485BPOS 1 lp1dfi.htm POST-EFFECTIVE AMENDMENT NO. 84 lp1dfi.htm - Generated by SEC Publisher for SEC Filing

File No. 2-17531

811-1018

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933 [X]

 Pre-Effective Amendment No.  [__]

 Post-Effective Amendment No. 84  [X]

and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940 [X]

 Amendment No. 55  [X]

(Check appropriate box or boxes.)

Dreyfus Funds, Inc.

(Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

c/o The Dreyfus Corporation

200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166

(Address of Principal Executive Offices) (Zip Code)

 Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code: (212) 922-6000

Michael A. Rosenberg, Esq.

200 Park Avenue

New York, New York 10166

(Name and Address of Agent for Service)

Approximate Date of Proposed Public Offering May 1, 2011

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box)

 

 __ immediately upon filing pursuant to paragraph (b)

 X  on May 1, 2011 pursuant to paragraph (b)

 ____  after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

 __ on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(1)

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

 __ on (date) 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.

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

       
     

 

Prospectus

May 1, 2011

 
   

Class

Ticker

A

FRMAX

B

FRMEX

C

FRMDX

F

FRMUX

I

FRMRX

   

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved
these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is
a criminal offense.

 

 

 

Contents

Fund Summary
   

Fund Summary

1

Fund Details
   

Goal and Approach

5

Investment Risks

6

Management

7

Shareholder Guide
   

Choosing a Share Class

8

Buying and Selling Shares

11

General Policies

14

Distributions and Taxes

15

Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services

15

Services for Fund Investors

16

Financial Highlights

17

For More Information

See back cover.

 

 

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks long-term growth of capital and income.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the Shareholder Guide section on page 8 of the Prospectus and in the How to Buy Shares section on page B-48 of the fund's Statement of Additional Information. Class A shares bought without an initial sales charge as part of an investment of $1 million or more may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% if redeemed within one year.

           

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

 

Class A

Class B

Class C

Class F

Class I

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

(as a percentage of offering price)

5.75

none

none

none

none

Maximum deferred sales charge (load)

(as a percentage of lower of purchase or sale price)

none

4.00

1.00

none

none

           

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

 

Class A

Class B

Class C

Class F

Class I

Management fees

.64

.64

.64

.64

.64

Distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees

none

.75

.75

.03

none

Other expenses (including shareholder services fees)

.61

1.33

.66

.34

.36

Total annual fund operating expenses

1.25

2.72

2.05

1.01

1.00

Example

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1

 

 

         
 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Class A

$695

$949

$1,222

$1,999

Class B

$675

$1,144

$1,640

$2,364

Class C

$308

$643

$1,103

$2,379

Class F

$103

$322

$558

$1,236

Class I

$102

$318

$552

$1,225

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

         

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Class A

$695

$949

$1,222

$1,999

Class B

$275

$844

$1,440

$2,364

Class C

$208

$643

$1,103

$2,379

Class F

$103

$322

$558

$1,236

Class I

$102

$318

$552

$1,225

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 may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 97.93% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategy

To pursue its goal, the fund primarily invests in common stock of large, well-established and mature companies that generally have records of profitability and dividend payments and a reputation for high-quality management, products and services. The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in stocks that are included in a widely recognized index of stock market performance, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, or the Nasdaq Composite Index. The fund may invest in non-dividend paying companies if they offer better prospects for capital appreciation. The fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities.

The portfolio manager uses a “growth style” of investing, searching for companies whose fundamental strengths suggest the potential to provide superior earnings growth over time. The portfolio manager uses a consistent, bottom-up approach which emphasizes individual stock selection. The portfolio manager goes beyond Wall Street analysis and performs intensive qualitative and quantitative in-house research to determine whether companies meet this investment criteria. The portfolio manager monitors the securities in the fund’s portfolio, and will consider selling a security if its business momentum deteriorates or valuation becomes excessive. The portfolio manager also may sell a security if an event occurs that contradicts the rationale for owning it, such as a deterioration in the company’s financial fundamentals. In addition, the portfolio manager may sell a security if better investment opportunities emerge elsewhere or if the fund's industry or sector weightings change.

The fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives, such as futures, options and forward contracts, as a substitute for investing directly in an underlying asset, to increase returns, to manage currency risk, or as part of a hedging strategy.

Principal Risks

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.

· Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general weakness in the stock market or because of factors that affect the company or its particular industry.

2

 

 

· Growth stock risk. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, investors can punish the stocks inordinately, even if earnings do increase. In addition, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield that may cushion stock prices in market downturns.

· Market sector risk. The fund may significantly overweight or underweight certain companies, industries or market sectors, which may cause the fund's performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors.

· Foreign investment risk. Investments in foreign securities carry additional risks, including exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

· Foreign currency risk. Investments in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar, which will reduce the value of investments denominated in those currencies held by the fund.

· Derivatives risk. A small investment in derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's performance. The use of derivatives involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying assets. Derivatives can be highly volatile, illiquid and difficult to value.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Class F shares from year to year. The table compares the average annual total returns of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. Sales charges, if any, are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would have been less than those shown. More recent performance information may be available at www.dreyfus.com.

   

Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%)

Class F

Best Quarter
Q3, 2010: 16.92%

Worst Quarter
Q4, 2008: -23.80%

After-tax performance is shown only for Class F shares. After-tax performance of the fund’s other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

       

Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/10)

Share Class/Inception Date

 

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Class F returns before taxes (7/5/38)

23.18%

3.53%

0.88%

Class F returns after taxes on distributions

23.14%

3.48%

0.84%

Class F returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares

15.12%

3.02%

0.74%

Class A returns before taxes (12/31/99)

15.85%

2.06%

-0.16%

Class B returns before taxes (12/31/99)

17.02%

1.81%

0.14%

Class C returns before taxes (12/31/99)

20.88%

2.53%

-0.33%

Class I returns before taxes (12/31/99)

23.09%

3.67%

0.76%

Russell 1000 Growth Index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes

16.71%

3.75%

0.02%

3

 

 

Portfolio Management

The fund’s investment adviser is The Dreyfus Corporation. Elizabeth Slover has been the fund’s primary portfolio manager since January 2009. Ms. Slover is a managing director and the director of the core research team at The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC, an affiliate of The Dreyfus Corporation. She is also an employee of The Dreyfus Corporation.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

In general, the fund's minimum initial investment is $1,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $100 for regular accounts. You may sell your shares on any business day by calling 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for all share classes, except Class F shares, and 1-800-645-6561 for Class F shares, or by visiting www.dreyfus.com. You may also mail your request to sell shares to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box 55268, Boston, MA 02205-5268.

Tax Information

The fund’s distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged investment plan.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares through 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 fund 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.

4

 

 

Fund Details

Goal and Approach

The fund seeks long-term growth of capital and income. To pursue this goal, the fund primarily invests in common stocks of large, well-established and mature companies. These companies generally have long records of profitability and dividend payments and a reputation for high-quality management, products, and services.

The fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in stocks that are included in a widely recognized index of stock market performance, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index, or the Nasdaq Composite Index. While a significant portion of these stocks normally would be expected to pay regular dividends, the fund may invest in non-dividend paying companies if they offer better prospects for capital appreciation. The fund may also invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities.

The portfolio manager manages the fund using a “growth style” of investing, searching for companies whose fundamental strengths suggest the potential to provide superior earnings growth over time. The portfolio manager uses a consistent, bottom-up approach which emphasizes individual stock selection. The portfolio manager goes beyond Wall Street analysis and performs intensive qualitative and quantitative in-house research to determine whether companies meet the fund’s investment criteria.

The portfolio manager monitors the securities in the fund’s portfolio, and will consider selling a security if its business momentum deteriorates or valuation becomes excessive. The portfolio manager also may sell a security if an event occurs that contradicts the portfolio manager’s rationale for owning it, such as deterioration in the company’s financial fundamentals. In addition, the portfolio manager may sell a security if better investment opportunities emerge elsewhere or if the fund’s industry or sector weightings change.

The fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives, such as options, futures and options on futures (including those relating to securities, indexes, foreign currencies and interest rates) and forward contracts, as a substitute for investing directly in an underlying asset, to increase returns, to manage currency risk, or as part of a hedging strategy. The fund also may invest in pooled investment vehicles, such as exchange traded funds (ETFs) and similarly structured pooled investments.

The fund does not have any limitations regarding portfolio turnover. The fund may engage in short-term trading to try to achieve its objective and may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. A portfolio turnover of 100% is equivalent to the fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once during the course of year.

5

 

 

Investment Risks

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The value of your investment in the fund will fluctuate, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.

· Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general market conditions that are not related to the particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. A security's market value also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry, or factors that affect a particular company, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the company's products or services.

· Growth stock risk. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, investors can punish the stocks inordinately, even if earnings do increase. In addition, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield that may cushion stock prices in market downturns.

· Market sector risk. The fund may significantly overweight or underweight certain companies, industries or market sectors, which may cause the fund's performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors.

· Foreign investment risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign companies include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

· Foreign currency risk. Investments in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline relative to the currency being hedged. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. A decline in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will reduce the value of securities held by the fund and denominated in those currencies. Foreign currencies are also subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

· Derivatives risk. A small investment in derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's performance. The use of derivatives involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying assets. Derivatives can be highly volatile, illiquid and difficult to value, and there is the risk that changes in the value of a derivative held by the fund will not correlate with the underlying instruments or the fund's other investments. Derivative instruments also involve the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of the counterparty to the derivative instruments to make required payments or otherwise comply with the derivative instruments' terms. Certain types of derivatives involve greater risks than the underlying obligations because, in addition to general market risks, they are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, credit risk and pricing risk. Additionally, some derivatives involve economic leverage, which could increase the volatility of these investments as they may fluctuate in value more than the underlying instrument.

In addition to the principal risks described above, the fund is subject to the following additional risks:

· Exchange-traded fund (ETF) risk. ETFs typically trade on a securities exchange and their shares may, at times, trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The fund will incur brokerage costs when purchasing and selling shares of ETFs.

· Leverage risk. The use of leverage, such as engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, lending portfolio securities, entering into futures contracts or forward currency contracts and engaging in forward commitment transactions, may magnify the fund's gains or losses.

· Other potential risks. The fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In connection with such loans, the fund will receive collateral from the borrower equal to at least 100% of the value of loaned securities. If the borrower of the securities fails financially, there could be delays in recovering the loaned securities or exercising rights to the collateral.

6

 

 

Under adverse market conditions, the fund could invest some or all of its assets in U.S. Treasury securities and money market securities. Although the fund would do this for temporary defensive purposes, it could reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market. During such periods, the fund may not achieve its investment objective.

The fund may engage in short-term trading, which could produce higher transaction costs and taxable distributions and lower the fund’s after-tax performance.

 

Management

The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation (Dreyfus), 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages approximately $297 billion in 196 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund paid an investment advisory fee at the annual rate of .64% of the fund's average daily net assets. A discussion regarding the basis for the board's approving the fund's management agreement with Dreyfus is available in the fund's semiannual report for the six months ended June 30, 2010. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon), a global financial services company focused on helping clients move and manage their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, providing asset and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team. BNY Mellon has more than $25.0 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.17 trillion in assets under management, and it services more than $12.0 trillion in outstanding debt. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com.

The Dreyfus asset management philosophy is based on the belief that discipline and consistency are important to investment success. For each fund, Dreyfus seeks to establish clear guidelines for portfolio management and to be systematic in making decisions. This approach is designed to provide each fund with a distinct, stable identity.

Elizabeth Slover has been the fund’s primary portfolio manager since January 2009. She has been an employee of Dreyfus since November 2001 and an employee of The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC (TBCAM), an affiliate of Dreyfus, since June 2005. She is a managing director and the director of TBCAM's core research team.

The Statement Additional Information for the fund provides additional portfolio manager information, including compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of fund shares.

MBSC Securities Corporation (MBSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Dreyfus, serves as distributor of the fund and of the other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Rule 12b-1 fees and shareholder services fees, as applicable, are paid to MBSC for financing the sale and distribution of fund shares and for providing shareholder account service and maintenance, respectively. Dreyfus or MBSC may provide cash payments out of its own resources to financial intermediaries that sell shares of funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds or provide other services. Such payments are separate from any sales charges, 12b-1 fees and/or shareholder services fees or other expenses that may be paid by a fund to those intermediaries. Because those payments are not made by fund shareholders or the fund, the fund's total expense ratio will not be affected by any such payments. These payments may be made to intermediaries, including affiliates, that provide shareholder servicing, sub-administration, recordkeeping and/or sub-transfer agency services, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the financial intermediary. Cash compensation also may be paid from Dreyfus' or MBSC's own resources to intermediaries for inclusion of a fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list or in other sales programs. These payments sometimes are referred to as "revenue sharing." From time to time, Dreyfus or MBSC also may provide cash or non-cash compensation to financial intermediaries or their representatives in the form of occasional gifts; occasional meals, tickets or other entertainment; support for due diligence trips; educational conference sponsorships; support for recognition programs; and other forms of cash or non-cash compensation permissible under broker-dealer regulations. In some cases, these payments or compensation may create an incentive for a financial intermediary or its employees to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial representative for details about any payments they or their firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to the fund.

The fund, Dreyfus and MBSC have each adopted a code of ethics that permits its personnel, subject to such code, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. Each code of ethics restricts the personal securities transactions of employees, and requires portfolio managers and other investment personnel to comply with the code's preclearance and disclosure procedures. The primary purpose of the respective codes is to ensure that personal trading by employees does not disadvantage any fund managed by Dreyfus or its affiliates.

7

 

 

Shareholder Guide

Choosing A Share Class

The fund is designed primarily for people who are investing through a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or financial adviser, or in a 401(k) or other retirement plan. Third parties with whom you open a fund account may impose policies, limitations and fees that are different from those described in this prospectus. Consult a representative of your financial institution for further information.

This prospectus offers Class A, B, C, F and I shares of the fund.

Your financial representative may receive different compensation for selling one class of shares than for selling another class. It is important to remember that any contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) or Rule 12b-1 fees have the same purpose as the front-end sales charge: to compensate the distributor for concessions and expenses it pays to dealers and financial institutions in connection with the sale of fund shares. A CDSC is not charged on fund shares acquired through the reinvestment of fund dividends. Because the Rule 12b-1 fee is paid out of the fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time it will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

The different classes of fund shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and will likely have different share prices. When choosing a class, you should consider your investment amount, anticipated holding period, the potential costs over your holding period and whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of the sales charge.

A complete description of these classes follows. You should review these arrangements with your financial representative before determining which class to invest in.

Class A Shares

When you invest in Class A shares,  you pay the public offering price, which is the share price, or net asset value (NAV), plus the initial sales charge that may apply to your purchase. The amount of the initial sales charge is based on the size of your investment, as the following table shows. We also describe below how you may reduce or eliminate the initial sales charge (see "Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers"). Class A shares are subject to an annual shareholder services fee of .25%.

Since some of your investment  goes to pay an upfront sales charge when you purchase Class A shares, you purchase fewer shares than you would with the same investment in Class C shares. Nevertheless, you are usually better off purchasing Class A shares, rather than Class C shares, and paying an up-front sales charge if you:

· plan to own the shares for an extended period of time, since the ongoing Rule 12b-1 fees on Class C shares may eventually exceed the cost of the up-front sales charge; and

· qualify for a reduced or waived sales charge

If you invest $1 million or more  (and are not eligible to purchase Class F or Class I shares), Class A shares will always be the most advantageous choice. Shareholders who received Class A shares in exchange for Class T shares of the fund may be eligible for lower sales charges. See the SAI for more details.

     
 

Total Sales Load -- Class A Shares

Amount of Transaction

As a % of Offering
Price per Share

As a % of

Net Asset Value per Share

     

Less than $50,000

5.75

6.10

$50,000 to less than $100,000

4.50

4.71

$100,000 to less than $250,000

3.50

3.63

$250,000 to less than $500,000

2.50

2.56

$500,000 to less than $1,000,000

2.00

2.04

$1,000,000 or more

-0-

-0-

 

8

 

 

No sales charge applies on investments of $1 million or more, but a CDSC of 1% may be imposed on certain redemptions of such shares within one year of the date of purchase.

Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers

To receive a reduction or waiver  of your initial sales charge, you must let your financial intermediary or the fund know at the time you purchase shares that you qualify for such a reduction or waiver. If you do not let your financial intermediary or the fund know that you are eligible for a reduction or waiver, you may not receive the reduction or waiver to which you are otherwise entitled. In order to receive a reduction or waiver, you may be required to provide your financial intermediary or the fund with evidence of your qualification for the reduction or waiver, such as records regarding shares of certain Dreyfus Funds held in accounts with that financial intermediary and other financial intermediaries. Additional information regarding reductions and waivers of sales loads is available, free of charge, at www.dreyfus.com and in the SAI.

You can reduce your initial sales charge in the following ways:

· Rights of accumulation. You can count toward the amount of your investment your total account value in all share classes of the fund and certain other Dreyfus Funds that are subject to a sales charge. For example, if you have $1 million invested in shares of certain other Dreyfus Funds that are subject to a sales charge, you can invest in Class A shares of any fund without an initial sales charge. We may terminate or change this privilege at any time on written notice.

· Letter of intent. You can sign a letter of intent, in which you agree to invest a certain amount (your goal) in the fund and certain other Dreyfus Funds over a 13-month period, and your initial sales charge will be based on your goal. A 90-day back-dated period can also be used to count previous purchases toward your goal. Your goal must be at least $50,000, and your initial investment must be at least $5,000. The sales charge will be adjusted if you do not meet your goal.

· Combine with family members. You can also count toward the amount of your investment all investments in certain other Dreyfus Funds, in any class of shares that is subject to a sales charge, by your spouse and your children under age 21 (family members), including their rights of accumulation and goals under a letter of intent. Certain other groups may also be permitted to combine purchases for purposes of reducing or eliminating sales charges (see "How to Buy Shares" in the SAI).

Class A shares may be purchased  at NAV without payment of a sales charge by the following individuals and entities:

· full-time or part-time employees, and their family members, of Dreyfus or any of its affiliates

· board members of Dreyfus and board members of the Dreyfus Family of Funds

· full-time employees, and their family members, of financial institutions that have entered into selling agreements with the fund's distributor

· "wrap" accounts for the benefit of clients of financial institutions, provided they have entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifying operating policies and standards

· qualified separate accounts maintained by an insurance company; any state, county or city or instrumentality thereof; charitable organizations investing $50,000 or more in fund shares; and charitable remainder trusts

· qualified investors who (i) purchase Class A shares directly through the fund's distributor, and (ii) have, or whose spouse or minor children have, beneficially owned shares of a Dreyfus Fund and continuously maintained an open account with the distributor in that fund since on or before February 28, 2006

· investors with cash proceeds from the investor's exercise of employment-related stock options, whether invested in the fund directly or indirectly through an exchange from a Dreyfus money market fund, provided that the proceeds are processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifically relating to processing stock options. Upon establishing the account in the fund or the Dreyfus money market fund, the investor and the investor's spouse or minor children become eligible to purchase Class A shares of the fund at NAV, whether or not the investor uses the proceeds of the employment-related stock options to establish the account

· members of qualified affinity groups who purchase Class A shares directly through the fund's distributor, provided that the qualified affinity group has entered into an affinity agreement with the distributor

· employees participating in qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans

· shareholders in Dreyfus-sponsored IRA rollover accounts funded with the distribution proceeds from qualified and non-qualified retirement plans or a Dreyfus-sponsored 403(b)(7) plan, provided that, in the case of a qualified or non-qualified retirement plan, the rollover is processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifically relating to processing rollovers. Upon establishing the Dreyfus-sponsored IRA rollover

9

 

 

account in the fund, the shareholder becomes eligible to make subsequent purchases of Class A shares of the fund at NAV in such account

Class C Shares

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class C shares buys more shares than the same investment would in Class A shares. However, Class C shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of .75% and an annual shareholder services fee of .25%. Over time, the Rule 12b-1 fees may cost you more than paying an initial sales charge on Class A shares. Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1% CDSC.

Because Class A shares will always be a more favorable investment than Class C shares for investments of $1 million or more, the fund will generally not accept a purchase order for Class C shares in the amount of $1 million or more. While the fund will take reasonable steps to prevent investments of $1 million or more in Class C shares, it may not be able to identify such investments made through certain financial intermediaries or omnibus accounts.

Class F shares

Class F shares are open only to grandfathered investors

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class F shares buys more shares than the same investment would in Class A shares. There is also no CDSC imposed on redemptions of Class F shares. Accordingly, if you are a grandfathered Class F investor, Class F shares generally will be more advantageous than Class A or Class C shares. If you also are eligible to purchase Class I shares of the fund, the Class I shares generally will be the most advantageous choice, since Class F shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of up to .25% to reimburse the distributor for the sale and distribution of Class F shares and services provided to the holders of Class F shares.

For information about additional fees paid for certain shareholder-related services to the fund’s Class F shareholders, see the “Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services” section in this Prospectus and the “Other Services – Shareholder Services Agreement” section in the fund’s SAI for more details.

Grandfathered Class F  Investors

Class F shares of the fund can be purchased only by:

· Persons or entities who have continuously maintained an account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, since December 30, 1999.

· Any person or entity listed in the account registration for any account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, that has been continuously maintained since December 30, 1999, such as joint owners, trustees, custodians, and designated beneficiaries.

· Retirement plans (such as 401(k) plans) that have continuously maintained an account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, since December 30, 1999. Any such plan may extend the privilege of purchasing Class F shares to new plan participants, and the plan participants may purchase Class F shares with rollover retirement funds.

· Customers of certain financial institutions which offer retirement or other eligible benefit plan programs, wrap accounts or other fee-based advisory programs, or insurance company separate accounts, and which have had series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, as an investment option continuously since December 30, 1999.

· Persons or entities who receive Class F shares in the form of a gift or inheritance from the shareholders described above.

Class I Shares

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class I shares buys more shares than the same investment would in a class that charges an initial sales charge. There is also no CDSC imposed on redemptions of Class I shares, and you do not pay any ongoing service or distribution fees.

