 20 years, or they may be perpetual. However, most warrants have expiration dates after which they are worthless. In addition, a warrant is worthless if the market price of the common stock does not exceed the warrant’s exercise price during the life of the warrant. Warrants have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. The percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the warrant may tend to be greater than the percentage increase or decrease in the market price of the optioned common stock. Warrants can provide a greater potential for profit or loss than an equivalent investment in the underlying security. Prices of warrants do not necessarily move in tandem with the prices of the underlying securities and therefore are highly volatile and speculative investments. If a warrant held by a Fund is not exercised by the date of its expiration, the Fund would lose the entire purchase price of the warrant.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities

Each Fund may invest in tax-exempt securities offered on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis or for delayed draws on loans; that is, delivery of and payment for the securities take place after the date of the commitment to purchase, normally within 35 days. Securities that require more than 35 days to settle are considered a senior security and subject to Rule 18f-4. The payment obligation and the interest rate that will be received on the securities are each fixed at the time the buyer enters into the commitment. A Fund receives a commitment fee for delayed draws on loans. A Fund may sell these securities before the settlement date.

Tax-exempt securities purchased on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis are subject to changes in value in the same way as other debt securities held in the Funds’ portfolios; that is, both generally experience appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. The value of such securities also will be affected by the public’s perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and anticipated changes in the level of interest rates. Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis involves a risk that the yields available in the market when the delivery takes place may actually be higher than those obtained in the transaction itself.

On the settlement date of the when-issued or delayed-delivery securities or for delayed draws on loans, a Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash, sale of other securities, or from sale of the when-issued or delayed-delivery securities themselves (which may have a value greater or less than the Fund’s payment obligations). The availability of liquid assets for this purpose to honor requests for

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redemption, and otherwise to manage its investment portfolio will limit the extent to which the Fund may purchase when-issued and delayed delivery securities. A Fund may realize a capital gain or loss in connection with such transactions.

For more information about these practices, see the “Derivatives” section.

Zero Coupon Bonds

Each Fund may invest in zero coupon bonds. A zero coupon bond is a security that is sold at a discount from its face value (original issue discount), makes no periodic interest payments, and is redeemed at face value when it matures. The lump sum payment at maturity increases the price volatility of the zero coupon bond in response to changes in interest rates when compared to a bond that distributes a semiannual coupon payment. In calculating its income, a Fund accrues the daily amortization of the original issue discount.

INVESTMENTS IN THE FUNDS BY OTHER REGISTERED INVESTMENT COMPANIES

Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act restricts investments by registered investment companies in the securities of other investment companies, including shares of a Fund. Other registered investment companies (typically structured as a “fund of funds”) are not permitted to invest in a Fund beyond the limits set forth in Section 12(d)(1) except as permitted by any rules and regulations adopted under applicable law, including that such investment companies enter into an agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Fund.

DETERMINING NET ASSET VALUE (“NAV”) AND VALUING PORTFOLIO SECURITIES

Normally, each Fund’s NAV is determined, and the shares of each Fund are priced, as of the valuation time(s) indicated in the Prospectus on each Business Day. A “Business Day” is a day on which the NYSE is open. The NYSE generally is closed in observance of the following holidays: New Year’s Day, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents’ Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

In the event of an emergency or other disruption in trading on the NYSE, a Fund’s share price normally will be determined based upon the close of the NYSE.

The Funds generally values their investments based upon their last reported sale prices, market quotations, or estimates of value provided by an independent pricing service as of the time as of which a Fund’s share price is calculated. The Board has designated the Adviser as the “valuation designee” in accordance with Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act.

Investment Company Securities

Shares of another open-end investment company (mutual fund) held by a Fund are valued at the latest closing NAV of such mutual fund. Shares of any ETFs held by a Fund are valued in the manner described below under “Equity Securities.”

Fixed Income Securities

Fixed income securities are valued on the basis of security valuations provided by an independent pricing service, overseen by the Board, that determines value by using, among other things, information with respect to transactions of a security, quotations from dealers, market transactions in comparable securities and various relationships between securities. Specific investment securities that are not priced by the approved pricing service will be valued according to quotations obtained from dealers who are market makers in those securities. Investment securities with less than 60 days to maturity when purchased are valued at amortized cost that approximates market value. Investment securities not having readily available market quotations will be priced at fair value using a methodology approved in good faith by the Board or its designee in accordance with applicable Rules under the 1940 Act subject to Board oversight.

Convertible Fixed Income Securities

Convertible fixed income securities are valued in the same manner as any fixed income security. Non-convertible fixed income securities are valued on the basis of prices provided by independent pricing services. Prices provided by the pricing service may be determined without exclusive reliance on quoted prices and may reflect appropriate factors such as institution-sized trading in similar groups of securities, developments related to special securities, yield, quality, coupon rate, maturity, type of issue, individual trading characteristics, and other market data. Securities for which market quotations are not readily available are valued at fair value as determined in good faith by or under the supervision of the Trust’s officers in a manner specially authorized by the Board or its designee in accordance with

25

applicable Rules under the 1940 Act, subject to Board oversight. Short-term obligations having 60 days or less to maturity are valued on the basis of amortized cost, except for convertible fixed income securities.

Equity Securities

Each equity security (including ETFs) is valued at the closing price on the exchange where the security is principally traded. Each security traded in the over-the-counter market (but not including securities the trading activity of which is reported on Nasdaq’s Automated Confirmation Transaction (“ACT”) System) is valued at the bid based upon quotes furnished by market makers for such securities. Each security the trading activity of which is reported on Nasdaq’s ACT System is valued at the Nasdaq Official Closing Price.

Futures and Options Contracts

For purposes of determining NAV, futures and options contracts generally will be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading of the NYSE.

Fair Value Pricing

If market quotations are not readily available, or (in the Adviser’s judgment) do not accurately reflect the fair value of a security, or if after the close of the principal market on which a security held by a Fund is traded and before the time as of which the Funds’ net asset value is calculated that day, an event occurs that the Adviser learns of and believes in the exercise of its judgment will cause a material change in the value of that security from the closing price of the security on the principal market on which it is traded, that security may be valued by another method that the Board or its designee, in accordance with applicable Rules under the 1940 Act subject to Board oversight, believes would more accurately reflect the security’s fair value.

The Funds’ use of fair value pricing procedures involves subjective judgments and it is possible that the fair value determined for a security may be materially different from the value that could be realized upon the sale of that security. Accordingly, there can be no assurance that a Fund will obtain the fair value assigned to a security if it were to sell the security at approximately the same time at which the Fund determines its NAV per share.

Other Valuation Information

Under the 1940 Act, the Funds are required to act in good faith in determining the fair value of portfolio securities. The SEC has recognized that a security’s valuation may differ depending on the method used for determining value. The fair value ascertained for a security is an estimate and there is no assurance, given the limited information available at the time of fair valuation, that a security’s fair value will be the same as or close to the subsequent opening market price for that security.

The Board has adopted valuation procedures for the Funds and has delegated the day-to-day responsibility for fair valuation determinations to the Adviser and the Adviser’s Pricing Committee. Those determinations may include consideration of recent transactions in comparable securities, information relating to a specific security, developments in and performance of foreign securities markets, current valuations of foreign or U.S. indices, and adjustment co-efficients based on fair value models developed by independent service providers. The Adviser may, for example, adjust the value of portfolio securities based on fair value models supplied by the service provider when the Adviser believes that the adjustments better reflect actual prices as of the close of the NYSE.

Generally, trading in foreign securities, corporate bonds, U.S. government securities and money market instruments is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of the NYSE. The values of such securities used in computing the NAV of each Fund’s shares generally are determined at such times. Foreign currency exchange rates are also generally determined prior the close of the NYSE. Occasionally, events affecting the values of such securities and such exchange rates may occur between the times at which such values are determined and the close of the NYSE. If events affecting the value of securities occur during such a period, and a Fund’s NAV is materially affected by such changes in the value of the securities, then these securities will be valued at their fair value as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with applicable law. Other securities and assets for which market quotations are not readily available or for which valuation cannot be provided are valued as determined in good faith by the Adviser in accordance with applicable law.

When the NYSE is closed, or when trading is restricted for any reason other than its customary weekend or holiday closings, or under emergency circumstances as determined by the SEC to warrant such action, the Funds may not be able to accept purchase or redemption requests. A Fund’s NAV may be affected to the extent that its securities are traded on days that are not Business Days. Each Fund reserves the right to reject any purchase order in whole or in part.

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PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF SHARES

Creation Units

Each Fund issues and redeems Shares in Creation Units on a continuous basis through the Distributor (as defined below), without a sales load, at the NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any Business Day. A “Business Day” is any day on which the NYSE is open for business.

Currently, a Creation Unit is an aggregation of 25,000 shares. In its discretion, the Trust reserves the right to increase or decrease the number of the Fund’s shares that constitute a Creation Unit. The Board reserves the right to declare a split or a consolidation in the number of shares outstanding of the Fund, and to make changes in the number of shares constituting a Creation Unit, including in the event that the per share price in the secondary market rises (or declines) to an amount that falls outside the range deemed desirable by the Board.

Authorized Participants

To purchase or redeem any Creation Units, you must be, or transact through, an Authorized Participant. In order to be an Authorized Participant, you must be either a broker-dealer or other participant (“Participating Party”) in the Continuous Net Settlement System (“Clearing Process”) of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) or a participant in DTC with access to the DTC system (“DTC Participant”), and you must execute an agreement (“Participant Agreement”) with the Distributor that governs transactions in each Fund’s Creation Units.

Investors who are not Authorized Participants but want to transact in Creation Units may contact the Distributor for the names of Authorized Participants. An Authorized Participant may require investors to enter into a separate agreement to transact through it for Creation Units and may require orders for purchases of shares placed with it to be in a particular form. Investors transacting through a broker that is not itself an Authorized Participant and, therefore, must still transact through an Authorized Participant, may incur additional charges. There are expected to be a limited number of Authorized Participants at any one time.

Investors who are not Authorized Participants may purchase and sell shares of the Fund through an Authorized Participant or on the secondary market.

Orders must be transmitted by an Authorized Participant by telephone or other transmission method acceptable to the Distributor. Market disruptions and telephone or other communication failures may impede the transmission of orders.

Transaction Fees

A fixed fee payable to the Custodian (as defined below) is imposed on each creation and redemption transaction regardless of the number of Creation Units involved in the transaction (“Fixed Fee”). Purchases and redemptions of Creation Units for cash or involving cash-in- lieu (as defined below) are required to pay an additional variable charge to compensate each Fund and its ongoing shareholders for brokerage and market impact expenses relating to Creation Unit transactions (“Variable Charge,” and together with the Fixed Fee, the “Transaction Fees”). With the approval of the Board, the Adviser may waive or adjust the Transaction Fees, including the Fixed Fee and/or Variable Charge (shown in the table below), from time to time. In such cases, the Authorized Participant will reimburse each Fund for, among other things, any difference between the market value at which the securities and/or financial instruments were purchased by each Fund and the cash-in-lieu amount, applicable registration fees, brokerage commissions and certain taxes and other costs and expenses related to the execution of trades resulting from such transaction (up to the maximum amount shown below). In addition, purchasers of Creation Units are responsible for the costs of transferring the Deposit Securities to the account of each Fund (as defined below). Investors who use the services of a broker, or other such intermediary, may be charged a fee for such services.

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The following table sets forth each Fund’s standard Transaction Fees and maximum additional charge (as described above):

 

 

Maximum

 

 

Additional

 

 

Variable

 

Fee for In-Kind and

Charge for Cash

 

Cash Purchases and

Purchases and

 

Redemptions

Redemptions*

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF

$100

2.00%

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF

$100

2.00%

*As a percentage of the amount invested.

The Clearing Process

Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a Participating Party using the NSCC system are referred to as transactions “through the Clearing Process.” Transactions by an Authorized Participant that is a DTC Participant using the DTC system are referred to as transactions “outside the Clearing Process.” The Clearing Process is an enhanced clearing process that is available only for certain securities and only to DTC participants that are also participants in the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC. In-kind (portions of) purchase orders not subject to the Clearing Process will go through a manual clearing process run by DTC. Portfolio Deposits that include government securities must be delivered through the Federal Reserve Bank wire transfer system (“Federal Reserve System”). Fund Deposits that include cash may be delivered through the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System. In-kind deposits of securities for orders outside the Clearing Process must be delivered through the Federal Reserve System (for government securities) or through DTC (for corporate securities).

Foreign Securities

Because the portfolio securities of each Fund may trade on days that the Exchange is closed or are otherwise not Business Days for each Fund, shareholders may not be able to redeem their shares of each Fund, or to purchase or sell shares of each Fund on the Exchange, on days when the NAV of each Fund could be significantly affected by events in the relevant foreign markets.

Purchasing Creation Units

Portfolio Deposits

The consideration for a Creation Unit generally consists of the in-kind deposit of designated securities (“Deposit Securities”) and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars (“Cash Component”). Together, the Deposit Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Portfolio Deposit.” The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Deposit Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of each Fund and (y) the market value of the Deposit Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to each Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from each Fund.

On each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Deposit Security in the current Portfolio Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for each Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. The Deposit Securities announced are applicable, subject to any adjustments as described below, to purchases of Creation Units until the next announcement of Deposit Securities.

The Deposit Securities may change, for example, as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser in each Fund’s portfolio. These adjustments will reflect changes known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Portfolio Deposit.

Payment of any stamp duty or the like shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant purchasing a Creation Unit. The Authorized Participant must ensure that all Deposit Securities properly denote change in beneficial ownership.

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Custom Orders and Cash-in-lieu

Each Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Deposit Security. Each Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Deposit Security may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, each Fund may permit or require cash in lieu of Deposit Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities laws or policies from transacting in one or more Deposit Securities. Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in accepting Deposit Securities including that the Deposit Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All orders involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Orders.”

Purchase Orders

To order a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable purchase order to the Distributor.

Timing of Submission of Purchase Orders

All orders to purchase shares directly from any Fund directly from a Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units and in the manner and by 2:00 p.m. Eastern time or such earlier time that the Exchange or bond market closes (the “Cut-off Time”) in order to receive the NAV calculated on the Transmittal Date. The “Transmittal Date” is the date on which such an order to purchase Creation Units (or an order to redeem Creation Units, as set forth below). All orders placed between 8:00 a.m. and 9:00 a.m. Eastern time are eligible to receive same day settlement (or “T+0”).

Intermediary Deadlines

Persons placing or effectuating custom orders and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve Bank wire system, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the “Settlement Date,” which is generally the Business Day immediately following the Transmittal Date (“T+1”).

Orders Using the Clearing Process

If available, (portions of) orders may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor or its agent transmits, on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the creation order. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Portfolio Deposit to each Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor . Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System.

Orders Outside the Clearing Process

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Portfolio Deposits will be made outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the creation of Creation Units will be effected through DTC. The Portfolio Deposit transfer must be ordered by the DTC Participant on the Transmittal Date in a timely fashion so as to ensure the delivery of Deposit Securities (whether standard or custom) through DTC to each Fund account by 11:00 a.m., Eastern time, on T+1. The Cash Component, along with any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee, must be transferred directly to the Custodian through the Federal Reserve System in a timely manner so as to be received by the Custodian no later than 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive both the Deposit Securities and the cash by the appointed time, the order may be canceled. A canceled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day but must conform to that Business Day’s Portfolio Deposit. Authorized Participants that submit a canceled order will be liable to each Fund for any losses incurred by each Fund in connection therewith.

Orders involving foreign Deposit Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable purchase order, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian of such order. The Custodian, who will have caused the appropriate local sub-custodian(s) of each Fund to maintain an account into which an Authorized Participant may deliver Deposit Securities (or cash -in-lieu), with adjustments determined by each Fund, will then provide information of the order to such local sub- custodian(s). The ordering Authorized Participant will then deliver the Deposit Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) to each Fund’s account at the applicable local sub-custodian. The Authorized Participant must also make available on or before the contractual settlement date, by means satisfactory to each Fund, immediately available or same day funds in U.S. dollars estimated by each Fund to be sufficient to

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pay the Cash Component and Transaction Fee. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period. Settlement must occur by 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on the contractual settlement date.

Acceptance of Purchase Order

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by each Fund. Each Fund’s determination shall be final and binding.

Each Fund reserves the right to reject or revoke acceptance of a purchase order transmitted to it by the Distributor, provided that such action does not result in a suspension of sales of Creation Units in contravention of Rule 6c-11 under the 1940 Act and the SEC’s positions thereunder. For example, a Fund may reject or revoke acceptance of a creation order including, but not limited to, when (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of each Fund; (c) the Deposit Securities delivered do not conform to the Deposit Securities for the applicable date; (d) the acceptance of the Portfolio Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; or (e) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Trust, the Distributor and the Adviser make it for all practical purposes impossible to process purchase orders. Examples of such circumstances include acts of God; public service or utility problems resulting in telephone, telecopy, or computer failures; fires, floods, or extreme weather conditions; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other informational systems affecting the Trust, the Distributor, DTC, NSCC, the Adviser, each Fund’s Custodian, a sub-custodian, or any other participant in the creation process; and similar extraordinary events. The Distributor shall notify an Authorized Participant of its rejection of the order. Each Fund, the Custodian, any sub-custodian, and the Distributor are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in the delivery of Portfolio Deposits, and they shall not incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification.

Issuance of a Creation Unit

Once a Fund has accepted an order, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Creation Unit against receipt of payment, at such NAV. The Distributor will transmit a confirmation of acceptance to the Authorized Participant that placed the order.

Except as provided below, a Creation Unit will not be issued until a Fund obtains good title to the Deposit Securities, along with any cash- in-lieu and Transaction Fee. The delivery of Creation Units generally will occur no later than T+1.

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

With respect to orders involving foreign Deposit Securities, when a local sub-custodian has confirmed to the Custodian that the Deposit Securities (or cash-in-lieu) have been delivered to a Fund’s account with the sub- custodian, the Fund will issue and deliver the Creation Unit. As stated above, Creation Units are generally delivered on T+1. However, a Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances.

A Fund may issue a Creation Unit prior to receiving good title to the Deposit Securities under the following circumstances if, pursuant to the applicable Participant Agreement, the relevant Authorized Participant provides an undertaking to deliver the missing Deposit Securities as soon as possible, which undertaking is secured by such Authorized Participant’s delivery of cash in U.S. Dollars to the Custodian having a value equal to at least 105% of the value of the missing Deposit Securities (“Collateral”) as adjusted by time to time by the Adviser. The Collateral will have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Unit on the date the order is placed and must be delivered no later than 2:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. The value of the missing Deposit Securities is marked to market daily and the amount of Collateral is adjusted to make sure the Collateral value is at least 105% of the marked value. At any time, a Fund may use the Collateral to purchase the missing Deposit Securities, and the Authorized Participant will be liable to the Fund for any costs incurred thereby or losses resulting therefrom, whether or not they exceed the amount of the Collateral, including any Transaction Fee, any amount by which the purchase price of the missing Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such securities on the Transmittal Date, brokerage, and other transaction costs. The Trust will return any unused Collateral once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been received by a Fund. More information regarding a Fund’s current procedures for collateralization is available from the Funds.

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Cash Purchase Method

When cash purchases of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in- kind purchases. In the case of a cash purchase, the investor must pay the cash equivalent of the Portfolio Deposit. In addition, cash purchases will be subject to Transaction Fees, as described above.

The Funds reserve the right to offer purchases of Creation Units solely in cash if, on a given Business Day, a Fund announces before the open of trading that all purchases on that day will be made entirely in cash. A Fund may also, on a given Business Day, require all Authorized Participants purchasing Creation Units on that day to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC or (ii) in the case of Foreign Funds holding non-U.S. investments, such securities are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances.

A Fund also may permit an Authorized Participant to deposit cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not available in sufficient quantity or (ii) such securities are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting.

Redeeming a Creation Unit

Shares of a Fund may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request made in proper form by the Distributor on any Business Day. A Fund will not redeem shares in amounts less than Creation Units.

Redemption Basket

The consideration received in connection with the redemption of a Creation Unit generally consists of an in-kind basket of designated securities (“Redemption Securities”) and an amount of cash in U.S. dollars (“Cash Component”). Together, the Redemption Securities and the Cash Component constitute the “Redemption Basket.”

There can be no assurance that there will be sufficient liquidity in shares in the secondary market to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. In addition, investors may incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a Creation Unit.

The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the net asset value per Creation Unit and the Redemption Securities. Thus, the Cash Component is equal to the difference between (x) the net asset value per Creation Unit of the Fund and (y) the market value of the Redemption Securities. If (x) is more than (y), the Authorized Participant will receive the Cash Component from the Fund. If (x) is less than (y), the Authorized Participant will pay the Cash Component to the Fund.

If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, prior to the opening of business on the Exchange (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern Time), the Adviser through the Custodian makes available through NSCC the name and amount of each Redemption Security in the current Redemption Basket (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for a Fund and the (estimated) Cash Component, effective through and including the previous Business Day, per Creation Unit. If the Redemption Securities on a Business Day are different from the Deposit Securities, all redemption requests that day will be processed outside the Clearing Process.

The Redemption Securities may change as rebalancing adjustments and corporate action events are reflected from time to time by the Adviser in the Fund’s portfolio. These adjustments will reflect changes known to the Adviser on the date of announcement to be in effect by the time of delivery of the Redemption Basket.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed: (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted; (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares or determination of the ETF’s NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstances as permitted by the SEC, including as described below.

Custom Redemptions and Cash-in-lieu

A Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit or require the substitution of an amount of cash (“cash-in-lieu”) to be added to the Cash Component to replace any Redemption Security. The Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu when, for example, a Redemption Security

31

may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery or may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC or the Clearing Process. Similarly, a Fund may permit or require cash-in-lieu of Redemption Securities when, for example, the Authorized Participant or its underlying investor is restricted under U.S. or local securities law or policies from transacting in one or more Redemption Securities. Each Fund will comply with the federal securities laws in satisfying redemptions with Redemption Securities, including that the Redemption Securities are sold in transactions that would be exempt from registration under the 1933 Act. All redemption requests involving cash-in-lieu are considered to be “Custom Redemptions.”

Redemption Requests

To redeem a Creation Unit, an Authorized Participant must submit an irrevocable redemption request to the Distributor. An Authorized Participant will represent to the Fund that it will not attempt to place a redemption order for the purpose of redeeming any Creation Units, unless it first ascertains or has reasonable grounds to believe that as of the time of the settlement date: (i) it, or its customer, as the case may be, will own outright (or have full legal authority and legal beneficial right to tender) the requisite number of Fund shares for redemption, and (ii) all of the shares that are in the Creation Unit to be redeemed have not been loaned or pledged to another party and are not the subject of a repurchase agreement, securities lending agreement or such other arrangement that would preclude the delivery of such shares to a Fund on the settlement date. Each Fund reserves the absolute right, in its sole discretion, to verify these representations, but will typically require verification in connection with higher levels of redemption activity and /or short interest in a Fund. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of the requested representations, the redemption request will not be considered to be in proper form and may be rejected by a Fund.