Class I shares may be purchased by:

· bank trust departments, trust companies and insurance companies that have entered into agreements with the fund's distributor to offer Class I shares to their clients

· institutional investors acting in a fiduciary, advisory, agency, custodial or similar capacity for qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans, including pension, profit-sharing and other deferred compensation plans, whether established by corporations, partnerships, non-profit entities, trade or labor unions, or state and local governments, and IRAs set up under Simplified Employee Pension Plans that have entered into agreements with the fund's distributor to offer Class I shares to such plans

· law firms or attorneys acting as trustees or executors/administrators

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· foundations and endowments that make an initial investment in the fund of at least $1 million

· sponsors of college savings plans that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, that maintain an omnibus account with the fund and do not require shareholder tax reporting or 529 account support responsibilities from the fund's distributor

· advisory fee-based accounts offered through financial intermediaries who, depending on the structure of the selected advisory platform, make Class I shares available

Class B Shares

Class B shares are offered only in connection with dividend reinvestment and exchanges of Class B shares of certain other Dreyfus Funds or certain eligible shares of Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.

Class B shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of .75% and an annual shareholder services fee of .25%. Class B shares convert to Class A shares approximately six years after the date they were purchased. Class B shares sold within six years of purchase are subject to the following CDSCs:

   

Year Since Purchase Payment Was Made

CDSC as a % of Amount
Invested or Redemption Proceeds
(whichever is less)

First

4.00

Second

4.00

Third

3.00

Fourth

3.00

Fifth

2.00

Sixth

1.00

CDSC Waivers

The fund's CDSC on Class A, B and C shares may be waived in the following cases:

· permitted exchanges of shares, except if shares acquired by exchange are then redeemed within the period during which a CDSC would apply to the initial shares purchased

· redemptions made within one year of death or disability of the shareholder

· redemptions due to receiving required minimum distributions from retirement accounts upon reaching age 70½

· redemptions made through the fund's Automatic Withdrawal Plan, if such redemptions do not exceed 12% of the value of the account annually

· redemptions from qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plans

Buying and Selling Shares

Dreyfus generally calculates fund NAVs  as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on days the NYSE is open for regular business. Your order will be priced at the next NAV calculated after your order is received in proper form by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. When calculating NAVs, Dreyfus values equity investments on the basis of market quotations or official closing prices. Dreyfus generally values fixed income investments based on values supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the fund's board. The pricing service's procedures are reviewed under the general supervision of the board. If market quotations or prices from a pricing service are not readily available, or are determined not to reflect accurately fair value, the fund may value those investments at fair value as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the fund's board. Fair value of investments may be determined by the fund's board, its pricing committee or its valuation committee in good faith using such information as it deems appropriate under the circumstances. Under certain circumstances, the fair value of foreign equity securities will be provided by an independent pricing service. Using fair value to price investments may result in a value that is different from a security's most recent closing price and from the prices used by other mutual funds to calculate their net asset values. Foreign securities held by a fund may trade on days when the fund does not calculate its NAV and thus may affect the fund's NAV on days when investors have no access to the fund.

Investments in certain types of thinly traded securities may provide short-term traders arbitrage opportunities with respect to the fund's shares. For example, arbitrage opportunities may exist when trading in a portfolio security or securities is halted and does not resume, or the market on which such securities are traded closes before the fund calculates its NAV. If short-term investors of the fund were able to take advantage of these arbitrage opportunities, they

11

 

 

could dilute the NAV of fund shares held by long-term investors. Portfolio valuation policies can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that such valuation policies will prevent dilution of the fund's NAV by short-term traders. While the fund has a policy regarding frequent trading, it too may not be completely effective to prevent short-term NAV arbitrage trading, particularly in regard to omnibus accounts. Please see "Shareholder Guide — General Policies" for further information about the fund's frequent trading policy.

Orders to buy and sell shares received by an authorized entity (such as a bank, broker-dealer or financial adviser, or 401(k) or other retirement plan that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor) by the close of trading on the NYSE and transmitted to the distributor or its designee by the close of its business day (usually 5:15 p.m. Eastern time) will be based on the NAV determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE that day.

How to Buy Shares

By Mail – Regular Accounts. To open a regular account, complete an application and mail it, together with a check payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, to:

The Dreyfus Family of Funds

P.O. Box 55268

Boston, MA 02205-5268

To purchase additional shares in a regular account, mail a check payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds (with your account number on your check), together with an investment slip, to the above address.

By Mail – IRA Accounts. To open an IRA account or make additional investments in an IRA account, be sure to specify the fund name and the year for which the contribution is being made. When opening a new account include a completed IRA application, and when making additional investments include an investment slip. Make checks payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, and mail to:

The Bank of New York Mellon, Custodian

P.O. Box 55552

Boston, MA 02205-5552

Electronic Check or Wire. To purchase shares in a regular or IRA account by wire or electronic check, please call 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for more information.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer.  To purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by Dreyfus TeleTransfer, which will transfer money from a pre-designated bank account, request the account service on your application. Call 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

Automatically. You may purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by selecting one of Dreyfus' automatic investment services made available to the fund on your account application or service application. See "Services for Fund Investors."

In Person. Visit a Dreyfus Financial Center. Please call us for locations.

The minimum initial and subsequent investment for regular accounts is $1,000 and $100, respectively. The minimum initial investment for traditional, spousal and Roth IRAs is $750, with no minimum subsequent investment. The minimum initial investment for educational savings accounts is $500, with no minimum subsequent investment. The minimum initial and subsequent investment for Dreyfus automatic investment plans is $100. Investments made through Dreyfus TeleTransfer are subject to a $100 minimum and a $150,000 maximum. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party checks, cash, travelers’ checks or money orders will not be accepted. You may be charged a fee for any check that does not clear.

Holders of Class F Shares

Electronic Check or Wire. To purchase shares in a regular or IRA account by wire or electronic check, please call 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) for more information.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer. To purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by Dreyfus TeleTransfer, which will transfer money from a predesignated bank account, request the account service on your application. Call 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

How to Sell Shares

You may sell (redeem) shares at any time. Your shares will be sold at the next NAV calculated after your order is received in proper form by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.

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To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you request to sell shares we will first sell shares that are not subject to a CDSC, and then those subject to the lowest charge. The CDSC is based on the lesser of the original purchase cost or the current market value of the shares being sold, and is not charged on fund shares you acquired by reinvesting your fund dividends. As described above in this prospectus, there are certain instances when you may qualify to have the CDSC waived. Consult your financial representative or refer to the SAI for additional details.

Before selling shares recently purchased by check, Dreyfus TeleTransfer or Automatic Asset Builder, please note that:

· if you send a written request to sell such shares, the fund may delay sending the proceeds for up to eight business days following the purchase of those shares

· the fund will not process wire, telephone, online or Dreyfus TeleTransfer redemption requests for up to eight business days following the purchase of those shares

By Mail – Regular Accounts. To redeem shares in a regular account by mail, send a letter of instruction that includes your name, your account number, the name of the fund, the share class, the dollar amount to be redeemed and how and where to send the proceeds. Mail your request to:

The Dreyfus Family of Funds

P.O. Box 55268

Boston, MA 02205-5268

By Mail – IRA Accounts. To redeem shares in an IRA account by mail, send a letter of instruction that includes all of the same information for regular accounts and indicate whether the distribution is qualified or premature and whether the 10% TEFRA should be withheld. Mail your request to:

The Bank of New York Mellon, Custodian

P.O. Box 55552

Boston, MA 02205-5552

A signature guarantee is required for some written sell orders. These include:

· amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed within the last 30 days

· requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address

· amounts of $100,000 or more

A signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts, each signature must be guaranteed. Please call to ensure that your signature guarantee will be processed correctly.

Telephone or Online. To sell shares in a regular account, call Dreyfus at 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

A check will be mailed to your address of record or you may request a wire or electronic check (Dreyfus TeleTransfer). For wires or Dreyfus TeleTransfer, be sure that the fund has your bank account information on file. Proceeds will be wired or sent by electronic check to your bank account.

If you are over the age of 59 ½, you may redeem shares in an IRA account by calling Dreyfus at 1-800-554-4611. A check will be mailed to your address of record (maximum $250,000 per day).

You may request that redemption proceeds be paid by check and mailed to your address of record (maximum $250,000 per day). You may request that redemption proceeds be sent to your bank by wire (minimum $1,000/maximum $20,000 per day) or by Dreyfus TeleTransfer (minimum $500/maximum $20,000 per day). Holders of jointly registered fund or bank accounts may redeem by wire or through Dreyfus TeleTransfer up to $500,000 within any 30-day period.

Automatically. You may sell shares in a regular account by calling 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for instructions on how to establish the Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan. You may sell shares in an IRA account by calling the above number for instructions on the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

In Person. Visit a Dreyfus Financial Center. Please call us for locations.

Holders of Class F Shares

Telephone or Online. To sell shares in a regular account, call Dreyfus at 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

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A check will be mailed to your address of record or you may request a wire or electronic check (Dreyfus TeleTransfer) to be sent to the account information on file with the fund. For wires or Dreyfus TeleTransfer, be sure that the fund has your bank account information on file. Proceeds will be wired or sent by electronic check to your bank account.

Automatically. You may sell shares in a regular account by calling 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) for instructions on how to establish the Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan. You may sell shares in an IRA account by calling the applicable number above for instructions on the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

General Policies

Unless you decline teleservice privileges on your application, the fund's transfer agent is authorized to act on telephone or online instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by the transfer agent to be genuine. You may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone or online order as long as the fund's transfer agent takes reasonable measures to confirm that instructions are genuine.

The fund is designed for long-term investors. Frequent purchases, redemptions and exchanges may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm fund performance by diluting the value of fund shares and increasing brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, Dreyfus and the fund's board have adopted a policy of discouraging excessive trading, short-term market timing and other abusive trading practices (frequent trading) that could adversely affect the fund or its operations. Dreyfus and the fund will not enter into arrangements with any person or group to permit frequent trading.

The fund also reserves the right to:

· change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend the privilege during unusual market conditions

· change its minimum or maximum investment amounts

· delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally applies only during unusual market conditions or in cases of very large redemptions or excessive trading)

· "redeem in kind," or make payments in securities rather than cash, if the amount redeemed is large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it exceeds 1% of the fund's assets)

· refuse any purchase or exchange request, including those from any individual or group who, in Dreyfus' view, is likely to engage in frequent trading

More than four roundtrips within a rolling 12-month period generally is considered to be frequent trading. A roundtrip consists of an investment that is substantially liquidated within 60 days. Based on the facts and circumstances of the trades, the fund may also view as frequent trading a pattern of investments that are partially liquidated within 60 days.

Transactions made through Automatic Investment Plans, Automatic Withdrawal Plans, Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privileges, automatic non-discretionary rebalancing programs, and minimum required retirement distributions generally are not considered to be frequent trading. For employer-sponsored benefit plans, generally only participant-initiated exchange transactions are subject to the roundtrip limit.

Dreyfus monitors selected transactions to identify frequent trading. When its surveillance systems identify multiple roundtrips, Dreyfus evaluates trading activity in the account for evidence of frequent trading. Dreyfus considers the investor's trading history in other accounts under common ownership or control, in other Dreyfus Funds and BNY Mellon Funds, and if known, in non-affiliated mutual funds and accounts under common control. These evaluations involve judgments that are inherently subjective, and while Dreyfus seeks to apply the policy and procedures uniformly, it is possible that similar transactions may be treated differently. In all instances, Dreyfus seeks to make these judgments to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is consistent with shareholder interests. If Dreyfus concludes the account is likely to engage in frequent trading, Dreyfus may cancel or revoke the purchase or exchange on the following business day. Dreyfus may also temporarily or permanently bar such investor's future purchases into the fund in lieu of, or in addition to, canceling or revoking the trade. At its discretion, Dreyfus may apply these restrictions across all accounts under common ownership, control or perceived affiliation.

Fund shares often are held through omnibus accounts maintained by financial intermediaries, such as brokers and retirement plan administrators, where the holdings of multiple shareholders, such as all the clients of a particular broker, are aggregated. Dreyfus' ability to monitor the trading activity of investors whose shares are held in omnibus accounts is limited. However, the agreements between the distributor and financial intermediaries include obligations to comply with the terms of this prospectus and to provide Dreyfus, upon request, with information concerning the trading activity of investors whose shares are held in omnibus accounts. If Dreyfus determines that any such investor has engaged in frequent trading of fund shares, Dreyfus may require the intermediary to restrict or prohibit future purchases or exchanges of fund shares by that investor.

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Certain retirement plans and intermediaries that maintain omnibus accounts with the fund may have developed policies designed to control frequent trading that may differ from the fund's policy. At its sole discretion, the fund may permit such intermediaries to apply their own frequent trading policy. If you are investing in fund shares through an intermediary (or in the case of a retirement plan, your plan sponsor), please contact the intermediary for information on the frequent trading policies applicable to your account.

To the extent the fund significantly invests in foreign securities traded on markets that close before the fund calculates its NAV, events that influence the value of these foreign securities may occur after the close of these foreign markets and before the fund calculates its NAV. As a result, certain investors may seek to trade fund shares in an effort to benefit from their understanding of the value of these foreign securities at the time the fund calculates its NAV (referred to as price arbitrage). This type of frequent trading may dilute the value of fund shares held by other shareholders. Dreyfus has adopted procedures designed to adjust closing market prices of foreign equity securities under certain circumstances to reflect what it believes to be their fair value.

To the extent the fund significantly invests in thinly traded securities, certain investors may seek to trade fund shares in an effort to benefit from their understanding of the value of these securities (referred to as price arbitrage). Any such frequent trading strategies may interfere with efficient management of the fund's portfolio to a greater degree than funds that invest in highly liquid securities, in part because the fund may have difficulty selling these portfolio securities at advantageous times or prices to satisfy large and/or frequent redemption requests. Any successful price arbitrage may also cause dilution in the value of fund shares held by other shareholders.

Although the fund's frequent trading and fair valuation policies and procedures are designed to discourage market timing and excessive trading, none of these tools alone, nor all of them together, completely eliminates the potential for frequent trading.

Small Account Policy

If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance. If it is still below $500 after 60 days, the fund may close your account and send you the proceeds.

Distributions and Taxes

The fund earns dividends, interest and other income from its investments, and distributes this income (less expenses) to shareholders as dividends. The fund also realizes capital gains from its investments, and distributes these gains (less any losses) to shareholders as capital gain distributions. The fund normally pays dividends and capital gain distributions annually. Fund dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.

Distributions paid by the fund are subject to federal income tax, and may also be subject to state or local taxes (unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged retirement account). For federal tax purposes, in general, certain fund distributions, including distributions of short-term capital gains, are taxable to you as ordinary income. Other fund distributions, including dividends from U.S. companies and certain foreign companies and distributions of long-term capital gains, generally are taxable to you as qualified dividends and capital gains, respectively.

High portfolio turnover  and more volatile markets can result in significant taxable distributions to shareholders, regardless of whether their shares have increased in value. The tax status of any distribution generally is the same regardless of how long you have been in the fund and whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash.

If you buy shares of a fund  when the fund has realized but not yet distributed income or capital gains, you will be "buying a dividend" by paying the full price for the shares and then receiving a portion back in the form of a taxable distribution.

Your sale of shares, including exchanges into other funds, may result in a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment in the fund generally is the difference between the cost of your shares and the amount you receive when you sell them.

The tax status of your distributions will be detailed in your annual tax statement from the fund. Because everyone's tax situation is unique, please consult your tax adviser before investing.

Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services

The fund has entered into a shareholder services agreement with the distributor pursuant to which the distributor provides certain shareholder-related services to the fund’s Class F shareholders. The fund pays the distributor a monthly

15

 

 

fee for these services. Out of this fee, the distributor pays the Class F per account fees charged by the fund’s transfer agent.

Services for Fund Investors

Automatic Services

Buying or selling shares automatically is easy with the services described below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain restrictions. If you purchase shares through a third party, the third party may impose different restrictions on these services and privileges, or may not make them available at all. For information, call your financial representative or 1-800-554-4611. Holders of Class F shares should call 1-800-645-6561..

Dreyfus Automatic Asset Builder®  permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.

Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically through a payroll deduction.

Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $50,000 per transaction) automatically from your federal employment, Social Security or other regular federal government check.

Dreyfus Dividend Sweep permits you to automatically reinvest dividends and distributions from the fund into another Dreyfus Fund (not available for IRAs).

Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege permits you to exchange at regular intervals your fund shares for shares of other Dreyfus Funds.

Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to make withdrawals (minimum of $50) on a monthly or quarterly basis, provided your account balance is at least $5,000. Any CDSC will be waived, as long as the amount of any withdrawal does not exceed on an annual basis 12% of the greater of the account value at the time of the first withdrawal under the plan, or at the time of the subsequent withdrawal.

Exchange Privilege

Generally, you can exchange shares worth $500 or more (no minimum for retirement accounts) into other Dreyfus Funds. You can request your exchange by contacting your financial representative. Be sure to read the current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging before investing. Any new account established through an exchange generally will have the same privileges as your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any fund that has one. See the SAI for more information regarding exchanges.

The fund also has established an exchange privilege with Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc. (DLA), a money market fund advised by Dreyfus. This privilege allows Class F shareholders of the fund to exchange their shares for Class 1 shares of DLA, and for such exchanging shareholders, as well as DLA shareholders who are former shareholders of Dreyfus Founders Money Market Fund (which was reorganized into DLA on September 22, 2006), to exchange their Class 1 DLA shares for the Class F shares of the fund, subject to the terms of this prospectus. Investors may obtain a free copy of DLA’s prospectus by calling 1-800-645-6561.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege

To move money between your bank account and your Dreyfus Fund account with a phone call or online, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up Dreyfus TeleTransfer on your account by providing bank account information and following the instructions on your application, or contacting your financial representative. Shares held in an IRA or Education Savings Account may not be redeemed through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege.

Account Statements

Every Dreyfus Fund investor automatically receives regular account statements. You will also be sent a yearly statement detailing the tax characteristics of any dividends and distributions you have received.

Reinvestment Privilege

Upon written request, you can reinvest up to the number of Class A shares you redeemed within 45 days of selling them at the current share price without any sales charge. If you paid a CDSC, it will be credited back to your account. This privilege may be used only once.

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Financial Highlights

These financial highlights describe the performance of the fund's shares for the fiscal periods indicated. "Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased (or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and distributions. These financial highlights have been audited by KPMG LLP (beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010), an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in the annual report, which is available upon request. Information for each prior fiscal year ended through December 31, 2009 was audited by the fund’s former independent registered public accounting firm.

           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class A Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.82

3.60

6.15

5.72

5.07

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment income--netb

.01

.01

.01

.01

.00c

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.09

1.21

(2.55)

.44

.66

Total from Investment Operations

1.10

1.22

(2.54)

.45

.66

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from investment income--net

-

(.00)c

(.01)

(.02)

(.01)

Net asset value, end of period

5.92

4.82

3.60

6.15

5.72

Total Return (%)d

22.82

33.97

(41.39)

7.81

13.02

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.25

1.32

1.25

1.19

1.34

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.25

1.31

1.23

1.19

1.34

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets

.24

.16

.12

.14

.00e

Portfolio Turnover Rate

97.93

162.04

112

68

110

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

197,752

177,424

156,236

317,753

4,399

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cAmount represents less than $.01 per share.

dExclusive of sales charge.

eAmount represents less than .01%.

             
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class B Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.52

3.42

5.88

5.51

4.91

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.06)

(.04)

(.04)

(.04)

(.05)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.01

1.14

(2.42)

.41

.65

Total from Investment Operations

.95

1.10

(2.46)

.37

.60

Net asset value, end of period

5.47

4.52

3.42

5.88

5.51

Total Return (%)c

21.02

32.16

(41.84)

6.72

12.22

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

2.72

2.50

2.12

2.24

2.21

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

2.72

2.48

2.10

2.24

2.21

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(1.29)

(.97)

(.78)

(.76)

(.93)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

97.93

162.04

112

68

110

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

207

321

512

1,855

1,046

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cExclusive of sales charge.

17

 

 

Financial Highlights (cont’d) 
           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class C Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.48

3.38

5.80

5.41

4.82

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.03)

(.02)

(.03)

(.03)

(.03)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.01

1.12

(2.39)

.42

.62

Total from Investment Operations

.98

1.10

(2.42)

.39

.59

Net asset value, end of period

5.46

4.48

3.38

5.80

5.41

Total Return (%)c

21.88

32.54

(41.72)

7.21

12.24

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

2.05

2.12

1.99

1.97

2.01

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

2.05

2.10

1.97

1.97

2.01

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(.58)

(.63)

(.64)

(.45)

(.69)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

97.93

162.04

112

68

110

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

3,268

3,092

2,853

8,628

3,759

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cExclusive of sales charge.

           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class F Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.93

3.70

6.32

5.86

5.18

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment income--netb

.02

.02

.02

.03

.01

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.12

1.23

(2.62)

.45

.68

Total from Investment Operations

1.14

1.25

(2.60)

.48

.69

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from investment income--net

(.01)

(.02)

(.02)

(.02)

(.01)

Net asset value, end of period

6.06

4.93

3.70

6.32

5.86

Total Return (%)

23.18

33.94

(41.13)

8.14

13.25

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.01

1.08

.96

1.04

1.10

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.01

1.06

.94

1.04

1.10

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets

.46

.41

.41

.54

.20

Portfolio Turnover Rate

97.93

162.04

112

68

110

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

161,110

142,787

122,119

231,030

220,502

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

18

 

 

Financial Highlights (cont’d) 
           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class I Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007b

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.90

3.67

6.28

5.82

5.13

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment income--netc

.02

.02

.03

.03

.01

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.11

1.24

(2.62)

.45

.69

Total from Investment Operations

1.13

1.26

(2.59)

.48

.70

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from investment income--net

(.02)

(.03)

(.02)

(.02)

(.01)

Net asset value, end of period

6.01

4.90

3.67

6.28

5.82

Total Return (%)

23.09

34.54

(41.08)

8.09

13.55

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.00

.96

.89

1.09

1.04

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.00

.94

.81

.96

1.04

Ratio of net investment income to average net assets

.47

.53

.54

.48

.21

Portfolio Turnover Rate

97.93

162.04

112

68

110

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

2,779

2,101

1,365

3,434

97

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bEffective June 1, 2007, Class R shares were redesignated as Class I shares.

cBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

19

 

 

NOTES

20

 

 

NOTES

21

 

 

For More Information

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

A series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc.
SEC file number: 811-1018

More information on this fund is available free upon request, including the following:

Annual/Semiannual Report

Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's performance during the last fiscal year. The fund's most recent annual and semiannual reports are available at www.dreyfus.com.

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A current SAI is available at www.dreyfus.com and is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SAI is incorporated by reference (is legally considered part of this prospectus).

Portfolio Holdings

Dreyfus funds generally disclose their complete schedule of portfolio holdings monthly with a 30-day lag at www.dreyfus.com under Mutual Fund Center – Dreyfus Mutual Funds – Mutual Fund Total Holdings. Complete holdings as of the end of the calendar quarter are disclosed 15 days after the end of such quarter. Dreyfus money market funds generally disclose their complete schedule of holdings daily. The schedule of holdings for a fund will remain on the website until the fund files its Form N-Q or Form N-CSR for the period that includes the dates of the posted holdings.

A complete description of the fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio securities is available in the fund's SAI.

To obtain information:

By telephone. Call 1-800-554-4611. Holders of Class F shares should call 1-800-645-6561.

By mail.
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144

By E-mail. Send your request to info@dreyfus.com

On the Internet. Certain fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from:

SEC: http://www.sec.gov

Dreyfus: http://www.dreyfus.com

You can also obtain copies, after paying a duplicating fee, by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (for information, call 1-202-551-8090) or by E-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

   

© 2011 MBSC Securities Corporation
0275P0511

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

       
     

 

Prospectus

May 1, 2011

 
   

Class

Ticker

A

FRSDX

B

FRSFX

C

FRSCX

F

FRSPX

I

FRSRX

   

As with all mutual funds, the Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved
these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is
a criminal offense.

 

 

 

Contents

Fund Summary
   

Fund Summary

1

Fund Details
   

Goal and Approach

5

Investment Risks

6

Management

8

Shareholder Guide
   

Choosing a Share Class

9

Buying and Selling Shares

12

General Policies

15

Distributions and Taxes

16

Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services

16

Services for Fund Investors

17

Financial Highlights

18

For More Information

See back cover.

 

 

Fund Summary

Investment Objective

The fund seeks capital appreciation by emphasizing investments in equity securities of mid-cap companies with favorable growth prospects.

Fees and Expenses

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of the fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in certain funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the Shareholder Guide section on page 9 of the Prospectus and in the How to Buy Shares section on page B-48 of the fund's Statement of Additional Information. Class A shares bought without an initial sales charge as part of an investment of $1 million or more may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% if redeemed within one year.

           

Shareholder Fees (fees paid directly from your investment)

 

Class A

Class B

Class C

Class F

Class I

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases

(as a percentage of offering price)

5.75

none

none

none

none

Maximum deferred sales charge (load)

(as a percentage of lower of purchase or sale price)

none

4.00

1.00

none

none

           

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

 

Class A

Class B

Class C

Class F

Class I

Management fees

.81

.81

.81

.81

.81

Distribution (Rule 12b-1) fees

none

.75

.75

.07

none

Other expenses (including shareholder services fees)

.75

.89

.80

.44

.53

Total annual fund operating expenses

1.56

2.45

2.36

1.32

1.34

Example

The Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the fund's operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

1

 

 

         
 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Class A

$725

$1,039

$1,376

$2,325

Class B

$648

$1,064

$1,506

$2,364

Class C

$339

$736

$1,260

$2,696

Class F

$134

$418

$723

$1,590

Class I

$136

$425

$734

$1,613

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

         

 

1 Year

3 Years

5 Years

10 Years

Class A

$725

$1,039

$1,376

$2,325

Class B

$248

$764

$1,306

$2,364

Class C

$239

$736

$1,260

$2,696

Class F

$134

$418

$723

$1,590

Class I

$136

$425

$734

$1,613

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 may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the fund's performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the fund's portfolio turnover rate was 204.97% of the average value of its portfolio.

Principal Investment Strategy

To pursue its goal, the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies within the market capitalization range of companies comprising the Russell Midcap Growth Index. The fund may invest up to 30% of its assets in foreign securities, with no more than 25% of its assets invested in the securities of any one foreign country.

The portfolio managers use a “growth style” of investing, searching for companies whose fundamental strengths suggest the potential to provide superior earnings growth over time. The portfolio managers use a consistent, bottom-up approach which emphasizes individual stock selection. The portfolio managers go beyond Wall Street analysis and perform intensive qualitative and quantitative in-house research to determine whether companies meet this investment criteria. The portfolio managers monitor the securities in the fund’s portfolio, and will consider selling a security if its business momentum deteriorates or valuation becomes excessive. The portfolio managers also may sell a security if an event occurs that contradicts the rationale for owning it, such as a deterioration in the company’s financial fundamentals. In addition, the portfolio managers may sell a security if better investment opportunities emerge elsewhere or if the fund's industry or sector weightings change.

Principal Risks

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The fund's share price fluctuates, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.

· Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general weakness in the stock market or because of factors that affect the company or its particular industry.

· Small and midsize company risk. Small and midsize companies carry additional risks because the operating histories of these companies tend to be more limited, their earnings and revenues less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices more volatile than those of larger, more established companies.

· Growth stock risk. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, investors can punish the stocks inordinately, even if earnings do increase. In addition, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield that may cushion stock prices in market downturns.

2

 

 

· Market sector risk. The fund may significantly overweight or underweight certain companies, industries or market sectors, which may cause the fund's performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors.

· Foreign investment risk. Investments in foreign securities carry additional risks, including exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

Performance

The following bar chart and table provide some indication of the risks of investing in the fund. The bar chart shows changes in the performance of the fund's Class F shares from year to year. The table compares the average annual total returns of the fund's shares to those of a broad measure of market performance. The fund's past performance (before and after taxes) is no guarantee of future results. Sales charges, if any, are not reflected in the bar chart, and if those charges were included, returns would have been less than those shown. More recent performance information may be available at www.dreyfus.com.

   

Year-by-Year Total Returns as of 12/31 each year (%)

Class F

Best Quarter
Q4, 2001: 20.91%

Worst Quarter
Q4, 2008: -29.44%

After-tax performance is shown only for Class F shares. After-tax performance of the fund's other share classes will vary. After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal tax rates, and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on the investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown, and the after-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax-deferred arrangements such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

       

Average Annual Total Returns (as of 12/31/10)

Share Class/Inception Date

 

1 Year

5 Years

10 Years

Class F returns before taxes (9/8/61)

32.28%

3.48%

2.66%

Class F returns after taxes on distributions

32.28%

3.36%

2.60%

Class F returns after taxes on distributions and sale of fund shares

20.98%

3.01%

2.31%

Class A returns before taxes (12/31/99)

24.76%

2.08%

1.71%

Class B returns before taxes (12/31/99)

27.17%

2.08%

1.92%

Class C returns before taxes (12/31/99)

29.87%

2.51%

1.48%

Class I returns before taxes (12/31/99)

32.20%

3.59%

2.54%

Russell Midcap Growth Index reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes

26.38%

4.88%

3.12%

Portfolio Management

The fund’s investment adviser is The Dreyfus Corporation. B. Randall Watts, Jr., CFA and Robert C. Zeuthen, CFA have been the fund’s primary portfolio managers since March 2010. Mr. Watts is a senior managing director and the lead portfolio manager of the U.S. small-cap, small/mid-cap and micro-cap growth investment team at The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC (TBCAM), an affiliate of The Dreyfus Corporation. Mr. Zeuthen is a director, equity research analyst and member of the U.S. small-cap, small/mid-cap and micro-cap growth investment team at TBCAM. Each is a dual employee of The Dreyfus Corporation and TBCAM.

3

 

 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

In general, the fund's minimum initial investment is $1,000 and the minimum subsequent investment is $100 for regular accounts. You may sell your shares on any business day by calling 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for all share classes, except Class F shares, and 1-800-645-6561 for Class F shares or by visiting www.dreyfus.com. You may also mail your request to sell shares to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, P.O. Box 55268, Boston, MA 02205-5268.

Tax Information

The fund’s distributions are taxable as ordinary income or capital gains, except when your investment is through an IRA, 401(k) plan or other tax-advantaged investment plan.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares through 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 fund 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.

4

 

 

Fund Details

Goal and Approach

The fund seeks capital appreciation by emphasizing investments in equity securities of mid-cap companies with favorable growth prospects. To pursue this goal, the fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies within the market capitalization range of companies comprising the Russell Midcap Growth Index (the Index), the fund’s benchmark index. The Index measures the performance of those companies among the 800 smallest companies in the Russell 1000 Index with higher price-to-book ratios and higher forecasted growth values. The Russell 1000 Index measures the performance of the largest 1,000 publicly traded U.S. companies. As of March 31, 2011, the market capitalization of the largest company in the Index was approximately $24.027 billion, and the weighted average and median market capitalizations of the Index were $8.723 billion and $4.971 billion, respectively. These capitalization ranges and other measures vary with market changes and periodic reconstitution of the Index. Because the fund may continue to hold a security whose market capitalization increases or decreases, a substantial portion of the fund's holding can have market capitalizations outside the range of the Index at any given time. Subject to the 80% limitation, the fund also may invest in larger or smaller companies if they represent better prospects for capital appreciation. The fund may invest in securities of companies in initial public offerings (IPOs) or shortly thereafter. The fund also may invest in pooled investment vehicles, such as exchange traded funds (ETFs). The fund may invest up to 30% of its total assets in foreign securities, with no more than 25% of its total assets invested in the securities of any one foreign country.

The portfolio managers use a “growth style” of investing, searching for companies whose fundamental strengths suggest the potential to provide superior earnings growth over time. The portfolio managers use a consistent, bottom-up approach which emphasizes individual stock selection. The portfolio managers go beyond Wall Street analysis and perform intensive qualitative and quantitative in-house research to determine whether companies meet the fund’s investment criteria.

The portfolio managers monitor the securities in the fund’s portfolio, and will consider selling a security if its business momentum deteriorates or valuation becomes excessive. The portfolio managers also may sell a security if an event occurs that contradicts the portfolio managers’ rationale for owning it, such as deterioration in the company’s financial fundamentals. In addition, the portfolio managers may sell a security if better investment opportunities emerge elsewhere or if the fund’s industry or sector weightings change.

The fund does not have any limitations regarding portfolio turnover. The fund may engage in short-term trading to try to achieve its objective and may have portfolio turnover rates in excess of 100%. A portfolio turnover of 100% is equivalent to the fund buying and selling all of the securities in its portfolio once during the course of year.

The fund may, but is not required to, use derivatives, such as options, futures and options on futures (including those relating to stocks, indexes and foreign currencies), and forward contracts, as a substitute for investing directly in an underlying asset, to increase returns, to manage currency risk, or as part of a hedging strategy.

5

 

 

Investment Risks

An investment in the fund is not a bank deposit. It is not insured or guaranteed by the FDIC or any other government agency. It is not a complete investment program. The value of your investment in the fund will fluctuate, sometimes dramatically, which means you could lose money.

· Risks of stock investing. Stocks generally fluctuate more in value than bonds and may decline significantly over short time periods. There is the chance that stock prices overall will decline because stock markets tend to move in cycles, with periods of rising prices and falling prices. The market value of a stock may decline due to general market conditions that are not related to the particular company, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates, or adverse investor sentiment generally. A security's market value also may decline because of factors that affect a particular industry, such as labor shortages or increased production costs and competitive conditions within an industry, or factors that affect a particular company, such as management performance, financial leverage, and reduced demand for the company's products or services.

· Small and midsize company risk. Small and midsize companies carry additional risks because the operating histories of these companies tend to be more limited, their earnings and revenues less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses), and their share prices more volatile than those of larger, more established companies. The shares of smaller companies tend to trade less frequently than those of larger, more established companies, which can adversely affect the pricing of these securities and the fund's ability to sell these securities. These companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or may depend on a limited management group. Some of the fund's investments will rise and fall based on investor perception rather than economic factors. Other investments are made in anticipation of future products, services or events whose delay or cancellation could cause the stock price to drop.

· Growth stock risk. Investors often expect growth companies to increase their earnings at a certain rate. If these expectations are not met, investors can punish the stocks inordinately, even if earnings do increase. In addition, growth stocks may lack the dividend yield that may cushion stock prices in market downturns.

· Market sector risk. The fund may significantly overweight or underweight certain companies, industries or market sectors, which may cause the fund's performance to be more or less sensitive to developments affecting those companies, industries or sectors.

· Foreign investment risk. Special risks associated with investments in foreign companies include exposure to currency fluctuations, less liquidity, less developed or less efficient trading markets, lack of comprehensive company information, political instability and differing auditing and legal standards.

In addition to the principal risks described above, the fund is subject to the following additional risks:

· Foreign currency risk. Investments in foreign currencies are subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar or, in the case of hedged positions, that the U.S. dollar will decline relative to the currency being hedged. Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time. A decline in the value of foreign currencies relative to the U.S. dollar will reduce the value of securities held by the fund and denominated in those currencies. Foreign currencies are also subject to risks caused by inflation, interest rates, budget deficits and low savings rates, political factors and government controls.

· IPO risk. The prices of securities purchased in IPOs can be very volatile. The effect of IPOs on the fund's performance depends on a variety of factors, including the number of IPOs the fund invests in relative to the size of the fund and whether and to what extent a security purchased in an IPO appreciates or depreciates in value. As a fund's asset base increases, IPOs often have a diminished effect on such fund's performance.

· Exchange-traded fund (ETF) risk. ETFs typically trade on a securities exchange and their shares may, at times, trade at a premium or discount to their net asset values. In addition, an ETF may not replicate exactly the performance of the benchmark index it seeks to track for a number of reasons, including transaction costs incurred by the ETF, the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or discrepancies between the ETF and the index with respect to the weighting of securities or the number of securities held. Investing in ETFs, which are investment companies, may involve duplication of advisory fees and certain other expenses. The fund will incur brokerage costs when purchasing and selling shares of ETFs.

· Derivatives risk. A small investment in derivatives could have a potentially large impact on the fund's performance. The use of derivatives involves risks different from, or possibly greater than, the risks associated with investing directly in the underlying assets. Derivatives can be highly volatile, illiquid and difficult to value, and there is the risk that changes in the value of a derivative held by the fund will not correlate with the underlying instruments or the fund's other investments. Derivative instruments also involve the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of

6

 

 

the counterparty to the derivative instruments to make required payments or otherwise comply with the derivative instruments' terms. Certain types of derivatives involve greater risks than the underlying obligations because, in addition to general market risks, they are subject to illiquidity risk, counterparty risk, credit risk and pricing risk. Additionally, some derivatives involve economic leverage, which could increase the volatility of these investments as they may fluctuate in value more than the underlying instrument.

· Leverage risk. The use of leverage, such as engaging in reverse repurchase agreements, lending portfolio securities, entering into futures contracts or forward currency contracts and engaging in forward commitment transactions, may magnify the fund's gains or losses.

· Other potential risks. The fund may lend its portfolio securities to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions. In connection with such loans, the fund will receive collateral from the borrower equal to at least 100% of the value of loaned securities. If the borrower of the securities fails financially, there could be delays in recovering the loaned securities or exercising rights to the collateral.

Under adverse market conditions, the fund could invest some or all of its assets in U.S. Treasury securities and money market securities. Although the fund would do this for temporary defensive purposes, it could reduce the benefit from any upswing in the market. During such periods, the fund may not achieve its investment objective.

The fund may engage in short-term trading, which could produce higher transaction costs and taxable distributions and lower the fund’s after-tax performance.

 

7

 

 

Management

The investment adviser for the fund is The Dreyfus Corporation (Dreyfus), 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166. Founded in 1947, Dreyfus manages approximately $297 billion in 196 mutual fund portfolios. For the past fiscal year, the fund paid an investment advisory fee at the annual rate of .72% of the fund's average daily net assets. A discussion regarding the basis for the board's approving the fund's management agreement with Dreyfus is available in the fund's semiannual report for the six months ended June 30, 2010. Dreyfus is the primary mutual fund business of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation (BNY Mellon), a global financial services company focused on helping clients move and manage their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets. BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, providing asset and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team. BNY Mellon has more than $25.0 trillion in assets under custody and administration and $1.17 trillion in assets under management, and it services more than $12.0 trillion in outstanding debt. Additional information is available at www.bnymellon.com.

The Dreyfus asset management philosophy is based on the belief that discipline and consistency are important to investment success. For each fund, Dreyfus seeks to establish clear guidelines for portfolio management and to be systematic in making decisions. This approach is designed to provide each fund with a distinct, stable identity.

B. Randall Watts, Jr., CFA, and Robert C. Zeuthen, CFA, serve as the fund’s primary portfolio managers, positions they have held since March 2010. Mr. Watts is a senior managing director and the lead portfolio manager of the U.S. small-cap, small/mid-cap and micro-cap growth investment team at The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC (TBCAM), a Dreyfus affiliate, where he has been employed since 2001. Mr. Zeuthen is a director, equity research analyst and member of the U.S. small-cap, small/mid-cap and micro-cap growth investment team at TBCAM, where he has been employed since 2006. Prior to joining TBCAM, Mr. Zeuthen was a technology analyst at Bricoleur Capital from 2001 to 2006. Mr. Watts and Mr. Zeuthen have been employed by Dreyfus since December 2008 and March 2010, respectively.

The Statement Additional Information for the fund provides additional portfolio manager information, including compensation, other accounts managed and ownership of fund shares.

MBSC Securities Corporation (MBSC), a wholly owned subsidiary of Dreyfus, serves as distributor of the fund and of the other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds. Rule 12b-1 fees and shareholder services fees, as applicable, are paid to MBSC for financing the sale and distribution of fund shares and for providing shareholder account service and maintenance, respectively. Dreyfus or MBSC may provide cash payments out of its own resources to financial intermediaries that sell shares of funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds or provide other services. Such payments are separate from any sales charges, 12b-1 fees and/or shareholder services fees or other expenses that may be paid by a fund to those intermediaries. Because those payments are not made by fund shareholders or the fund, the fund's total expense ratio will not be affected by any such payments. These payments may be made to intermediaries, including affiliates, that provide shareholder servicing, sub-administration, recordkeeping and/or sub-transfer agency services, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the financial intermediary. Cash compensation also may be paid from Dreyfus' or MBSC's own resources to intermediaries for inclusion of a fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list or in other sales programs. These payments sometimes are referred to as "revenue sharing." From time to time, Dreyfus or MBSC also may provide cash or non-cash compensation to financial intermediaries or their representatives in the form of occasional gifts; occasional meals, tickets or other entertainment; support for due diligence trips; educational conference sponsorships; support for recognition programs; and other forms of cash or non-cash compensation permissible under broker-dealer regulations. In some cases, these payments or compensation may create an incentive for a financial intermediary or its employees to recommend or sell shares of the fund to you. Please contact your financial representative for details about any payments they or their firm may receive in connection with the sale of fund shares or the provision of services to the fund.

The fund, Dreyfus and MBSC have each adopted a code of ethics that permits its personnel, subject to such code, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the fund. Each code of ethics restricts the personal securities transactions of employees, and requires portfolio managers and other investment personnel to comply with the code's preclearance and disclosure procedures. The primary purpose of the respective codes is to ensure that personal trading by employees does not disadvantage any fund managed by Dreyfus or its affiliates.

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Shareholder Guide

Choosing A Share Class

The fund is designed primarily for people who are investing through a third party, such as a bank, broker-dealer or financial adviser, or in a 401(k) or other retirement plan. Third parties with whom you open a fund account may impose policies, limitations and fees that are different from those described in this prospectus. Consult a representative of your financial institution for further information.

This prospectus offers Class A, B, C, F and I shares of the fund.

Your financial representative may receive different compensation for selling one class of shares than for selling another class. It is important to remember that any contingent deferred sales charge (CDSC) or Rule 12b-1 fees have the same purpose as the front-end sales charge: to compensate the distributor for concessions and expenses it pays to dealers and financial institutions in connection with the sale of fund shares. A CDSC is not charged on fund shares acquired through the reinvestment of fund dividends. Because the Rule 12b-1 fee is paid out of the fund's assets on an ongoing basis, over time it will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.

The different classes of fund shares represent investments in the same portfolio of securities, but the classes are subject to different expenses and will likely have different share prices. When choosing a class, you should consider your investment amount, anticipated holding period, the potential costs over your holding period and whether you qualify for any reduction or waiver of the sales charge.

A complete description of these classes follows. You should review these arrangements with your financial representative before determining which class to invest in.

Class A Shares

When you invest in Class A shares,  you pay the public offering price, which is the share price, or net asset value (NAV), plus the initial sales charge that may apply to your purchase. The amount of the initial sales charge is based on the size of your investment, as the following table shows. We also describe below how you may reduce or eliminate the initial sales charge (see "Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers"). Class A shares are subject to an annual shareholder services fee of .25%.

Since some of your investment  goes to pay an upfront sales charge when you purchase Class A shares, you purchase fewer shares than you would with the same investment in Class C shares. Nevertheless, you are usually better off purchasing Class A shares, rather than Class C shares, and paying an up-front sales charge if you:

· plan to own the shares for an extended period of time, since the ongoing Rule 12b-1 fees on Class C shares may eventually exceed the cost of the up-front sales charge; and

· qualify for a reduced or waived sales charge

If you invest $1 million or more  (and are not eligible to purchase Class F or Class I shares), Class A shares will always be the most advantageous choice. Shareholders who received Class A shares in exchange for Class T shares of the fund may be eligible for lower sales charge. See the SAI for more details.

     
 

Total Sales Load -- Class A Shares

Amount of Transaction

As a % of Offering
Price per Share

As a % of

Net Asset Value per Share

     

Less than $50,000

5.75

6.10

$50,000 to less than $100,000

4.50

4.71

$100,000 to less than $250,000

3.50

3.63

$250,000 to less than $500,000

2.50

2.56

$500,000 to less than $1,000,000

2.00

2.04

$1,000,000 or more

-0-

-0-

 

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No sales charge applies on investments of $1 million or more, but a CDSC of 1% may be imposed on certain redemptions of such shares within one year of the date of purchase.

Sales Charge Reductions and Waivers

To receive a reduction or waiver  of your initial sales charge, you must let your financial intermediary or the fund know at the time you purchase shares that you qualify for such a reduction or waiver. If you do not let your financial intermediary or the fund know that you are eligible for a reduction or waiver, you may not receive the reduction or waiver to which you are otherwise entitled. In order to receive a reduction or waiver, you may be required to provide your financial intermediary or the fund with evidence of your qualification for the reduction or waiver, such as records regarding shares of certain Dreyfus Funds held in accounts with that financial intermediary and other financial intermediaries. Additional information regarding reductions and waivers of sales loads is available, free of charge, at www.dreyfus.com and in the SAI.