Timing of Submission of Redemption Requests

All orders to redeem shares directly from any Fund must be placed for one or more Creation Units by the Cut-off Time in order to receive the NAV calculated on the Transmittal Date.

Intermediary Deadlines

A redemption request is deemed received if (i) such order is received by the Distributor by the Cut-off Time on such day and (ii) all other procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement are properly followed. Persons placing or effectuating Custom Redemptions and/or orders involving cash should be mindful of time deadlines imposed by intermediaries, such as DTC and/or the Federal Reserve System, which may impact the successful processing of such orders to ensure that cash and securities are transferred by the Settlement Date, as defined above.

Requests Using the Clearing Process

If available, (portions of) redemption requests may be settled through the Clearing Process. In connection with such orders, the Distributor transmits on behalf of the Authorized Participant, such trade instructions as are necessary to effect the redemption. Pursuant to such trade instructions, the Authorized Participant agrees to deliver the requisite Creation Unit(s) to a Fund, together with such additional information as may be required by the Distributor. Cash Components will be delivered using either the Clearing Process or the Federal Reserve System, as described above.

Requests Outside the Clearing Process

If the Clearing Process is not available for (portions of) an order, Redemption Baskets will be delivered outside the Clearing Process. Orders outside the Clearing Process must state that the DTC Participant is not using the Clearing Process and that the redemption will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant must transfer or cause to be transferred the Creation Unit(s) of shares being redeemed through the book-entry system of DTC so as to be delivered through DTC to the Custodian by 10:00 a.m., Eastern Time, on received T+1. In addition, the Cash Component must be received by the Custodian by 12:00 p.m., Eastern Time, on T+1. If the Custodian does not receive the Creation Unit(s) and Cash Component by the appointed times on T+1, the redemption will be rejected, except in the circumstances described below. A rejected redemption request may be resubmitted the following Business Day.

Orders involving foreign Redemption Securities are expected to be settled outside the Clearing Process. Thus, upon receipt of an irrevocable redemption request, the Distributor will notify the Adviser and the Custodian. The Custodian will then provide information of the redemption to the Fund’s local sub-custodian(s). The redeeming Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf is acting, will have established appropriate arrangements with a broker-dealer, bank or other custody provider in each jurisdiction in which the Redemption Securities are customarily traded and to which such Redemption Securities (and any cash-in-lieu) can be delivered from the Fund’s accounts at the applicable local sub-custodian(s).

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Acceptance of Redemption Requests

All questions as to the number of shares of each security in the Deposit Securities and the validity, form, eligibility, and acceptance for deposit of any securities to be delivered shall be determined by the Trust. The Trust’s determination shall be final and binding.

The Funds reserve the right to reject a redemption order if the order is not in proper form. In addition, the right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed with respect to the Fund (i) for any period during which the NYSE is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (ii) for any period during which trading on the NYSE is suspended or restricted, (iii) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which disposal of the shares of a Fund’s portfolio securities or determination of its NAV is not reasonably practicable; or (iv) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC. The Funds or Distributor will notify the Authorized Participant of such rejection, but the Funds, Custodian, sub-custodian, and Distributor shall not be liable for any failure to give such notification.

Delivery of Redemption Basket

Once a Fund has accepted a redemption request, upon next determination of the Fund’s NAV, the Fund will confirm the issuance of a Redemption Basket, against receipt of the Creation Unit(s) at such NAV, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee. A Creation Unit tendered for redemption and the payment of the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee will be effected through DTC. The Authorized Participant, or the investor on whose behalf it is acting, will be recorded on the book-entry system of DTC.

The Redemption Basket generally will be delivered to the redeeming Authorized Participant within T+1. Except under the circumstances described below; however, a Redemption Basket generally will not be issued until the Creation Unit(s) are delivered to a Fund, along with the Cash Component, any cash-in-lieu and Transaction Fee.

In certain cases, Authorized Participants will create and redeem Creation Units on the same trade date. In these instances, the Trust reserves the right to settle these transactions on a net basis.

With respect to orders involving foreign Redemption Securities, a Fund may settle Creation Unit transactions on a basis other than T+1 in order to accommodate foreign market holiday schedules, to account for different treatment among foreign and U.S. markets of dividend record dates and ex-dividend dates (that is the last day the holder of a security can sell the security and still receive dividends payable on the security), and in certain other circumstances. When a relevant local market is closed due to local market holidays, the local market settlement process will not commence until the end of the local holiday period.

Cash Redemption Method. The Funds reserve the right to redeem Creation Units solely in cash if, on a given Business Day, a Fund announces before the open of trading that all redemptions on that day will be made entirely in cash. A Fund may also on a given Business Day, require all Authorized Participants redeeming Creation Units on that day to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not eligible for transfer either through the NSCC or DTC or (ii) in the case of a Fund that invests a significant amount of its assets in foreign securities holding non-U.S. investments, such securities are not eligible for trading due to local trading restrictions, local restrictions on securities transfers or other similar circumstances. The Funds may also permit an Authorized Participant to receive cash in lieu of some or all of the Deposit Securities because: (i) such securities are not available in sufficient quantity, (ii) such securities are not eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor on whose behalf the Authorized Participant is acting, or

(iii)a holder of shares of a Fund holding non-U.S. investments would be subject to unfavorable income tax treatment if the holder receives redemption proceeds in kind. When cash redemptions of Creation Units are available or specified for a Fund, they will be effected in essentially the same manner as in-kind redemptions. In the case of a cash redemption, the investor will receive the cash equivalent of the Redemption Basket minus any Transaction Fees, as described above.

MANAGEMENT OF THE TRUST

Board Leadership Structure

The Trust is governed by the Board, which is comprised of eight Trustees, seven of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust within the meaning of that term under the 1940 Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The Chair of the Board is an Independent Trustee, who functions as the lead Trustee. The Chair serves as liaison between the Board and its Committees, the Adviser and other service providers. The Chair is actively involved in setting the Board meeting agenda, and participates on certain Board Committees.

33

Board Role in Risk Oversight

In considering risks related to the Funds, the Board consults and receives reports from officers of the Funds and personnel of the Adviser, who are charged with the day-to-day risk oversight function. Matters regularly reported to the Board or a designated committee include certain risks involving, among other things, the Funds’ investment portfolios, trading practices, operational matters, financial and accounting controls, and legal and regulatory compliance. The Board has delegated to each of the Compliance Committee and Audit and Risk Oversight Committee certain responsibilities for reviewing reports relating to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk, liquidity, and personnel. The Board relies on the Investment Committee to review reports relating to investment risks, that is, risks to the Funds resulting from pursuing the Funds’ investment strategies (e.g., credit risk and market risk).

Trustees and Officers

The following tables list the Trustees and Officers, their year of birth, position with the Trust, length of time served, principal occupations during the past five years and, where applicable, any directorships of other investment companies or companies whose securities are registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (“1934 Act”), or who file reports under the 1934 Act. Under the Trust’s organizational documents, each Trustee serves as a Trustee of the Trust during the lifetime of the Trust and until its termination except as such Trustee sooner dies, resigns, retires, or is removed. However, pursuant to a policy adopted by the Board, each elected or appointed Independent Trustee may serve as a Trustee until the Trustee reaches age 80, and the Interested Trustee may serve as a Trustee until the Trustee reaches age 80. The Board may change or grant exceptions from this policy at any time without shareholder approval. Each Trustee’s address is c/o Victory Funds, 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256.

34

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directorships

 

 

 

Position

Date

 

Number of Portfolios

Held During

 

 

Name and

Held with

Commenced

Principal Occupation

in Fund Complex

the

 

 

Date of Birth

the Trust

Service

During Past 5 Years

Overseen by Trustee

Past 5 Years

 

 

David Brooks

Trustee

May 2015

Consultant (since 2006)

60 portfolios comprised

None

 

 

Adcock,

 

 

 

of 30 portfolios in the

 

 

(1951)

 

 

 

Trust and 30 portfolios in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nigel D.T.

Trustee

May 2015

Retired

60 portfolios comprised

Director,

 

Andrews,

 

 

 

of 30 portfolios in the

Carlyle Secured

(1947)

 

 

 

Trust and 30 portfolios in

Lending, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios

(since 2012);

 

 

 

 

 

 

Director,

 

 

 

 

 

 

Carlyle Credit

 

 

 

 

 

 

Solutions, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

 

(since 2017)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

E. Lee Beard*,

Trustee

May 2015

Retired

60 portfolios comprised

None

 

(1951)

 

 

 

of 30 portfolios in the

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trust and 30 portfolios in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

John L. Kelly,

Chair and

May 2015

Managing Partner,

60 portfolios comprised

Director,

(1953)

Trustee

 

Active Capital Partners

of 30 portfolios in the

Caledonia

 

 

 

 

LLC, a strategic

Trust and 30 portfolios in

Mining

 

 

 

 

consultant (since October

Victory Portfolios

Corporation

 

 

 

 

2017)

 

(since May

 

 

 

 

 

 

2012)

 

 

David L.

Trustee

May 2015

Retired

60 portfolios comprised

None

 

Meyer*,

 

 

 

of 30 portfolios in the

 

 

(1957)

 

 

 

Trust and 30 portfolios in

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gloria S.

Trustee

July 2016

Chair, CEO, and Co-

60 portfolios comprised

TriLinc Global

 

Nelund,

 

 

Founder of TriLinc

of 30 portfolios in the

Impact Fund,

(1961)

 

 

Global, LLC, an

Trust and 30 portfolios in

LLC (since

 

 

 

 

investment firm

Victory Portfolios

2012)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Timothy Pettee,

Trustee

January 2023

Chief Investment Officer,

60 portfolios comprised

None

 

(1958)

 

 

Hoya Capital Real Estate

of 30 portfolios in the

 

 

 

 

 

 

LLC (since February

Trust and 30 portfolios in

 

 

 

 

 

 

2022); Chief Investment

Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

 

 

 

Officer, Sun America

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Asset Management Corp.

 

 

 

(January 2003-July

2021)

35

 

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

 

 

 

 

Directorships

 

 

Position

Date

 

Number of Portfolios

Held During

 

Name and

Held with

Commenced

Principal Occupation

in Fund Complex

the Past 5

 

Date of Birth

the Trust

Service

During Past 5 Years

Overseen by Trustee

Years

 

David C.

Trustee

May 2015

Chief Executive Officer

138 portfolios comprised

Trustee, Victory

 

Brown**,

 

 

and Chairman (2013-

of 30 portfolios in the

Portfolios,

(1972)

 

 

present), Victory Capital

Trust, 30 portfolios in

Victory

 

 

 

Management Inc.; Chief

Victory Portfolios, 45

Portfolios III,

 

 

 

Executive Officer and

portfolios in Victory

Victory

 

 

 

Chairman (2013-

Portfolios III, 26

Portfolios IV

 

 

 

present), Victory Capital

portfolios in Victory

and Victory

 

 

 

Holdings, Inc.; Director,

Portfolios IV, and 7

Variable

 

 

 

Victory Capital Services,

portfolios in Victory

Insurance Funds

 

 

 

Inc. (2013- present);

Variable Insurance Funds

II; Victory

 

 

 

Director, Victory Capital

II.

Pioneer ILS

 

 

 

Transfer Agency, Inc.

 

Interval Fund,

 

 

 

(2019- present)

 

Board Member,

 

 

 

 

 

and Victory

 

 

 

 

 

Capital

 

 

 

 

 

Services, Inc.

*The Board has designated Ms. Beard and Mr. Meyer as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.

**Mr. Brown is an “Interested Person” by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.

Trustee Qualifications

The following summarizes the experience and qualifications of the Trustees.

David Brooks Adcock. Mr. Adcock served for many years as general counsel to Duke University and Duke University Health System, where he provided oversight to complex business transactions such as mergers and acquisitions and dispositions. He has served for more than 20 years as a public interest arbitrator for, among others, the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, the National Futures Association, FINRA, and the American Arbitration Association. The Board believes that Mr. Adcock’s knowledge of complex business transactions and the securities industry combined with his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve on the Board.

Nigel D.T. Andrews. Mr. Andrews served for many years as a management consultant for a nationally recognized consulting company and as a senior executive at GE, including Vice President of Corporate Business Development, reporting to the

Chairman, and as Executive Vice President of GE Capital. He also served as a Director and member of the Audit and Risk Committee of Old Mutual plc, a large publicly traded company whose shares are traded on the London Stock Exchange. Mr. Andrews also formerly served as the non-executive chairman of Old Mutual’s U.S. asset management business, where he also served on the audit and risk committee. Mr. Andrews also served as a Governor of the London Business School. He serves as a director of Carlyle Secured Lending, Inc. (formerly TCG BDC I, Inc.) and Carlyle Credit Solutions, Inc., (formerly TCG BDC II, Inc.), each a business development company. The Board believes that his experience in these positions, particularly with respect to oversight of risk and the audit function of public companies, as well as his previous service on the boards of other mutual funds qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

E. Lee Beard. Ms. Beard, a certified public accountant, has served as the president, chief executive officer and director, and as a chief financial officer, of public, federally insured depository institutions. As such, Ms. Beard is familiar with issues relating to audits of financial institutions. The Board believes that Ms. Beard’s experience as the chief executive officer of a depository institution, her service on the boards of other mutual funds and her knowledge of audit and accounting matters qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.

David C. Brown. Mr. Brown serves as the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer (since 2013) of the Adviser and, as such, is an “interested person” of the Trust. Previously, he served as Co-Chief Executive Officer (2011 - 2013), and President — Investments and Operations (2010 - 2011) and Chief Operating Officer (2004 - 2011) of the Adviser. The Board believes that his position and

36

experience with the Adviser and his previous experience in the investment management business qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

John L. Kelly. Mr. Kelly has more than 35 years of experience and leadership roles in the financial services industry including institutional electronic trading, capital markets, corporate and investment banking, retail brokerage, private equity, asset/wealth management, institutional services, mutual funds, and related technology enabled services. He previously served as an Independent Trustee of Victory Portfolios, Victory Institutional Funds, and Victory Variable Insurance Funds from 2008 to 2011. The Board believes that this experience qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

David L. Meyer. For six years, Mr. Meyer served as chief operating officer, Investment Wealth Management Division, of Mercantile Bankshares Corp (now PNC Financial Services Corp.) and has served as an officer or on the boards of other mutual funds for many years. The Board believes that his experience, particularly as it related to the operation of registered investment companies, qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

Gloria S. Nelund. Ms. Nelund has executive and investment management industry experience, including service as chief executive officer of two investment advisory firms. Ms. Nelund also has experience as a co-founder and chief executive officer of an investment firm. Ms. Nelund previously served as the Chairman and Trustee of the boards of the RS Investment Trust and RS Variable Products Trust. The Board believes that this experience qualifies her to serve as a Trustee.

Timothy Pettee. Mr. Pettee served for many years as Chief Investment Officer and Lead Portfolio Manager (Rules Based Funds) of SunAmerica Asset Management Corp., where he was responsible for investment oversight, portfolio management, and securities selection. At SunAmerica, Mr. Pettee also was Chair of the Portfolio Policy and Brokerage and Soft Dollar Committees, and a member of the Proxy and Executive Committees. The Board believes that Mr. Pettee’s experience with other mutual funds and his knowledge qualifies him to serve as a Trustee.

Committees of the Board

The following standing Committees of the Board are currently in operation: Audit and Risk Oversight, Compliance, Continuing Education, Investment, Service Provider, Board Governance and Nominating, and Agenda. In addition to these standing Committees, the Board may form temporary Sub- or Special Committees to address particular areas of concern. A Committee may form a Sub-Committee to address particular areas of concern to that Committee.

The members of the Audit and Risk Oversight Committee, all of whom are Independent Trustees, are Ms. Beard (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Nelund. The primary purpose of this Committee is to oversee the Trust’s accounting and financial reporting policies, practices, and internal controls, as required by the statutes and regulations administered by the SEC, including the 1940 Act. The Committee also has overall responsibility for reviewing periodic reports with respect to compliance and enterprise risk, including operational risk and personnel. The Board has designated Mr. Meyer and Ms. Beard as its Audit Committee Financial Experts.

The members of the Compliance Committee are Mr. Adcock (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Ms. Beard, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Nelund. The Compliance Committee oversees matters related to the Funds’ compliance program and compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations and meets regularly with the Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer.

The members of the Continuing Education Committee are Mr. Meyer (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Mr. Andrews, Ms. Beard, Mr. Kelly, and Ms. Nelund. The function of this Committee is to develop programs to educate the Trustees to enhance their effectiveness as a Board and individually.

The members of the Investment Committee are Mr. Pettee (Chair), Mr. Adcock, Mr. Kelly, and Mr. Meyer. The function of this Committee is to oversee the Funds’ compliance with investment objectives, policies, and restrictions, including those imposed by law or regulation, and assist the Board in its annual review of the Funds’ investment advisory agreements.

The members of the Service Provider Committee are Ms. Nelund (Chair), Mr. Andrews, Ms. Beard, and Mr. Kelly. This Committee oversees the negotiation of the terms of the written agreements with the Funds’ service providers, evaluates the quality of periodic reports from the service providers (including reports submitted by sub-service providers) and assists the Board in its review of each Fund’s service providers, other than the investment adviser and independent auditors.

37

The Board Governance and Nominating Committee consists of all of the Independent Trustees. Mr. Andrews currently serves as the Chair of this Committee. The functions of this Committee are: to oversee Fund governance, including the nomination and selection of Trustees; to evaluate and recommend to the Board the compensation and expense reimbursement policies applicable to Trustees; and periodically, to coordinate and facilitate an evaluation of the performance of the Board.

The Board Governance and Nominating Committee will consider nominee recommendations from Fund shareholders, in accordance with procedures established by the Committee. A Fund shareholder should submit a nominee recommendation in writing to the attention of the Chair of the Trust, 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256. The Committee (or a designated sub-committee) will screen shareholder recommendations in the same manner as it screens nominations received from other sources, such as current Trustees, management of the Funds or other individuals, including professional recruiters. The Committee need not consider any recommendations when no vacancy on the Board exists, but the Committee will consider any such recommendation if a vacancy occurs within six months after receipt of the recommendation. In administering the shareholder recommendation process, the Chair, in the Chair’s sole discretion, may retain the services of counsel to the Trust or to the Independent Trustees, management of the Fund or any third party. The Committee will communicate the results of the evaluation of any shareholder recommendation to the shareholder who made the recommendation.

The Agenda Committee consists of the Chair of the Board and the Chair of each other Committee.

During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, the Board held [ ] meetings. The Audit and Risk Oversight Committee held [ ] meetings; the Compliance Committee held [ ] meetings; the Investment Committee held [ ] meetings; the Service Provider Committee held [ ]

meetings; and the Board Governance and Nominating Committee held [

] meetings. The Continuing Education Committee met

informally during the fiscal year.

 

Officers of the Trust

The officers of the Trust are elected by the Board to actively supervise the Trust’s day-to-day operations. The officers of the Trust, their year of birth, the length of time served, and their principal occupations during the past five years, are detailed in the following table. Each individual holds the same position with the other registered investment companies in the Victory Fund Complex, and each officer serves until the earlier of his or her resignation, removal, retirement, death, or the election of a successor. The mailing address of each officer of the Trust is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256. The officers of the Trust receive no compensation directly from the Trust for performing the duties of their offices.

38

 

 

Date

 

 

Name and

Position with

Commenced

Principal Occupation

 

Date of Birth

the Trust

Service

During Past 5 Years

 

Thomas

President and

May 2022

Director, Fund Administration, the Adviser; Treasurer and

 

Dusenberry,

Principal

 

Principal Financial Officer (May 2023-present); Manager,

(1977)

Executive Officer

 

Fund Administration, the Adviser; Treasurer and

 

 

 

Principal Financial Officer (2020-2022), Assistant

 

 

 

Treasurer (2019), Salient MF Trust, Salient Midstream,

 

 

 

MLP Fund and Forward Funds; Principal Financial

 

 

 

Officer (2018-2021) and Treasurer (2020-2021), Salient

 

 

 

Private Access Funds and Endowment PMF Funds;

 

 

 

Senior Vice President of Fund Accounting and

 

 

 

Operations, Salient Partners (2020-2022); Director of

 

 

 

Fund Operations, Salient Partners (2016-2019). Mr.

 

 

 

Dusenberry also serves as President of Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory

 

 

 

Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer ILS

 

 

 

Interval Fund.

Scott A. Stahorsky,

Vice President

May 2015

Director, Third-Party Dealer Services & Reg

 

(1969)

 

 

Administration, Fund Administration, the Adviser

 

 

 

(5/1/2023-present); Vice President, Victory Capital

 

 

 

Transfer Agency, Inc. (4/20/23-present); Manager, Fund

 

 

 

Administration, the Adviser (4/30/23- 2015). Mr.

 

 

 

Stahorsky also serves as Vice President of Victory

 

 

 

Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV,

 

 

 

Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer

 

 

 

ILS Interval Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher J.

Secretary

December 2025

Associate General Counsel, Registered Funds Chief Legal

Kelley (1964)

 

 

Officer, the Adviser (April 2025-present); Mr. Kelley was

 

 

 

formerly Senior Vice President and Deputy General

 

 

 

Counsel of Amundi US (2024-March 2025); Vice

 

 

 

President and Associate General Counsel of Amundi US

 

 

 

(2008-2024); Secretary and Chief Legal Officer of the

 

 

 

Pioneer Funds (2010-March 2025); Assistant Secretary of

 

 

 

the Pioneer Funds (2003-2010); and Vice President and

 

 

 

Counsel of Amundi US (2002-2007). Mr. Kelley also

 

 

 

serves as Secretary of Victory Portfolios II, Victory

 

 

 

Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory Variable

 

 

 

Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer ILS Interval

 

 

 

Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Thomas

Assistant

December 2025

Associate General Counsel, the Adviser (April 2025-

Reyes (1962)

Secretary

 

present); Mr. Reyes was formerly Associate General

 

 

 

Counsel of Amundi US (2023-March 2025); Assistant

 

 

 

Secretary of the Pioneer Funds (2010-March 2025);

 

 

 

Assistant General Counsel of Amundi US (2013-2023);

 

 

 

and Counsel of Amundi US (2007-2013). Mr. Reyes also

 

 

 

serves as Assistant Secretary of Victory Portfolios II,

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory

 

 

 

Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer ILS

 

 

 

Interval Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Matthew J.

Assistant

December 2025

Partner, Sidley Austin LLP (January 2025-present); and

Kutner (1982)

Secretary

 

Mr. Kutner was formerly Senior Managing Associate,

 

 

 

Sidley Austin LLP (2020-December 2024).

 

39

 

 

Date

 

 

Name and

Position with

Commenced

Principal Occupation

 

Date of Birth

the Trust

Service

During Past 5 Years

 

Patricia McClain

Assistant

June 2024

Director, Regulatory Administration, Fund

 

(1962)

Secretary

 

Administration, the Adviser (7/1/19-present). Ms.