You can reduce your initial sales charge in the following ways:

· Rights of accumulation. You can count toward the amount of your investment your total account value in all share classes of the fund and certain other Dreyfus Funds that are subject to a sales charge. For example, if you have $1 million invested in shares of certain other Dreyfus Funds that are subject to a sales charge, you can invest in Class A shares of any fund without an initial sales charge. We may terminate or change this privilege at any time on written notice.

· Letter of intent. You can sign a letter of intent, in which you agree to invest a certain amount (your goal) in the fund and certain other Dreyfus Funds over a 13-month period, and your initial sales charge will be based on your goal. A 90-day back-dated period can also be used to count previous purchases toward your goal. Your goal must be at least $50,000, and your initial investment must be at least $5,000. The sales charge will be adjusted if you do not meet your goal.

· Combine with family members. You can also count toward the amount of your investment all investments in certain other Dreyfus Funds, in any class of shares that is subject to a sales charge, by your spouse and your children under age 21 (family members), including their rights of accumulation and goals under a letter of intent. Certain other groups may also be permitted to combine purchases for purposes of reducing or eliminating sales charges (see "How to Buy Shares" in the SAI).

Class A shares may be purchased  at NAV without payment of a sales charge by the following individuals and entities:

· full-time or part-time employees, and their family members, of Dreyfus or any of its affiliates

· board members of Dreyfus and board members of the Dreyfus Family of Funds

· full-time employees, and their family members, of financial institutions that have entered into selling agreements with the fund's distributor

· "wrap" accounts for the benefit of clients of financial institutions, provided they have entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifying operating policies and standards

· qualified separate accounts maintained by an insurance company; any state, county or city or instrumentality thereof; charitable organizations investing $50,000 or more in fund shares; and charitable remainder trusts

· qualified investors who (i) purchase Class A shares directly through the fund's distributor, and (ii) have, or whose spouse or minor children have, beneficially owned shares of a Dreyfus Fund and continuously maintained an open account with the distributor in that fund since on or before February 28, 2006

· investors with cash proceeds from the investor's exercise of employment-related stock options, whether invested in the fund directly or indirectly through an exchange from a Dreyfus money market fund, provided that the proceeds are processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifically relating to processing stock options. Upon establishing the account in the fund or the Dreyfus money market fund, the investor and the investor's spouse or minor children become eligible to purchase Class A shares of the fund at NAV, whether or not the investor uses the proceeds of the employment-related stock options to establish the account

· members of qualified affinity groups who purchase Class A shares directly through the fund's distributor, provided that the qualified affinity group has entered into an affinity agreement with the distributor

· employees participating in qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans

· shareholders in Dreyfus-sponsored IRA rollover accounts funded with the distribution proceeds from qualified and non-qualified retirement plans or a Dreyfus-sponsored 403(b)(7) plan, provided that, in the case of a qualified or non-qualified retirement plan, the rollover is processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor specifically relating to processing rollovers. Upon establishing the Dreyfus-sponsored IRA rollover

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account in the fund, the shareholder becomes eligible to make subsequent purchases of Class A shares of the fund at NAV in such account

Class C Shares

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class C shares buys more shares than the same investment would in Class A shares. However, Class C shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of .75% and an annual shareholder services fee of .25%. Over time, the Rule 12b-1 fees may cost you more than paying an initial sales charge on Class A shares. Class C shares redeemed within one year of purchase are subject to a 1% CDSC.

Because Class A shares will always be a more favorable investment than Class C shares for investments of $1 million or more, the fund will generally not accept a purchase order for Class C shares in the amount of $1 million or more. While the fund will take reasonable steps to prevent investments of $1 million or more in Class C shares, it may not be able to identify such investments made through certain financial intermediaries or omnibus accounts.

Class F shares

Class F shares are open only to grandfathered investors

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class F shares buys more shares than the same investment would in Class A shares. There is also no CDSC imposed on redemptions of Class F shares. Accordingly, if you are a grandfathered Class F investor, Class F shares generally will be more advantageous than Class A or Class C shares. If you also are eligible to purchase Class I shares of the fund, the Class I shares generally will be the most advantageous choice, since Class F shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of up to .25% to reimburse the distributor for the sale and distribution of Class F shares and services provided to the holders of Class F shares.

For information about additional fees paid for certain shareholder-related services to the fund’s Class F shareholders, see the “Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services” section in this Prospectus and the “Other Services – Shareholder Services Agreement” section in the fund’s SAI for more details.

Grandfathered Class F  Investors

Class F shares of the fund can be purchased only by:

· Persons or entities who have continuously maintained an account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, since December 30, 1999.

· Any person or entity listed in the account registration for any account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, that has been continuously maintained since December 30, 1999, such as joint owners, trustees, custodians, and designated beneficiaries.

· Retirement plans (such as 401(k) plans) that have continuously maintained an account in a series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, since December 30, 1999. Any such plan may extend the privilege of purchasing Class F shares to new plan participants, and the plan participants may purchase Class F shares with rollover retirement funds.

· Customers of certain financial institutions which offer retirement or other eligible benefit plan programs, wrap accounts or other fee-based advisory programs, or insurance company separate accounts, and which have had series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., including the fund, as an investment option continuously since December 30, 1999.

· Persons or entities who receive Class F shares in the form of a gift or inheritance from the shareholders described above.

Class I Shares

Since you pay no initial sales charge, an investment of less than $1 million in Class I shares buys more shares than the same investment would in a class that charges an initial sales charge. There is also no CDSC imposed on redemptions of Class I shares, and you do not pay any ongoing service or distribution fees.

Class I shares may be purchased by:

· bank trust departments, trust companies and insurance companies that have entered into agreements with the fund's distributor to offer Class I shares to their clients

· institutional investors acting in a fiduciary, advisory, agency, custodial or similar capacity for qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans, including pension, profit-sharing and other deferred compensation plans, whether established by corporations, partnerships, non-profit entities, trade or labor unions, or state and local governments, and IRAs set up under Simplified Employee Pension Plans that have entered into agreements with the fund's distributor to offer Class I shares to such plans

· law firms or attorneys acting as trustees or executors/administrators

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· foundations and endowments that make an initial investment in the fund of at least $1 million

· sponsors of college savings plans that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code, that maintain an omnibus account with the fund and do not require shareholder tax reporting or 529 account support responsibilities from the fund's distributor

· advisory fee-based accounts offered through financial intermediaries who, depending on the structure of the selected advisory platform, make Class I shares available.

Class B Shares

Class B shares are offered only in connection with dividend reinvestment and exchanges of Class B shares of certain other Dreyfus Funds or certain eligible shares of Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.

Class B shares are subject to an annual Rule 12b-1 fee of .75% and an annual shareholder services fee of .25%. Class B shares convert to Class A shares approximately six years after the date they were purchased. Class B shares sold within six years of purchase are subject to the following CDSCs:

   

Year Since Purchase Payment Was Made

CDSC as a % of Amount
Invested or Redemption Proceeds
(whichever is less)

First

4.00

Second

4.00

Third

3.00

Fourth

3.00

Fifth

2.00

Sixth

1.00

CDSC Waivers

The fund's CDSC on Class A, B and C shares may be waived in the following cases:

· permitted exchanges of shares, except if shares acquired by exchange are then redeemed within the period during which a CDSC would apply to the initial shares purchased

· redemptions made within one year of death or disability of the shareholder

· redemptions due to receiving required minimum distributions from retirement accounts upon reaching age 70½

· redemptions made through the fund's Automatic Withdrawal Plan, if such redemptions do not exceed 12% of the value of the account annually

· redemptions from qualified and non-qualified employee benefit plans

Buying and Selling Shares

Dreyfus generally calculates fund NAVs  as of the close of trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) (usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time) on days the NYSE is open for regular business. Your order will be priced at the next NAV calculated after your order is received in proper form by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. When calculating NAVs, Dreyfus values equity investments on the basis of market quotations or official closing prices. Dreyfus generally values fixed income investments based on values supplied by an independent pricing service approved by the fund's board. The pricing service's procedures are reviewed under the general supervision of the board. If market quotations or prices from a pricing service are not readily available, or are determined not to reflect accurately fair value, the fund may value those investments at fair value as determined in accordance with procedures approved by the fund's board. Fair value of investments may be determined by the fund's board, its pricing committee or its valuation committee in good faith using such information as it deems appropriate under the circumstances. Under certain circumstances, the fair value of foreign equity securities will be provided by an independent pricing service. Using fair value to price investments may result in a value that is different from a security's most recent closing price and from the prices used by other mutual funds to calculate their net asset values. Foreign securities held by a fund may trade on days when the fund does not calculate its NAV and thus may affect the fund's NAV on days when investors have no access to the fund.

Investments in certain types of thinly traded securities may provide short-term traders arbitrage opportunities with respect to the fund's shares. For example, arbitrage opportunities may exist when trading in a portfolio security or securities is halted and does not resume, or the market on which such securities are traded closes before the fund calculates its NAV. If short-term investors of the fund were able to take advantage of these arbitrage opportunities, they

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could dilute the NAV of fund shares held by long-term investors. Portfolio valuation policies can serve to reduce arbitrage opportunities available to short-term traders, but there is no assurance that such valuation policies will prevent dilution of the fund's NAV by short-term traders. While the fund has a policy regarding frequent trading, it too may not be completely effective to prevent short-term NAV arbitrage trading, particularly in regard to omnibus accounts. Please see "Shareholder Guide — General Policies" for further information about the fund's frequent trading policy.

Orders to buy and sell shares received by an authorized entity (such as a bank, broker-dealer or financial adviser, or 401(k) or other retirement plan that has entered into an agreement with the fund's distributor) by the close of trading on the NYSE and transmitted to the distributor or its designee by the close of its business day (usually 5:15 p.m. Eastern time) will be based on the NAV determined as of the close of trading on the NYSE that day.

How to Buy Shares

By Mail – Regular Accounts. To open a regular account, complete an application and mail it, together with a check payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, to:

The Dreyfus Family of Funds

P.O. Box 55268

Boston, MA 02205-5268

To purchase additional shares in a regular account, mail a check payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds (with your account number on your check), together with an investment slip, to the above address.

By Mail – IRA Accounts. To open an IRA account or make additional investments in an IRA account, be sure to specify the fund name and the year for which the contribution is being made. When opening a new account include a completed IRA application, and when making additional investments include an investment slip. Make checks payable to The Dreyfus Family of Funds, and mail to:

The Bank of New York Mellon, Custodian

P.O. Box 55552

Boston, MA 02205-5552

Electronic Check or Wire. To purchase shares in a regular or IRA account by wire or electronic check, please call 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for more information.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer.  To purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by Dreyfus TeleTransfer, which will transfer money from a pre-designated bank account, request the account service on your application. Call 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

Automatically. You may purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by selecting one of Dreyfus' automatic investment services made available to the fund on your account application or service application. See "Services for Fund Investors."

In Person. Visit a Dreyfus Financial Center. Please call us for locations.

The minimum initial and subsequent investment for regular accounts is $1,000 and $100, respectively. The minimum initial investment for traditional, spousal and Roth IRAs is $750, with no minimum subsequent investment. The minimum initial investment for educational savings accounts is $500, with no minimum subsequent investment. The minimum initial and subsequent investment for Dreyfus automatic investment plans is $100. Investments made through Dreyfus TeleTransfer are subject to a $100 minimum and a $150,000 maximum. All investments must be in U.S. dollars. Third-party checks, cash, travelers’ checks or money orders will not be accepted. You may be charged a fee for any check that does not clear.

Holders of Class F Shares

Electronic Check or Wire. To purchase shares in a regular or IRA account by wire or electronic check, please call 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) for more information.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer. To purchase additional shares in a regular or IRA account by Dreyfus TeleTransfer, which will transfer money from a pre-designated bank account, request the account service on your application. Call 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

How to Sell Shares

You may sell (redeem) shares at any time. Your shares will be sold at the next NAV calculated after your order is received in proper form by the fund's transfer agent or other authorized entity. Any certificates representing fund shares being sold must be returned with your redemption request. Your order will be processed promptly and you will generally receive the proceeds within a week.

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To keep your CDSC as low as possible, each time you request to sell shares we will first sell shares that are not subject to a CDSC, and then those subject to the lowest charge. The CDSC is based on the lesser of the original purchase cost or the current market value of the shares being sold, and is not charged on fund shares you acquired by reinvesting your fund dividends. As described above in this prospectus, there are certain instances when you may qualify to have the CDSC waived. Consult your financial representative or refer to the SAI for additional details.

Before selling shares recently purchased by check, Dreyfus TeleTransfer or Automatic Asset Builder, please note that:

· if you send a written request to sell such shares, the fund may delay sending the proceeds for up to eight business days following the purchase of those shares

· the fund will not process wire, telephone, online or Dreyfus TeleTransfer redemption requests for up to eight business days following the purchase of those shares

By Mail – Regular Accounts. To redeem shares in a regular account by mail, send a letter of instruction that includes your name, your account number, the name of the fund, the share class, the dollar amount to be redeemed and how and where to send the proceeds. Mail your request to:

The Dreyfus Family of Funds

P.O. Box 55268

Boston, MA 02205-5268

By Mail – IRA Accounts. To redeem shares in an IRA account by mail, send a letter of instruction that includes all of the same information for regular accounts and indicate whether the distribution is qualified or premature and whether the 10% TEFRA should be withheld. Mail your request to:

The Bank of New York Mellon, Custodian

P.O. Box 55552

Boston, MA 02205-5552

A signature guarantee is required for some written sell orders. These include:

· amounts of $10,000 or more on accounts whose address has been changed within the last 30 days

· requests to send the proceeds to a different payee or address

· amounts of $100,000 or more

A signature guarantee helps protect against fraud. You can obtain one from most banks or securities dealers, but not from a notary public. For joint accounts, each signature must be guaranteed. Please call to ensure that your signature guarantee will be processed correctly.

Telephone or Online. To sell shares in a regular account, call Dreyfus at 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

A check will be mailed to your address of record or you may request a wire or electronic check (Dreyfus TeleTransfer). For wires or Dreyfus TeleTransfer, be sure that the fund has your bank account information on file. Proceeds will be wired or sent by electronic check to your bank account.

If you are over the age of 59 ½, you may redeem shares in an IRA account by calling Dreyfus at 1-800-554-4611. A check will be mailed to your address of record (maximum $250,000 per day).

You may request that redemption proceeds be paid by check and mailed to your address of record (maximum $250,000 per day). You may request that redemption proceeds be sent to your bank by wire (minimum $1,000/maximum $20,000 per day) or by Dreyfus TeleTransfer (minimum $500/maximum $20,000 per day). Holders of jointly registered fund or bank accounts may redeem by wire or through Dreyfus TeleTransfer up to $500,000 within any 30-day period.

Automatically. You may sell shares in a regular account by calling 1-800-554-4611 (inside the U.S. only) for instructions on how to establish the Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan. You may sell shares in an IRA account by calling the above number for instructions on the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

In Person. Visit a Dreyfus Financial Center. Please call us for locations.

Holders of Class F Shares

Telephone or Online. To sell shares in a regular account, call Dreyfus at 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) or visit www.dreyfus.com to request your transaction.

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A check will be mailed to your address of record or you may request a wire or electronic check (Dreyfus TeleTransfer) to be sent to the account information on file with the fund. For wires or Dreyfus TeleTransfer, be sure that the fund has your bank account information on file. Proceeds will be wired or sent by electronic check to your bank account.

Automatically. You may sell shares in a regular account by calling 1-800-645-6561 (inside the U.S. only) for instructions on how to establish the Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan. You may sell shares in an IRA account by calling the applicable number above for instructions on the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

General Policies

Unless you decline teleservice privileges on your application, the fund's transfer agent is authorized to act on telephone or online instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be you and reasonably believed by the transfer agent to be genuine. You may be responsible for any fraudulent telephone or online order as long as the fund's transfer agent takes reasonable measures to confirm that instructions are genuine.

The fund is designed for long-term investors. Frequent purchases, redemptions and exchanges may disrupt portfolio management strategies and harm fund performance by diluting the value of fund shares and increasing brokerage and administrative costs. As a result, Dreyfus and the fund's board have adopted a policy of discouraging excessive trading, short-term market timing and other abusive trading practices (frequent trading) that could adversely affect the fund or its operations. Dreyfus and the fund will not enter into arrangements with any person or group to permit frequent trading.

The fund also reserves the right to:

· change or discontinue its exchange privilege, or temporarily suspend the privilege during unusual market conditions

· change its minimum or maximum investment amounts

· delay sending out redemption proceeds for up to seven days (generally applies only during unusual market conditions or in cases of very large redemptions or excessive trading)

· "redeem in kind," or make payments in securities rather than cash, if the amount redeemed is large enough to affect fund operations (for example, if it exceeds 1% of the fund's assets)

· refuse any purchase or exchange request, including those from any individual or group who, in Dreyfus' view, is likely to engage in frequent trading

More than four roundtrips within a rolling 12-month period generally is considered to be frequent trading. A roundtrip consists of an investment that is substantially liquidated within 60 days. Based on the facts and circumstances of the trades, the fund may also view as frequent trading a pattern of investments that are partially liquidated within 60 days.

Transactions made through Automatic Investment Plans, Automatic Withdrawal Plans, Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privileges, automatic non-discretionary rebalancing programs, and minimum required retirement distributions generally are not considered to be frequent trading. For employer-sponsored benefit plans, generally only participant-initiated exchange transactions are subject to the roundtrip limit.

Dreyfus monitors selected transactions to identify frequent trading. When its surveillance systems identify multiple roundtrips, Dreyfus evaluates trading activity in the account for evidence of frequent trading. Dreyfus considers the investor's trading history in other accounts under common ownership or control, in other Dreyfus Funds and BNY Mellon Funds, and if known, in non-affiliated mutual funds and accounts under common control. These evaluations involve judgments that are inherently subjective, and while Dreyfus seeks to apply the policy and procedures uniformly, it is possible that similar transactions may be treated differently. In all instances, Dreyfus seeks to make these judgments to the best of its abilities in a manner that it believes is consistent with shareholder interests. If Dreyfus concludes the account is likely to engage in frequent trading, Dreyfus may cancel or revoke the purchase or exchange on the following business day. Dreyfus may also temporarily or permanently bar such investor's future purchases into the fund in lieu of, or in addition to, canceling or revoking the trade. At its discretion, Dreyfus may apply these restrictions across all accounts under common ownership, control or perceived affiliation.

Fund shares often are held through omnibus accounts maintained by financial intermediaries, such as brokers and retirement plan administrators, where the holdings of multiple shareholders, such as all the clients of a particular broker, are aggregated. Dreyfus' ability to monitor the trading activity of investors whose shares are held in omnibus accounts is limited. However, the agreements between the distributor and financial intermediaries include obligations to comply with the terms of this prospectus and to provide Dreyfus, upon request, with information concerning the trading activity of investors whose shares are held in omnibus accounts. If Dreyfus determines that any such investor has engaged in frequent trading of fund shares, Dreyfus may require the intermediary to restrict or prohibit future purchases or exchanges of fund shares by that investor.

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Certain retirement plans and intermediaries that maintain omnibus accounts with the fund may have developed policies designed to control frequent trading that may differ from the fund's policy. At its sole discretion, the fund may permit such intermediaries to apply their own frequent trading policy. If you are investing in fund shares through an intermediary (or in the case of a retirement plan, your plan sponsor), please contact the intermediary for information on the frequent trading policies applicable to your account.

To the extent the fund significantly invests in foreign securities traded on markets that close before the fund calculates its NAV, events that influence the value of these foreign securities may occur after the close of these foreign markets and before the fund calculates its NAV. As a result, certain investors may seek to trade fund shares in an effort to benefit from their understanding of the value of these foreign securities at the time the fund calculates its NAV (referred to as price arbitrage). This type of frequent trading may dilute the value of fund shares held by other shareholders. Dreyfus has adopted procedures designed to adjust closing market prices of foreign equity securities under certain circumstances to reflect what it believes to be their fair value.

To the extent the fund significantly invests in thinly traded securities, certain investors may seek to trade fund shares in an effort to benefit from their understanding of the value of these securities (referred to as price arbitrage). Any such frequent trading strategies may interfere with efficient management of the fund's portfolio to a greater degree than funds that invest in highly liquid securities, in part because the fund may have difficulty selling these portfolio securities at advantageous times or prices to satisfy large and/or frequent redemption requests. Any successful price arbitrage may also cause dilution in the value of fund shares held by other shareholders.

Although the fund's frequent trading and fair valuation policies and procedures are designed to discourage market timing and excessive trading, none of these tools alone, nor all of them together, completely eliminates the potential for frequent trading.

Small Account Policy

If your account falls below $500, the fund may ask you to increase your balance. If it is still below $500 after 60 days, the fund may close your account and send you the proceeds.

Distributions and Taxes

The fund earns dividends, interest and other income from its investments, and distributes this income (less expenses) to shareholders as dividends. The fund also realizes capital gains from its investments, and distributes these gains (less any losses) to shareholders as capital gain distributions. The fund normally pays dividends and capital gain distributions annually. Fund dividends and capital gain distributions will be reinvested in the fund unless you instruct the fund otherwise. There are no fees or sales charges on reinvestments.

Distributions paid by the fund are subject to federal income tax, and may also be subject to state or local taxes (unless you are investing through a tax-advantaged retirement account). For federal tax purposes, in general, certain fund distributions, including distributions of short-term capital gains, are taxable to you as ordinary income. Other fund distributions, including dividends from U.S. companies and certain foreign companies and distributions of long-term capital gains, generally are taxable to you as qualified dividends and capital gains, respectively.

High portfolio turnover  and more volatile markets can result in significant taxable distributions to shareholders, regardless of whether their shares have increased in value. The tax status of any distribution generally is the same regardless of how long you have been in the fund and whether you reinvest your distributions or take them in cash.

If you buy shares of a fund  when the fund has realized but not yet distributed income or capital gains, you will be "buying a dividend" by paying the full price for the shares and then receiving a portion back in the form of a taxable distribution.

Your sale of shares, including exchanges into other funds, may result in a capital gain or loss for tax purposes. A capital gain or loss on your investment in the fund generally is the difference between the cost of your shares and the amount you receive when you sell them.

The tax status of your distributions will be detailed in your annual tax statement from the fund. Because everyone's tax situation is unique, please consult your tax adviser before investing.

Class F Shareholder and Transfer Agency Services

The fund has entered into a shareholder services agreement with the distributor pursuant to which the distributor provides certain shareholder-related services to the fund’s Class F shareholders. The fund pays the distributor a monthly

16

 

 

fee for these services. Out of this fee, the distributor pays the Class F per account fees charged by the fund’s transfer agent.

Services for Fund Investors

Automatic Services

Buying or selling shares automatically is easy with the services described below. With each service, you select a schedule and amount, subject to certain restrictions. If you purchase shares through a third party, the third party may impose different restrictions on these services and privileges, or may not make them available at all. For information, call your financial representative or 1-800-554-4611. Holders of Class F shares should call 1-800-645-6561..

Dreyfus Automatic Asset Builder®  permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per transaction) at regular intervals selected by you. Fund shares are purchased by transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.

Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically through a payroll deduction.

Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit permits you to purchase fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $50,000 per transaction) automatically from your federal employment, Social Security or other regular federal government check.

Dreyfus Dividend Sweep permits you to automatically reinvest dividends and distributions from the fund into another Dreyfus Fund (not available for IRAs).

Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege permits you to exchange at regular intervals your fund shares for shares of other Dreyfus Funds.

Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to make withdrawals (minimum of $50) on a monthly or quarterly basis, provided your account balance is at least $5,000. Any CDSC will be waived, as long as the amount of any withdrawal does not exceed on an annual basis 12% of the greater of the account value at the time of the first withdrawal under the plan, or at the time of the subsequent withdrawal.

Exchange Privilege

Generally, you can exchange shares worth $500 or more (no minimum for retirement accounts) into other Dreyfus Funds. You can request your exchange by contacting your financial representative. Be sure to read the current prospectus for any fund into which you are exchanging before investing. Any new account established through an exchange generally will have the same privileges as your original account (as long as they are available). There is currently no fee for exchanges, although you may be charged a sales load when exchanging into any fund that has one. See the SAI for more information regarding exchanges.

The fund also has established an exchange privilege with Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc. (DLA), a money market fund advised by Dreyfus. This privilege allows Class F shareholders of the fund to exchange their shares for Class 1 shares of DLA, and for such exchanging shareholders, as well as DLA shareholders who are former shareholders of Dreyfus Founders Money Market Fund (which was reorganized into DLA on September 22, 2006), to exchange their Class 1 DLA shares for the Class F shares of the fund, subject to the terms of this prospectus. Investors may obtain a free copy of DLA’s prospectus by calling 1-800-645-6561.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege

To move money between your bank account and your Dreyfus Fund account with a phone call or online, use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege. You can set up Dreyfus TeleTransfer on your account by providing bank account information and following the instructions on your application, or contacting your financial representative. Shares held in an IRA or Education Savings Account may not be redeemed through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer privilege.

Account Statements

Every Dreyfus Fund investor automatically receives regular account statements. You will also be sent a yearly statement detailing the tax characteristics of any dividends and distributions you have received.

Reinvestment Privilege

Upon written request, you can reinvest up to the number of Class A shares you redeemed within 45 days of selling them at the current share price without any sales charge. If you paid a CDSC, it will be credited back to your account. This privilege may be used only once.

17

 

 

Financial Highlights

These financial highlights describe the performance of the fund's shares for the fiscal periods indicated. "Total return" shows how much your investment in the fund would have increased (or decreased) during each period, assuming you had reinvested all dividends and distributions. These financial highlights have been audited by KPMG LLP (beginning with the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010), an independent registered public accounting firm, whose report, along with the fund's financial statements, is included in the annual report, which is available upon request. Information for each prior fiscal year ended through December 31, 2009 was audited by the fund’s former independent registered public accounting firm.

           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class A Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.00

3.17

6.28

5.80

4.68

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.02)

(.03)

(.05)

(.02)

(.04)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.31

.86

(3.06)

.76

1.16

Total from Investment Operations

1.29

.83

(3.11)

.74

1.12

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from net realized gain on investments

-

-

-

(.26)

-

Net asset value, end of period

5.29

4.00

3.17

6.28

5.80

Total Return (%)c

32.25

26.18

(49.52)

12.77

23.93

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.56

1.77

1.45

1.43

1.40

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.36

1.75

1.45

1.43

1.39

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(.55)

(.86)

(.89)

(.32)

(.68)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

204.97

59.66

119

165

104

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

38,099

23,448

29,525

97,331

21,146

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cExclusive of sales charge.

           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class B Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

3.69

2.96

5.89

5.50

4.48

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.05)

(.06)

(.08)

(.06)

(.08)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.20

.79

(2.85)

.71

1.10

Total from Investment Operations

1.15

.73

(2.93)

.65

1.02

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from net realized gain on investments

-

-

-

(.26)

-

Net asset value, end of period

4.84

3.69

2.96

5.89

5.50

Total Return (%)c

31.17

24.66

(49.75)

11.84

22.77

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

2.45

2.68

2.21

2.26

2.29

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

2.05

2.66

2.20

2.26

2.29

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(1.27)

(1.77)

(1.66)

(1.02)

(1.60)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

204.97

59.66

119

165

104

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

476

559

729

2,200

1,929

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cExclusive of sales charge.

18

 

 

Financial Highlights (cont’d) 
           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class C Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

3.66

2.92

5.83

5.44

4.42

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.05)

(.05)

(.08)

(.06)

(.06)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.18

.79

(2.83)

.71

1.08

Total from Investment Operations

1.13

.74

(2.91)

.65

1.02

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from net realized gain on investments

-

-

-

(.26)

-

Net asset value, end of period

4.79

3.66

2.92

5.83

5.44

Total Return (%)c

30.87

25.34

(49.91)

11.96

23.08

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

2.36

2.61

2.20

2.13

2.19

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

2.14

2.60

2.19

2.13

2.18

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(1.34)

(1.70)

(1.66)

(1.04)

(1.27)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

204.97

59.66

119

165

104

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

12,661

11,678

14,033

43,825

9,641

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cExclusive of sales charge.

           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class F Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.12

3.26

6.43

5.92

4.78

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment (loss)--netb

(.02)

(.02)

(.04)

(.00)c

(.03)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.35

.88

(3.13)

.77

1.17

Total from Investment Operations

1.33

.86

(3.17)

.77

1.14

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from net realized gain on investments

-

-

-

(.26)

-

Net asset value, end of period

5.45

4.12

3.26

6.43

5.92

Total Return (%)

32.28

26.38

(49.30)

13.03

23.85

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.32

1.38

1.23

1.30

1.33

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.30

1.36

1.22

1.30

1.33

Ratio of net investment (loss) to average net assets

(.50)

(.47)

(.68)

(.03)

(.62)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

204.97

59.66

119

165

104

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

89,828

78,218

75,224

182,336

147,410

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

cAmount represents less than $.01 per share.

19

 

 

Financial Highlights (cont’d) 
           
 

Year Ended December 31,

Class I Shares

2010

2009a

2008

2007b

2006

Per Share Data ($):

  

  

  

  

  

Net asset value, beginning of period

4.10

3.24

6.39

5.88

4.73

Investment Operations:

  

  

  

  

  

Investment income (loss)--netc

(.02)

(.02)

(.03)

.00d

(.02)

Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments

1.34

.88

(3.12)

.77

1.17

Total from Investment Operations

1.32

.86

(3.15)

.77

1.15

Distributions:

  

  

  

  

  

Dividends from net realized gain on investments

-

-

-

(.26)

-

Net asset value, end of period

5.42

4.10

3.24

6.39

5.88

Total Return (%)

32.20

26.54

(49.30)

13.11

24.31

Ratios/Supplemental Data (%):

  

  

  

  

  

Ratio of total expenses to average net assets

1.34

1.49

1.20

1.12

1.14

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets

1.14

1.47

1.19

1.11

1.12

Ratio of net investment income (loss) to average net assets

(.33)

(.58)

(.65)

.06

(.28)

Portfolio Turnover Rate

204.97

59.66

119

165

104

Net Assets, end of period ($ x 1,000)

7,575

4,098

3,849

10,266

4,279

aEffective September 1, 2009, The Dreyfus Corporation replaced Founders Asset Management LLC as the fund's investment adviser.

bEffective June 1, 2007, Class R shares were redesignated as Class I shares.

cBased on average shares outstanding at each month end.

dAmount represents less than $.01 per share.

20

 

 

NOTES

21

 

 

For More Information

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

A series of Dreyfus Funds, Inc.
SEC file number: 811-1018

More information on this fund is available free upon request, including the following:

Annual/Semiannual Report

Describes the fund's performance, lists portfolio holdings and contains a letter from the fund's manager discussing recent market conditions, economic trends and fund strategies that significantly affected the fund's performance during the last fiscal year. The fund's most recent annual and semiannual reports are available at www.dreyfus.com.

Statement of Additional Information (SAI)

Provides more details about the fund and its policies. A current SAI is available at www.dreyfus.com and is on file with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). The SAI is incorporated by reference (is legally considered part of this prospectus).

Portfolio Holdings

Dreyfus funds generally disclose their complete schedule of portfolio holdings monthly with a 30-day lag at www.dreyfus.com under Mutual Fund Center – Dreyfus Mutual Funds – Mutual Fund Total Holdings. Complete holdings as of the end of the calendar quarter are disclosed 15 days after the end of such quarter. Dreyfus money market funds generally disclose their complete schedule of holdings daily. The schedule of holdings for a fund will remain on the website until the fund files its Form N-Q or Form N-CSR for the period that includes the dates of the posted holdings.

A complete description of the fund's policies and procedures with respect to the disclosure of the fund's portfolio securities is available in the fund's SAI.

To obtain information:

By telephone. Call 1-800-554-4611. Holders of Class F shares should call 1-800-645-6561.

By mail.
The Dreyfus Family of Funds
144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard
Uniondale, NY 11556-0144

By E-mail. Send your request to info@dreyfus.com

On the Internet. Certain fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from:

SEC: http://www.sec.gov

Dreyfus: http://www.dreyfus.com

You can also obtain copies, after paying a duplicating fee, by visiting the SEC's Public Reference Room in Washington, DC (for information, call 1-202-551-8090) or by E-mail request to publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the SEC's Public Reference Section, Washington, DC 20549-0102.

   

© 2011 MBSC Securities Corporation
0291P0511

 

 

DREYFUS FUNDS, INC.

DREYFUS EQUITY GROWTH FUND
(Class/Ticker: A/FRMAX, B/FRMEX, C/FRMDX, F/FRMUX and I/FRMRX)

DREYFUS MID-CAP GROWTH FUND
(Class/Ticker: A/FRSDX, B/FRSFX, C/FRSCX, F/FRSPX and I/FRXRX)

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
MAY 1, 2011

This Statement of Additional Information ("SAI"), which is not a prospectus, supplements and should be read in conjunction with the current Prospectus of Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund and Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund, each a separate series (each, a "Fund" and together, the "Funds") of Dreyfus Funds, Inc. (the "Company"), each dated May 1, 2011, as each Prospectus may be revised from time to time.  To obtain a copy of the relevant Fund's Prospectus, please call your financial adviser, or write to the Fund at 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144, visit www.dreyfus.com, or call 1-800-554-4611 (1-800-645-6561 for Class F shareholders).

The most recent Annual Report and Semi-Annual Report to Shareholders for each Fund are separate documents supplied with this SAI, and the financial statements, accompanying notes and report of the independent registered public accounting firm appearing in the Annual Report are incorporated by reference into this SAI.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Page

 

 

Description of the Company and Funds

Management of the Company and Funds

Management Arrangements

How to Buy Shares

Distribution Plan and Shareholder Services Plan

How to Redeem Shares

Shareholder Services

Other Services

Determination of Net Asset Value

Dividends and Distributions

Taxation

Portfolio Transactions

Summary of the Proxy Voting Policy, Procedures and Guidelines of the
 Dreyfus Family of Funds

Information About the Company and Fund

Counsel And Independent Auditors

Appendix

B-2

B-31

B-39

B-48

B-56

B-58

B-63

B-68

B-70

B-71

B-71

B-84

 

B-90

B-91

B-96

B-98

 

 


 

 

DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPANY AND FUNDS

The Company is a Maryland corporation formed on June 19, 1987.  Each Fund is a separate series of the Company, an open-end management investment company, known as a mutual fund.  Each Fund is a diversified fund, which means that, with respect to 75% of a Fund's total assets, the Fund will not invest more than 5% of its assets in the securities of any single issuer nor hold more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of any single issuer (other than, in each case, securities of other investment companies and securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities). 

The Dreyfus Corporation (the "Manager", "Dreyfus" or the "Investment Adviser") serves as each Fund's investment adviser. 

MBSC Securities Corporation (the "Distributor") is the distributor of each Fund's shares.

Certain Portfolio Securities

The following information supplements (except as noted) and should be read in conjunction with the relevant Fund's Prospectus.

Common and Preferred Stocks.  Stocks represent shares of ownership in a company.  Generally, preferred stock has a specified dividend and ranks after bonds and before common stocks in its claim on income for dividend payments and on assets should the company be liquidated.  After other claims are satisfied, common stockholders participate in company profits on a pro-rata basis; profits may be paid out in dividends or reinvested in the company to help it grow.  Increases and decreases in earnings are usually reflected in a company's stock price, so common stocks generally have the greatest appreciation and depreciation potential of all corporate securities.  While most preferred stocks pay a dividend, the Funds may purchase preferred stock where the issuer has omitted, or is in danger of omitting, payment of its dividend.  Such investments would be made primarily for their capital appreciation potential.   

Convertible Securities.  Convertible securities may be converted at either a stated price or stated rate into underlying shares of common stock.  Convertible securities have characteristics similar to both fixed-income and equity securities.  Convertible securities generally are subordinated to other similar but non-convertible securities of the same issuer, although convertible bonds, as corporate debt obligations, enjoy seniority in right of payment to all equity securities, and convertible preferred stock is senior to common stock, of the same issuer.  Because of the subordination feature, however, convertible securities typically have lower ratings than similar non-convertible securities.

Although to a lesser extent than with fixed-income securities, the market value of convertible securities tends to decline as interest rates increase and, conversely, tends to increase as interest rates decline.  In addition, because of the conversion feature, the market value of convertible securities tends to vary with fluctuations in the market value of the underlying common stock.  A unique feature of convertible securities is that as the market price of the underlying common stock declines, convertible securities tend to trade increasingly on a yield basis, and so may not experience market value declines to the same extent as the underlying common stock.  When the market price of the underlying common stock increases, the prices of the convertible securities tend to rise as a reflection of the value of the underlying common stock.  While no securities investments are without risk, investments in convertible securities generally entail less risk than investments in common stock of the same issuer.

 


 

 

Convertible securities provide for a stable stream of income with generally higher yields than common stocks, but there can be no assurance of current income because the issuers of the convertible securities may default on their obligations.  A convertible security, in addition to providing fixed income, offers the potential for capital appreciation through the conversion feature, which enables the holder to benefit from increases in the market price of the underlying common stock.  There can be no assurance of capital appreciation, however, because securities prices fluctuate.  Convertible securities generally offer lower interest or dividend yields than non-convertible securities of similar quality because of the potential for capital appreciation.

Each Fund may invest in so-called "synthetic convertible securities," which are comprised of two or more different securities, each with its own market value, whose investment characteristics, taken together, resemble those of convertible securities.  For example, a Fund may purchase a non-convertible debt security and a warrant or option.  The "market value" of a synthetic convertible is the sum of the values of its fixed income component and its convertible component.  For this reason, the values of a synthetic convertible and a true convertible security may respond differently to market fluctuations.

Foreign Securities.  Foreign securities include the securities of companies organized under the laws of countries other than the United States and those issued or guaranteed by governments other than the U.S. Government or by foreign supranational entities.  They also include securities of companies whose principal trading market is in a country other than the United States or of companies (including those that are located in the United States or organized under U.S. law) that derive a significant portion of their revenue or profits from foreign businesses, investments or sales, or that have a majority of their assets outside the United States.  They may be traded on foreign securities exchanges or in the foreign over-the-counter markets.  Supranational entities include international organizations designated or supported by governmental entities to promote economic reconstruction or development and international banking institutions and related government agencies.  Examples include the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank), the European Coal and Steel Community, the Asian Development Bank and the InterAmerican Development Bank.

The foreign securities in which a Fund may invest may include securities of foreign companies located in emerging market countries.  Each Fund will not invest more than 5% of its total assets, measured at the time of purchase, in securities issued by companies located in such countries.  Such countries are subject to more economic, political and business risk than major industrialized nations, and the securities issued by companies located there are expected to be more volatile, less liquid and more uncertain as to payments of dividends, interest and principal.  Such countries may include (but are not limited to) Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Ecuador, Egypt, Estonia, Hungary, Iceland, India, Indonesia, Israel, Jordan, Latvia, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mauritius, Mexico, Morocco, Nigeria, Pakistan, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea (South Korea), Romania, Russia and the other countries of the former Soviet Union, Slovak Republic, Slovenia, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, Uruguay, Venezuela, and Vietnam.

 


 

 

In addition, a Fund may purchase participation interests in loans between foreign governments and financial institutions, and interests in entities organized and operated for the purpose of restructuring the investment characteristics of instruments issued or guaranteed by foreign governments.  These include sovereign debt obligations and Brady Bonds described below.  A Fund also may invest in the currencies of such countries and may engage in strategic transactions in the markets of such countries.  See "Investment Techniques."

Depositary Receipts.  Each Fund may invest in the securities of foreign issuers in the form of American Depositary Receipts and American Depositary Shares (collectively, "ADRs").  These securities may not necessarily be denominated in the same currency as the securities into which they may be converted.  ADRs are receipts typically issued by a U.S. bank or trust company which evidence ownership of underlying securities issued by a foreign corporation.  Generally, ADRs in registered form are designed for use in the U.S. securities markets.

These securities may be purchased through "sponsored" or "unsponsored" facilities.  A sponsored facility is established jointly by the issuer of the underlying security and a depositary.  A depositary may establish an unsponsored facility without participation by the issuer of the deposited security.  Holders of unsponsored depositary receipts generally bear all the costs of such facilities, and the depositary of an unsponsored facility frequently is under no obligation to distribute shareholder communications received from the issuer of the deposited security or to pass through voting rights to the holders of such receipts in respect of the deposited securities.  Purchases or sales of certain ADRs may result, indirectly, in fees being paid to the Depositary Receipts Division of The Bank of New York Mellon, an affiliate of the Manager, by brokers executing the purchases or sales.

Investment Companies.  Each Fund may invest in securities issued by registered and unregistered investment companies, including exchange-traded funds described below.  Under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), a fund's investment in such securities, subject to certain exceptions, currently is limited to (i) 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company, (ii) 5% of the fund's total assets with respect to any one investment company and (iii) 10% of the fund's total assets in the aggregate.  As a shareholder of another investment company, the fund would bear, along with other shareholders, its pro rata portion of the other investment company's expenses, including advisory fees.  These expenses would be in addition to any fees and other expenses that a Fund bears directly in connection with its own operations.  Each Fund also may invest their uninvested cash reserves, or cash received as collateral from borrowers of their portfolio securities in connection with a fund's securities lending program, in shares of one or more money market funds advised by the Manager.  Such investments will not be subject to the limitations described above.  See "Lending Portfolio Securities."

 


 

 

Exchange-Traded Funds.  Each Fund may invest in shares of exchange-traded funds (collectively, "ETFs"), which are designed to provide investment results corresponding to a securities (or commodities) index.  These may include Standard & Poor's Depositary Receipts ("SPDRs"), DIAMONDS, Nasdaq-100 Index Tracking Stock (also referred to as "Nasdaq 100 Shares") and iShares exchange-traded funds ("iShares"), such as iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund.  ETFs usually are units of beneficial interest in an investment trust or represent undivided ownership interests in a portfolio of securities, in each case with respect to a portfolio of all or substantially all of the component securities of, and in substantially the same weighting as, the relevant benchmark index.  The benchmark indices of SPDRs, DIAMONDS and Nasdaq-100 Shares are the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index, the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the Nasdaq-100 Index, respectively. The benchmark index for iShares varies, generally corresponding to the name of the particular iShares fund. ETFs are designed to provide investment results that generally correspond to the price and yield performance of the component securities (or commodities) of the benchmark index.  ETFs are listed on an exchange and trade in the secondary market on a per-share basis.

The values of ETFs are subject to change as the values of their respective component securities (or commodities) fluctuate according to market volatility.  Investments in ETFs that are designed to correspond to an equity index, for example, involve certain inherent risks generally associated with investments in a broadly based portfolio of common stocks, including the risk that the general level of stock prices may decline, thereby adversely affecting the value of ETFs invested in by the relevant Fund.  Moreover, a Fund's investments in ETFs may not exactly match the performance of a direct investment in the respective indices to which they are intended to correspond due to the temporary unavailability of certain index securities in the secondary market or other extraordinary circumstances, such as discrepancies with respect to the weighting of securities.

Mortgage-Related Securities.  Each Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities, which are a form of derivative collateralized by pools of commercial or residential mortgages.  Pools of mortgage loans are assembled as securities for sale to investors by various governmental, government-related and private organizations.  These securities may include complex instruments such as collateralized mortgage obligations ("CMOs") and stripped mortgage-backed securities, mortgage pass-through securities, interests in adjustable rate mortgages ("ARMs"), real estate mortgage investment conduits ("REMICs"), real estate investment trusts ("REITs"), including debt and preferred stock issued by REITs, and other mortgage-related securities.  The mortgage-related securities in which a Fund may invest include those with fixed, floating and variable interest rates, those with interest rates based on multiples of changes in a specified index of interest rates and those with interest rates that change inversely to changes in interest rates, as well as those that do not bear interest.

Residential Mortgage-Related Securities—The Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities representing participation interests in pools of one- to four-family residential mortgage loans issued or guaranteed by governmental agencies or instrumentalities, such as the Government National Mortgage Association ("GNMA"), the Federal National Mortgage Association ("FNMA") and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation ("FHLMC"), or issued by private entities.  Residential mortgage-related securities have been issued using a variety of structures, including multi-class structures featuring senior and subordinated classes.