 

 

 

McClain also serves as Secretary of Victory Portfolios II,

 

 

 

Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory

 

 

 

Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer ILS

 

 

 

Interval Fund.

Carol D. Trevino

Treasurer and

February 2023

Director, Financial Reporting, Fund Administration

(1965)

Principal

 

(5/1/23-present); Director, Accounting and Finance, the

 

Financial and

 

Adviser (7/1/19-4/30/23); Accounting/ Financial

 

Accounting

 

Director, USAA (12/13-6/30/19). Ms. Trevino also serves

 

Officer

 

as Treasurer of Victory Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios

 

 

 

III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory Variable Insurance

 

 

 

Funds II, and Victory Pioneer ILS Interval Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Christopher Ponte,

Assistant

May 2015

Director, Fund and Broker Dealer Finance, Fund

(1984)

Treasurer

 

Administration, (5/1/23-present); Victory Capital

 

 

 

Transfer Agency, Inc. (5/23-present); Manager, Fund

 

 

 

Administration, the Adviser (2017-2023); Chief Financial

 

 

 

Officer, Victory Capital Services, Inc. (since 2018). Mr.

 

 

 

Ponte also serves as Assistant Treasurer of Victory

 

 

 

Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV,

 

 

 

Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer

 

 

 

ILS Interval Fund.

 

 

 

 

 

Sean Fox,

Chief

June 2022

Sr. Compliance Officer, the Adviser (2019-Present);

(1976)

Compliance

 

Compliance Officer, the Adviser (2015-2019). Mr. Fox

 

Officer

 

also serves as Chief Compliance Officer for Victory

 

 

 

Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV,

 

 

 

Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer

 

 

 

ILS Interval Fund.

 

 

 

 

D. Brent Rowse,

Anti-Money

October 2024

Sr. Compliance Officer, the Adviser (4/1/23-present);

 

(1981)

Laundering

 

Compliance Officer, the Adviser (7/1/19-3/31/23). Mr.

 

Compliance

 

Rowse also serves as the Anti-Money Laundering

 

Officer and

 

Compliance Officer and Identity Theft Officer for Victory

 

Identity Theft

 

Portfolios II, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV,

 

Officer

 

Victory Variable Insurance Funds II, and Victory Pioneer

 

 

 

ILS Interval Fund, and the Anti-Money Laundering

 

 

 

Compliance Officer for Victory Capital Services, Inc.

 

 

 

 

 

Fund Ownership

The following tables show the dollar ranges of Fund shares (and of shares of all series of the Victory Fund Complex) beneficially owned by each Trustee as of December 31, 2025. No Independent Trustee (or any immediate family member) owns beneficially or of record an interest in the Adviser or the Distributor or in any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with the Adviser or the Distributor (other than Funds in the Victory Funds Complex). As of December 31, 2025, the Trustees and officers as a group owned beneficially less than 1% of each class of outstanding shares of those series of the Trust.

40

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aggregate Dollar

 

 

 

 

Range of Ownership

 

 

 

 

of Shares of

 

 

 

 

All Series of the

 

 

 

Dollar Range of Beneficial

Victory Fund

 

 

Trustee

Ownership of Fund Shares

Complex

 

 

Mr. Adcock

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Mr. Andrews

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Ms. Beard

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Mr. Kelly

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Mr. Meyer

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Ms. Nelund

None

Over $100,000

 

 

Mr. Pettee

None

None

 

Interested Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aggregate Dollar

 

 

 

 

Range of Ownership

 

 

 

 

of Shares of

 

 

 

 

All Series of the

 

 

 

Dollar Range of Beneficial

Victory Fund

 

 

Trustee

Ownership of Fund Shares

Complex

 

 

Mr. Brown*

None

Over $100,000

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Mr. Brown is an “Interested Person” by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.

Compensation

Effective January 1, 2026, the Victory Fund Complex pays each Independent Trustee $390,000 per year for his or her services to the Complex. The Board Chair is paid an additional retainer of $140,000 per year. While the Board reserves the right to award reasonable compensation to any Interested Trustee, as of the date of this SAI no Interested Trustee receives compensation for services as a Trustee.

The following tables indicate the compensation received by each Trustee from the Funds covered in this SAI and from the Victory Fund Complex for the fiscal year ended June 30, 2026. As of June 30, 2026, there were [63] funds in the Victory Fund Complex for which the Trustees listed below were compensated. The Trust does not maintain a retirement plan for its Trustees.

Independent Trustees

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aggregate Compensation

Total Compensation from the

 

Trustee

from the Funds

Victory Fund Complex

 

Mr. Adcock

None

$365,000

 

Mr. Andrews*

None

$365,000

 

Ms. Beard

None

$365,000

 

Mr. Kelly

None

$505,000

 

Mr. Meyer

None

$365,000

 

Ms. Nelund

None

$365,000

 

Mr. Pettee

None

$365,000

*Mr. Andrews no longer elects to receive a portion of his compensation as deferred compensation. As of June 30, 2026, the value of Mr. Andrews’ deferred

 

compensation account was $[

].

 

 

Interested Trustee

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Aggregate Compensation

Total Compensation from the

 

Trustee

 

from the Funds

Victory Fund Complex

 

Mr. Brown*

 

None

None

*Mr. Brown is an “Interested Person” by reason of his relationship with the Adviser.

41

Deferred Compensation

Each Trustee may elect to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex in accordance with a Deferred Compensation Plan adopted by the Board (the “Plan”). Such amounts are invested in one or more Funds in the Victory Fund Complex offered under the Plan or a money market fund, as selected by the Trustee.

As of the most recent fiscal year ended June 30, 2026, the following current Trustees have elected to defer a portion of his or her compensation from the Victory Fund Complex.

 

Aggregate Compensation

Total Compensation from the

Trustee

from the Funds

Victory Fund Complex

Mr. Adcock*

None

$[

]

Ms. Beard**

None

$[

]

*

As of June 30, 2026, the value of Mr. Adcock’s deferred compensation account was $[

].

**

As of June 30, 2026, the value of Ms. Beard’s deferred compensation account was $[

].

.

 

 

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

As of May 31, 2026, no shareholders owned 5% or more of the indicated Funds. Each shareholder that beneficially owns more than 25% of the voting securities of a Fund may be deemed a control person of the Fund’s outstanding shares and, thereby, may influence the outcome of matters on which shareholders are entitled to vote. Since the economic benefit of investing in a Fund and related voting authority is passed through to the underlying investors of the record owners, it is expected that these record owners generally will not be considered the beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares or control persons of the Fund.

INVESTMENT ADVISER AND OTHER SERVICE PROVIDERS

Investment Adviser

Victory Capital, a New York corporation registered as an investment adviser with the SEC, serves as investment adviser to the Funds. Victory Capital’s principal business address is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, TX 78256. Subject to the authority of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for the overall management and administration of the Funds’ business affairs. Each of the Adviser’s multiple investment teams, referred to separately as investment franchises utilizes its own independent approach to investing. The Adviser is responsible for selecting each Fund’s investments according to its investment objective, policies, and restrictions. The Adviser is an indirect wholly owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (“VCH”), a publicly traded Delaware corporation. As of May 31, 2026, the Adviser managed assets totaling in excess of $337.1 billion for numerous clients including large corporate and public retirement plans, Taft-Hartley plans, foundations and endowments, high net worth individuals and mutual funds.

The Adviser is a diversified global asset manager comprised of multiple investment teams, referred to as investment franchises, each of which utilizes an independent approach to investing.

The Advisory Agreement

The Adviser serves as the Funds’ investment adviser pursuant to an advisory agreement dated as of May 1, 2015 (the “Advisory Agreement”). Unless sooner terminated, the Advisory Agreement between the Adviser and the Trust, on behalf of the Funds, provides that it will continue in effect as to the Funds for two years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such renewal is approved at least annually by the Trustees or by vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of each such Fund (as defined under “Miscellaneous” below) and, in either case, by a majority of the Trustees who are not parties to the Advisory Agreement or “interested persons” (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any party to the Advisory Agreement, by votes cast in person at a meeting called for such purpose. The Advisory Agreement is terminable as to any particular Fund at any time on 60 days’ written notice without penalty by a vote of the majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund, by vote of the Trustees, or as to all applicable Funds by the Adviser. The Advisory Agreement also terminates automatically in the event of any assignment, as defined by the 1940 Act.

The Advisory Agreement provides that the Adviser shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or for any loss suffered by the Funds in connection with the performance of the services pursuant thereto, except a loss resulting from a breach of fiduciary duty with respect to the receipt of compensation for services or a loss resulting from willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence on the part of the Adviser in the performance of its duties, or from reckless disregard by the Adviser of its duties and obligations thereunder.

42

Under the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate a portion of its responsibilities to a sub-adviser. In addition, the agreements provide that the Adviser may render services through its own employees or the employees of one or more affiliated companies that are qualified to act as an investment adviser of the Fund provided all such persons are functioning as part of an organized group of persons, managed by authorized officers of the Adviser.

The following schedule lists the advisory fees for each Fund, as an annual percentage of its average daily net assets.

 

 

 

 

 

Fund

Advisory Fee

 

VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF

0.30%

 

VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF

0.15%

No advisory fees have been paid by the Funds as they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Management Fee Waiver/Expense Reimbursement

The Adviser has contractually agreed to waive its management fee and/or reimburse Fund expenses so that the total annual operating expenses (excluding any acquired fund fees and expenses and certain other items such as interest, taxes, dividend and interest expenses on short sales, and brokerage commissions) of a Fund (by share class) do not exceed a specified percentage for a predetermined period of time. In these instances, the fee and expense table in the Fund’s Prospectus provides more details about this arrangement and shows the impact it will have on a Fund’s total annual fund operating expenses. Under its contractual agreement with the Trust on behalf of the Funds, the Adviser is permitted to recoup advisory fees waived and expenses reimbursed for up to three years after the date of the waiver or reimbursement, subject to the lesser of any operating expense limits in effect at the time of: (a) the original waiver or expense reimbursement; or (b) the recoupment, after giving effect to the recoupment amount. This agreement may only be terminated by the Board. From time to time, the Adviser may also voluntarily waive its management fee and/or reimburse expenses for a Fund. These voluntary reductions are not reflected in the fee and expense table in a Fund’s Prospectus.

From time to time, the Adviser may, without prior notice to shareholders, waive all or any portion of fees or agree to reimburse expenses incurred by a Fund.

No information is provided for the Funds as they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Compliance Services

The Trust and the Adviser are parties to the Agreement to Provide Compliance Services (the “Compliance Agreement”) pursuant to which the Adviser furnishes its compliance personnel, including the services of the CCO, and other resources reasonably necessary to provide the Trust with compliance oversight services related to the design, administration, and oversight of a compliance program for the Trust in accordance with Rule 38a-1 under 1940 Act. The funds in Victory Portfolio II Trust, in the aggregate, compensate the Adviser for these services.

No compliance fees have been paid by the Funds to Victory Capital under the Compliance Agreement as the Funds had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Administrator and Fund Accountant

Victory Capital serves as the administrator and fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement dated July 1, 2006, as amended (the “Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement”). Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc. (“Citi”) serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Trust pursuant to an agreement with Victory Capital dated October 1, 2015, as amended (the “Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement”). As administrator, Victory Capital supervises the Trust’s operations, including the services that Citi provides to the Funds as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant, but excluding those that Victory Capital supervises as investment adviser, subject to the supervision of the Board.

Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, for the administration and fund accounting services that Victory Capital provides, the Funds pay Victory Capital an annual fee, accrued daily and paid monthly, at the following annual rates based on the aggregate average daily net assets of all Companies and Funds (as defined in the Fund Administration and Accounting Agreement) together with all other registered investment companies for which Victory Capital acts as administrator (the Companies, the Funds, and together with all other registered investment companies, are referred to herein as the “Clients”), and allocating to each Fund on a pro rata basis calculated

43

based on the Fund’s average daily net assets: 0.08% of the first $15 billion in aggregate Client net assets, plus 0.05% of aggregate Client net assets in excess of $15 billion to $30 billion, plus 0.04% of aggregate Client net assets in excess of $30 billion to $85 billion; plus 0.03% of aggregate Client net assets in excess of $85 billion. Victory Capital may periodically waive all or a portion of the amount of its fee that is allocated to any Fund in order to increase the Fund’s net income available for distribution to shareholders. In addition, the Client reimburses Victory Capital for all of its reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of providing the services under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, including costs associated with implementing new reports required by the new RIC Modernization rules adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act.

Except as otherwise provided in the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, Victory Capital pays all expenses that it incurs in performing its services and duties as administrator. Unless sooner terminated, the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter, provided that such continuance is approved by the Board or by vote of a majority of the outstanding shares of each Fund and, in either case, by a majority of the Independent Trustees. The Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Victory Capital shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.

Under the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement, Victory Capital, among other things, coordinates the preparation, filing and distribution of amendments to the Trust’s registration statement on Form N-1A, supplements to prospectuses and SAIs, and proxy materials in connection with shareholder meetings; drafts shareholder communications, including annual and semi-annual reports and financial statements; administers the Trust’s other service provider contracts; monitors compliance with investment restrictions imposed by the 1940 Act, each Fund’s investment objective, defined investment policies, and restrictions, tax diversification, and distribution and income requirements; coordinates each Fund’s service arrangements with financial institutions that make the Funds’ shares available to their customers; assists with regulatory compliance; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; prepares Board meeting materials; and annually determines whether the services that it provides (or the services that Citi provides as sub-administrator) are adequate and complete.

Victory Capital also performs fund accounting services for each Fund, excluding those services that Citi performs as sub-fund accountant. The fund accountant calculates each Fund’s NAV, its dividend and capital gain distribution, if any, and its yield. The fund accountant also provides a current security position report, a summary report of transactions and pending maturities, a current cash position report, and maintains the general ledger accounting records for the Funds. The fees that Citi receives for sub-administration and sub-fund accounting services are described in the SAI section entitled “Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant.”

The Funds have not accrued fees as they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Sub-Administrator and Sub-Fund Accountant

Citi serves as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant to the Funds pursuant to the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement. Citi assists in supervising all operations of the Funds (other than those performed by Victory Capital either as investment adviser or administrator), subject to the supervision of the Board.

Unless sooner terminated, the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement continues in effect as to each Fund for a period of three years and for consecutive one-year terms thereafter. The Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement provides that Citi shall not be liable for any error of judgment or mistake of law or any loss suffered by the Trust in connection with the matters to which the Agreement relates, except a loss resulting from bad faith, willful misfeasance, negligence, or reckless disregard of its obligations and duties under the Agreement.

Under the Sub-Administration and Sub-Fund Accounting Agreement, Citi calculates Trust expenses and make disbursements; calculates capital gain and distribution information; registers the Funds’ shares with the states; prepares shareholder reports, financial statements, and reports to the SEC on Forms N-CEN and N-PORT; coordinates dividend payments; calculates the Funds’ performance information; files the Trust’s tax returns; supplies individuals to serve as Trust officers; monitors the Funds’ status as regulated investment companies under the Code; assists in developing portfolio compliance procedures; reports to the Board amounts paid under shareholder service agreements; assists with regulatory compliance; obtains, maintains and files fidelity bonds and trustees’ and officers’/errors and omissions insurance policies for the Trust; assists with liquidity and derivatives risk management services; and assists in the annual audit of the Funds, among other services.

44

Transfer Agent

Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank” or the “Custodian”), 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, serves as transfer agent for the Funds pursuant to a Transfer Agency Services Agreement. Under its agreement with the Funds, Citibank has agreed, among other things, to (1) perform and facilitate the performance of purchases and redemptions of Creation Units by Authorized Participants; (2) record and calculate the number of outstanding Fund shares; (3) maintain shareholder accounts; (4) perform duties relating to anti-money laundering and identity theft prevention; and (5) make periodic reports to the Board and regulators regarding its operations.

Custodian

General. Citibank, 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013, (“Citibank” or the “Custodian”) serves as the custodian of the assets of each Fund pursuant to the Global Custodial Services Agreement dated August 5, 2008, as amended (the “Custody Agreement”). The Custodian’s responsibilities include safeguarding and controlling each Fund’s cash and securities, handling the receipt and delivery of securities, and collecting interest and dividends on each Fund’s investments. Pursuant to the Custody Agreement, the Custodian also maintains original entry documents and books of record and general ledgers; posts cash receipts and disbursements; and records purchases and sales based upon communications from the Adviser. The Custodian may, with the approval of a Fund and at its own expense, open and maintain a sub-custody account or accounts on behalf of a Fund, provided that it shall remain liable for the performance of all of its duties under the Custody Agreement.

Foreign Custody. Rule 17f-5 under the 1940 Act, which governs the custody of investment company assets outside the United States, allows a mutual fund’s board of directors to delegate to a “Foreign Custody Manager” the selection and monitoring of foreign sub- custodian arrangements for the Trust’s assets. Accordingly, the Board delegated these responsibilities to the Custodian pursuant to the Custody Agreement. As Foreign Custody Manager, the Custodian must (a) determine that the assets of the Funds held by a foreign sub- custodian will be subject to reasonable care, based on the standards applicable to custodians in the relevant market; (b) determine that the Trust’s foreign custody arrangements are governed by written contracts in compliance with Rule 17f-5 (or, in the case of a compulsory depository, by such a contract and/or established practices or procedures); and (c) monitor the appropriateness of these arrangements and any material change in the relevant contract, practices or procedures. In determining appropriateness, the Custodian will not evaluate a particular country’s investment risks, such as (a) the use of compulsory depositories, (b) such country’s financial infrastructure, (c) such country’s prevailing custody and settlement practices, (d) nationalization, expropriation or other governmental actions, (e) regulation of the banking or securities industry, (f) currency controls, restrictions, devaluations, or fluctuations, and (g) market conditions that affect the orderly execution of securities transactions or affect the value of securities. The Custodian will provide to the Board quarterly written reports regarding the Trust’s foreign custody arrangements.

Line of Credit. Each Fund, along with other funds managed by the Adviser, participates in a 364-day committed credit facility and a 364- day uncommitted, demand credit facility with Citibank. Each such credit facility may be renewed if so agreed by the parties. Under the current agreement with Citibank, the Funds may borrow up to $600 million, of which $300 million is committed and $300 million is uncommitted. Of this amount, $40 million of the committed line of credit and $60 million of the uncommitted line of credit are reserved for use by the Victory Floating Rate Fund (a series of Victory Portfolios), with that Fund paying the related commitment fees for that amount. The purpose of each agreement is to meet temporary or emergency cash needs. For the committed credit facility, Citibank received an annual commitment fee of 0.15%. Each Fund pays a pro-rata portion (adjusted for the amount of credit reserved for the Victory Floating Rate Fund) of these fees and pays the interest on any amount that it borrows. Each Fund paid a pro-rata portion of the renewal fee.

Securities Lending

The Funds, through a Securities Lending Agreement with Citibank, N.A. (“Citibank”), may lend its securities to qualified financial institutions, such as certain broker-dealers and banks, to earn additional income, net of income retained by Citibank. Borrowers are required to initially secure their loans for collateral in the amount of at least 102% of the value of U.S. securities loaned or at least 105% of the value of non-U.S. securities loaned, marked-to-market daily. Any collateral shortfalls associated with increases in the valuation of the securities loaned generally are cured the next business day. The collateral can be received in the form of cash collateral and/or non- cash collateral. Non-cash collateral can include U.S. government securities and other securities as permitted by SEC guidelines.

The cash collateral is invested in short-term instruments or cash equivalents, primarily open-end investment companies. The Funds effectively do not have control of the non-cash collateral. Collateral requirements are determined daily based on the value of a Fund’s securities on loan as of the end of the prior business day. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower will pay the Fund any dividends or interest paid on such securities plus any fee negotiated between the parties to the lending agreement. A Fund also earns a return from the collateral. A Fund pays Citibank various fees in connection with the investment of cash collateral and fees based on the investment income received from securities lending activities. Loans are terminable upon demand and the borrower must return the loaned securities within the lesser of one standard settlement period or five business days. Although risk is mitigated by the collateral, a Fund

45

could experience a delay in recovering its securities and possible loss of income or value if the borrower fails to return them. In addition, there is a risk that the value of the short-term investments will be less than the amount of cash collateral required to be returned to the borrower.

The Funds’ agreement with Citibank does not include master netting provisions. Non-cash collateral received by a Fund may not be sold or repledged, except to satisfy borrower default.

No information is provided for income and fees/compensation related to the Funds’ securities lending activities as they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Distributor

Victory Capital Services, Inc. serves as the distributor of Creation Units (the “Distributor”) for the Funds on an agency basis. Under the ETF Distribution Agreement (“Distribution Agreement”), the Distributor receives orders from Authorized Participants to create and redeem shares in Creation Unit aggregations and transmits such orders to the Trust’s Custodian and transfer agent. The Distributor’s principal address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the 1934 Act and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, Inc. (“FINRA”). Shares will be continuously offered for sale only in Creation Units. Shares in less than a Creation Unit are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Funds or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Funds. No compensation is payable by the Trust to the Distributor for such distribution services. However, the Adviser has entered into an agreement with the Distributor under which it makes payments to the Distributor in consideration for its services under the Distribution Agreement. The payments made by the Adviser to the Distributor do not represent an additional expense to the Trust or its shareholders.

Under the Distribution Agreement, the Distributor, as agent for the Trust, will solicit orders for the purchase of shares, provided that any subscriptions and orders will not be binding on the Trust until accepted by the Trust. The Distributor will deliver Prospectuses and, upon request, SAIs to persons purchasing Creation Units. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Exchange Act and a member of FINRA.

The Distributor may also enter into agreements with securities dealers (“Soliciting Dealers”) who will solicit purchases of Creation Units of shares. Such Soliciting Dealers may also be Authorized Participants (as discussed in “Procedures for Creation of Creation Units” below) or DTC participants (as defined below).

The Distribution Agreement will continue for two years from its effective date and is renewable thereafter. The continuance of the Distribution Agreement must be specifically approved at least annually (i) by the vote of the Trustees or by a vote of the shareholders of the Fund and (ii) by the vote of a majority of the Trustees who are not “interested persons” of the Trust and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operations of the Distribution Agreement or any related agreement, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval. The Distribution Agreement is terminable, without penalty, by the Trust on 60 days’ written notice when authorized either by majority vote of its outstanding voting shares or by a vote of a majority of its Board (including a majority of the Independent Trustees), or by the Distributor on 60 days’ written notice, and will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment. The Distribution Agreement provides that in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on the part of the Distributor, or reckless disregard by it of its obligations thereunder, the Distributor shall not be liable for any action or failure to act in accordance with its duties thereunder.

PORTFOLIO MANAGERS

This section includes information about the Funds’ portfolio managers, including information concerning other accounts they manage, the dollar range of Fund shares they own and how they are compensated.

46

Other Accounts

The following table lists the number and types of accounts managed by the portfolio managers and assets under management in those accounts. The information below is provided as of February 28, 2026.

 

Registered

 

 

 

 

 

Investment

Pooled Investment

 

 

 

Company Accounts

Vehicle Accounts

Other Accounts

 

 

Assets

 

Assets

 

Assets

 

Number of

Managed

Number of

Managed

Number of

Managed

 

Accounts

(In Millions)

Accounts

(In Millions)

Accounts

(In Millions)

Victory Income Investors Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Hattman

11

$7,427

0

$–

0

$–

Lauren Spalten

11

$7,427

0

$–

0

$–

The following table sets forth performance-based accounts for which the Funds’ portfolio managers were primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management. The information below is provided as of [ ].

 

Registered

 

 

 

 

 

Investment

Pooled Investment

 

 

 

Company Accounts

Vehicle Accounts

Other Accounts

 

 

Assets

 

Assets

 

Assets

 

Number of

Managed

Number of

Managed

Number of

Managed

 

Accounts

(In Millions)

Accounts

(In Millions)

Accounts

(In Millions)

Victory Income Investors Team

 

 

 

 

 

 

Andy Hattman

6

$6,472

0

$–

0

$–

Lauren Spalten

6

$6,472

0

$–

0

$–

Fund Ownership

Since the Funds had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI, no shares of the Funds are owned by the portfolio managers.

Portfolio Manager Compensation

The Adviser has designed the structure of its portfolio managers’ compensation to (1) align portfolio managers’ interests with those of the Adviser’s clients with an emphasis on long-term, risk-adjusted investment performance, (2) help the Adviser attract and retain high- quality investment professionals, and (3) contribute to the Adviser’s overall financial success. Each of the portfolio managers receives a base salary plus an annual incentive bonus for managing a Fund, separate accounts, other investment companies, other pooled investment vehicles and other accounts (including any accounts for which the Adviser receives a performance fee) (together, “Accounts”). A portfolio manager’s base salary is dependent on the manager’s level of experience and expertise. The Adviser monitors each manager’s base salary relative to salaries paid for similar positions with peer firms by reviewing data provided by various independent third-party consultants that specialize in competitive salary information. Such data, however, is not considered to be a definitive benchmark.

Each of the Adviser’s investment franchises may earn incentive compensation based on a percentage of the Adviser’s revenue attributable to fees paid by Accounts managed by the team. The chief investment officer or a senior member of each team, in coordination with the Adviser, determines the allocation of the incentive compensation earned by the team among the team’s portfolio managers by establishing a “target” incentive for each portfolio manager based on the manager’s level of experience and expertise in the manager’s investment style. Individual performance is based on objectives established annually using performance metrics such as portfolio structure and positioning, research, stock selection, asset growth, client retention, presentation skills, marketing to prospective clients and contribution to the Adviser’s philosophy and values, such as leadership, risk management and teamwork. The annual incentive bonus also factors in individual investment performance of each portfolio manager’s portfolio or Fund relative to a selected peer group(s). The overall performance results for a manager are based on the composite performance of all Accounts managed by that manager on a combination of one-, three-, and five-year rolling performance periods as compared to the performance information of a peer group of similarly managed competitors.

The Adviser’s portfolio managers may participate in the equity ownership plan of the Adviser’s parent company. There is an ongoing annual equity pool granted to certain employees based on their contribution to the firm. Eligibility for participation in these incentive programs depends on the manager’s performance and seniority.

47

Conflicts of Interest

The Adviser’s portfolio managers are often responsible for managing one or more Funds as well as other accounts, such as separate accounts, and other pooled investment vehicles, such as collective trust funds or unregistered hedge funds. A portfolio manager may manage other accounts which have materially higher fee arrangements than a Fund and may, in the future, manage other accounts which have a performance-based fee. A portfolio manager also may make personal investments in accounts he or she manages or supports. The side-by-side management of the Funds along with other accounts may raise potential conflicts of interest by incenting a portfolio manager to direct a disproportionate amount of: (1) their attention; (2) limited investment opportunities, such as less-liquid securities or initial public offering; and/or (3) desirable trade allocations, to such other accounts. In addition, certain trading practices, such as cross-trading between Funds or between a Fund and another account, raise conflict of interest issues. The Adviser has adopted numerous compliance policies and procedures, including a Code of Ethics, and brokerage and trade allocation policies and procedures, which seek to address the conflicts associated with managing multiple accounts for multiple clients. In addition, the Adviser has a designated Chief Compliance Officer (selected in accordance with the federal securities laws) and compliance staff whose activities are focused on monitoring the activities of the Adviser’s investment franchises and employees in order to detect and address potential and actual conflicts of interest. However, there can be no assurance that the Adviser’s compliance program will achieve its intended result.

DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE PLAN

The Trust has adopted a Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act (“Rule 12b-1 Plan” or “Plan”). In accordance with its Plan, the Funds are authorized to pay an amount up to 0.25% of its average daily net assets each year for certain distribution-related activities. In addition, if the payment of management fees by the Fund is deemed to be indirect financing by the Funds of the distribution of its shares, such payment is authorized by the Rule 12b-1 Plan. The Plan specifically recognizes that the Adviser and other persons may use management fee revenue, as well as past profits or other resources, to pay for expenses incurred in connection with providing services intended to result in the sale of shares. The Adviser and such other persons, as well as their affiliates, may pay amounts to third parties for distribution or marketing services on behalf of the Funds. The making of the types of payments described in this paragraph could create a conflict of interest for the party receiving such payments.

The Rule 12b-1 Plan was adopted in order to permit the implementation of the Funds’ method of distribution. No fees are currently paid by the Funds under the Plan, and there are no current plans to impose such fees. In the event such fees were to be charged, over time they would increase the cost of an investment in the Funds.

The Distributor is required to provide a written report, at least quarterly to the Board, specifying in reasonable detail the amounts (if any) expended pursuant to the Rule 12b-1 Plan and the purposes for which such expenditures were made. Further, the Distributor will inform the Board of any Rule 12b-1 fees to be paid by the Distributor to Recipients. From time to time, the Adviser, at its expense, may provide additional compensation to dealers that sell or arrange for the sale of shares of a Fund. Such compensation provided by the Adviser may include financial assistance to dealers that enable the Adviser to participate in and/or present at conferences or seminars, sales or training programs for invited registered representatives and other employees, client and investor events and other dealer-sponsored events. Other compensation may be offered to the extent not prohibited by state laws or any self-regulatory agency, such as FINRA. The Adviser may make payments for events it deems appropriate, subject to applicable law. These payments may vary depending upon the nature of the event.

The Rule 12b-1 Plan may not be amended to increase materially the amount of the Distributor’s compensation to be paid by the Fund, unless such amendment is approved by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the affected Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act). All material amendments must be approved by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on a Rule 12b-1 Plan. During the term of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, the selection and nomination of non-interested Trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of current non-interested Trustees. The Distributor will preserve copies of the Rule 12b-1 Plan, any related agreements, and all reports, for a period of not less than six years from the date of such document and for at least the first two years in an easily accessible place.

Any agreement related to the Rule 12b-1 Plan will be in writing and provide that: (a) it may be terminated by the Trust or the applicable Fund at any time upon sixty days’ written notice, without the payment of any penalty, by vote of a majority of the respective Rule 12b-1 Trustees, or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Trust or the Fund; (b) it will automatically terminate in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act); and (c) it will continue in effect for a period of more than one year from the date of its execution or adoption only so long as such continuance is specifically approved at least annually by a majority of the Board and a majority of the Rule 12b-1 Trustees by votes cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such agreements.

48

CODE OF ETHICS

The Trust and the Adviser each have adopted a Code of Ethics in accordance with Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act. The Adviser’s Code of Ethics applies to all of the Adviser’s directors and officers and employees with investment advisory duties (“Access Personnel”) and all of the Adviser’s directors, officers and employees (“Supervised Personnel”). Each Code of Ethics provides that Access Personnel must refrain from certain trading practices. Each Code also requires all Access Personnel (and, in the Adviser Code, all Supervised Personnel) to report certain personal investment activities, including, but not limited to, purchases or sales of securities that may be purchased or held by a Fund. Violations of any Code of Ethics can result in penalties, suspension, or termination of employment.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES AND PROCEDURES

In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Trust has adopted policies and procedures for voting proxies related to equity securities held by the Funds (the “Proxy Voting Policy”). The Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy is designed to: (i) ensure that proxies are voted in the best interests of shareholders of the Funds with a view toward maximizing the value of their investments; (ii) address conflicts of interests between these shareholders, on the one hand, and affiliates of the Fund, the Adviser or the Distributor, on the other, that may arise regarding the voting of proxies; and (iii) provide for the disclosure of the Funds’ proxy voting records and the Proxy Voting Policy.

The Proxy Voting Policy delegates to the Adviser the obligation to vote the Funds’ proxies in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders, subject to oversight by the Board.

To assist the Adviser in making proxy-voting decisions, the Adviser has adopted a Proxy Voting Policy (“Policy”) that establishes voting guidelines (“Proxy Voting Guidelines”) with respect to certain recurring issues. The Policy is reviewed on an annual basis by the Adviser’s Proxy Committee (“Proxy Committee”) and revised when the Committee determines that a change is appropriate. The Board annually reviews the Trust’s Proxy Voting Policy and the Adviser’s Policy and determines whether amendments are necessary or advisable. Voting under the Adviser’s Policy may be executed through administrative screening per established guidelines with oversight by the Proxy Committee or upon vote by a quorum of the Proxy Committee. The Adviser allows its Investment Franchises to modify their voting instructions against that of the default policy on a case-by-case basis, provided sufficient justification is provided and approved by the Proxy Committee. The Adviser delegates to Institutional Shareholder Services (“ISS”), an independent service provider, the non- discretionary administration of proxy voting for the Trust, subject to oversight by the Adviser’s Proxy Committee. In no circumstances shall ISS have the authority to vote proxies except in accordance with standing or specific instructions given to it by the Adviser.

The Adviser votes proxies in the best interests of the Funds and their shareholders. This entails voting client proxies with the objective of increasing the long-term economic value of Fund assets. The Adviser’s Proxy Committee determines how proxies are voted by following established guidelines, which are intended to assist in voting proxies and are not considered to be rigid rules. The Proxy Committee is directed to apply the guidelines as appropriate. On occasion, however, a contrary vote may be warranted when such action is in the best interests of the Funds or if required by the Board or the Funds’ Proxy Voting Policy. In such cases, the Adviser may consider, among other things:

the effect of the proposal on the underlying value of the securities

the effect on marketability of the securities

the effect of the proposal on future prospects of the issuer

the composition and effectiveness of the issuer’s board of directors

the issuer’s corporate governance practices

the quality of communications from the issuer to its shareholders

The Adviser may also take into account independent third party, general industry guidance or other corporate governance review sources when making decisions. It may additionally seek guidance from other senior internal sources with special expertise on a given topic where it is appropriate. The Adviser generally votes on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration whether implementation of an

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Environmental, Social, and Governance (“ESG”)-related proposal is likely to enhance or protect shareholder value. The investment team’s opinion concerning the management and prospects of the issuer may be taken into account in determining whether a vote for or against a proposal is in a Fund’s best interests. Insufficient information, onerous requests or vague, ambiguous wording may indicate that a vote against a proposal is appropriate, even when the general principal appears to be reasonable.

The following examples illustrate the Adviser’s policy with respect to some common proxy votes. This summary is not an exhaustive list of all the issues that may arise or of all matters addressed in the Guidelines, and whether the Adviser supports or opposes a proposal will depend upon the specific facts and circumstances described in the proxy statement and other available information.

Directors

The Adviser generally supports the election of directors in uncontested elections, except when there are issues of accountability, responsiveness, composition, and/or independence.

The Adviser generally supports proposals for an independent chair taking into account factors such as the current board leadership structure, the company’s governance practices, and company performance.

The Adviser generally supports proxy access proposals that are in line with the market standards regarding the ownership threshold, ownership duration, aggregation provisions, cap on nominees, and do not contain any other unreasonably restrictive guidelines.

The Adviser reviews contested elections on a case-by-case basis taking into account such factors as the company performance, particularly the long-term performance relative to the industry; the management track record; the nominee qualifications and compensatory arrangements; the strategic plan of the dissident and its critique of the current management; the likelihood that the proposed goals and objectives can be achieved; the ownership stakes of the relevant parties; and any other context that is particular to the company and the nature of the election.

Capitalization & Restructuring

The Adviser generally supports capitalization proposals that facilitate a corporate transaction that is also being supported and for general corporate purposes so long as the increase is not excessive and there are no issues of superior voting rights, company performance, previous abuses of capital, or insufficient justification for the need for additional capital.

Mergers and Acquisitions

The Adviser reviews mergers and acquisitions on a case-by-case basis to balance the merits and drawbacks of the transaction and factors such as valuation, strategic rationale, negotiations and process, conflicts of interest, and the governance profile of the company post-transaction.

Compensation

The Adviser reviews all compensation proposals for pay-for-performance alignment, with emphasis on long-term shareholder value; arrangements that risk pay for failure; independence in the setting of compensation; inappropriate pay to non-executive directors, and the quality and rationale of the compensation disclosure.

The Adviser will generally vote FOR advisory votes on executive compensation (“say on pay”) unless there is a pay-for- performance misalignment; problematic pay practice or non-performance based element; incentive for excessive risk-taking, options backdating; or a lack of compensation committee communication and/or responsiveness to shareholder concerns.

The Adviser will vote case-by-case on equity based compensation plans taking into account factors such as the plan cost; the plan features; and the grant practices as well as any overriding factors that may have a significant negative impact on shareholder interests.

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Social and Environmental Issues

The Adviser generally will vote in line with the Board’s recommendations, with support limited to circumstances where it is considered that greater disclosure will directly enhance or protect shareholder value and is reflective of a clearly established reporting standard in the market.

Occasionally, conflicts of interest arise between the Adviser’s interests and those of a Fund or another client. When this occurs, the Proxy Committee must document the nature of the conflict and vote the proxy in accordance with the Proxy Voting Guidelines unless such guidelines are judged by the Proxy Committee to be inapplicable to the proxy matter at issue. In the event that the Proxy Voting Guidelines are inapplicable or do not mitigate the conflict, the Adviser will seek the opinion of the Adviser’s Chief Compliance Officer or consult with an external independent adviser. In the case of a Proxy Committee member having a personal conflict of interest (e.g. a family member is on the board of the issuer), such member will abstain from voting. Finally, the Adviser reports to the Board annually any proxy votes that took place involving a conflict, including the nature of the conflict and the basis or rationale for the voting decision made.

The Funds’ Proxy Voting Policy provides that the Funds, in accordance with SEC rules, annually will disclose on Form N-PX the Funds’ proxy voting record. Information regarding how the Funds voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent 12-month period ended June 30th is updated each year by August 31st and is available without charge, upon request, by calling toll free 800-539- FUND (800-539-3863) or by accessing the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov.

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS AND BROKERAGE COMMISSIONS

Subject to the general supervision of the Board, the Adviser is responsible for making decisions with respect to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities on behalf of the Funds. The Adviser is also responsible for the implementation of those decisions, including the selection of broker/dealers to effect portfolio transactions, the negotiation of commissions, and the allocation of principal business and portfolio brokerage. Under the terms of the Advisory Agreement, the Adviser may delegate these responsibilities to a sub-adviser.

Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of brokerage commissions. In transactions on stock exchanges in the United States, these commissions are negotiated. Traditionally, commission rates have generally been fixed for trades on stock markets outside the United States. In recent years, however, an increasing number of overseas stock markets have adopted a system of negotiated commission rates. It is expected that equity securities will ordinarily be purchased in the primary markets for such securities, whether over-the-counter or listed, and that listed securities may be purchased in the over-the-counter market if such market is deemed the primary market. In the case of securities traded on the over-the-counter markets, there is generally no stated commission, but the price usually includes an undisclosed commission or markup. In underwritten offerings, the price includes a disclosed, fixed commission (the underwriter’s concession) or discount.

Fixed income and convertible securities are bought and sold through broker-dealers acting on a principal basis. These trades are not charged a commission, but rather are marked up or marked down by the executing broker- dealer. The Adviser does not know the actual value of the markup/markdown. However, the Adviser attempts to ascertain whether the overall price of a security is reasonable through the use of competitive bids. Orders to buy or sell convertible securities and fixed income securities are placed on a competitive basis with a reasonable attempt made to obtain three competitive bids or offers. Exceptions are: (1) where the bid/ask spread is 5 basis points or less, provided the order is actually filled at the bid or better for sales and at the ask or better for purchases; (2) securities for which there are only one or two market makers; (3) block purchases considered relatively large; (4) swaps, a simultaneous sale of one security and purchase of another in substantially equal amounts for the same account, intended to take advantage of an aberration in a spread relationship, realize losses, etc.; and (5) purchases and/or sales of fixed income securities for which, typically, more than one offering of the same issue is unobtainable; subject to a judgment by the trader that the bid is competitive.

It is the policy of the Adviser to obtain the “best execution” of its clients’ securities transactions. The Adviser strives to execute each client’s securities transactions in such a manner that the client’s total costs or proceeds in each transaction are the most favorable under the circumstances. Commission rates paid on securities transactions for client accounts must reflect comparative market rates.

In purchasing and selling each Fund’s portfolio securities, it is the Adviser’s policy to obtain quality execution at the most favorable prices through responsible broker/dealers and, in the case of agency transactions, at competitive commission rates where such rates are negotiable. In selecting broker/dealers to execute a Fund’s portfolio transactions, consideration is given to such factors as the price of the security, the rate of the commission, the size and difficulty of the order, the reliability, integrity, financial condition, general execution and operational capabilities of competing brokers and dealers, their expertise in particular markets and the brokerage and research services

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they provide to the Adviser or the Funds. It is not the Adviser’s practice to seek the lowest available commission rate where it is believed that a broker or dealer charging a higher commission rate would offer greater reliability or provide better price or execution.

As permitted by Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the Adviser may cause a Fund to pay broker- dealers that provide brokerage and research services a commission rate that exceeds the amount other broker/dealers would have charged for the transaction if the Adviser determines in good faith that the greater commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided by the executing broker/dealer viewed in terms of either a particular transaction or the Adviser’s overall responsibilities to the Fund or to its other clients. The term “brokerage and research services” includes advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of securities or of purchasers or sellers of securities; furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries, securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and the performance of accounts; and effecting securities transactions and performing functions incidental thereto such as clearance and settlement.

The brokerage and research services are in addition to and do not replace the services and research that the Adviser is required to perform and do not reduce the investment advisory fees payable to the Adviser by the Funds. Such information may be useful to the Adviser in serving the Funds and the Adviser’s other clients. The Adviser also expects to share such information with certain of its affiliates, and such information is expected to be useful to such affiliates in serving their respective clients. The Adviser’s use of such information for the benefit of its other clients and the use of such information by the Adviser’s affiliates for the benefit of such affiliates’ clients presents a conflict of interest insofar as the Funds will indirectly pay for services and research that do not solely benefit the Funds. Conversely, supplemental research information obtained by the placement of orders on behalf of other clients of the Adviser may be useful to the Adviser in carrying out its obligations to the Funds, which presents the same conflict of interest from the perspective of such other clients.

Brokerage commissions may never be used to compensate a third party for client referrals unless the client has directed such an arrangement. In addition, brokerage commissions may never be used to obtain research and/or services for the benefit of any employee or non-client entity.

The Adviser will make a good faith determination that the commissions paid are reasonable in relationship to the value of the services received and continually reviews the quality of execution it receives from and the commission rates charged by the brokers it uses to carry out trades for its clients. The Adviser will consider the full range and quality of a broker’s services in placing brokerage including, but not limited to, the value of research provided, execution capability, commission rate, willingness and ability to commit capital and responsiveness. The lowest possible commission cost alone does not determine broker selection. The transaction that represents the best quality execution for a client account will be executed. Commission ranges and the actual commission paid for trades of listed stocks and over-the-counter stocks may vary depending on, but not limited to, the liquidity and volatility of the stock and services provided to the Adviser by the broker.

Some brokers executing trades for the Adviser’s clients may, from time to time, receive liquidity rebates in connection with the routing of trades to Electronic Communications Networks. Since the Adviser is not a broker, however, it is ineligible to receive such rebates and does not obtain direct benefits for its clients from this broker practice.

Investment decisions for each Fund are made independently from those made for the other Funds or any other investment company or account managed by the Adviser. Such other investment companies or accounts may also invest in the same securities and may follow similar investment strategies as the Funds. The Adviser may combine transaction orders (“bunching” or “blocking” trades) for more than one client account where such action appears to be equitable and potentially advantageous for each account (e.g., for the purpose of reducing brokerage commissions or obtaining a more favorable transaction price.) The Adviser will aggregate transaction orders only if it believes that the aggregation is consistent with its duty to seek best execution for its clients and is consistent with the terms of investment advisory agreements with each client for whom trades are being aggregated. Both equity and fixed income securities may be aggregated. When making such a combination of transaction orders for a new issue or secondary market trade in an equity security, the Adviser adheres to the following objectives:

Fairness to clients both in the participation of execution of orders for their account, and in the allocation of orders for the accounts of more than one client.

Allocation of all orders in a timely and efficient manner.

In some rare cases, “bunching” or “blocking” trades may affect the price paid or received by a Fund or the size of the position obtained by the Fund in an adverse manner relative to the result that would have been obtained if only that particular Fund had participated in or been allocated such trades.

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The aggregation of transactions for advisory accounts and proprietary accounts (including partnerships and other accounts in which the Adviser or its associated persons are partners or participants, and managed employee accounts) is permissible. However, no proprietary account may be favored over any other participating account and such practice must be consistent with the Adviser’s policies and procedures including its Code of Ethics.

Equity trade orders are executed based only on trade instructions received from portfolio managers by the trading desk. Portfolio managers may enter trades to meet the full target allocation immediately or may meet the allocation through moves in incremental blocks. Orders are processed on a “first-come, first-served” basis. At times, a rotation system may determine “first-come, first-served” treatment when the equity trading desk receives the same order for multiple accounts simultaneously. The Adviser will utilize a rotation whereby the Funds, even if aggregated with other orders, are in the first block(s) to trade within the rotation. To aggregate orders, the equity trading desk must determine that all accounts in the order will benefit. Any new trade that can be blocked with an existing open order may be added to the open order to form a larger block. The Adviser receives no additional compensation or remuneration of any kind as a result of the aggregation of trades. All accounts participating in a block execution receive the same execution price, an average share price, for securities purchased or sold on a trading day. Execution prices may not be carried overnight. Any portion of an order that remains unfilled at the end of a given day shall be rewritten (absent contrary instructions) on the following day as a new order. Accounts with trades executed the next day will receive a new daily average price to be determined at the end of the following day.