 


 

 

Mortgage-related securities issued by GNMA include GNMA Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as "Ginnie Maes"), which are guaranteed as to the timely payment of principal and interest by GNMA and such guarantee is backed by the full faith and credit of the United States.  GNMA certificates also are supported by the authority of GNMA to borrow funds from the U.S. Treasury to make payments under its guarantee.  Mortgage-related securities issued by FNMA include FNMA Guaranteed Mortgage Pass-Through Certificates (also known as "Fannie Maes"), which are solely the obligations of FNMA and are not backed by or entitled to the full faith and credit of the United States.  Fannie Maes are guaranteed as to timely payment of principal and interest by FNMA.  Mortgage-related securities issued by FHLMC include FHLMC Mortgage Participation Certificates (also known as "Freddie Macs" or "PCs").  Freddie Macs are not guaranteed by the United States or by any Federal Home Loan Bank and do not constitute a debt or obligation of the United States or of any Federal Home Loan Bank.  Freddie Macs entitle the holder to timely payment of interest, which is guaranteed by FHLMC.  FHLMC guarantees either ultimate collection or timely payment of all principal payments on the underlying mortgage loans. When FHLMC does not guarantee timely payment of principal, FHLMC may remit the amount due on account of its guarantee of ultimate payment of principal at any time after default on an underlying mortgage, but in no event later than one year after it becomes payable. The U.S. Treasury has historically had the authority to purchase obligations of FNMA and FHLMC.  In addition, in 2008, due to capitalization concerns, Congress provided the U.S. Treasury with additional authority to lend FNMA and FHLMC 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 FNMA and FHLMC had been placed in conservatorship. 

 

Since 2009, FNMA and FHLMC have received significant capital support through U.S. Treasury preferred stock purchases and Federal Reserve purchases of their mortgage backed securities.  While the Federal Reserve’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 through at least 2012. While the U.S. Treasury is committed to offset negative equity at FNMA and FHLMC through its preferred stock purchases through 2012, no assurance can be given that the Federal Reserve, U.S. Treasury, or FHFA initiatives discussed above will ensure that FNMA and FHLMC will remain successful in meeting their obligations with respect to the debt and mortgage-backed securities they issue beyond that date. In addition, FNMA and FHLMC also are the subject of several continuing class action lawsuits and investigations by federal regulators over certain accounting, disclosure or corporate governance matters, which (along with any resulting financial restatements) may adversely affect the guaranteeing entities.  Importantly, the future of the entities is in serious question as the U.S. Government reportedly is considering multiple options, ranging on a spectrum from nationalization, privatization, consolidation, or abolishment of the entities.

 


 

 

 

Commercial Mortgage-Related Securities—Each Fund may invest in commercial mortgage-related securities, which generally are multi-class debt or pass-through certificates secured by mortgage loans on commercial properties.  These mortgage-related securities generally are constructed to provide protection to holders of the senior classes against potential losses on the underlying mortgage loans.  This protection generally is provided by having the holders of subordinated classes of securities ("Subordinated Securities") take the first loss if there are defaults on the underlying commercial mortgage loans.  Other protection, which may benefit all of the classes or particular classes, may include issuer guarantees, reserve funds, additional Subordinated Securities, cross-collateralization and over-collateralization.

Subordinated Securities—Each Fund may invest in Subordinated Securities issued or sponsored by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers.  Subordinated Securities have no governmental guarantee, and are subordinated in some manner as to the payment of principal and/or interest to the holders of more senior mortgage-related securities arising out of the same pool of mortgages.  The holders of Subordinated Securities typically are compensated with a higher stated yield than are the holders of more senior mortgage-related securities.  On the other hand, Subordinated Securities typically subject the holder to greater risk than senior mortgage-related securities and tend to be rated in a lower rating category, and frequently a substantially lower rating category, than the senior mortgage-related securities issued in respect of the same pool of mortgages.  Subordinated Securities generally are likely to be more sensitive to changes in prepayment and interest rates and the market for such securities may be less liquid than is the case for traditional fixed-income securities and senior mortgage-related securities.

Collateralized Mortgage Obligations ("CMOs") and Multi-Class Pass-Through-Securities—Each Fund may invest in CMOs, which are multiclass bonds backed by pools of mortgage pass-through certificates or mortgage loans.  CMOs may be collateralized by (a) Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae, or Freddie Mac pass-through certificates, (b) unsecuritized mortgage loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration or guaranteed by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, (c) unsecuritized conventional mortgages, (d) other mortgage-related securities, or (e) any combination thereof.

Each class of CMOs, often referred to as a "tranche," is issued at a specific coupon rate and has a stated maturity or final distribution date.  Principal prepayments on collateral underlying a CMO may cause it to be retired substantially earlier than the stated maturities or final distribution dates.  The principal and interest on the underlying mortgages may be allocated among the several classes of a series of a CMO in many ways.  One or more tranches of a CMO may have coupon rates, which reset periodically at a specified increment over an index, such as the London Interbank Offered Rate ("LIBOR") (or sometimes more than one index).  These floating rate CMOs typically are issued with lifetime caps on the coupon rate thereon.  Each Fund also may invest in inverse floating rate CMOs.  Inverse floating rate CMOs constitute a tranche of a CMO with a coupon rate that moves in the reverse direction to an applicable index such as LIBOR.  Accordingly, the coupon rate thereon will increase as interest rates decrease.  Inverse floating rate CMOs are typically more volatile than fixed or floating rate tranches of CMOs.

 


 

 

Many inverse floating rate CMOs have coupons that move inversely to a multiple of the applicable indices.  The effect of the coupon varying inversely to a multiple of an applicable index creates a leverage factor.  Inverse floaters based on multiples of a stated index are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and loss of principal.  The markets for inverse floating rate CMOs with highly leveraged characteristics at times may be very thin.  The ability to dispose of positions in such securities will depend on the degree of liquidity in the markets for such securities.  It is impossible to predict the amount of trading interest that may exist in such securities, and therefore the future degree of liquidity.

Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities—Each Fund may invest in stripped mortgage-backed securities which are created by segregating the cash flows from underlying mortgage loans or mortgage securities to create two or more new securities, each with a specified percentage of the underlying security's principal or interest payments.  Mortgage securities may be partially stripped so that each investor class receives some interest and some principal.  When securities are completely stripped, however, all of the interest is distributed to holders of one type of security, known as an interest-only security, or IO, and all of the principal is distributed to holders of another type of security known as a principal-only security, or PO.  Strips can be created in a pass-through structure or as tranches of a CMO.  The yields to maturity on IOs and POs are very sensitive to the rate of principal payments (including prepayments) on the related underlying mortgage assets. If the underlying mortgage assets experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the relevant Fund may not fully recoup its initial investment in IOs.  Conversely, if the underlying mortgage assets experience less than anticipated prepayments of principal, the yield on POs could be materially and adversely affected.

Private Entity Securities—Each Fund may invest in mortgage-related securities issued by commercial banks, savings and loan institutions, mortgage bankers, private mortgage insurance companies and other non-governmental issuers.  Timely payment of principal and interest on mortgage-related securities backed by pools created by non-governmental issuers often is supported partially by various forms of insurance or guarantees, including individual loan, title, pool and hazard insurance.  The insurance and guarantees are issued by government entities, private insurers and the mortgage poolers.  There can be no assurance that the private insurers or mortgage poolers can meet their obligations under the policies, so that if the issuers default on their obligations the holders of the security could sustain a loss.  Mortgage-related securities issued by non-governmental issuers generally offer a higher rate of interest than government-agency and government-related securities because there are no direct or indirect government guarantees of payment.

Other Mortgage-Related Securities—Other mortgage-related securities in which a Fund may invest include securities other than those described above that directly or indirectly represent a participation in, or are secured by and payable from, mortgage loans on real property, including CMO residuals.  Other mortgage-related securities may be equity or debt securities 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, homebuilders, mortgage banks, commercial banks, investment banks, partnerships, trusts and special purpose entities of the foregoing.

 


 

 

Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs).  Each Fund may invest in REITs.  A REIT is a corporation, or a business trust that would otherwise be taxed as a corporation, which meets the definitional requirements of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the "Code").  The Code permits a qualifying REIT to deduct dividends paid, thereby effectively eliminating corporate level Federal income tax and making the REIT a pass-through vehicle for Federal income tax purposes.  To meet the definitional requirements of the Code, a REIT must, among other things, invest substantially all of its assets in interests in real estate (including mortgages and other REITs) or cash and government securities, derive most of its income from rents from real property or interest on loans secured by mortgages on real property, and distribute to shareholders annually a substantial portion of its otherwise taxable income.

REITs are characterized as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs.  Equity REITs, which may include operating or finance companies, own real estate directly and the value of, and income earned by, the REITs depends upon the income of the underlying properties and the rental income they earn.  Equity REITs also can realize capital gains (or losses) by selling properties that have appreciated (or depreciated) in value.  Mortgage REITs can make construction, development or long-term mortgage loans and are sensitive to the credit quality of the borrower.  Mortgage REITs derive their income from interest payments on such loans.  Hybrid REITs combine the characteristics of both equity and mortgage REITs, generally by holding both ownership interests and mortgage interests in real estate.  The value of securities issued by REITs is affected by tax and regulatory requirements and by perceptions of management skill.  They also are subject to heavy cash flow dependency, defaults by borrowers or tenants, self-liquidation and the possibility of failing to qualify for tax-free status under the Code or to maintain exemption from the 1940 Act.

Warrants.  A warrant is a form of derivative that gives the holder the right to subscribe to a specified amount of the issuing corporation's securities at a set price for a specified period of time.  Each Fund may invest in warrants to purchase equity or fixed-income securities.  Bonds with warrants attached to purchase equity securities have many characteristics of convertible bonds and their prices may, to some degree, reflect the performance of the underlying stock.  Bonds also may be issued with warrants attached to purchase additional fixed-income securities at the same coupon rate.  A decline in interest rates would permit the relevant Fund to buy additional bonds at the favorable rate or to sell the warrants at a profit.  If interest rates rise, the warrants would generally expire with no value.

U.S. Government Securities.  Each Fund may invest in U.S. Government securities, which include a variety of U.S. Treasury securities that differ in their interest rates, maturities and times of issuance.  Treasury Bills have initial maturities of one year or less; Treasury Notes have initial maturities of one to ten years; and Treasury Bonds generally have initial maturities of greater than ten years.  In addition to U.S. Treasury securities, the Funds may invest in securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government or its agencies and instrumentalities.  Some obligations issued or guaranteed by U.S. Government agencies and instrumentalities, such as Government National Mortgage Association pass-through certificates, are supported by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Treasury; and others, such as those issued by the Student Loan Marketing Association, only by the credit of the instrumentality.  These securities bear fixed, floating or variable rates of interest.  Principal and interest may fluctuate based on generally recognized reference rates of the relationship of rates.  While the U.S. Government provides financial support to such U.S. Government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it will always do so since it is not so obligated by law.

 


 

 

The Funds also may purchase U.S. Treasury STRIPS (Separate Trading of Registered Interest and Principal of Securities).  STRIPS essentially are zero-coupon bonds that are direct obligations of the U.S. Treasury.  These bonds do not make regular interest payments; rather, they are sold at a discount from face value, and principal and accrued interest are paid at maturity.  STRIPS may experience greater fluctuations in market value due to changes in interest rates and other factors than debt securities that make regular interest payments.  A Fund will accrue income on STRIPS for tax and accounting purposes which must be distributed to Fund shareholders even though no cash is received at the time of accrual.  Therefore, the Fund may be required to liquidate other portfolio securities in order to meet the Fund's distribution obligations.

Money Market Instruments.  When the Manager determines that adverse market conditions exist, a Fund may adopt a temporary defensive position and invest up to 100% of its assets in money market instruments, including U.S. Government securities, repurchase agreements, bank obligations and commercial paper.  Each Fund also may purchase money market instruments when it has cash reserves or in anticipation of taking a market position.

Bank Obligations.  Bank obligations include certificates of deposit, bankers' acceptances and fixed time deposits.  Certificates of deposit are negotiable certificates issued against funds deposited in a commercial bank for a definite period of time and earning a specified return.  Bankers' acceptances are negotiable drafts or bills of exchange, normally drawn by an importer or exporter to pay for specific merchandise, which are "accepted" by a bank, meaning, in effect, that the bank unconditionally agrees to pay the face value of the instrument on maturity.  Fixed time deposits are bank obligations payable at a stated maturity date and bearing interest at a fixed rate.  Fixed time deposits may be withdrawn on demand by the investor, but may be subject to early withdrawal penalties that vary depending upon market conditions and the remaining maturity of the obligation.  There are no contractual restrictions on the right to transfer a beneficial interest in a fixed time deposit to a third party, although there is no market for such deposits.

            The Funds also may invest in obligations of foreign depository institutions or their U.S. branches, or foreign branches of U.S. depository institutions.  The obligations of foreign branches of U.S. depository institutions purchased by the Funds may be general obligations of the parent depository institution in addition to being an obligation of the issuing branch.  These obligations, and those of foreign depository institutions, may be limited by the terms of the specific obligation and by governmental regulation.  The payment of these obligations, both interest and principal, also may be affected by governmental action in the country of domicile of the institution or branch, such as imposition of currency controls and interest limitations.  In connection with these investments, a Fund will be subject to the risks associated with the holding of portfolio securities overseas, such as possible changes in investment or exchange control regulations, expropriation, confiscatory taxation or political or financial instability.

 


 

 

            Obligations of U.S. branches of foreign depository institutions may be general obligations of the parent depository institution in addition to being an obligation of the issuing branch, or may be limited by the terms of a specific foreign regulation applicable to the depository institutions and by government regulation (both domestic and foreign).

Repurchase Agreements.  A repurchase agreement is a contract under which a Fund would acquire a security for a relatively short period (usually not more than one week) subject to the obligation of the seller to repurchase and the relevant Fund to resell such security at a fixed time and price (representing the Fund's cost plus interest).  In the case of repurchase agreements with broker-dealers, the value of the underlying securities (or collateral) will be at least equal at all times to the total amount of the repurchase obligation, including the interest factor.  The Fund entering into the repurchase agreement bears a risk of loss if the other party to a repurchase agreement defaults on its obligations and the Fund is delayed or prevented from exercising its rights to dispose of the collateral securities.  This risk includes the risk of procedural costs or delays in addition to a loss on the securities if their value should fall below their repurchase price.

Commercial Paper.  Each Fund may invest in commercial paper.  Commercial paper represents short-term unsecured promissory notes issued in bearer form by banks or bank holding companies, corporations and finance companies.  Commercial paper may consist of U.S. dollar-denominated obligations of domestic issuers and foreign currency-denominated obligations of domestic or foreign issuers. 

Investment Techniques

The following information supplements (except as noted) and should be read in conjunction with the relevant Fund's Prospectus.

Foreign Currency Transactions.  Each Fund may invest directly in foreign currencies or hold financial instruments that provide exposure to foreign currencies, in particular "hard currencies," or may invest in securities that trade in, or receive revenues in, foreign currencies.  "Hard currencies" are currencies in which investors have confidence and are typically currencies of economically and politically stable industrialized nations.  To the extent a Fund invests in such currencies, the Fund will be subject to the risk that those currencies will decline in value relative to the U.S. dollar.

Each Fund may enter into foreign currency transactions for a variety of purposes, including:  to fix in U.S. dollars, between trade and settlement date, the value of a security the Fund has agreed to buy or sell; to hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities the Fund already owns, particularly if it expects a decrease in the value of the currency in which the foreign security is denominated; or to gain or reduce exposure to the foreign currency for investment purposes.

 


 

 

Foreign currency transactions may involve, for example, the purchase of foreign currencies for U.S. dollars or the maintenance of short positions in foreign currencies.  A short position would involve a Fund agreeing to exchange an amount of a currency it did not currently own for another currency at a future date in anticipation of a decline in the value of the currency sold relative to the currency the Fund contracted to receive.  Each Fund may engage in cross currency hedging against price movements between currencies, other than the U.S. dollar, caused by currency exchange rate fluctuations.  A Fund's success in these transactions may depend on the ability of the Manager to predict accurately the future exchange rates between foreign currencies and the U.S. dollar.

Each Fund also may enter into forward foreign currency exchange contracts ("forward contracts") for the purchase or sale of a specified currency at a specified future date.  The cost to the relevant Fund of engaging in forward contracts varies with factors such as the currency involved, the length of the contract period and the market conditions then prevailing.  Because forward contracts are usually entered into on a principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.  Generally, secondary markets do not exist for forward contracts, with the result that closing transactions can be made for forward contracts only by negotiating directly with the counterparty to the contract. 

Currency exchange rates may fluctuate significantly over short periods of time.  They generally are determined by the forces of supply and demand in the foreign exchange markets and the relative merits of investments in different countries, actual or perceived changes in interest rates and other complex factors, as seen from an international perspective.  Currency exchange rates also can be affected unpredictably by intervention, or failure to intervene, by U.S. or foreign governments or central banks, or by currency controls or political developments in the United States or abroad.

Borrowing Money.  Each Fund is permitted to borrow to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, which permits an investment company to borrow in an amount up to 33-1/3% of the value of its total assets.  Each Fund, however, currently intends to borrow money only for temporary or emergency (not leveraging) purposes.  While such borrowings exceed 5% of the value of a Fund's total assets, the Fund will not make any additional investments.  In addition, each Fund may borrow for investment purposes on a secured basis through entering into reverse repurchase agreements, as described below under "Reverse Repurchase Agreements."

Reverse Repurchase Agreements.  Each Fund may borrow for investment purposes on a secured basis through entering into reverse repurchase agreements.  A Fund may enter into reverse repurchase agreements with banks, broker/dealers or other financial institutions.  This form of borrowing involves the transfer by the relevant Fund of an underlying debt instrument in return for cash proceeds based on a percentage of the value of the security.  The relevant Fund retains the right to receive interest and principal payments on the security.  At an agreed upon future date, the Fund repurchases the security at principal plus accrued interest.  As a result of these transactions, the relevant Fund is exposed to greater potential fluctuations in the value of its assets and its net asset value per share.  To the extent a Fund enters into a reverse repurchase agreement, the Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal to the aggregate amount of its reverse repurchase obligations, plus accrued interest, in certain cases, in accordance with releases promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").  The SEC views reverse repurchase transactions as collateralized borrowings. 

 


 

 

Lending Portfolio Securities. Each Fund may lend securities from their respective portfolios to brokers, dealers and other financial institutions needing to borrow securities to complete certain transactions.  In connection with such loans, the relevant Fund remains the owner of the loaned securities and continues to be entitled to payments in amounts equal to the interest, dividends or other distributions payable on the loaned securities.  The relevant Fund also has the right to terminate a loan at any time.  The relevant Fund may call the loan to vote proxies if a material issue affecting the Fund's investment is to be voted upon.  Loans of portfolio securities may not exceed 33-1/3% of the value of the relevant Fund's total assets (including the value of all assets received as collateral for the loan).  The relevant Fund will receive collateral consisting of cash, U.S. Government securities or irrevocable letters of credit which will be maintained at all times in an amount equal to at least 100% of the current market value of the loaned securities.  If the collateral consists of a letter of credit or securities, the borrower will pay the relevant Fund a loan premium fee.  If the collateral consists of cash, the relevant Fund will reinvest the cash and pay the borrower a pre-negotiated fee or "rebate" from any return earned on the investment. Each Fund may participate in a securities lending program operated by The Bank of New York Mellon, an affiliate of Dreyfus, as lending agent (the "Lending Agent").  The Lending Agent will receive a percentage of the total earnings of the relevant Fund derived from lending its portfolio securities.  Should the borrower of the securities fail financially, the relevant Fund may experience delays in recovering the loaned securities or exercising its rights in the collateral.  Loans are made only to borrowers that are deemed by the Manager to be of good financial standing.  In a loan transaction, the relevant Fund will also bear the risk of any decline in value of securities acquired with cash collateral.  The relevant Fund will minimize this risk by limiting the investment of cash collateral to money market funds advised by the Manager, repurchase agreements or other high quality instruments with short maturities.

Derivatives.  Each Fund may invest in, or enter into, derivatives for a variety of reasons, including to hedge certain market or interest rate risks, to provide a substitute for purchasing or selling particular securities or to increase potential returns.  Generally, a derivative is a financial contract whose value depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index, and may relate to stocks, bonds, interest rates, currencies or currency exchange rates, commodities and related indexes.  Derivatives may provide a cheaper, quicker or more specifically focused way for a Fund to invest than "traditional" securities would.  Examples of derivative instruments the Funds may use, in addition to forward contracts, mortgage-related securities, CDOs and other asset-backed securities, include options contracts, futures contracts, options on futures contracts, participatory notes, structured notes, swap agreements and credit derivatives.  The Funds' portfolio managers, however, may decide not to employ any of these strategies and there is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by a Fund will succeed. 

 


 

 

Derivatives can be volatile and involve various types and degrees of risk, depending upon the characteristics of the particular derivative and the portfolio as a whole.  Derivatives permit a Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific securities.  However, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest, meaning that a small investment in derivatives could have a large potential impact on the relevant Fund's performance.

If a Fund invests in derivatives at inopportune times or judges market conditions incorrectly, such investments may lower the Fund's return or result in a loss.  A Fund also could experience losses if its derivatives were poorly correlated with the underlying instruments or the Fund's other investments, or if the Fund were unable to liquidate its position because of an illiquid secondary market.  The market for many derivatives is, or suddenly can become, illiquid.  Changes in liquidity may result in significant, rapid and unpredictable changes in the prices for derivatives.

Derivatives may be purchased on established exchanges or through privately negotiated transactions referred to as over-the-counter derivatives.  Exchange-traded derivatives generally are guaranteed by the clearing agency that is the issuer or counterparty to such derivatives.  This guarantee usually is supported by a variation margin payment system operated by the clearing agency in order to reduce overall credit risk.  As a result, unless the clearing agency defaults, there is relatively little counterparty credit risk associated with derivatives purchased on an exchange.  In contrast, no clearing agency guarantees over-the-counter derivatives.  Therefore, each party to an over-the-counter derivative bears the risk that the counterparty will default.  Accordingly, the Manager will consider the creditworthiness of counterparties to over-the-counter derivatives in the same manner as it would review the credit quality of a security to be purchased by a Fund.  Over-the-counter derivatives are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since the other party to the transaction may be the only investor with sufficient understanding of the derivative to be interested in bidding for it.