If the order is filled in its entirety, securities purchased in the aggregate transaction will be allocated among accounts participating in the trade in accordance with an Allocation Statement prepared at the time of order entry. If the order is partially filled, the securities will be allocated pro rata based on the Allocation Statement. Portfolio managers may allocate executed trades in a different manner than indicated on the Allocation Statement (e.g., non-pro rata) only if all client accounts receive fair and equitable treatment.

In some instances, such as trading in fixed income securities, it may not be practical to complete the Allocation Statement prior to the placement of the order. In that case, the trading desk will complete the Allocation Statement as soon as practicable, but no later than the end of the same business day on which the securities have been allocated to the trading desk by the broker.

Where the full amount of a block execution is not executed, the partial amount actually executed will be allocated on a pro rata basis whenever possible. The following execution methods may be used in place of a pro rata procedure: relative size allocations, security position weighting, priority for specialized accounts, or a special allocation based on compliance approval.

In making investment decisions for the Funds, the Adviser will not inquire or take into consideration whether an issuer of securities proposed for purchase or sale by a Fund is a customer of the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries or affiliates, and, in dealing with their commercial customers, the Adviser, its parents, subsidiaries and affiliates will not inquire or take into consideration whether securities of such customers are held by the Funds. Portfolio securities will not be purchased from or sold to the Adviser, or the Distributor, or any affiliated person of any of them acting as principal, except to the extent permitted by rule or order of the SEC.

No brokerage commissions were paid by the Funds as they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

Affiliated Brokerage. The Board has authorized the allocation of brokerage to affiliated broker-dealers on an agency basis to effect portfolio transactions. The Board has adopted procedures incorporating the standards of Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act, which require that the commission paid to affiliated broker-dealers must be “reasonable and fair compared to the commission, fee or other remuneration received, or to be received, by other broker-dealers in connection with comparable transactions involving similar securities during a comparable period of time.”

The Trust will not acquire portfolio securities issued by, make savings deposits in, or enter into repurchase or reverse repurchase agreements with the Adviser or its affiliates. From time to time, when determined by the Adviser or Sub- Adviser to be advantageous to the Funds, the Adviser may execute portfolio transactions through affiliated broker-dealers. All such transactions must be consistent with best execution and completed in accordance with procedures approved by the Board.

For the last three fiscal years ended June 30, the Funds paid no commissions to affiliated broker-dealers.

Allocation of Brokerage in Connection with Research Services. During the last fiscal year ended June 30, the Adviser, through agreements or understandings with brokers, or otherwise through an internal allocation procedure, did not direct brokerage transactions of the Funds listed in this SAI to brokers due to research services provided.

Securities of Regular Brokers or Dealers. The SEC requires the Trust to provide certain information for those Funds that held securities of their regular brokers or dealers (or their parent companies) during the most recent fiscal year. The Funds did not hold any securities of their regular broker or dealers since they had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

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Portfolio Turnover

Each Fund may sell a portfolio investment soon after its acquisition if the Adviser believes that such a disposition is consistent with attaining the investment objective of the Fund. The Funds’ portfolio turnover rates stated in the Prospectuses are calculated by dividing the lesser of each Fund’s purchases or sales of portfolio securities for the year by the monthly average value of the portfolio securities. The calculation excludes all securities whose maturities, at the time of acquisition, were one year or less. Portfolio turnover is calculated on the basis of a Fund as a whole without distinguishing between the classes of shares issued.

The turnover rate for a Fund will vary from year-to-year, and, depending on market conditions, could be greater in periods of unusual market movement and volatility. Transaction costs associated with turnover are borne directly by the Fund and, ultimately, by its shareholders. A high rate of portfolio turnover (generally, over 100% annually) generally will involve correspondingly greater transaction costs. High portfolio turnover may result in the realization of substantial net capital gains. To the extent short-term capital gains are realized, distributions attributable to such gains will be ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

Portfolio turnover rates are not presented as the Funds had not yet commenced operations prior to the date of this SAI.

DIVIDENDS, CAPITAL GAINS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Funds distributes substantially all of their net investment income and net capital gains, if any, to shareholders within each calendar year as well as on a fiscal year basis to the extent required for the Funds to qualify for favorable federal tax treatment. The Funds ordinarily declare and pay dividends from their net investment income. Each Fund declares and pays capital gains annually. Ordinarily, dividends from net investment income, if any, are declared and paid monthly by each Fund.

The amount of distributions may vary from time to time depending on market conditions, the composition of a Fund’s portfolio and expenses borne by a Fund. Dividends are calculated in the same manner, at the same time and on the same day for shares.

For this purpose, the net income of a Fund, from the time of the immediately preceding determination thereof, shall consist of all interest income accrued on the portfolio assets of the Fund, dividend income, if any, income from securities loans, if any and realized capital gains and losses on the Fund’s assets, less all expenses and liabilities of the Fund chargeable against income. Interest income shall include discount earned, including both original issue and market discount, on discount paper accrued ratably to the date of maturity. Expenses, including the compensation payable to the Adviser, are accrued each day. The expenses and liabilities of a Fund shall include those appropriately allocable to the Fund as well as a share of the general expenses and liabilities of the Trust in proportion to the Fund’s share of the total net assets of the Trust.

TAXES

Information set forth in the Prospectuses that relates to federal income taxation is only a summary of certain key federal income tax considerations generally affecting purchasers of shares of the Funds. The following is only a summary of certain additional federal income and excise tax considerations generally affecting each Fund and its shareholders that are not described in the Prospectuses. No attempt has been made to present a complete explanation of the federal tax treatment of the Funds or the implications to shareholders and the discussions here and in each Fund’s Prospectus are not intended as substitutes for careful tax planning. The following summary does not, except as otherwise set forth herein, discuss any state, local or non-U.S. tax consequences associated with an investment in the Fund. In addition, the following summary does not describe the tax consequences to an Authorized Participant from the creation and redemption of Creation Units. Accordingly, potential purchasers of shares of the Funds are urged to consult their tax advisers with specific reference to their own tax circumstances. Special tax considerations may apply to certain types of investors subject to special treatment under the Code, including, without limitation, financial institutions, insurance companies, pass-through entities (or investors therein), U.S. shareholders whose “functional currency” is not the U.S. dollar, tax-exempt organizations, dealers in securities or currencies, traders in securities or commodities that elect mark to market treatment, or persons that will hold shares as a position in a “straddle,” “hedge” or as part of a “constructive sale” for U.S. federal income tax purposes. Unless otherwise noted, this discussion applies only to U.S. shareholders that hold shares as capital assets. A U.S. shareholder is an individual who is a citizen or resident of the United States, a U.S. corporation, a trust if it (a) is subject to the primary supervision of a court in the United States and one or more U.S. persons have the authority to control all substantial decisions of the trust or (b) has made a valid election to be treated as a U.S. person, or any estate the income of which is subject to U.S. federal income tax regardless of its source. Lastly, the tax discussion in the Prospectuses and this SAI is based on

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tax law in effect on the date of the Prospectuses and this SAI and it does not address any proposals to modify such tax laws; such laws and regulations may be changed by legislative, judicial, or administrative action, sometimes with retroactive effect.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company

Each Fund intends to qualify as a regulated investment company under Subchapter M of the Code. As a regulated investment company, a Fund is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income (i.e., taxable interest, dividends and other taxable ordinary income, net of expenses) and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of long-term capital gains over short-term capital losses) that it distributes to shareholders, provided that it distributes at least the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (i.e., net investment income and the excess of net short-term capital gain over net long-term capital loss) and 90% of its tax-exempt income (net of expenses allocable thereto) for the taxable year (the “Distribution Requirement”) and satisfies certain other requirements of the Code that are described below. Distributions by a Fund made during the taxable year or, under specified circumstances, within twelve months after the close of the taxable year, will be considered distributions of income and gains for the taxable year and will therefore count toward satisfaction of the Distribution Requirement.

If a Fund has a net capital loss (i.e., an excess of capital losses over capital gains), the amount thereof may be carried forward and would retain its character as either a short-term capital loss or a long-term capital loss that can be used to offset such capital gains in future years. There is no limitation on the number of years to which net capital losses may be carried. However, the amount of capital loss that can be carried forward and used in any single year is subject to an annual limitation if there is a more than 50% “change in ownership” of the Fund.

In addition to satisfying the Distribution Requirement, a regulated investment company must derive at least 90% of its gross income from dividends, interest, certain payments with respect to securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies (to the extent such currency gains are directly related to the regulated investment company’s principal business of investing in stock or securities), other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures, or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities, or currencies and net income from interests in qualified publicly traded partnerships (the “Income Requirement”).

A regulated investment company, in determining its investment company taxable income and net capital gain (i.e., the excess of net long- term capital gain over net short-term capital loss) for any taxable year, may elect (unless it has made a taxable year election for excise tax purposes as discussed below, in which case different rules apply) to treat all or any part of certain net capital losses incurred after October 31 of a taxable year, and certain net ordinary losses incurred after October 31 or December 31 of a taxable year, as if they had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year.

In addition to satisfying the Income and Distribution Requirements described above, a Fund must satisfy an asset diversification test in order to qualify as a regulated investment company. Under this test, at the close of each quarter of a Fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Fund’s assets must consist of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other regulated investment companies and securities of other issuers (provided that, with respect to each issuer, the Fund has not invested more than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets in securities of each such issuer and the Fund does not hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of each such issuer), and no more than 25% of the value of its total assets may be invested in the securities of any one issuer (other than U.S. government securities and securities of other regulated investment companies), two or more issuers that the Fund controls and that are engaged in the same or similar trades or businesses (other than securities of other regulated investment companies), or the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships. Generally, an option (call or put) with respect to a security is treated as issued by the issuer of the security, not the issuer of the option. For purposes of asset diversification testing, obligations issued or guaranteed by certain agencies or instrumentalities of the U.S. government, such as the Federal Agricultural Mortgage Corporation, the FFCB, FHLB, FHLMC, FNMA, GNMA, and SLMA, are treated as U.S. government securities.

Certain Funds may invest in futures contracts, options on futures contracts, and other similar investments that provide exposure to commodities such as gold or other precious metals, energy, or other commodities. Income or gain, if any, from such investments may not be qualifying income for purposes of the Income Requirements and a Fund’s investments in such instruments may not be treated as an investment in a “security” for purposes of the asset diversification test.

If for any taxable year a Fund does not qualify as a regulated investment company after taking into account cure provisions available for certain failures to so qualify (certain of which would result in the imposition of a tax on the Fund), all of its taxable income (including its net capital gain) will be subject to tax at the regular corporate rate without any deduction for distributions to shareholders and such distributions will be taxable to the shareholders as dividends to the extent of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Such distributions may be eligible for: (i) the dividends-received deduction, in the case of corporate shareholders; or (ii) treatment as “qualified dividend income,” in the case of non-corporate shareholders. In addition, to qualify again to be taxed as a regulated investment

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company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to distribute to shareholders its earnings and profits attributable to non- qualifying years. Further, if the Fund failed to qualify for a period greater than two taxable years, then, in order to qualify as a regulated investment company in a subsequent year, the Fund would be required to elect to recognize and pay tax on any net built-in gain (i.e., the excess of aggregate gain, including items of income, over aggregate loss that would have been realized if the Fund had been liquidated) or, alternatively, be subject to taxation on such built-in gain recognized for a period of five years.

Excise Tax on Regulated Investment Companies

A 4% non-deductible excise tax is imposed on a regulated investment company that fails to distribute in each calendar year an amount equal to at least the sum of (i) 98% of its ordinary taxable income for the calendar year and (ii) 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ended on October 31 of such calendar year (or, with respect to capital gain net income, at the election of a regulated investment company having a taxable year ending November 30 or December 31, for its taxable year (a “taxable year election”)). Tax- exempt interest on municipal obligations is not subject to the excise tax. The balance of such income must be distributed during the next calendar year. For the foregoing purposes, any ordinary income or capital gain net income retained by a regulated investment company that is subject to corporate income tax will be treated as having been distributed during the taxable year ending in such calendar year.

Each Fund intends to make sufficient distributions or deemed distributions of its ordinary taxable income and capital gain net income prior to the end of each calendar year to avoid liability for the excise tax. However, investors should note that a Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate portfolio investments to make sufficient distributions to avoid excise tax liability.

Fund Investments

In general, gain or loss recognized by a Fund on the disposition of an asset will be a capital gain or loss. In addition, gain will be recognized as a result of certain constructive sales, including short sales “against the box.” However, gain recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation (including municipal obligations) purchased by a Fund at a market discount (generally, at a price less than its principal amount) will be treated as ordinary income to the extent of the portion of the market discount that accrued while the Fund held the debt obligation. In addition, under the rules of Code Section 988, gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a debt obligation denominated in a foreign currency or an option with respect thereto, and gain or loss recognized on the disposition of a foreign currency forward contract, futures contract, option or similar financial instrument, or of foreign currency itself, except for regulated futures contracts or non-equity options subject to Code Section 1256 (unless a Fund elects otherwise), generally will be treated as ordinary income or loss to the extent attributable to changes in foreign currency exchange rates.

Certain transactions that may be engaged in by a Fund (such as regulated futures contracts, certain foreign currency contracts and options on stock indexes and futures contracts) will be subject to special tax treatment as “Section 1256 Contracts.” Section 1256 Contracts are treated as if they are sold for their fair market value on the last business day of the taxable year, even though a taxpayer’s obligations (or rights) under such Section 1256 Contracts have not terminated (by delivery, exercise, entering into a closing transaction, or otherwise) as of such date. Any gain or loss recognized as a consequence of the year-end deemed disposition of Section 1256 Contracts is taken into account for the taxable year together with any other gain or loss that was recognized previously upon the termination of Section 1256 Contracts during that taxable year. Any capital gain or loss for the taxable year with respect to Section 1256 Contracts (including any capital gain or loss arising as a consequence of the year-end deemed sale of such Section 1256 Contracts) generally is treated as 60% long- term capital gain or loss and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. A Fund, however, may elect not to have this special tax treatment apply to Section 1256 Contracts that are part of a “mixed straddle” with other investments of the Fund that are not Section 1256 Contracts.

A Fund may enter into notional principal contracts, including interest rate swaps, caps, floors, and collars. Treasury Regulations provide, in general, that the net income or net deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year is included in or deducted from gross income for that taxable year. The net income or deduction from a notional principal contract for a taxable year equals the total of all of the periodic payments (generally, payments that are payable or receivable at fixed periodic intervals of one year or less during the entire term of the contract) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year, all of the non-periodic payments (including premiums for caps, floors and collars) that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year and any termination payments that are recognized from that contract for the taxable year. No portion of a payment by a party to a notional principal contract is recognized prior to the first year to which any portion of a payment by the counterparty relates. A periodic payment is recognized ratably over the period to which it relates. In general, a non-periodic payment must be recognized over the term of the notional principal contract in a manner that reflects the economic substance of the contract. A non-periodic payment that relates to an interest rate swap, cap, floor, or collar is recognized over the term of the contract by allocating it in accordance with the values of a series of cash-settled forward or option contracts that reflect the specified index and notional principal amount upon which the notional principal contract is based (or under an alternative method provided in Treasury Regulations). A termination payment is recognized in the year the notional principal contract is extinguished, assigned, or terminated (i.e., in the year the termination payment is made).

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Income from options on individual securities written by a Fund will not be recognized by the Fund for tax purposes until an option is exercised or lapses. Any gain recognized by a Fund on the lapse of, or any gain or loss recognized by a Fund from a closing transaction with respect to, an option written by the Fund will be treated as a short-term capital gain or loss. If the Fund enters into a closing transaction, the difference between the premiums received and the amount paid by the Fund to close out its position will generally be treated as short- term capital gain or loss. If an option written by the Fund is exercised, thereby requiring the Fund to sell the underlying security, the premium will increase the amount realized upon the sale of the security, and the character of any gain on such sale of the underlying security as short-term or long-term capital gain will depend on the holding period of the Fund in the underlying security. Because the Fund will not have control over the exercise of the options it writes, such exercises or other required sales of the underlying securities may cause the Fund to realize gains or losses at inopportune times.

A Fund may purchase securities of certain foreign investment funds or trusts that constitute passive foreign investment companies (“PFICs”) for federal income tax purposes. If a Fund invests in a PFIC, it has three separate options. First, it may elect to treat the PFIC as a qualified electing fund (a “QEF”), in which event the Fund will each year have ordinary income equal to its pro rata share of the PFIC’s ordinary earnings for the year and long-term capital gain equal to its pro rata share of the PFIC’s net capital gain for the year, regardless of whether the Fund receives distributions of any such ordinary earnings or capital gains from the PFIC, and such amounts would be subject to the 90% and excise tax distribution requirements described above. In order to make this election with respect to a PFIC in which it invests, a Fund must obtain certain information from the PFIC on an annual basis, which the PFIC may be unwilling or unable to provide. Second, a Fund that invests in marketable stock of a PFIC may make a mark-to-market election with respect to such stock. Pursuant to such election, the Fund will include as ordinary income any excess of the fair market value of such stock at the close of any taxable year over the Fund’s adjusted tax basis in the stock. If the adjusted tax basis of the PFIC stock exceeds the fair market value of the stock at the end of a given taxable year, such excess will be deductible as ordinary loss in an amount equal to the lesser of the amount of such excess or the net mark-to-market gains on the stock that the Fund included in income in previous years. Solely for purposes of Code Sections 1291 through 1298, the Fund’s holding period with respect to its PFIC stock subject to the election will commence on the first day of the first taxable year beginning after the last taxable year for which the mark-to-market election applied. If the Fund makes the mark-to- market election in the first taxable year it holds PFIC stock, it will not incur the tax described below under the third option.

Finally, if a Fund does not elect to treat the PFIC as a QEF and does not make a mark-to-market election, then, in general, (1) any gain recognized by the Fund upon the sale or other disposition of its interest in the PFIC or any excess distribution received by the Fund from the PFIC will be allocated ratably over the Fund’s holding period of its interest in the PFIC stock, (2) the portion of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received shall be included in the Fund’s gross income for such year as ordinary income (and the distribution of such portion by the Fund to shareholders will be taxable as a dividend, but such portion will not be subject to tax at the Fund level), (3) the Fund shall be liable for tax on the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years in an amount equal to, for each such prior year, (i) the amount of gain or excess distribution allocated to such prior year multiplied by the highest corporate tax rate in effect for such prior year, plus (ii) interest on the amount determined under clause (i) for the period from the due date for filing a return for such prior year until the date for filing a return for the year in which the gain is recognized or the excess distribution is received, at the rates and methods applicable to underpayments of tax for such period, and (4) the distribution by the Fund to its shareholders of the portions of such gain or excess distribution so allocated to prior years (net of the tax payable by the Fund thereon) will be taxable to the shareholders as a dividend.

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund may be treated as debt securities that are issued originally at a discount. Generally, the amount of the original issue discount (“OID”) is treated as interest income and is included in income over the term of the debt security, even though payment of that amount is not received until a later time, usually when the debt security matures. A portion of the OID includable in income with respect to certain high-yield corporate debt securities (including certain pay-in-kind securities) may be treated as a dividend for U.S. federal income tax purposes.

Some of the debt securities (with a fixed maturity date of more than one year from the date of issuance) that may be acquired by the Fund in the secondary market may be treated as having market discount. Generally, any gain recognized on the disposition of, and any partial payment of principal on, a debt security having market discount is treated as ordinary income to the extent the gain, or principal payment, does not exceed the “accrued market discount” on such debt security. Market discount generally accrues in equal daily installments. The Fund may make one or more of the elections applicable to debt securities having market discount, which could affect the character and timing of recognition of income.

A Fund that holds the foregoing kinds of securities may be required to pay out as an income distribution each year an amount, which is greater than the total amount of cash interest the Fund actually received. Such distributions may be made from the cash assets of the Fund or by liquidation of portfolio securities, if necessary (including when it is not advantageous to do so). The Fund may realize gains or losses from such liquidations. In the event the Fund realizes net capital gains from such transactions, its shareholders may receive a larger capital gain distribution, if any, than they would in the absence of such transactions.

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Gain or loss on the sale of securities by a Fund will generally be long-term capital gain or loss if the securities have been held by a Fund for more than one year. Gain or loss on the sale of securities held for one year or less will be short-term capital gain or loss.

A Fund may invest in preferred securities or other securities the federal income tax treatment of which may not be clear or may be subject to recharacterization by the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”). To the extent the tax treatment of such securities or the income from such securities differs from the tax treatment expected by the Fund, it could affect the timing or character of income recognized by the Fund, potentially requiring the Fund to purchase or sell securities, or otherwise change its portfolio, in order to comply with the tax rules applicable to regulated investment companies under the Code.

Each Fund may invest a portion of its net assets in below investment grade securities. Investments in these types of securities may present special tax issues for the Fund. Federal income tax rules are not entirely clear about issues such as when the Fund may cease to accrue interest, OID or market discount, when and to what extent deductions may be taken for bad debts or worthless securities, how payments received on obligations in default should be allocated between principal and interest and whether modifications or exchanges of debt obligations in a bankruptcy or workout context are taxable. These and other issues could affect the Fund’s ability to distribute sufficient income to preserve its status as a regulated investment company or to avoid the imposition of U.S. federal income or excise tax.

Fund Distributions

Each Fund anticipates distributing substantially all of its investment company taxable income for each taxable year. Such distributions will be treated as dividends for federal income tax purposes and may be taxable to non-corporate shareholders as long-term capital gains (a “qualified dividend”), provided that certain requirements, as discussed below, are met. Dividends received by corporate shareholders and dividends that do not constitute qualified dividends are taxable as ordinary income. The portion of dividends received from a Fund that are qualified dividends generally will be determined on a look-through basis. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund are less than 95% of the Fund’s gross income (as specially computed), the portion of dividends received from the Fund that constitute qualified dividends will be reported by the Fund and cannot exceed the ratio that the qualified dividends received by the Fund bears to its gross income. If the aggregate qualified dividends received by the Fund equal at least 95% of its gross income, then all of the dividends received from the Fund will constitute qualified dividends.

No dividend will constitute a qualified dividend (1) if it has been paid with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 61 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 121-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 60 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose, under the rules of Code Section 246(c), any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of an option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) if the non-corporate shareholder fails to meet the holding period requirements set forth in (1) with respect to its shares in the Fund to which the dividend is attributable; or (3) to the extent that the Fund (or shareholder, as applicable) is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in property substantially similar or related to stock with respect to which an otherwise qualified dividend is paid.

Qualified dividends are, in general, dividends from taxable U.S. corporations and certain foreign corporations. Dividends from a foreign corporation may be qualified dividends if (1) the stock with respect to which the dividend is paid is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States, (2) the foreign corporation is incorporated in a possession of the United States, or (3) the foreign corporation is eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States that includes an exchange of information program (and that the Treasury Department determines to be satisfactory for these purposes). The Treasury Department has issued guidance identifying which treaties are satisfactory for these purposes. Notwithstanding the above, dividends received from a foreign corporation that for the taxable year of the corporation in which the dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a PFIC will not constitute qualified dividends. Substitute payments received by a Fund representing dividends paid on securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified dividend income, and distributions by the Fund of such substitute payments will not be eligible to be treated as qualified dividends.

Distributions attributable to dividends received by a Fund from domestic corporations will qualify for the 50% dividends-received deduction (“DRD”) for corporate shareholders only to the extent discussed below. Distributions attributable to dividends paid by a foreign corporation, a REIT or a corporation exempt from tax generally do not qualify for the DRD. Substitute payments received by a Fund representing dividends paid on securities loaned out by the Fund will not be treated as dividends eligible for the dividends paid deduction.

Ordinary income dividends paid by a Fund with respect to a taxable year may qualify for the 50% DRD generally available to corporations (other than corporations such as S corporations, which are not eligible for the deduction because of their special characteristics, and other than for purposes of special taxes such as the accumulated earnings tax and the personal holding company tax) to the extent of the amount

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of dividends received by the Fund from domestic corporations for the taxable year. No DRD will be allowed with respect to any dividend

(1)if it has been received with respect to any share of stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days (91 days in the case of certain preferred stock) during the 91-day period (181-day period in the case of certain preferred stock) beginning on the date that is 45 days (90 days in the case of certain preferred stock) before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose under the rules of Code Section 246(c) any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of an option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) to the extent that the Fund is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property; or (3) to the extent the stock on which the dividend is paid is treated as debt-financed under the rules of Code Section 246A. Moreover, the DRD for a corporate shareholder may be disallowed or reduced (1) if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing requirements with respect to its shares of the Fund or (2) by application of Code Section 246(b), which in general limits the DRD to 50% of the shareholder’s taxable income (determined without regard to the DRD and certain other items).

If a Fund receives a dividend (other than a capital gain dividend) in respect of any share of REIT stock, then Fund dividends attributable to that REIT dividend income (as reduced by certain Fund expenses) may be reported by the Fund as eligible for the 20% deduction for “qualified REIT dividends” generally available to non-corporate shareholders under the Code. A dividend from a Fund may not be treated as a qualified REIT dividend (1) if it has been paid with respect to any share of REIT stock that the Fund has held for less than 46 days during the 91-day period beginning on the date that is 45 days before the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend, excluding for this purpose, under the rules of Code Section 246(c), any period during which the Fund has an option to sell, is under a contractual obligation to sell, has made and not closed a short sale of, is the grantor of an option to buy, or has otherwise diminished its risk of loss by holding other positions with respect to, such (or substantially identical) stock; (2) if the non-corporate shareholder fails to meet the holding period requirements set forth in (1) with respect to its shares in the Fund to which the dividend is attributable; or (3) to the extent that the Fund (or shareholder, as applicable) is under an obligation (pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in property substantially similar or related to stock with respect to which an otherwise qualified dividend is paid. Substitute payments received by a Fund representing qualified REIT dividends paid on REIT securities loaned out by the Fund will not be considered qualified REIT dividends, and distributions by the Fund of such substitute payments will not be eligible for the 20% deduction currently available for ordinary REIT dividends paid to non-corporate shareholders.

A Fund may either retain or distribute to shareholders its net capital gain for each taxable year. Each Fund currently intends to distribute any such amounts. If net capital gain is distributed and reported as a capital gain dividend, it will be taxable to shareholders as long-term capital gain, regardless of the length of time the shareholder has held his shares or whether such gain was recognized by the Fund prior to the date on which the shareholder acquired his shares. The Code provides, however, that under certain conditions none of the capital gain recognized upon a Fund’s disposition of domestic qualified “small business” stock will be subject to tax (with certain limitations).

Conversely, if a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, the Fund will be subject to tax thereon (except to the extent of any available capital loss carryovers) at the corporate tax rates. If a Fund elects to retain its net capital gain, it is expected that the Fund also will elect to have shareholders of record on the last day of its taxable year treated as if each received a distribution of his pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder will be required to report his pro rata share of such gain on his tax return as long-term capital gain, will receive a refundable tax credit for his pro rata share of tax paid by the Fund on the gain, and will increase the tax basis for his shares by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit. Organizations or persons not subject to U.S. federal income tax on such capital gains will be entitled to a refund of their pro rata share of such taxes paid by the Fund upon filing appropriate returns or claims for refund with the IRS.

Distributions by a Fund in excess of its current and accumulated earnings and profits will be treated as a tax-free return of capital to the extent of (and in reduction of) the shareholder’s tax basis in his shares; any excess will be treated as gain from the sale of his shares, as discussed below.

Distributions by a Fund will be treated in the manner described above regardless of whether such distributions are paid in cash or reinvested in additional shares of the Fund (if that option is available). Distributions reinvested in additional shares of the Fund through the means of a dividend reinvestment service, if available, will be taxable to shareholders acquiring the additional shares to the same extent as if such distributions had been received in cash. In addition, if the NAV at the time a shareholder purchases shares of a Fund reflects undistributed net investment income, recognized net capital gain, or unrealized appreciation in the value of the assets of the Fund, distributions of such amounts will be taxable to the shareholder in the manner described above, although such distributions economically constitute a return of capital to the shareholder. The amount of undistributed income and gain the Fund has at the time a shareholder purchases or sells shares can impact the amount of the shareholder’s gain or loss on the sale and the treatment and tax rates applicable to the shareholder’s return on its investment in the Fund. Before investing you may want to consult your tax adviser.

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Ordinarily, shareholders are required to take distributions by a Fund into account in the year in which the distributions are made. However, dividends declared in October, November, or December of any year and payable to shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month will be deemed to have been received by the shareholders (and paid by a Fund) on December 31 of such calendar year if such dividends are actually paid in January of the following year. In addition, certain other distributions made after the close of the Fund’s taxable year may be “spilled back” and treated as paid by the Fund (except for the purposes of the 4% nondeductible excise tax) during such taxable year. In such case, a shareholder will be treated as having received such dividends in the taxable year in which the distributions were actually made. Shareholders will be advised annually as to the U.S. federal income tax consequences of distributions made (or deemed made) during the year.

Certain U.S. shareholders, including individuals and estates and trusts, are subject to an additional 3.8% Medicare tax on all or a portion of their “net investment income,” which should include dividends from a Fund and net gains from the disposition of shares of a Fund. Exempt-interest dividends from the Funds generally are not included in net investment income for purposes of this tax. U.S. shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers regarding the implications of the additional Medicare tax resulting from an investment in a Fund.

Each Fund will be required in certain cases to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on distributions paid to any shareholder (1) who has failed to provide a correct taxpayer identification number, (2) who is subject to backup withholding for failure to report the receipt of interest or dividend income properly, or (3) who has failed to certify to the Fund that it is not subject to backup withholding or is an “exempt recipient” (such as a corporation). Amounts withheld under the backup withholding rules will be allowed as a refund or a credit against a shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability provided the required information is furnished to the IRS.

If a Fund invests in underlying regulated investment companies, distributions of short-term capital gains by such underlying funds would be recognized as ordinary income by the Fund and would not be able to be offset by the Fund’s capital losses or capital loss carryforwards (if any). Losses of an underlying fund would not offset any income or gain of the Fund. Losses realized by a Fund on the sale of shares of underlying funds may be indefinitely or permanently deferred under the wash sale rules. Each of these effects is caused by the Fund’s investment in the underlying funds and may result in tax distributions to Fund shareholders being of higher magnitudes.

Sale of Shares

A shareholder will generally recognize gain or loss on the sale of shares of a Fund in an amount equal to the difference between the proceeds of the sale the shareholder’s adjusted tax basis in the shares. All or a portion of any loss may be disallowed if the shareholder purchases other shares of the same Fund within 30 days before or after the sale. In such a case, the basis of the shares acquired will be increased to reflect the disallowed loss. In general, any gain or loss arising from (or treated as arising from) the sale of shares of a Fund will be considered capital gain or loss and will be long-term capital gain or loss if the shares were held for longer than one year. However, any capital loss arising from the sale of shares held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of the amount of exempt-interest dividends received on such shares (unless the loss is with respect to shares of a Fund for which the holding period began after December 22, 2010, and the Fund declares exempt-interest dividends on a daily basis in an amount equal to at least 90% of its net tax-exempt interest and distributes such dividends at least monthly) and (to the extent not disallowed) will be treated as a long-term capital loss to the extent of the amount of capital gain dividends received on such shares. For these purposes, the special holding period rules of Code Section 246(c) (discussed above in connection with qualified dividends, qualified REIT dividends and the dividends-received deduction) generally will apply in determining the holding period of shares. Capital losses in any year are deductible only to the extent of capital gains plus, in the case of a noncorporate taxpayer, $3,000 of ordinary income.

Tax Shelter and Other Reporting Requirements

If a shareholder realizes a loss on the disposition of shares of a Fund of at least $2 million in any single taxable year or at least $4 million in any combination of taxable years for an individual shareholder, or at least $10 million in any single taxable year or at least $20 million in any combination of taxable years for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886. Shareholders should consult their tax advisers to determine the applicability of this requirement in light of their individual circumstances.

Foreign Taxation

Income received by a Fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties and conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. If more than 50% of the value of a Fund’s total assets at the close of its taxable year consists of securities of foreign corporations, the Fund may be able

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to elect to “pass through” to the Fund’s shareholders the amount of eligible foreign income and similar taxes paid by the Fund. If this election is made, a shareholder generally subject to tax will be required to include in gross income (in addition to taxable dividends actually received) his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund, and may be entitled either to deduct (as an itemized deduction) his or her pro rata share of foreign taxes in computing his or her taxable income or to use it as a foreign tax credit against his or her U.S. federal income tax liability, subject to certain limitations. In particular, a shareholder must hold his or her shares (without protection from risk of loss) on the ex-dividend date and for at least 15 more days during the 30-day period surrounding the ex-dividend date to be eligible to claim a foreign tax credit with respect to a gain dividend. No deduction for foreign taxes may be claimed by a non-corporate shareholder who does not itemize deductions. Each shareholder will be notified days after the close of the Fund’s taxable year whether the foreign taxes paid by the Fund will “pass through” for that year.

Generally, a credit for foreign taxes is subject to the limitation that it may not exceed the shareholder’s U.S. tax attributable to his or her total foreign source taxable income. For this purpose, if the pass-through election is made, the source of the Fund’s income will flow through to shareholders of the Fund. With respect to a Fund, gains from the sale of securities will be treated as derived from U.S. sources and certain currency fluctuation gains, including fluctuation gains from foreign currency-denominated debt securities, receivables and payables will be treated as ordinary income derived from U.S. sources. The limitation on the foreign tax credit is applied separately to foreign source passive income, and to certain other types of income. A shareholder may be unable to claim a credit for the full amount of his or her proportionate share of the foreign taxes paid by the Fund.

Foreign Shareholders

Taxation of a shareholder who, as to the United States, is a nonresident alien individual or foreign corporation (“foreign shareholder”), depends on whether the income from a Fund is “effectively connected” with a U.S. trade or business carried on by such shareholder.

If the income from a Fund is not effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, subject to the discussion below with respect to “interest-related dividends” and “short-term capital gain dividends,” ordinary income dividends (including dividends that would otherwise be treated as qualified dividends to an applicable non-foreign shareholder) paid to such foreign shareholder would be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax (or lower applicable treaty rate) upon the gross amount of the dividend. Except as described below, such foreign shareholder would generally be exempt from U.S. federal income tax, including withholding tax, on gains realized on the sale of shares of a Fund or capital gain dividends unless the foreign shareholder is a nonresident alien individual present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the calendar year.

U.S. withholding tax generally does not apply to amounts properly designated by a Fund as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend.” The aggregate amount treated as an interest-related dividend for a year is limited to the Fund’s qualified net interest income for the year, which is the excess of the sum of the Fund’s qualified interest income (generally, its U.S.-source interest income) over the deductions properly allocable to such income. The aggregate amount treated as a “short-term capital gain dividend” is limited to the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital gain over its net long-term capital loss. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a foreign investor needs to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN, W-8BEN-E or substitute Form). In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if the Fund reported the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Foreign investors should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

If the income from a Fund is effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business carried on by a foreign shareholder, then any dividends, and any gains realized upon the sale of shares of the Fund will be subject to U.S. federal income tax at the rates applicable to U.S. citizens or domestic corporations, and, if the foreign shareholder is a corporation, the shareholder may be subject to an additional “branch profits tax” imposed at the rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate).

In the case of foreign noncorporate shareholders, a Fund may be required to withhold backup withholding taxes at the applicable rate on distributions that are otherwise exempt from withholding tax (or taxable at a reduced treaty rate) unless such shareholders furnish the Fund with proper notification of their foreign status.

Special rules may apply to a foreign shareholder receiving a Fund distribution if at least 50% of the Fund’s assets consist of U.S. real property interests, including certain REITs and U.S. real property holding corporations (as defined in the Code and Treasury Regulations), at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of the distribution. Fund distributions that are attributable to gain from the disposition of a U.S. real property interest will be taxable as ordinary dividends and subject to withholding at a 30% or lower treaty rate if the foreign shareholder held no more than 5% of the Fund’s shares at all times during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution. If the foreign shareholder held at least 5% of the Fund’s shares at any time during the one-year testing period, the distribution would be treated as income effectively connected with a trade or business within the U.S. and the foreign shareholder would be subject to withholding tax at a rate of 21% and would generally be required to file a U.S. federal income tax return. The distribution also may be

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subject to a 30% branch profits tax if the foreign shareholder is a corporation. Similar consequences would generally apply to a foreign shareholder’s gain on the sale of Fund shares unless the Fund is domestically controlled (meaning that more than 50% of the value of the Fund’s shares is held by U.S. shareholders at all times during the five-year period ending on the date of sale) or the foreign shareholder owns no more than 5% of the Fund’s shares at all times during the five-year period ending on the date of sale. Finally, a domestically controlled Fund may be required to recognize a portion of its gain on the in-kind distribution of certain U.S. real property interests. A foreign shareholder may also be subject to certain “wash sale” rules to prevent the avoidance of the tax filing and payment obligations discussed above through the sale and repurchase of Fund shares. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors concerning the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in the Fund.

Under the “Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act” and existing guidance thereunder, commonly known as “FATCA,” a 30% withholding tax on dividends paid by the Fund generally applies if paid to a foreign entity unless: (i) if the foreign entity is a “foreign financial institution” as defined under FATCA, the foreign entity undertakes certain due diligence, reporting, withholding, and certification obligations, (ii) if the foreign entity is not a “foreign financial institution,” it identifies certain of its U.S. investors, or (iii) the foreign entity is otherwise excepted under FATCA. If withholding is required under FATCA on a payment related to any Fund distribution, investors that otherwise would not be subject to withholding (or that otherwise would be entitled to a reduced rate of withholding) on such payment generally will be required to seek a refund or credit from the IRS to obtain the benefit of such exemption or reduction. An intergovernmental agreement between the United States and an applicable foreign country, or future Treasury regulations or other guidance, may modify the foregoing requirements. The Funds will not pay any additional amounts in respect of amounts withheld under FATCA. Each investor should consult its tax adviser regarding the effect of FATCA based on its individual circumstances.

The tax consequences to a foreign shareholder entitled to claim the benefits of an applicable tax treaty might be different from those described herein. Foreign shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisers with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a Fund, including the applicability of foreign taxes.

Cost Basis Reporting

A Fund is generally required by law to report to shareholders and the IRS on Form 1099-B “cost basis” information for shares of the Fund acquired on or after January 1, 2012, and sold or redeemed after that date. Upon a disposition of such shares, a Fund will be required to report the adjusted cost basis, the gross proceeds from the disposition, and the character of realized gains or losses attributable to such shares. These requirements do not apply to investments through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement plan. The “cost basis” of a share is generally its purchase price adjusted for returns of capital, and other corporate actions. “Cost basis” is used to determine whether a sale or other disposition of the shares results in a gain or loss.

The Fund will permit shareholders to elect among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods to determine the cost basis in their shares. If a shareholder does not affirmatively elect a cost basis method, then the Fund’s default cost basis calculation method, which is currently the average cost method, will be applied to their account. The cost basis method elected or applied may not be changed after the settlement date of a sale of shares.

If a shareholder holds shares through a broker, the shareholder should contact that broker with respect to the reporting of cost basis information.

Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers regarding specific questions with respect to the application of the new cost basis reporting rules and, in particular, which cost basis calculation method to elect.

Municipal Funds

This section addresses certain U.S. federal income tax considerations specific to the VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF and the VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF, each of which invests in municipal obligations (each referred to as a “Municipal Fund” in this disclosure), and shareholders of the Municipal Funds.

Each Municipal Fund intends to qualify to pay “exempt-interest dividends” as defined in Section 852(b)(5) of the Code. Under such section, if, at the close of each quarter of a Municipal Fund’s taxable year, at least 50% of the value of the Municipal Fund’s total assets consists of obligations exempt from U.S. federal income tax (“tax-exempt obligations”) under Section 103(a) of the Code (relating generally to obligations of a state or local governmental unit), the Municipal Fund will be qualified to pay exempt-interest dividends to its shareholders. Exempt-interest dividends are dividends or any part thereof paid by a Municipal Fund that are attributable to interest on tax-exempt obligations and reported by the Municipal Fund as exempt-interest dividends.

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Exempt-interest dividends will be excludable from a shareholder’s gross income for U.S. federal income tax purposes. However, as described below, all or a portion of the exempt-interest dividends may be taken into account in determining the alternative minimum tax on shareholders who are individuals and may be subject to state and local taxes. Exempt-interest dividends are included in determining the portion, if any, of an individual’s social security and railroad retirement benefits subject to U.S. federal income taxes. Additionally, a shareholder may not deduct interest on indebtedness incurred or continued to purchase or carry shares of stock in a regulated investment company, such as a Municipal Fund, to the extent that the regulated investment company distributes exempt-interest dividends to the shareholder during the taxable year of the holder.

Each Municipal Fund may realize and distribute taxable ordinary income or capital gains from time to time because of the Municipal Fund’s investment activities, including its investments in tax-exempt obligations. A Municipal Fund’s distribution of these amounts generally is taxable to shareholders whether received in cash or reinvested in additional shares. Dividends paid out of a Municipal Fund’s investment company taxable income generally will be taxable to a shareholder as ordinary income. For example, although “market discount” is, as an economic matter, a substitute for additional interest, the amount of any market discount on a tax-exempt obligation is not treated as tax-exempt interest because such discount is not paid by the issuer of the obligation. As a result, all or a portion of a Municipal Fund’s gains from the sale, retirement, or other disposition of tax-exempt obligations purchased at a market discount will be treated as ordinary income. A market discount bond is a bond acquired in the secondary market at a price below its redemption value or adjusted issue price if issued with original issue discount. Alternatively, a Municipal Fund may elect to accrue market discount as ordinary income during the period in which the Municipal Fund holds the bond. These market discount rules may increase the amount of taxable ordinary income dividends received by shareholders. Additionally, if a Municipal Fund sells or otherwise disposes of a tax- exempt obligation, any gain or loss is generally treated as a capital gain or loss (except to the extent the market discount rules result in ordinary income), which may result in the payment by the Municipal Fund of taxable ordinary income dividends or capital gain dividends.

After the close of each fiscal year, each Municipal Fund will report the portion of its distributions paid to shareholders during the previous year that constitute exempt-interest dividends, ordinary income dividends, qualified dividend income, capital gain dividends, dividends eligible for the corporate dividends-received deduction, and returns of capital.

The Code subjects interest received on certain otherwise tax-exempt obligations to the federal alternative minimum tax. The alternative minimum tax applies to interest received on certain private activity bonds (“PABs”) issued after August 7, 1986. PABs are bonds that, although tax-exempt, are used for purposes other than those generally performed by governmental units and that benefit non- governmental entities (e.g., bonds used for industrial development or housing purposes). Income received on such bonds is classified as an item of “tax preference,” which could subject certain investors in such bonds, including shareholders of a Municipal Fund, to a federal alternative minimum tax. After the close of each year, each Municipal Fund will report the portion of its distributions paid to shareholders during the previous year that constitute an item of tax preference for alternative minimum tax purposes.

Each Municipal Fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers, and financial institutions. Payments in lieu of interest made by the borrower to a Municipal Fund will not constitute “exempt interest” excluded from taxable income, even if the actual interest would have constituted qualified exempt interest had the Municipal Fund held the securities. Such payments in lieu of interest are taxable as ordinary income, and such amounts cannot be distributed by a Municipal Fund to its shareholders in the form of exempt-interest dividends.

In making investments, each Municipal Fund and its investment manager will rely on the opinion of issuers’ bond counsel and, in the case of derivative securities, sponsors’ counsel, on the tax-exempt status of interest on municipal obligations and payments under tax- exempt derivative securities. Neither a Municipal Fund nor its investment manager will independently review the bases for those tax opinions. If any of those tax opinions are ultimately determined to be incorrect or if events occur after the security is acquired that impact the security’s tax-exempt status, the Municipal Fund and its shareholders could be subject to substantial tax liabilities. The IRS has generally not ruled on the taxability of the securities. An assertion by the IRS that a portfolio security is not exempt from U.S. federal income tax (contrary to indications from the issuer) could affect a Municipal Fund’s and its shareholders’ income tax liability for the current or past years and could create liability for information reporting penalties. In addition, an IRS assertion of taxability may impair the liquidity and the fair market value of the securities.

Shareholders that generally are exempt from U.S. federal income tax, such as shareholders investing through tax-qualified accounts and nonresident aliens or foreign entities, will not gain additional tax benefit from the exempt-interest dividends that are expected to be paid by a Municipal Fund or gain any other tax benefit. Because a Municipal Fund’s pre-tax returns generally will be lower than those of funds that own taxable debt instruments of comparable quality, an investment in a Municipal Fund may not be a suitable investment for those kinds of investors.

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The U.S. federal income tax consequences to (i) a shareholder of the sale or other disposition of shares of a Municipal Fund and (ii) a foreign shareholder of the ownership and the sale or other disposition of the shares of a Municipal Fund, in each case, are generally the same as the tax consequences applicable to the Funds described above.

Effect of Future Legislation, Foreign, State, and Local Tax Considerations

The foregoing general discussion of U.S. federal income and excise tax consequences is based on the Code and the Treasury Regulations issued thereunder as in effect on the date of this SAI. Future legislative or administrative changes or court decisions may significantly change the conclusions expressed herein and any such changes or decisions may have a retroactive effect.