Some derivatives the Funds may use may involve leverage (e.g., an instrument linked to the value of a securities index may return income calculated as a multiple of the price movement of the underlying index).  This economic leverage will increase the volatility of these instruments as they may increase or decrease in value more quickly than the underlying security, index, futures contract, currency or other economic variable.  Pursuant to regulations and/or published positions of the SEC, the relevant Fund may be required to segregate permissible liquid assets, or engage in other measures approved by the SEC or its staff, to "cover" the Fund's obligations relating to its transactions in derivatives.  For example, in the case of futures contracts or forward contracts that are not contractually required to cash settle, the relevant Fund must set aside liquid assets equal to such contracts' full notional value (generally, the total numerical value of the asset underlying a future or forward contract at the time of valuation) while the positions are open.  With respect to futures contracts or forward contracts that are contractually required to cash settle, however, the relevant Fund is permitted to set aside liquid assets in an amount equal to the Fund's daily marked-to-market net obligation (i.e., the Fund's daily net liability) under the contracts, if any, rather than such contracts' full notional value.  By setting aside assets equal to only its net obligations under cash-settled futures and forward contracts, the relevant Fund may employ leverage to a greater extent than if the Fund were required to segregate assets equal to the full notional value of such contracts.

 


 

 

Neither the Company nor either Fund will be a commodity pool.  The Company has filed notice with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission and National Futures Association of its eligibility, as a registered investment company, for an exclusion from the definition of commodity pool operator and that neither the Company nor any Fund is subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act.

Futures Transactions—In General.  A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security or commodity for a set price on a future date.  These contracts are traded on exchanges, so that, in most cases, either party can close out its position on the exchange for cash, without delivering the security or commodity.  An option on a futures contract gives the holder of the option the right to buy from or sell to the writer of the option a position in a futures contract at a specified price on or before a specified expiration date. 

Although some futures contracts call for making or taking delivery of the underlying securities or commodities, generally these obligations are closed out before delivery by offsetting purchases or sales of matching futures contracts (same exchange, underlying security or index, and delivery month).  Closing out a futures contract sale is effected by purchasing a futures contract for the same aggregate amount of the specific type of financial instrument or commodity with the same delivery date.  If an offsetting purchase price is less than the original sale price, the relevant Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is more, the Fund realizes a capital loss.  Conversely, if an offsetting sale price is more than the original purchase price, the relevant Fund realizes a capital gain, or if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss.  Transaction costs also are included in these calculations.

Each Fund may enter into futures contracts in U.S. domestic markets or on exchanges located outside the United States.  Foreign markets may offer advantages such as trading opportunities or arbitrage possibilities not available in the United States.  Foreign markets, however, may have greater risk potential than domestic markets.  For example, some foreign exchanges are principal markets so that no common clearing facility exists and an investor may look only to the broker for performance of the contract.  In addition, any profits that the relevant Fund might realize in trading could be eliminated by adverse changes in the currency exchange rate, or the Fund could incur losses as a result of those changes.  Transactions on foreign exchanges may include both commodities that are traded on domestic exchanges and those that are not.  Unlike trading on domestic commodity exchanges, trading on foreign commodity exchanges is not regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission.

Engaging in these transactions involves risk of loss to the relevant Fund which could adversely affect the value of the Fund's net assets.  Although each Fund intends to purchase or sell futures contracts only if there is an active market for such contracts, no assurance can be given that a liquid market will exist for any particular contract at any particular time.  Many futures exchanges and boards of trade limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day.  Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular contract, no trades may be made that day at a price beyond that limit or trading may be suspended for specified periods during the trading day.  Futures contract prices could move to the limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and potentially subjecting the relevant Fund to substantial losses.

 


 

 

Successful use of futures and options with respect thereto by a Fund also is subject to the ability of the Manager to predict correctly movements in the direction of the relevant market and, to the extent the transaction is entered into for hedging purposes, to ascertain the appropriate correlation between the transaction being hedged and the price movements of the futures contract.  For example, if a Fund uses futures to hedge against the possibility of a decline in the market value of securities held in its portfolio and the prices of such securities instead increase, the Fund will lose part or all of the benefit of the increased value of securities which it has hedged because it will have offsetting losses in its futures positions.  Furthermore, if in such circumstances the relevant Fund has insufficient cash, it may have to sell securities to meet daily variation margin requirements.  The relevant Fund may have to sell such securities at a time when it may be disadvantageous to do so.

Specific Futures Transactions.  Each Fund may invest in futures contracts and options on futures contracts, including those with respect to securities indexes, interest rates and currencies.

Each Fund may purchase and sell index futures contracts and options thereon.  An index future obligates the relevant Fund to pay or receive an amount of cash equal to a fixed dollar amount specified in the futures contract multiplied by the difference between the settlement price of the contract on the contract's last trading day and the value of the index based on the prices of the securities that comprise the index at the opening of trading in such securities on the next business day.

Each Fund may purchase and sell interest rate futures contracts and options thereon.  An interest rate future obligates the relevant Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific debt security at a future date at a specific price.

Each Fund may purchase and sell currency futures and options thereon.  A foreign currency future obligates the relevant Fund to purchase or sell an amount of a specific currency at a future date at a specific price.

Options—In General.  Each Fund may purchase call and put options and write (i.e., sell) covered call and put option contracts.  A call option gives the purchaser of the option the right to buy, and obligates the writer to sell, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at any time during the option period, or at a specific date.  Conversely, a put option gives the purchaser of the option the right to sell, and obligates the writer to buy, the underlying security or securities at the exercise price at any time during the option period, or at a specific date.

 


 

 

A covered call option written by the relevant Fund is a call option with respect to which the Fund owns the underlying security or otherwise covers the transaction such as by segregating permissible liquid assets.  A put option written by the relevant Fund is covered when, among other things, the Fund segregates permissible liquid assets having a value equal to or greater than the exercise price of the option to fulfill the obligation undertaken or otherwise covers the transaction.  The principal reason for writing covered call and put options is to realize, through the receipt of premiums, a greater return than would be realized on the underlying securities alone.  The relevant Fund receives a premium from writing covered call or put options, which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. 

There is no assurance that sufficient trading interest to create a liquid secondary market on a securities exchange will exist for any particular option or at any particular time, and for some options no such secondary market may exist.  A liquid secondary market in an option may cease to exist for a variety of reasons.  In the past, for example, higher than anticipated trading activity or order flow, or other unforeseen events, at times have rendered certain of the clearing facilities inadequate and resulted in the institution of special procedures, such as trading rotations, restrictions on certain types of orders or trading halts or suspensions in one or more options.  There can be no assurance that similar events, or events that may otherwise interfere with the timely execution of customers' orders, will not recur.  In such event, it might not be possible to effect closing transactions in particular options.  If, as a covered call option writer, a Fund is unable to effect a closing purchase transaction in a secondary market, it will not be able to sell the underlying security until the option expires or it delivers the underlying security upon exercise or it otherwise covers its position.

Specific Options Transactions.  Each Fund may purchase and sell call and put options in respect of specific securities (or groups or "baskets" of specific securities), including, as applicable, equity securities (including convertible securities), U.S. Government securities, foreign sovereign debt and corporate debt securities that are traded on U.S. or foreign securities exchanges or in the over-the-counter market, or securities indices, currencies or futures.

An option on an index is similar to an option in respect of specific securities, except that settlement does not occur by delivery of the securities comprising the index.  Instead, the option holder receives an amount of cash if the closing level of the index upon which the option is based is greater than in the case of a call, or less than in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option.  Thus, the effectiveness of purchasing or writing index options will depend upon price movements in the level of the index rather than the price of a particular security.

Each Fund may purchase and sell call and put options on foreign currency.  These options convey the right to buy or sell the underlying currency at a price that is expected to be lower or higher than the spot price of the currency at the time the option is exercised or expires.

 


 

 

Each Fund may purchase cash-settled options on swaps, described below, denominated in U.S. dollars or foreign currency, in pursuit of its investment objective.  A cash-settled option on a swap gives the purchaser the right, but not the obligation, in return for the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap as of the exercise date. 

Successful use by a Fund of options and options on futures will be subject to the ability of the Manager to predict correctly movements in the prices of individual securities, the relevant securities market generally, foreign currencies or interest rates, as applicable.  To the extent these predictions are incorrect, the relevant Fund may incur losses.

Swap Transactions.  Each Fund may engage in swap transactions, including currency swaps, index swaps and interest rate swaps.  A Fund may enter into swaps for both hedging purposes and to seek to increase total return.  Each Fund also may enter into options on swap agreements, sometimes called "swaptions."  Swap agreements will tend to shift the Fund's investment exposure from one type of investment to another.  For example, if the Fund agreed to exchange payments in U.S. dollars for payments in a foreign currency, the swap agreement would tend to decrease the Fund's exposure to U.S. interest rates and increase its exposure to foreign currency and interest rates.  Depending on how they are used, swap agreements may increase or decrease the overall volatility of the Fund's investments and its share price and yield.  Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options.

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 a standard "swap" transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on particular predetermined investments or instruments.  The gross returns to be exchanged or "swapped" between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a "notional amount," i.e., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate, in a particular foreign currency, or in a "basket" of swaps or securities representing a particular index.  The "notional amount" of the swap agreement is only used as a basis upon which to calculate the obligations that the parties to a swap agreement have agreed to exchange.  Forms of swap agreements include interest rate caps, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates exceed a specified rate, or "cap"; interest rate floors, under which, in return for a premium, one party agrees to make payments to the other to the extent that interest rates fall below a specified rate, or "floor"; and interest rate collars, under which a party sells a cap and purchases a floor or vice versa in an attempt to protect itself against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

Most swap agreements entered into by a Fund are cash settled and calculate the obligations of the parties to the agreement on a "net basis."  Thus, the relevant Fund's current obligations (or rights) under a swap agreement generally will be equal only to the net amount to be paid or received under the agreement based on the relative values of the positions held by each party to the agreement (the "net amount").  The relevant Fund's current obligations under a swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund) and any accrued but unpaid net amounts owed to a swap counterparty will be covered by the segregation of permissible liquid assets of the Fund.

 


 

 

A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation) in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement, at some designated future time on specified terms.  A cash-settled option on a swap gives the purchaser the right in return for the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap as of the exercise date.  These options typically are purchased in privately negotiated transactions from financial institutions, including securities brokerage firms.  Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the relevant Fund generally will incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than it will incur when it purchases a swap option.  When a Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised.  However, when a Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Interest rate swaps are over-the-counter contracts in which each party agrees to make a periodic interest payment based on an index or the value of an asset in return for a periodic payment from the other party based on a different index or asset.  The purchase of an interest rate floor entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index falls below a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate floor.  The purchase of an interest rate cap entitles the purchaser, to the extent that a specified index rises above a predetermined interest rate, to receive payments of interest on a notional principal amount from the party selling such interest rate cap.  Interest rate collars involve selling a cap and purchasing a floor or vice versa to protect the relevant Fund against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

The use of swap agreements is a highly specialized activity that involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions.  If the Manager is incorrect in its forecasts of applicable market factors, or a counterparty defaults, the investment performance of the relevant Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used.  In addition, it is possible that developments in the swap market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect a Fund's ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

A Fund will enter into swap agreements only when the Manager believes it would be in the best interests of the Fund to do so.  In addition, a Fund will enter into swap agreements only with counterparties that meet certain standards of creditworthiness (generally, such counterparties would have to be eligible counterparties under the terms of the Fund's repurchase agreement guidelines).

The swaps market has been an evolving market and largely unregulated. It is possible that developments in the swaps market, including new regulatory requirements, could affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing swap agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements or otherwise affect how swaps are transacted. In particular, the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act enacted on July 21, 2010 (the “Dodd-Frank Act”), will result in new clearing and exchange-trading requirements for swaps and other over-the-counter derivatives. The Dodd-Frank Act also requires the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) or the SEC, in consultation with banking regulators, to establish capital requirements as well as requirements for margin on uncleared derivatives in certain circumstances that will be clarified by rules proposed by the CFTC or SEC. In addition, the CFTC and the SEC are reviewing the current regulatory requirements applicable to derivatives, and it is not certain at this time how the regulators may change these requirements. Any such changes may, among various  possible effects, increase the cost of entering into derivatives transactions, require more assets of the Fund to be used for collateral in support of those derivatives than is currently the case, or restrict the ability of the Fund to enter into certain types of derivative transactions.

 


 

 

 

Credit Derivatives.  Each Fund may engage in credit derivative transactions, such as those involving default price risk derivatives and market spread derivatives.  Default price risk derivatives are linked to the price of reference securities or loans after a default by the issuer or borrower, respectively.  Market spread derivatives are based on the risk that changes in market factors, such as credit spreads, can cause a decline in the value of a security, loan or index.  There are three basic transactional forms for credit derivatives:  swaps, options and structured instruments.  The use of credit derivatives is a highly specialized activity that involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions.  If the portfolio managers are incorrect in their forecasts of default risks, market spreads or other applicable factors, the investment performance of the relevant Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used.  Moreover, even if the portfolio managers are correct in their forecasts, there is a risk that a credit derivative position may correlate imperfectly with the price of the asset or liability being hedged.  The risk of loss in a credit derivative transaction varies with the form of the transaction.  For example, if a Fund purchases a default option on a security, and if no default occurs with respect to the security, the Fund's loss is limited to the premium it paid for the default option.  In contrast, if there is a default by the grantor of a default option, the relevant Fund's loss will include both the premium it paid for the option and the decline in value of the underlying security that the default option hedged.

Structured Notes and Other Hybrid Instruments.  Structured notes are derivative securities, the interest rate or principal of which is determined by an unrelated indicator, and include indexed securities.  Indexed securities may include a multiplier that multiplies the indexed element by a specified factor and, therefore, the value of such securities may be very volatile.  They are sometimes referred to as "structured notes" because the terms of the debt instrument may be structured by the issuer of the note and the purchaser of the note.  These notes may be issued by banks, brokerage firms, insurance companies and other financial institutions.

A hybrid instrument can combine the characteristics of securities, futures and options.  For example, the principal amount or interest rate of a hybrid instrument could be tied (positively or negatively) to the price of some currency or securities index or another interest rate (each a "benchmark").  The interest rate or the principal amount payable at maturity of a hybrid security may be increased or decreased, depending on changes in the value of the benchmark.

 


 

 

Hybrids can be used as an efficient means of pursuing a variety of investment strategies, including currency hedging, duration management and increased total return.  Hybrids may not bear interest or pay dividends.  The value of a hybrid or its interest rate may be a multiple of a benchmark and, as a result, may be leveraged and move (up or down) more steeply and rapidly than the benchmark.  These benchmarks may be sensitive to economic and political events, such as commodity shortages and currency devaluations, which cannot be readily foreseen by the purchaser of a hybrid.  Under certain conditions, the redemption value of a hybrid could be zero.  Thus, an investment in a hybrid may entail significant market risks that are not associated with a similar investment in a traditional, U.S. dollar-denominated bond that has a fixed principal amount and pays a fixed rate or floating rate of interest.  The purchase of hybrids also exposes the relevant Fund to the credit risk of the issuer of the hybrids.  These risks may cause significant fluctuations in the net asset value of the relevant Fund.

Participatory Notes. Each Fund may invest in participatory notes issued by banks or broker-dealers that are designed to replicate the performance of certain issuers and markets.  Participatory notes are a type of equity-linked derivative, which generally are traded over-the-counter. The performance results of participatory notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in participatory notes involve the same risks associated with a direct investment in the shares of the companies the notes seek to replicate.  In addition, participatory notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the relevant Fund.  Participatory notes constitute general unsecured contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, and the relevant Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such banks or broker-dealers and has no rights under a participatory note against the issuers of the stocks underlying such participatory notes.  Participatory notes involve transaction costs.  Participatory notes may be considered illiquid and, therefore, participatory notes considered illiquid will be subject to the relevant Fund's percentage limitation for investments in illiquid securities.

Combined Transactions. Each Fund may enter into multiple transactions (as applicable), including multiple options transactions, multiple futures transactions, multiple currency transactions (including forward currency contracts), multiple swap transactions and multiple interest rate transactions, structured notes and any combination of futures, options, swaps, currency and interest rate transactions ("component transactions"), instead of a single strategic transaction, as part of a single or combined strategy when, in the opinion of the Manager it is in the best interests of the relevant Fund to do so.  A combined transaction will usually contain elements of risk that are present in each of its component transactions.  Although combined transactions are normally entered into based on the judgment of the Manager that the combined strategies will reduce risk or otherwise more effectively achieve the desired portfolio management goal, it is possible that the combination will instead increase such risks or hinder achievement of the portfolio management objective.

 


 

 

Future Developments.  Each Fund may take advantage of opportunities in options and futures contracts and options on futures contracts and any other derivatives which are not presently contemplated for use by the Fund or which are not currently available but which may be developed, to the extent such opportunities are both consistent with the its investment objective and legally permissible for the Fund.  Before a Fund enters into such transactions or makes any such investment, the Fund will provide appropriate disclosure in its Prospectus or this SAI.

When-Issued Securities. The Funds may purchase securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis (i.e., the securities are purchased with settlement taking place at some point in the future beyond a customary settlement date).  The payment obligation and, in the case of debt securities, the interest rate that will be received on the securities are generally fixed at the time a Fund enters into the purchase commitment.  During the period between purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund and, in the case of debt securities, no interest accrues to the Fund.  At the time of settlement, the market value of the security may be more or less than the purchase price, and the Fund bears the risk of such market value fluctuations.  The Fund will maintain liquid assets, such as cash, U.S. government securities or other liquid equity or debt securities, having an aggregate value equal to the purchase price, segregated on the records of either the Manager or the Fund's custodian until payment is made.  A Fund also will segregate assets in this manner in situations where additional installments of the original issue price are payable in the future.

Forward Commitments. Each Fund may purchase or sell securities on a forward commitment (including "TBA" (to be announced)), when-issued or delayed-delivery basis, which means that delivery and payment take place in the future after the date of the commitment to purchase or sell the securities at a predetermined price and/or yield.  Typically, no interest accrues to the purchaser until the security is delivered.  When purchasing a security on a forward commitment basis, the relevant Fund assumes the rights and risks of ownership of the security, including the risk of price and yield fluctuations, and takes such fluctuations into account when determining its net asset value. Because the relevant Fund is not required to pay for these securities until the delivery date, these risks are in addition to the risks associated with the Fund's other investments.  If the relevant Fund is fully or almost fully invested when forward commitment purchases are outstanding, such purchases may result in a form of leverage.  A Fund would engage in forward commitments to increase its portfolio's financial exposure to the types of securities in which it invests.  Leveraging the portfolio in this manner will increase the relevant Fund's exposure to changes in interest rates and will increase the volatility of its returns.  The relevant Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal at all times to the amount of the Fund's purchase commitments.

Securities purchased on a forward commitment, when-issued or delayed-delivery basis are subject to changes in value (generally changing in the same way, i.e., appreciating when interest rates decline and depreciating when interest rates rise) based upon the public's perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and changes, real or anticipated, in the level of interest rates.  Securities purchased on a forward commitment, when-issued or delayed-delivery basis may expose the relevant Fund to risks because they may experience such fluctuations prior to their actual delivery.  Purchasing securities on a when-issued or delayed-delivery basis can involve the additional risk that the yield available in the market when the delivery takes place actually may be higher than that obtained in the transaction itself.  Purchasing securities on a forward commitment, when-issued or delayed-delivery basis when the relevant Fund is fully or almost fully invested may result in greater potential fluctuation in the value of the Fund's net assets and its net asset value per share.

 


 

 

Forward Roll Transactions. To enhance current income, each Fund may enter into forward roll transactions with respect to mortgage-related securities.  In a forward roll transaction, a Fund sells a mortgage-related security to a financial institution, such as a bank or broker-dealer, and simultaneously agrees to purchase a similar security from the institution at a later date at an agreed upon price.  The securities that are purchased will bear the same interest rate as those sold, but generally will be collateralized by different pools of mortgages with different pre-payment histories than those sold. During the period between the sale and purchase, the relevant Fund will not be entitled to receive interest and principal payments on the securities sold.  Proceeds of the sale typically will be invested in short-term instruments, particularly repurchase agreements, and the income from these investments, together with any additional fee income received on the sale will be expected to generate income for the relevant Fund exceeding the yield on the securities sold.  Forward roll transactions involve the risk that the market value of the securities sold by the relevant Fund may decline below the purchase price of those securities.  The relevant Fund will segregate permissible liquid assets at least equal to the amount of the repurchase price (including accrued interest).

Certain Investment Considerations and Risks

Equity Securities. Equity securities, including common stocks, and certain preferred stocks, convertible securities and warrants, fluctuate in value, often based on factors unrelated to the value of the issuer of the securities, and such fluctuations can be pronounced.  Changes in the value of a Fund's investments will result in changes in the value of its shares and thus the Fund's total return to investors. 

Each Fund may purchase equity securities of small capitalization companies, large capitalization companies and mid-cap companies, respectively. The stock prices of smaller capitalization companies may be subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than the stocks of larger, more established companies, because these securities typically are traded in lower volume and the issuers typically are more subject to changes in earnings and prospects.  The Funds, together with other investment companies advised by the Manager and its affiliates, may own significant positions in portfolio companies which, depending on market conditions, may affect adversely the relevant Fund's ability to dispose of some or all of its positions should it desire to do so.

Each Fund may purchase securities of companies that have no earnings or have experienced losses.  A Fund generally will make these investments based on a belief that actual anticipated products or services will produce future earnings.  If the anticipated event is delayed or does not occur, or if investor perception about the company changes, the company's stock price may decline sharply and its securities may become less liquid.

 


 

 

Each Fund may purchase securities of companies offered in initial public offerings ("IPOs") or shortly thereafter.  An IPO is a corporation's first offering of stock to the public.  Shares are given a market value reflecting expectations for the corporation's future growth.  Special rules of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority ("FINRA") apply to the distribution of IPOs.  Corporations offering IPOs generally have limited operating histories and may involve greater investment risk.  The prices of these companies' securities can be very volatile, rising and falling rapidly, sometimes based solely on investor perceptions rather than economic reasons.

Each Fund may invest in securities issued by companies in the technology sector, which has been among the most volatile sectors of the stock market. Most technology companies involve greater risks because their revenues and earnings tend to be less predictable (and some companies may be experiencing significant losses) and their share prices tend to be more volatile.  Certain technology companies may have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or may depend on a limited management group. In addition, these companies are strongly affected by worldwide technological developments, and their products and services may not be economically successful or may quickly become outdated.  Investor perception may play a greater role in determining the day-to-day value of technology stocks than it does in other sectors.  Investments made in anticipation of future products and services may decline dramatically in value if the anticipated products or services are delayed or cancelled.