Rules of foreign, state, and local taxation of ordinary income dividends, qualified dividends, exempt-interest dividends and capital gain dividends from regulated investment companies may differ from the rules for U.S. federal income taxation described above. Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisers as to the consequences of these and other foreign, state and local tax rules affecting an investment in a Fund.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Description of Shares

As a Delaware statutory trust, the Trust need not hold regular annual shareholder meetings and, in the normal course, does not expect to hold such meetings. The Trust, however, must hold shareholder meetings for such purposes as, for example: (1) approving certain agreements as required by the 1940 Act; (2) changing fundamental investment objectives, policies, and restrictions of the Funds; and (3) filling vacancies on the Board of Trustees of the Trust in the event that less than a majority of the Trustees were elected by shareholders. Under the Trust’s Second Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated February 26, 2019 (“Declaration of Trust”), each Trustee will continue in office until the termination of the Trust or his/her earlier death, incapacity, resignation, or removal. Vacancies may be filled by a majority of the remaining Trustees, except insofar as the 1940 Act may require the election by shareholders. Therefore, the Trust expects that there will be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees holding office have been elected by shareholders or unless matters arise requiring a vote of shareholders under the Declaration of Trust or the 1940 Act. At such time, the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders meeting. In addition, holders of record of not less than two-thirds of the outstanding shares of the Trust may remove a Trustee from office by a vote cast in person or by proxy at a shareholder meeting called for that purpose at the request of holders of 10% or more of the outstanding shares of the Trust. The Funds have the obligation to assist in such shareholder communications. Except as set forth above, Trustees will continue in office and may appoint successor Trustees.

The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees to issue an unlimited number of shares, which are units of beneficial interest, with no par value. The Declaration of Trust authorizes the Trustees to divide or re-divide any unissued shares of the Trust into one or more additional series by setting or changing in any one or more aspects their respective preferences, conversion, or other rights, voting power, restrictions, limitations as to dividends, qualifications and terms and conditions of redemption.

Shares have no subscription or preemptive rights and only such conversion or exchange rights as the Trustees may grant in their discretion. When issued for payment as described in the Prospectus and this SAI, the Trust’s shares will be fully paid and non-assessable. In the event of a liquidation or dissolution of the Trust, shares of a Fund are entitled to receive the assets available for distribution belonging to the Fund, and a proportionate distribution, based upon the relative asset values of the respective series, of any general assets not belonging to any particular series that are available for distribution. The Board may classify and reclassify the shares of a Fund into classes of shares at a future date.

Fund shareholders are entitled to one vote per share (with proportional voting for fractional shares) on such matters as shareholders are entitled to vote (“share-based voting”). Alternatively (except where the 1940 Act requires share-based voting), the Trustees in their discretion may determine that shareholders are entitled to one vote per dollar of NAV (with proportional voting for fractional dollar amounts). Shareholders of all series and classes will vote together as a single class on all matters except (1) when required by the 1940 Act or when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects one or more series or classes materially differently, shares shall be voted by individual series or class; and (2) when the Trustees have determined that the matter affects only the interests of a particular series or class, then only shareholders of such series or class shall be entitled to vote thereon.

There normally will be no meetings of shareholders for the purpose of electing Trustees unless and until such time as less than a majority of the Trustees have been elected by the shareholders, at which time the Trustees then in office will call a shareholders’ meeting for the

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election of Trustees. A meeting shall be held for such purpose upon the written request of the holders of not less than one-third of the outstanding shares. Upon written request by ten or more shareholders of record meeting the qualifications of Section 16(c) of the 1940 Act, (i.e., persons who have been shareholders of record for at least six months, and who hold shares having an NAV of at least $25,000 or constituting 1% of the outstanding shares, whichever is less) stating that such shareholders wish to communicate with the other shareholders for the purpose of obtaining the signatures necessary to demand a meeting to consider removal of a Trustee, the Trust will provide a list of shareholders or disseminate appropriate materials (at the expense of the requesting shareholders). Except as set forth above, the Trustees shall continue to hold office and may appoint their successors.

The Declaration of Trust permits the Trustees to take certain actions without obtaining shareholder approval, if the Trustees determine that doing so would be in the best interests of shareholders. These actions include: (a) reorganizing a Fund with another investment company or another series of the Trust; (b) liquidating a Fund; (c) restructuring a Fund into a “master/feeder” structure, in which a Fund (the “feeder”) would invest all of its assets in a separate “master” fund; and (d) amending the Declaration of Trust, unless shareholder consent is required by law.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company such as the Trust shall not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares, as defined under the 1940 Act, of the series affected by the matter. For purposes of determining whether the approval of a majority of the outstanding shares of a Fund will be required in connection with a matter, a Fund will be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of the Fund and any other series in the matter are identical, or that the matter does not affect any interest of other series of the Trust. Under Rule 18f-2, the approval of an investment advisory agreement or any change in investment policy would be effectively acted upon with respect to a Fund only if approved by a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund. However, Rule 18f-2 also provides that the ratification of independent accountants, the approval of principal underwriting contracts, and the election of Trustees may be effectively acted upon by shareholders of the Trust voting without regard to series.

Shareholder and Trustee Liability

The Delaware Statutory Trust Act provides that a shareholder of a Delaware statutory trust shall be entitled to the same limitation of personal liability extended to shareholders of Delaware corporations and the Declaration of Trust provides that shareholders of the Trust shall not be liable for the obligations of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust also provides for indemnification out of the trust property of any shareholder held personally liable solely by reason of his or her being or having been a shareholder. The risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is considered to be extremely remote.

The Declaration of Trust states further that to the fullest extent permitted by Delaware law, no Trustee or officer of the Trust shall be personally liable in connection with the administration or preservation of the assets of the Funds or the conduct of the Trust’s business; nor shall any Trustee, officer, or agent be personally liable to any person for any action or failure to act except for his own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of his duties. The Declaration of Trust also provides that all persons having any claim against the Trustees or the Trust shall look solely to the assets of the Trust for payment.

Jurisdiction and Waiver of Jury Trial

In accordance with Section 3804(e) of the Delaware Act, the Trust Instrument provides that any suit, action or proceeding brought by or in the right of any shareholder or any person or entity claiming any interest in any Shares seeking to enforce any provision of, or based on any matter arising out of, or in connection with, the Trust Instrument or the Trust, any Fund or class or any shares, including any claim of any nature against the Trust, any Fund or class, the Trustees or officers of the Trust, shall be brought exclusively in the Court of Chancery of the State of Delaware to the extent there is subject matter jurisdiction in such court for the claims asserted or, if not, then in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, and all shareholders and other such persons or entities hereby irrevocably consent to the jurisdiction of such courts (and the appropriate appellate courts therefrom) in any such suit, action or proceeding and irrevocably waive, to the fullest extent permitted by law, any objection they may make now or hereafter have to the laying of the venue of any such suit, action or proceeding in such court or that any such suit, action or proceeding brought in any such court as been brought in an inconvenient forum and further, in connection with any such suit, action, or proceeding brought in the Superior Court of the State of Delaware, all shareholders and all other such persons or entities hereby irrevocably waive the right to a trial by jury to the fullest extent permitted by law. All shareholders and other such persons and entities agree that service of summons, complaint or other process in connection with any proceedings may be made by registered or certified mail or by overnight courier addressed to such person or entity at the address shown on the books and records of the Trust for such person or entity or at the address of the person or entity shown on the books and records of the Trust with respect to the Shares that such person or entity claims an interest in. Service of process in any such suit, action or proceeding against the Trust or any Trustee or officer of the Trust may be made at the address of the Trust’s registered agent in the State of Delaware. Any service so made shall be effective as if personally made in the State of Delaware.

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These exclusive jurisdiction provisions may make it more expensive for a shareholder to bring a suit and may limit a shareholder’s ability to litigate a claim in the jurisdiction and in a manner that may be more favorable to the shareholder. A court may choose not to enforce this provision of the Trust Instrument. There is a question regarding the enforceability of the exclusive forum provision in the Trust Instrument because the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940 permit shareholders to bring claims arising under such statutes in both state and federal courts.

Derivative Actions Brought by Shareholders

Pursuant to the Declaration of Trust, a shareholder may bring a derivative action on behalf of the Trust only if the shareholder or shareholders first make a pre-suit demand upon the Trustees to bring the subject action unless an effort to cause the Trustees to bring such action is excused. A demand on the Trustees shall only be excused if a majority of the Board, or a majority of any committee established to consider the merits of such action, has a personal financial interest in the action at issue. A Trustee shall not be deemed to have a personal financial interest in an action or otherwise be disqualified from ruling on a shareholder demand by virtue of the fact that such Trustee receives remuneration from his service on the Board or on the boards of one or more investment companies managed by the Adviser or that share the same principal underwriter. For purposes of this requirement, the Board may designate a committee of one Trustee to consider a shareholder demand if necessary to create a committee with a majority of Trustees who do not have a personal financial interest in the transaction at issue.

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings

The Board has adopted policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of each Fund’s portfolio holdings by the Fund, the Adviser, or their affiliates. These policies and procedures provide that each Fund’s portfolio holdings information generally may not be disclosed to any party prior to the information becoming public. Certain limited exceptions are described below. These policies and procedures apply to disclosures to all categories of persons, including individual investors, institutional investors, intermediaries who sell shares of a Fund, third parties providing services to the Funds (accounting agent, print vendors, etc.), rating and ranking organizations (Lipper, Morningstar, etc.) and affiliated persons of the Funds.

The Trust’s Chief Compliance Officer is responsible for monitoring each Fund’s compliance with these policies and procedures, and for providing regular reports (at least annually) to the Board regarding the adequacy and effectiveness of the policy and recommend changes, if necessary.

Public Disclosure

Each business day, each Fund’s portfolio holdings information will generally be provided for dissemination through the facilities of the National Securities Clearing Corporation (“NSCC”) and/or other fee-based subscription services to NSCC members and/or subscribers to those other fee-based subscription services, including Authorized Participants (as defined below), and to entities that publish and/or analyze such information in connection with the process of purchasing or redeeming Creation Units or trading shares of each Fund in the secondary market. This information typically reflects the Fund’s anticipated holdings on the current business day.

For in-kind creations, a basket composition file, which includes the names and quantities of Deposit Securities to deliver in exchange for a Creation Unit of shares, together with an estimated Cash Component for the current business day, will be publicly disseminated daily prior to the opening of the Exchange via the NSCC. The basket represents one Creation Unit of a Fund. The Trust and the Adviser will not disseminate non-public information concerning a Fund’s portfolio holdings. However, access to information concerning a Fund’s portfolio holdings may be permitted to personnel of third party service providers, including a Fund’s custodian, transfer agent, auditors, and counsel, as may be necessary to conduct business in the ordinary course in a manner consistent with such service providers’ agreements with the Trust on behalf of a Fund. From time to time, information concerning portfolio holdings other than portfolio holding information made available in connection with the Creation Unit process, as discussed above, may be provided to other entities that provide services to the Funds, including rating or raking organizations, in the ordinary course of business, no earlier than one business day following the date of the information.

The Funds also disclose their complete portfolio holdings in their financial statements and are available upon request or on the Funds’ website, VictorySharesLiterature.com. The Funds also file their complete portfolio holdings with the SEC for the first and third fiscal quarters on Form N-PORT. You can find these filings on the SEC’s website, www.sec.gov.

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Non-Public Disclosures

The Adviser may authorize the disclosure of non-public portfolio holdings information under certain limited circumstances. The Funds’ policies provide that non-public disclosures of a Fund’s portfolio holdings may only be made if: (i) the Fund has a “legitimate business purpose” (as determined by the President of the Trust) for making such disclosure; and (ii) the party receiving the non-public information enters into a confidentiality agreement, which includes a duty not to trade on the non-public information and describes any compensation to be paid to the Fund or any “affiliated person” of the Adviser or Distributor, including any arrangement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or by any “affiliated person” of the Adviser or Distributor.

The Adviser will consider any actual or potential conflicts of interest between the Adviser and a Fund’s shareholders and will act in the best interest of the Fund’s shareholders with respect to any such disclosure of portfolio holdings information. If a potential conflict can be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser may authorize release of portfolio holdings information. Conversely, if the potential conflict cannot be resolved in a manner that does not present detrimental effects to Fund shareholders, the Adviser will not authorize such release.

Expenses

Unless agreed upon otherwise with a third party, all expenses incurred in administration of the Funds will be charged to a particular Fund, including investment management fees; fees and expenses of the Board; interest charges; taxes; brokerage commissions; expenses of valuing assets; expenses of continuing registration and qualification of the Funds and the shares under federal and state law; share issuance expenses; fees and disbursements of independent accountants and legal counsel; fees and expenses of custodians, including, transfer agents and shareholder account servicing organizations; expenses of preparing, printing and mailing prospectuses, reports, proxies, notices and statements sent to shareholders; expenses of shareholder meetings; costs of investing in underlying funds; and insurance premiums. The Funds are also liable for nonrecurring expenses, including litigation to which they may from time to time be a party. Expenses incurred for the operation of a particular Fund, including the expenses of communications with its shareholders, are paid by that Fund.

Legal Counsel

Sidley Austin LLP, 787 Seventh Avenue, New York, New York 10019, serves as counsel to the Trust.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

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Miscellaneous

As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, “assets belonging to a fund” (or “assets belonging to the Fund”) means the consideration received by the Trust upon the issuance or sale of shares of a Fund, together with all income, earnings, profits and proceeds derived from the investment thereof, including any proceeds from the sale, exchange, or liquidation of such investments and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds and any general assets of the Trust, which general liabilities and expenses are not readily identified as belonging to a particular series that are allocated to that series by the Trustees. The Trustees may allocate such general assets in any manner they deem fair and equitable. It is anticipated that the factor that will be used by the Trustees in making allocations of general assets to a particular series will be the relative NAV of each respective series at the time of allocation. Assets belonging to a particular series are charged with the direct liabilities and expenses in respect of that series and with a share of the general liabilities and expenses of each of the series not readily identified as belonging to a particular series, which are allocated to each series in accordance with its proportionate share of the NAVs of the Trust at the time of allocation. The timing of allocations of general assets and general liabilities and expenses of the Trust to a particular series will be determined by the Trustees and will be in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles. Determinations by the Trustees as to the timing of the allocation of general liabilities and expenses and as to the timing and allocable portion of any general assets with respect to a particular series are conclusive.

As used in the Prospectuses and in this SAI, a “vote of a majority of the outstanding shares” of the Fund means the affirmative vote of the lesser of (a) 67% or more of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting at which the holders of more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund are represented in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

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Each Prospectus and this SAI are not an offering of the securities described in these documents in any state in which such offering may not lawfully be made. No salesperson, dealer, or other person is authorized to give any information or make any representation other than those contained in a Prospectus and this SAI.

While this SAI and each Prospectus describe pertinent information about the Trust and the Funds, neither this SAI nor any Prospectus represents a contract between the Trust or a Fund and any shareholder.

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APPENDIX A

Description of Security Ratings

Set forth below are descriptions of the relevant ratings of some of the NRSROs. These NRSROs and the descriptions of the ratings are as of the date of this SAI and may subsequently change.

Ratings represent a rating agency’s opinion regarding the quality of the security and are not a guarantee of quality. In addition, rating agencies may fail to make timely changes to credit ratings in response to subsequent events and a rating may become stale in that it fails to reflect changes in an issuer’s financial condition.

Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”)

Global Long-Term Ratings. Ratings assigned on Moody’s global long-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risks of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Moody’s defines credit risk as the risk that an entity may not meet its contractual financial obligations as they come due and any estimated financial loss in the event of default or impairment. The contractual financial obligations addressed by Moody’s ratings are those that call for, without regard to enforceability, the payment of an ascertainable amount, which may vary based upon standard sources of variation (e.g., floating interest rates), by an ascertainable date. Moody’s rating addresses the issuer’s ability to obtain cash sufficient to service the obligation, and its willingness to pay. Moody’s ratings do not address non-standard sources of variation in the amount of the principal obligation (e.g., equity indexed), absent an express statement to the contrary in a press release accompanying an initial rating. Long-term ratings are assigned to issuers or obligations with an original maturity of 11 months or more and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment. The following describes the global long- term ratings by Moody’s.

Aaa — Obligations rated Aaa are judged to be of the highest quality, subject to the lowest level of credit risk.

Aa — Obligations rated Aa are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

A — Obligations rated A are judged to be upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

Baa — Obligations rated Baa are judged to be medium-grade and subject to moderate credit risk and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

Ba — Obligations rated Ba are judged to be speculative and are subject to substantial credit risk.

B — Obligations rated B are considered speculative and are subject to high credit risk.

Caa — Obligations rated Caa are judged to be speculative of poor standing and are subject to very high credit risk.

Ca — Obligations rated Ca are highly speculative and are likely in, or very near, default, with some prospect of recovery of principal and interest.

C — Obligations rated C are the lowest rated and are typically in default, with little prospect for recovery of principal or interest.

Medium-Term Note Program Ratings. Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to medium-term note (MTN) or similar programs and definitive ratings to the individual debt securities issued from them (referred to as drawdowns or notes). MTN program ratings are intended to reflect the ratings likely to be assigned to drawdowns issued from the program with the specified priority of claim (e.g. senior or subordinated). To capture the contingent nature of a program rating, Moody’s assigns provisional ratings to MTN programs. A provisional rating is denoted by a (P) in front of the rating.

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The rating assigned to a drawdown from a rated MTN or bank/deposit note program is definitive in nature, and may differ from the program rating if the drawdown is exposed to additional credit risks besides the issuer’s default, such as links to the defaults of other issuers, or has other structural features that warrant a different rating. In some circumstances, no rating may be assigned to a drawdown.

Moody’s encourages market participants to contact Moody’s Ratings Desks or visit moodys.com directly if they have questions regarding ratings for specific notes issued under a medium-term note program. Unrated notes issued under an MTN program may be assigned an NR (not rated) symbol.

Note: Moody’s appends numerical modifiers 1, 2, and 3 to each generic rating classification from Aa through Caa. The modifier 1 indicates that the obligation ranks in the higher end of its generic rating category; the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and

the modifier 3 indicates a ranking in the lower end of that generic rating category. Additionally, a “(hyb)” indicator is appended to all ratings of hybrid securities issued by banks, insurers, finance companies, and securities firms.

Global Short-Term Ratings. Ratings assigned on Moody’s global short-term rating scales are forward-looking opinions of the relative credit risk of financial obligations issued by non-financial corporates, financial institutions, structured finance vehicles, project finance vehicles, and public sector entities. Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations with an original maturity of 13 or fewer months and reflect both on the likelihood of a default or impairment on contractual financial obligations and the expected financial loss suffered in the event of default or impairment.

Moody’s employs the following designations to indicate the relative repayment ability of rated issuers:

P-1. — Ratings of Prime-1 reflect a superior ability to repay short-term obligations.

P-2. — Ratings of Prime-2 reflect a strong ability to repay short-term obligations.

P-3. — Ratings of Prime-3 reflect an acceptable ability to repay short-term obligations.

NP. — Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Not Prime do not fall within any of the Prime rating categories.

Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings. Moody’s Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings are opinions of an issuer’s relative ability to generate cash from internal resources and the availability of external sources of committed financing, in relation to its cash obligations over the coming 12 months. Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings will consider the likelihood that committed sources of financing will remain available. Other forms of liquidity support will be evaluated and consideration will be given to the likelihood that these sources will be available during the coming 12 months. Speculative Grade Liquidity Ratings are assigned to speculative grade issuers that are by definition Not Prime issuers.

SGL-1 — Issuers rated SGL-1 possess very good liquidity. They are most likely to have the capacity to meet their obligations over the coming 12 months through internal resources without relying on external sources of committed financing.

SGL-2 — Issuers rated SGL-2 possess good liquidity. They are likely to meet their obligations over the coming 12 months through internal resources but may rely on external sources of committed financing. The issuer’s ability to access committed sources of financing is highly likely based on Moody’s evaluation of near-term covenant compliance.

SGL-3 — Issuers rated SGL-3 possess adequate liquidity. They are expected to rely on external sources of committed financing. Based on its evaluation of near-term covenant compliance, Moody’s believes there is only a modest cushion, and the issuer may require covenant relief in order to maintain orderly access to funding lines.

SGL-4 — Issuers rated SGL-4 possess weak liquidity. They rely on external sources of financing and the availability of that financing is, in Moody’s opinion, highly uncertain.

U.S. Municipal Short-Term Debt and Demand Obligation Ratings. Moody’s uses the global short-term Prime rating scale for commercial paper issued by U.S. municipalities and nonprofits. These commercial paper programs may be backed by external letters of credit or liquidity facilities, or by an issuer’s self-liquidity. For other short-term municipal obligations, Moody’s uses one of two other short-term rating scales the Municipal Investment Grade (MIG) and Variable Municipal Investment Grade (VMIG) scales discussed below.

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The MIG scale is used for U.S. municipal cash flow notes, bond anticipation notes and certain other short-term obligations, which typically mature in three years or less. Under certain circumstances, the MIG scale is used for bond anticipation notes with maturities of up to five years.

MIG-1. This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by established cash flows, highly reliable liquidity support, or demonstrated broad-based access to the market for refinancing.

MIG-2. This designation denotes strong credit quality. Margins of protection are ample, although not as large as in the preceding group.

MIG-3. This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Liquidity and cash-flow protection may be narrow, and market access for refinancing is likely to be less well-established.

SG. This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Debt instruments in this category may lack sufficient margins of protection.

VMIG Ratings. In the case of variable rate demand obligations (VRDOs), a two-component rating is assigned. The components are a long-term rating and a short-term demand obligation rating. The long-term rating addresses the issuer’s ability to meet scheduled

principal and interest payments. The short-term demand obligation rating addresses the ability of the issuer or the liquidity provider to make payments associated with the purchase-price-upon-demand feature (“demand feature”) of the VRDO. The short-term demand obligation rating uses the VMIG scale. VMIG ratings with liquidity support use as an input the short-term Counterparty Risk Assessment of the support provider, or the long-term rating of the underlying obligor in the absence of third-party liquidity support. Transitions of VMIG ratings of demand obligations with conditional liquidity support differ from transitions on the Prime scale to reflect the risk that external liquidity support will terminate if the issuer’s long-term rating drops below investment grade.

For VRDOs, Moody’s typically assigns the VMIG short-term demand obligation rating if the frequency of the demand feature is less than every three years. If the frequency of the demand feature is less than three years but the purchase price is payable only with remarketing proceeds, the short-term demand obligation rating is “NR.”

Industrial development bonds in the United States where the obligor is a corporate may carry a VMIG rating that reflects Moody’s view of the relative likelihood of default and loss. In these cases, liquidity assessment is based on the liquidity of the corporate obligor.

VMIG-1. This designation denotes superior credit quality. Excellent protection is afforded by the superior short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

VMIG-2. This designation denotes strong credit quality. Good protection is afforded by the strong short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

VMIG-3. This designation denotes acceptable credit quality. Adequate protection is afforded by the satisfactory short-term credit strength of the liquidity provider and structural and legal protections.

SG. This designation denotes speculative-grade credit quality. Demand features rated in this category may be supported by a liquidity provider that does not have a sufficiently strong short-term rating or may lack the structural or legal protections.

S&P Global Ratings

An S&P Global Ratings issue credit rating is a forward-looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to a specific financial obligation, a specific class of financial obligations, or a specific financial program (including ratings on medium-term note programs and commercial paper programs). It takes into consideration the creditworthiness of guarantors, insurers, or other forms of credit enhancement on the obligation and takes into account the currency in which the obligation is denominated. The opinion reflects S&P Global Ratings’ view of the obligor’s capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and this opinion may assess terms, such as collateral security and subordination, which could affect ultimate payment in the event of default.

Issue credit ratings can be either long-term or short-term. Short-term issue credit ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market, typically with an original maturity of no more than 365 days. Short-term issue credit ratings are also used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. S&P Global Ratings

71

would typically assign a long-term issue credit rating to an obligation with an original maturity of greater than 365 days. However, the ratings assigned by S&P Global Ratings to certain instruments may diverge from these guidelines based on market practices. Medium- term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings. Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P Global Ratings analysis of the following considerations:

The likelihood of payment—the capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

The nature of and provisions of the financial obligation, and the promise imputed by S&P Global Ratings; and

The protection afforded by, and relative position of, the financial obligation in the event of a bankruptcy, reorganization, or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors’ rights.

An issue rating is an assessment of default risk but may incorporate an assessment of relative seniority or ultimate recovery in the event of default. Junior obligations are typically rated lower than senior obligations, to reflect lower priority in bankruptcy, as noted above. (Such differentiation may apply when an entity has both senior and subordinated obligations, secured and unsecured obligations, or operating company and holding company obligations.)

AAA— An obligation rated “AAA” has the highest rating assigned by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is extremely strong.

AA— An obligation rated “AA” differs from the highest-rated obligations only to a small degree. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is very strong.

A — An obligation rated “A” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher-rated categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is still strong.

BBB— An obligation rated “BBB” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C — Obligations rated “BB,” “B,” “CCC,” “CC,” and “C” are regarded as having significant speculative characteristics. “BB” indicates the least degree of speculation and “C” the highest. While such obligations will likely have some quality and protective characteristics, these may be outweighed by large uncertainties or major exposure to adverse conditions.

BB— An obligation rated “BB” is less vulnerable to nonpayment than other speculative issues. However, it faces major ongoing uncertainties or exposure to adverse business, financial, or economic conditions that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

B — An obligation rated “B” is more vulnerable to nonpayment than obligations rated “BB,” but the obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. Adverse business, financial, or economic conditions will likely impair the obligor’s capacity or willingness to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

CCC— An obligation rated “CCC” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment, and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation. In the event of adverse business, financial, or economic conditions, the obligor is not likely to have the capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

CC— An obligation rated “CC” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment. The “CC” rating is used when a default has not yet occurred, but S&P Global Ratings expects default to be a virtual certainty, regardless of the anticipated time to default.

C — An obligation rated “C” is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, and the obligation is expected to have lower relative seniority or lower ultimate recovery compared with obligations that are rated higher.

72

D — An obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such payments will be made within the next five business days in the absence of a stated grace period or within the earlier of the stated grace period or the next 30 calendar days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

NR — This indicates that a rating has not been assigned or is no longer assigned.

Plus (+) or minus (-) — Ratings from “AA” to “CCC” may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the rating categories.

Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings. The following describes S&P Global Ratings’ short-term issue credit ratings.

A-1 — A short-term obligation rated “A-1” is rated in the highest category by S&P Global Ratings. The obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is strong. Within this category, certain obligations are designated with a plus sign (+). This indicates that the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on these obligations is extremely strong.

A-2 — A short-term obligation rated “A-2” is somewhat more susceptible to the adverse effects of changes in circumstances and economic conditions than obligations in higher rating categories. However, the obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitments on the obligation is satisfactory.

A-3 — A short-term obligation rated “A-3” exhibits adequate protection parameters. However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to weaken an obligor’s capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

B — A short-term obligation rated “B” is regarded as vulnerable and has significant speculative characteristics. The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitments; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties that could lead to the obligor’s inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitments.

C — A short-term obligation rated “C” is currently vulnerable to nonpayment and is dependent upon favorable business, financial, and economic conditions for the obligor to meet its financial commitments on the obligation.

D — A short-term obligation rated “D” is in default or in breach of an imputed promise. For non-hybrid capital instruments, the “D” rating category is used when payments on an obligation are not made on the date due, unless S&P Global Ratings believes that such

payments will be made within any stated grace period. However, any stated grace period longer than five business days will be treated as five business days. The “D” rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions. A rating on an obligation is lowered to “D” if it is subject to a distressed debt restructuring.

Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings. The following describes Standard & Poor’s Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings.

An S&P Global Ratings U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P Global Ratings’ opinion about the liquidity factors and market access risks unique to the notes. Notes due in three years or less will likely receive a note rating. Notes with an original maturity of more than three years will most likely receive a long-term debt rating. In determining which type of rating, if any, to assign, S&P Global Ratings’ analysis will review the following considerations:

Amortization schedule — the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

Source of payment — the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

SP-1. Strong capacity to pay principal and interest. An issue determined to possess a very strong capacity to pay debt service is given a plus (+) designation.

SP-2. Satisfactory capacity to pay principal and interest, with some vulnerability to adverse financial and economic changes over the term of the notes.

73

SP-3. Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

D. Assigned upon failure to pay the note when due, completion of a distressed debt restructuring, or the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action and where default on an obligation is a virtual certainty, for example due to automatic stay provisions.

Active Qualifiers

S&P Global Ratings uses the following qualifiers that limit the scope of a rating. The structure of the transaction can require the use of a qualifier such as a ‘p’ qualifier, which indicates the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only. A qualifier appears as a suffix and is part of the rating.

Federal deposit insurance limit: “L” qualifier — Ratings qualified with “L” apply only to amounts invested up to federal deposit insurance limits.

Principal: “p” qualifier — This suffix is used for issues in which the credit factors, the terms, or both, that determine the likelihood of receipt of payment of principal are different from the credit factors, terms or both that determine the likelihood of receipt of interest on the obligation. The “p” suffix indicates that the rating addresses the principal portion of the obligation only and that the interest is not rated.

Preliminary ratings: “prelim” qualifier — Preliminary ratings, with the “prelim” suffix, may be assigned to obligors or obligations, including financial programs, in the circumstances described below. Assignment of a final rating is conditional on the receipt by S&P Global Ratings of appropriate documentation. S&P Global Ratings reserves the right not to issue a final rating. Moreover, if a final rating is issued, it may differ from the preliminary rating.

Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations, most commonly structured and project finance issues, pending receipt of final documentation and legal opinions.

Preliminary ratings may be assigned to obligations that will likely be issued upon the obligor’s emergence from bankruptcy or similar reorganization, based on late-stage reorganization plans, documentation, and discussions with the obligor. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligors. These ratings consider the anticipated general credit quality of the reorganized or post-bankruptcy issuer as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s).

Preliminary ratings may be assigned to entities that are being formed or that are in the process of being independently established when, in S&P Global Ratings’ opinion, documentation is close to final. Preliminary ratings may also be assigned to the obligations of these entities.

Preliminary ratings may be assigned when a previously unrated entity is undergoing a well-formulated restructuring, recapitalization, significant financing, or other transformative event, generally at the point that investor or lender commitments are invited. The preliminary rating may be assigned to the entity and to its proposed obligation(s). These preliminary ratings

consider the anticipated general credit quality of the obligor, as well as attributes of the anticipated obligation(s), assuming successful completion of the transformative event. Should the transformative event not occur, S&P Global Ratings would likely withdraw these preliminary ratings.

A preliminary recovery rating may be assigned to an obligation that has a preliminary issue credit rating.

Termination structures: “t” qualifier — This symbol indicates termination structures that are designed to honor their contracts to full maturity or, should certain events occur, to terminate and cash settle all their contracts before their final maturity date.

Counterparty instrument rating: “cir” qualifier — This symbol indicates a counterparty instrument rating (CIR), which is a forward- looking opinion about the creditworthiness of an issuer in a securitization structure with respect to a specific financial obligation to a counterparty (including interest rate swaps, currency swaps, and liquidity facilities). The CIR is determined on an ultimate payment basis; these opinions do not take into account timeliness of payment.

74

Fitch Ratings, Inc. (“Fitch”)

International Long-Term Ratings

Investment Grade

AAA— Highest credit quality. “AAA” ratings denote the lowest expectation of default risk. They are assigned only in cases of exceptionally strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is highly unlikely to be adversely affected by foreseeable events.

AA— Very high credit quality. “AA” ratings denote expectations of very low default risk. They indicate very strong capacity for payment of financial commitments. This capacity is not significantly vulnerable to foreseeable events.

A — High credit quality. “A” ratings denote expectations of low default risk. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered strong. This capacity may, nevertheless, be more vulnerable to adverse business or economic conditions than is the case for higher ratings.

BBB— Good credit quality. “BBB” ratings indicate that expectations of default risk are currently low. The capacity for payment of financial commitments is considered adequate but adverse business or economic conditions are more likely to impair this capacity.

Speculative Grade

BB— Speculative. “BB” ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial flexibility exists that supports the servicing of financial commitments.

B — Highly speculative. “B” ratings indicate that material default risk is present, but a limited margin of safety remains. Financial commitments are currently being met; however, capacity for continued payment is vulnerable to deterioration in the business and economic environment.

CCC— Substantial credit risk. Very low margin for safety. Default is a real possibility.

CC— Very high levels of credit risk. Default of some kind appears probable.

C — Near default. A default or default-like process has begun, or the issuer is in standstill, or for a closed funding vehicle, payment capacity is irrevocably impaired. Conditions that are indicative of a “C” category rating for an issuer include:

The issuer has entered into a grace or cure period following non-payment of a material financial obligation;

The issuer has entered into a temporary negotiated waiver or standstill agreement following a payment default on a material financial obligation;

The formal announcement by the issuer or their agent of a distressed debt exchange;

A closed financing vehicle where payment capacity is irrevocably impaired such that it is not expected to pay interest and/or principal in full during the life of the transaction, but where no payment default is imminent.

RD — Restricted default. “RD” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has experienced:

An uncured payment default or distressed debt exchange on a bond, loan, or other material financial obligation but

Has not entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation, or other formal winding-up procedure, and

Has not otherwise ceased operating. This would include:

The selective payment default on a specific class or currency of debt;

75

The uncured expiry of any applicable grace period, cure period or default forbearance period following a payment default on a bank loan, capital markets security or other material financial obligation;

The extension of multiple waivers or forbearance periods upon a payment default on one or more material financial obligations, either in series or in parallel; or ordinary execution of a distressed debt exchange on one or more material financial obligations.

D — Default. “D” ratings indicate an issuer that in Fitch’s opinion has entered into bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation, or other formal winding-up procedure or that has otherwise ceased business.

Default ratings are not assigned prospectively to entities or their obligations; within this context, non-payment on an instrument that contains a deferral feature or grace period will generally not be considered a default until after the expiration of the deferral or grace period, unless a default is otherwise driven by bankruptcy or other similar circumstance, or by a distressed debt exchange.

Imminent default, categorized under “C,” typically refers to the occasion where a payment default has been intimated by the issuer and is all but inevitable. This may, for example, be where an issuer has missed a scheduled payment, but (as is typical) has a grace period during which it may cure the payment default. Another alternative would be where an issuer has formally announced a distressed debt exchange, but the date of the exchange still lies several days or weeks in the immediate future.

In all cases, the assignment of a default rating reflects the agency’s opinion as to the most appropriate rating category consistent with the rest of its universe of ratings, and may differ from the definition of default under the terms of an issuer’s financial obligations or local commercial practice.

International Short-Term Ratings. The following describes Fitch’s two highest short-term ratings:

F1. Highest short-term credit quality. Indicates the strongest intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments; may have an added “+” to denote any exceptionally strong credit feature.

F2. Good short-term credit quality. Good intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments.

Notes to Long- and Short-term ratings:

The modifiers “+” or “-” may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories. Such suffixes are not added to “AAA” ratings and ratings below the “CCC” category. For the short-term rating category of “F1,” a “+” may be appended.

Withdrawn —The rating has been withdrawn and the issue or issuer is no longer rated by Fitch. Ratings that have been withdrawn will be indicated by the symbol “WD.”

Rating Watch — Rating Watches indicate that there is a heightened probability of a rating change and the likely direction of such a change. These are designated as “Positive,” indicating that a rating could stay at its present level or potentially be upgraded, “Negative,” to indicate that the rating could stay at its present level or potentially be downgraded, or “Evolving” if ratings may be raised, lowered, or affirmed. However, ratings can be raised or lowered without being placed on Rating Watch first.

A Rating Watch is typically event-driven and, as such, it is generally resolved over a relatively short period. The event driving the Watch may be either anticipated or have already occurred, but in both cases, the exact rating implications remain undetermined. The Watch period is typically used to gather further information and/or subject the information to further analysis. A Rating Watch must be reviewed and a RAC be published every six months after a rating has been placed on Rating Watch, except in the case described below.

Additionally, a Watch may be used where the rating implications are already clear, but where they remain contingent upon an event (e.g. shareholder or regulatory approval). The Watch will typically extend to cover the period until the event is resolved or its outcome is predictable with a high enough degree of certainty to permit resolution of the Watch. In these cases, where it has previously been communicated within the RAC that the Rating Watch will be resolved upon an event and where there are no material changes to the respective rating up to the event, the Rating Watch may not be reviewed within the six months interval. In any case, the affected ratings (and the Rating Watch) will remain subject to an annual review cycle.

Rating Outlook — Outlooks indicate the direction a rating is likely to move over a one- to two-year period. They reflect financial or other trends that have not yet reached or been sustained the level that would cause a rating action, but which may do so if such trends continue.

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A Positive Rating Outlook indicates an upward trend on the rating scale. Conversely, a Negative Rating Outlook signals a negative trend on the rating scale. Positive or Negative Rating Outlooks do not imply that a rating change is inevitable, and similarly, ratings with Stable Outlooks can be raised or lowered without a prior revision to the Outlook. Occasionally, where the fundamental trend has strong, conflicting elements of both positive and negative, the Rating Outlook may be described as “Evolving.”

Outlooks are currently applied on the long-term scale to certain issuer ratings in corporate finance (including sovereigns, industrials, utilities, financial institutions and insurance companies) and to both issuer ratings and obligations ratings in public finance in the United States; to issues in infrastructure and project finance; to Insurer Financial Strength Ratings; to issuer and/or issue ratings in a number of National Rating scales; and to the ratings of structured finance transactions and covered bonds. Outlooks are not applied to ratings assigned on the short-term scale. For financial institutions, Outlooks are not assigned to Viability Ratings, Support Ratings and Support Rating Floors. Derivative counterparty ratings are also not assigned Outlooks.

Ratings in the “CCC,” “CC,” and “C” categories typically do not carry Outlooks since the volatility of these ratings is very high and outlooks would be of limited informational value. Defaulted ratings do not carry Outlooks.

34286-00-0926

77


Registration Statement
of
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
on
Form N-1A
PART C. OTHER INFORMATION
Item 28.
Exhibits
 
(a)
Articles of Incorporation.
 
(1)
 
(2)(a)
 
(2)(b)
 
(2)(c)
(b)
(c)
Instruments Defining Rights of Security Holder. None other than in the Second Amended and Restated
Agreement and Declaration of Trust and By-Laws of the Registrant.
(d)
Investment Advisory Contracts.
 
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
(e)
Underwriting Contracts.
 
(1)(a)
 
(2)
 
(3)
(f)
Bonus or Profit Sharing Contracts. None.
(g)
Custodian Agreements.
 
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
 
(1)(c)
 
(1)(d)
 
(1)(e)
 
(1)(f)
 
(1)(g)
 
(1)(h)
 
(1)(i)
 
(1)(j)
 
(1)(k)
 
(1)(l)
 
(1)(m)
 
(l)(n)
 
(1)(o)
 
(1)(p)
(h)
Other Material Contracts.
 
(1)
 
(2)(a)
 
(2)(b)
 
(2)(c)
 
(2)(d)
 
(2)(e)
 
(2)(f)
 
(2)(g)
 
(2)(h)
 
(2)(i)
C-1

 
(2)(j)
 
(2)(k)
 
(2)(l)
 
(2)(m)
 
(2)(n)
 
(2)(o)
 
(2)(p)
 
(2)(q)
 
(2)(r)
 
(2)(s)
 
(2)(t)
 
(2)(u)
 
(2)(v)
 
(2)(w)
 
(3)(a)
 
(3)(b)
 
(3)(c)
 
(3)(d)
 
(3)(e)
 
(4)(a)
 
(4)(b)
 
(4)(c)
 
(4)(d)
 
(4)(e)
 
(4)(f)
 
(4)(g)
 
(4)(h)
 
(4)(i)
 
(4)(j)
 
(5)(a)
 
(6)(a)
 
(6)(b)
 
(7)(a)
 
(7)(b)
 
(8)(a)
 
(8)(b)
 
(8)(c)
 
(8)(d)
 
(8)(e)
(i)
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
 
(1)(c)
Opinion of Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell LLP relating to the VictoryShares Municipal High Yield ETF
and VictoryShares Short-Duration Municipal ETF (To be filed by amendment).
(j)
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
C-2

 
(1)(c)
Consent of Sidley Austin LLP (To be filed by amendment)
(j)
(2)(a)
(k)
Omitted Financial Statements. None.
(l)
(m)
Rule 12b-1 Plans
 
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
 
(2)(a)
 
(2)(b)
 
(3)
(n)
Rule 18f-3 Plan
 
(1)(a)
 
(1)(b)
(o)
Reserved.
(p)
Codes of Ethics
 
(1)
 
(2)
(q)
Powers of Attorney
 
(1)
C-3

Item 29.Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Registrant
Information pertaining to persons controlled by, or under common control with Registrant is hereby incorporated by reference to the section captioned “Management of the Trust” in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”).
Item 30.Indemnification.
Reference is made to Article VIII of the Registrant’s Second Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust, Section 8 of the Investment Advisory Agreement, Section 6 of the ETF Distribution Agreement with VCS, Section 5 of the Distribution Agreement with VCA, Section 12 of the Global Custodial Services Agreement with Citibank, N.A., Section 9 of the Administration and Fund Accounting Agreement with Victory Capital, Section 7 of the Transfer Agency Services Agreement with Citibank, N.A. and Section 13 of the Form of Transfer Agency Agreement with FIS, each of which is incorporated by reference to the Exhibits. The Registrant has obtained from a major insurance carrier a trustees’ and officers’ liability policy covering certain types of errors and omissions. In no event will the Registrant indemnify any of its trustees, officers, employees, or agents against any liability to which such person would otherwise be subject by reason of his willful misfeasance, bad faith, or gross negligence in the performance of his duties, or by reason of his reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office or under his agreement with the Registrant. The Registrant will comply with Rule 484 under the Securities Act of 1933 (the “Securities Act”) and Release 11330 under the Investment Company Act of 1940 in connection with any indemnification.
Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act may be permitted to trustees, officers and controlling persons of the registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in such Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a trustee, officer or controlling person of the registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such trustee, officer or controlling person in connection with the securities being registered, the registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent, submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question whether such indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in such Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.
Item 31.Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser
Information pertaining to business and other connections of the Registrant’s investment adviser, Victory Capital Management Inc. (“VCM” or “Adviser”), is hereby incorporated by reference to the section of the Prospectus captioned “Organization and Management of the Fund” and to the section of the SAI captioned “Investment Adviser and Other Service Providers.” The Adviser is an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Victory Capital Holdings, Inc. (“VCH”), a publicly traded Delaware corporation.
The principal executive officers and directors of the Adviser and VCH are as follows:
David C. Brown
Director, Chairman, and Chief Executive Officer of Adviser and VCH
Michael D. Policarpo, II
President, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Administrative Officer of
Adviser and VCH, Director of Adviser
Nina Gupta
Chief Legal Officer and Secretary of Adviser and VCH, Director of
Adviser
The business address of the foregoing individuals is 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256.
To the knowledge of Registrant, none of the directors or officers of the Adviser is or has been at any time during the past two fiscal years engaged in any other business, profession, vocation, or employment of a substantial nature.
Item 32.Principal Underwriters.
(a) Shares of the mutual fund series of Victory Portfolios II are distributed by Victory Capital Services, Inc. (“VCS”). VCS also acts as principal underwriter for Victory Portfolios, Victory Portfolios III, Victory Portfolios IV, Victory Variable Insurance Funds, and Victory Variable Insurance Funds II.
C-4

(b) The officers of VCS, all of whose principal business address is 4900 Tiedeman Road, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144, are set forth below:
Name
Positions and Offices with Underwriter
Positions and Offices with Registrant
David C. Brown
Director
Trustee
Michael D. Policarpo, II
Director, President
None
Charles Mathes
Director, Chief Compliance
Officer
None
Donald Inks
Chief Operations Officer
None
Christopher Ponte
Chief Financial Officer
Assistant Treasurer
(c)
Not applicable.
Item 33.Location of Accounts and Records.
(1)
Victory Capital Management Inc., 15935 La Cantera Parkway, San Antonio, Texas 78256 (records relating to its functions as investment adviser and administrator).
(2)
Citibank, N.A., 388 Greenwich St., New York, New York 10013 (records relating to its function as custodian and transfer agent for certain funds).
(3)
Citi Fund Services Ohio, Inc., 4400 Easton Commons, Suite 200, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as sub-administrator and sub-fund accountant).
(4)
FIS Investor Services LLC, 4249 Easton Way, Suite 400, Columbus, Ohio 43219 (records relating to its functions as transfer agent and dividend disbursing agent for certain funds).
(5)
Victory Capital Services, Inc., 4900 Tiedeman Road, 4th Floor, Brooklyn, Ohio 44144 (records relating to its function as distributor for certain funds).
Item 34.Management Services. Not applicable.
Item 35.Undertakings. Not applicable.
C-5


SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, Registrant has duly caused this Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the city of San Antonio and state of Texas, on the 8th day of July 2026.
VICTORY PORTFOLIOS II
(Registrant)
By:/s/ Thomas Dusenberry
Thomas Dusenberry
President
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, this Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities indicated on the 8th day of July 2026.
Signature
Title
/s/ Thomas Dusenberry

Thomas Dusenberry
President (Principal Executive Officer)
/s/ Carol D. Trevino

Carol D. Trevino
Treasurer (Principal Accounting Officer and Principal Financial Officer)
*
David Brooks Adcock
Trustee
*
Nigel D.T. Andrews
Trustee
*
E. Lee Beard
Trustee
*
David C. Brown
Trustee
*
John L. Kelly
Chairman of the Board and Trustee
*
David L. Meyer
Trustee
*
Gloria S. Nelund
Trustee
*
Timothy Pettee
Trustee
*By: /s/ Thomas Dusenberry
* Thomas Dusenberry, under the Powers of Attorney dated July 3, 2026, incorporated herein and filed under Post-Effective Amendment No. 141 with the Securities and Exchange Commission on July 8, 2026.