The Funds may invest in the securities of companies in the natural resources sector.  Many of these companies may experience more price volatility than securities of companies in other industries.  Some of the commodities that these industries use or provide are subject to limited pricing flexibility because of supply and demand factors.  Others are subject to broad price fluctuations as a result of the volatility of the prices for certain raw materials and the instability of supplies of other materials.  These factors can affect the profitability of companies in the natural resources sector and, as a result, the value of their securities.  To the extent a Fund invests in the securities of companies with substantial natural resource assets, the Fund will be exposed to the price movements of natural resources. 

Foreign Securities.  Investing in the securities of foreign issuers, as well as instruments that provide investment exposure to foreign securities and markets, involves risks that are not typically associated with investing in U.S. dollar-denominated securities of domestic issuers.  Investments in foreign issuers may be affected by changes in currency rates, changes in foreign or U.S. laws or restrictions applicable to such investments and in exchange control regulations (e.g., currency blockage).  A decline in the exchange rate of the currency (i.e., weakening of the currency against the U.S. dollar) in which a portfolio security is quoted or denominated relative to the U.S. dollar would reduce the value of the portfolio security.  A change in the value of such foreign currency against the U.S. dollar also will result in a change in the amount of income the Fund has available for distribution.  Because a portion of a Fund's investment income may be received in foreign currencies, the Fund will be required to compute its income in U.S. dollars for distribution to shareholders, and therefore the Fund will absorb the cost of currency fluctuations.  After the relevant Fund has distributed income, subsequent foreign currency losses may result in the Fund having distributed more income in a particular fiscal period than was available from investment income, which could result in a return of capital to shareholders.  In addition, if the exchange rate for the currency in which the relevant Fund receives interest payments declines against the U.S. dollar before such income is distributed as dividends to shareholders, the Fund may have to sell portfolio securities to obtain sufficient cash to enable the Fund to pay such dividends. Commissions on transactions in foreign securities may be higher than those for similar transactions on domestic stock markets and foreign custodial costs are higher than domestic custodial costs.  In addition, clearance and settlement procedures may be different in foreign countries and, in certain markets, such procedures have on occasion been unable to keep pace with the volume of securities transactions, thus making it difficult to conduct such transactions.

 


 

 

Foreign securities markets generally are not as developed or efficient as those in the United States.  Securities of some foreign issuers are less liquid and more volatile than securities of comparable U.S. issuers.  Similarly, volume and liquidity in most foreign securities markets are less than in the United States and, at times, volatility of price can be greater than in the United States.

Because evidences of ownership of foreign securities usually are held outside the United States, by investing in such securities the relevant Fund will be subject to additional risks, which include possible adverse political and economic developments, seizure or nationalization of foreign deposits and adoption of governmental restrictions, that might adversely affect or restrict the payment of principal and interest on the foreign securities to investors located outside the country of the issuer, whether from currency blockage or otherwise.  Foreign securities held by a Fund may trade on days when the Fund do not calculate their net asset values and thus may affect the Fund's net asset values on days when investors have no access to the Fund.

The risks associated with investing in foreign securities are often heightened for investments in emerging market countries. These heightened risks include (i) greater risks of expropriation, confiscatory taxation, nationalization, and less social, political and economic stability; (ii) the small size of the markets for securities of emerging market issuers and the currently low or nonexistent volume of trading, resulting in lack of liquidity and in price volatility; (iii) certain national policies which may restrict a Fund's investment opportunities including restrictions on investing in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to relevant national interests; and (iv) the absence of developed legal structures governing private or foreign investment and private property. A Fund's purchase and sale of portfolio securities in certain emerging market countries may be constrained by limitations as to daily changes in the prices of listed securities, periodic trading or settlement volume and/or limitations on aggregate holdings of foreign investors.  In certain cases, such limitations may be computed based upon the aggregate trading by or holdings of the relevant Fund, the Manager and its affiliates and their clients and other service providers.  A Fund may not be able to sell securities in circumstances where price, trading or settlement volume limitations have been reached.  These limitations may have a negative impact on the relevant Fund's performance and may adversely affect the liquidity of the Fund's investment to the extent that it invests in certain emerging market countries.  In addition, some emerging market countries may have fixed or managed currencies that are not free-floating against the U.S. dollar. Further, certain emerging market countries' currencies may not be internationally traded.  Certain of these currencies have experienced a steady devaluation relative to the U.S. dollar. If a Fund does not hedge the U.S. dollar value of securities it owns denominated in currencies that are devalued, the Fund's net asset value will be adversely affected.  Many emerging market countries have experienced substantial, and in some periods extremely high, rates of inflation for many years.  Inflation and rapid fluctuations in inflation rates have had and may continue to have adverse effects on the economies and securities markets of certain of these countries.

 


 

 

Securities of foreign issuers that are represented by ADRs or that are listed on a U.S. securities exchange or traded in the U.S. over-the-counter markets are not subject to many of the special considerations and risks discussed in the relevant Fund's Prospectus and this SAI that apply to foreign securities traded and held abroad.  A U.S. dollar investment in ADRs or shares of foreign issuers traded on U.S. exchanges may be impacted differently by currency fluctuations than would an investment made in a foreign currency on a foreign exchange in shares of the same issuer.

Securities That Are Not Readily Marketable.  The Funds may invest up to 15% of the value of their net assets, measured at the time of investment, in investments that are not readily marketable.  A security which is not "readily marketable" is generally considered to be a security that cannot be disposed of within seven days in the ordinary course of business at approximately the amount at which it is valued.  Subject to the foregoing 15% limitation, the Funds may invest in restricted securities.  "Restricted" securities generally include securities that are not registered under the Securities Act of 1933 (the "1933 Act") and are subject to legal or contractual restrictions upon resale.  Restricted securities nevertheless may be "readily marketable" and can often be sold in privately negotiated transactions or in a registered public offering.  There are a number of securities issued without registration under the 1933 Act for which a liquid secondary market exists among institutional investors such as the Funds.  These securities are often called "Rule 144A" securities (see "Certain Investment Considerations and Risks—Rule 144A Securities").

A Fund may not be able to dispose of a security that is not "readily marketable" at the time desired or at a reasonable price.  In addition, in order to resell such a security, a Fund might have to bear the expense and incur the delays associated with effecting registration.  In purchasing such securities, no Fund intends to engage in underwriting activities, except to the extent a Fund may be deemed to be a statutory underwriter under the 1933 Act in disposing of such securities.

The assets used as cover for over-the-counter options written by a Fund will be considered illiquid unless the over-the-counter options are sold to qualified dealers who agree that the Fund may repurchase any over-the-counter option it writes at a maximum price to be calculated by a formula set forth in the option agreement.  The cover for an over-the-counter option written subject to this procedure would be considered illiquid only to the extent that the maximum repurchase price under the formula exceeds the intrinsic value of the option.

 


 

 

Rule 144A Securities.  A large institutional market has developed for certain securities that are not registered under the 1933 Act.  Institutional investors generally will not seek to sell these instruments to the general public, but instead will often depend on an efficient institutional market in which such unregistered securities can readily be resold or on an issuer's ability to honor a demand for repayment.  Therefore, the fact that there are contractual or legal restrictions on resale to the general public or certain institutions is not dispositive of the liquidity of such investments.

Rule 144A under the 1933 Act establishes a "safe harbor" from the registration requirements of the 1933 Act for resales of certain securities to qualified institutional buyers.  The Funds may invest in Rule 144A securities that may or may not be readily marketable.  Rule 144A securities are readily marketable if institutional markets for the securities develop pursuant to Rule 144A that provide both readily ascertainable values for the securities and the ability to liquidate the securities when liquidation is deemed necessary or advisable. However, an insufficient number of qualified institutional buyers interested in purchasing a Rule 144A security held by one of the Funds could adversely affect the marketability of the security.  In such an instance, the Fund might be unable to dispose of the security promptly or at reasonable prices.

The Board of Directors of the Company has delegated to the Manager the authority to determine whether a liquid market exists for securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the 1933 Act, or any successor to such rule, and whether such securities are not subject to the Funds' limitations on investing in securities that are not readily marketable.  Under guidelines established by the directors, the following factors will be considered, among others, in making this determination: (1) the unregistered nature of a Rule 144A security; (2) the frequency of trades and quotes for the security; (3) the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security and the number of additional potential purchasers; (4) dealer undertakings to make a market in the security; and (5) the nature of the security and the nature of marketplace trades (e.g., the time needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfers). The readily marketable nature of each Rule 144A security must be monitored on a basis no less frequently than quarterly.  The Funds' directors also monitor these determinations quarterly.

Fixed-Income Securities. Each Fund may invest in fixed-income securities, including those rated at the time of purchase below investment grade by Moody's Investors Service, Inc. ("Moody's"), Standard & Poor's Ratings Services ("S&P") or Fitch Ratings ("Fitch" and collectively with Moody's and S&P, the "Rating Agencies") or, if unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by the Manager.  Each Fund may invest in bonds, debentures, and corporate obligations – other than convertible securities and preferred stock – only if they are rated investment grade (Baa, BBB or higher) at the time of purchase.  If a bond's, debenture's or other corporate obligation's rating is reduced to below investment grade, or it becomes unrated, after purchase, the Funds may not invest more than 5% of a Fund's total assets in the aggregate of such bonds, debentures, and corporate obligations, and any convertible securities, rated below investment grade or in unrated securities believed by Dreyfus to be equivalent in quality to securities rated below investment grade.  This 5% limitation does not apply to preferred stocks.

 


 

 

Even though interest-bearing securities are investments which promise a stable stream of income, the prices of such securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates and, therefore, are subject to the risk of market price fluctuations. The values of fixed-income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuer.  Fixed-income securities rated below investment grade by the Rating Agencies may be subject to such risks with respect to the issuing entity and to greater market fluctuations than certain lower yielding, higher rated fixed-income securities. Certain securities that may be purchased by the Fund, such as those with interest rates that fluctuate directly or indirectly based on multiples of a stated index, are designed to be highly sensitive to changes in interest rates and can subject the holders thereof to extreme reductions of yield and possibly loss of principal. The values of fixed-income securities also may be affected by changes in the credit rating or financial condition of the issuer.  Once the rating of a portfolio security held by the Fund has been changed, the Fund will consider all circumstances deemed relevant in determining whether to continue to hold the security.  See "Appendix" for a general description of the Rating Agencies' ratings.

High Yield-Lower Rated Securities.  Each Fund may invest in fixed-income securities rated below Baa by Moody's and below BBB by S&P and Fitch and as low as the lowest rating assigned by the Rating Agencies, but may not invest in convertible securities and preferred stocks rated lower than B by the Rating Agencies. Such securities (commonly known as "high yield" or "junk" bonds), though higher yielding, are characterized by risk.  Although ratings may be useful in evaluating the safety of interest and principal payments, they do not evaluate the market value risk of these securities.  The relevant Fund will rely on the judgment, analysis and experience of the Manager in evaluating the creditworthiness of an issuer. The relevant Fund's ability to achieve its investment objective may be more dependent on the credit analysis undertaken by the Manager than might be the case for a fund that invests in higher rated securities.

Investors should be aware that the market values of many of these securities tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher rated securities. These securities generally are considered by the Rating Agencies to be predominantly speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay principal in accordance with the terms of the obligation and generally will involve more credit risk than securities in the higher rating categories.

Companies that issue certain of these securities often are highly leveraged and may not have available to them more traditional methods of financing.  Therefore, the risk associated with acquiring the securities of such issuers generally is greater than is the case with the higher rated securities.  For example, during an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of these securities may not have sufficient revenues to meet their interest payment obligations.  The issuer's ability to service its debt obligations also may be affected adversely by specific corporate developments, forecasts, or the unavailability of additional financing.  The risk of loss because of default by the issuer is significantly greater for the holders of these securities because such securities generally are unsecured and often are subordinated to other creditors of the issuer.  Bond prices are inversely related to interest rate changes; however, bond price volatility also is inversely related to coupon.  Accordingly, below investment grade securities may be relatively less sensitive to interest rate changes than higher quality securities of comparable maturity, because of their higher coupon. This higher coupon is what the investor receives in return for bearing greater credit risk.

 


 

 

Because there is no established retail secondary market for many of these securities, it is anticipated that such securities could be sold only to a limited number of dealers or institutional investors.  To the extent a secondary trading market for these securities does exist, it generally is not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on market price and yield and the relevant Fund's ability to dispose of particular issues when necessary to meet its liquidity needs or in response to a specific economic event such as a deterioration in the creditworthiness of the issuer.  The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities also may make it more difficult for the relevant Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing the Fund's portfolio and calculating its net asset value. Adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the values and liquidity of these securities.  In such cases, judgment may play a greater role in valuation because less reliable, objective data may be available.

These securities may be particularly susceptible to economic downturns. It is likely that an economic recession could disrupt severely the market for such securities and may have an adverse impact on the value of such securities.  In addition, it is likely that any such economic downturn could adversely affect the ability of the issuers of such securities to repay principal and pay interest thereon and increase the incidence of default for such securities.

Each Fund may acquire these securities during an initial offering. Such securities may involve special risks because they are new issues. There are no arrangement with any person concerning the acquisition of such securities, and the Manager will review carefully the credit and other characteristics pertinent to such new issues.  

The credit risk factors pertaining to lower rated securities also apply to lower rated zero coupon, pay-in-kind and step-up securities.  In addition to the risks associated with the credit rating of the issuers, the market prices of these securities may be very volatile during the period no interest is paid.

Mortgage-Related Securities. Mortgage-related securities are complex derivative instruments collateralized by pools of mortgages, and are subject to both credit and prepayment risk, and may be more volatile and less liquid, and more difficult to price accurately, than more traditional debt securities.  Although certain mortgage-related securities are guaranteed by a third party (such as a U.S. Government agency or instrumentality with respect to government-related mortgage-backed securities) or otherwise similarly secured, the market value of the security, which may fluctuate, is not secured.

Mortgage-related securities generally are subject to credit risks associated with the performance of the underlying mortgage properties and to prepayment risk.  In certain instances, the credit risk associated with mortgage-related securities can be reduced by third party guarantees or other forms of credit support.  Improved credit risk does not reduce prepayment risk, which is unrelated to the rating assigned to the mortgage-related security.  Prepayment risk can lead to fluctuations in value of the mortgage-related security that may be pronounced.  If a mortgage-related security is purchased at a premium, all or part of the premium may be lost if there is a decline in the market value of the security, whether resulting from changes in interest rates or prepayments on the underlying mortgage collateral.  Certain mortgage-related securities that may be purchased by a Fund, such as inverse floating rate collateralized mortgage obligations, have coupons that move inversely to a multiple of a specific index, which may result in a form of leverage.  As with other interest-bearing securities, the prices of certain mortgage-related securities are inversely affected by changes in interest rates.  However, although the value of a mortgage-related security may decline when interest rates rise, the converse is not necessarily true, since in periods of declining interest rates the mortgages underlying the security are more likely to be prepaid.  For this and other reasons, a mortgage-related security's stated maturity may be shortened by unscheduled prepayments on the underlying mortgages, and, therefore, it is not possible to predict accurately the security's return to a Fund.  Moreover, with respect to certain stripped mortgage-backed securities, if the underlying mortgage securities experience greater than anticipated prepayments of principal, the relevant Fund may fail to fully recoup its initial investment even if the securities are rated in the highest rating category by a nationally recognized statistical rating organization. During periods of rapidly rising interest rates, prepayments of mortgage-related securities may occur at slower than expected rates.  Slower prepayments effectively may lengthen a mortgage-related security's expected maturity, which generally would cause the value of such security to fluctuate more widely in response to changes in interest rates.  Were the prepayments on the relevant Fund's mortgage-related securities to decrease broadly, the Fund's effective duration, and thus sensitivity to interest rate fluctuations, would increase.  Commercial real property loans, however, often contain provisions that reduce the likelihood that such securities will be prepaid.  The provisions generally impose significant prepayment penalties on loans and in some cases there may be prohibitions on principal prepayments for several years following origination.

 


 

 

Investment Restrictions

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in stocks that are included in a widely recognized index of stock market performance, such as the Dow Jones Industrial Average, the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, or the Nasdaq Composite Index, and Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund normally invests at least 80% of its net assets, plus any borrowings for investment purposes, in equity securities of companies within the market capitalization range of companies comprising the Russell Midcap Growth Index.  Each Fund has adopted a policy to provide its shareholders with at least 60 days' prior notice of any change in its policy to so invest 80% of its assets.

Each Fund has adopted investment restrictions numbered 1 through 7 as fundamental policies, which cannot be changed without approval by the holders of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting shares.  Investment restrictions numbered 8 through 11 are not fundamental policies and may be changed, as to a Fund, by a vote of a majority of the Company's Board members at any time. Except as described below or as otherwise permitted by the 1940 Act, or interpretations or modifications by, or exemptive or other relief from, the SEC or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, and disclosed to investors, neither of the Funds may:

 


 

 

1.                  Invest more than 25% of the value of its total assets in the securities of issuers in any single industry, provided that there shall be no limitation on the purchase of obligations issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government, its agencies or instrumentalities or as otherwise permitted by the SEC.

2.                  Invest in physical commodities, except that a Fund may purchase and sell foreign currency, options, forward contracts, futures contracts (including those relating to indices), options on futures contracts or indices, and other financial instruments, and may invest in securities of issuers which invest in physical commodities or such instruments.

3.                  Invest in real estate, real estate mortgage loans or other illiquid interests in real estate, including limited partnership interests therein, except that a Fund may invest in securities of issuers which invest in real estate, real estate mortgage loans, or other illiquid interests in real estate.  A Fund may also invest in readily marketable interests in real estate investment trusts.

4.                  Borrow money, except to the extent permitted under the 1940 Act, which currently limits borrowing to no more than 33-1/3% of the value of the Fund's total assets.  For purposes of this investment restriction, investments in options, forward contracts, futures contracts (including those relating to indices), options on futures contracts or indices, and other financial instruments or transactions for which assets are required to be segregated including, without limitation, reverse repurchase agreements, shall not constitute borrowing.

5.                  Lend any security or make any loan if, as a result, more than 33-1/3% of its total assets would be lent to other parties, but this limitation does not apply to the purchase of debt securities or to repurchase agreements..

6.                  Act as an underwriter of securities of other issuers, except to the extent a Fund may be deemed an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, in connection with disposing of portfolio securities.

7.                  Issue any senior security, except as permitted under the 1940 Act and except to the extent that the activities permitted by the Fund's other investment restrictions may be deemed to give rise to a senior security.

8.                  Purchase securities on margin, except to obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of transactions, and except that a Fund may make margin deposits in connection with transactions in forward contracts, futures contracts (including those relating to indices), options on futures contracts or indices, and other financial instruments, and to the extent necessary to effect transactions in foreign jurisdictions.

9.                  Pledge, mortgage or hypothecate its assets, except to the extent necessary to secure permitted borrowings and to the extent related to the purchase of securities on a when-issued or forward commitment basis and the deposit of assets in escrow in connection with writing covered put and call options and collateral and initial or variation margin arrangements with respect to options, forward contracts, futures contracts (including those relating to indices) and options on futures contracts or indices.

 


 

 

10.              Enter into repurchase agreements providing for settlement in more than seven days or purchase securities which are not readily marketable if, in the aggregate, more than 15% of the value of its net assets would be so invested.

11.              Sell securities short, unless it owns or has the right to obtain securities equivalent in kind and amount to the securities sold short; provided, however, that this restriction shall not prevent a Fund from entering into short positions in foreign currency, futures contracts, options, forward contracts, and other financial instruments.

If a percentage restriction is adhered to at the time of investment, a later change in percentage resulting from a change in values or net assets will not constitute a violation of such restriction.  With respect to Investment Restriction No. 4, however, if borrowings exceed 33-1/3% of the value of a Fund's total assets as a result of changes in values or assets, the Fund must take steps to reduce such borrowings within three business days at least to the extent of such excess.

MANAGEMENT OF THE COMPANY AND FUNDS

Board of the Company

 

Board's Oversight Role in Management. The Board's role in management of the Company is oversight.  As is the case with virtually all investment companies (as distinguished from operating companies), service providers to the Company, primarily the Investment Adviser and its affiliates, have responsibility for the day-to-day management of the Funds, which includes responsibility for risk management (including management of investment performance and investment risk, valuation risk, issuer and counterparty credit risk, compliance risk and operational risk).  As part of its oversight, the Board, acting at its scheduled meetings, or the Chairman, acting between Board meetings, regularly interacts with and receives reports from senior personnel of service providers, including the Investment Adviser's Chief Investment Officer (or a senior representative of his office), the Company's and the Investment Adviser's Chief Compliance Officer and portfolio management personnel.  The Board's audit committee (which consists of all Board members) meets during its scheduled meetings, and between meetings the audit committee chair maintains contact, with the Company's independent registered public accounting firm and the Company's Chief Financial Officer.  The Board also receives periodic presentations from senior personnel of the Investment Adviser or its affiliates regarding risk management generally, as well as periodic presentations regarding specific operational, compliance or investment areas, such as business continuity, anti-money laundering, personal trading, valuation, credit, investment research and securities lending.  The Board also receives reports from counsel to the Company or counsel to the Investment Adviser and the Board's own independent legal counsel regarding regulatory compliance and governance matters.  The Board has adopted policies and procedures designed to address certain risks to the Funds.  In addition, the Investment Adviser and other service providers to the Funds have adopted a variety of policies, procedures and controls designed to address particular risks to the Funds.  Different processes, procedures and controls are employed with respect to different types of risks.  However, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Company, and the Board's risk management oversight is subject to inherent limitations.

 


 

 

Board Composition and Leadership Structure.  The 1940 Act requires that at least 40% of the Company's Board members not be "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company and as such are not affiliated with the Investment Adviser ("Independent Board members").  To rely on certain exemptive rules under the 1940 Act, a majority of the Company's Board members must be Independent Board members, and for certain important matters, such as the approval of investment advisory agreements or transactions with affiliates, the 1940 Act or the rules thereunder require the approval of a majority of the Independent Board members.  Currently, all of the Company's Board members, including the Chairman of the Board, are Independent Board members, although the Board could in the future determine to add Board members who are not Independent Board members. The Board has determined that its leadership structure, in which the Chairman of the Board is not affiliated with the Investment Adviser, is appropriate in light of the services that the Investment Adviser and its affiliates provide to the Company and potential conflicts of interest that could arise from these relationships. 

 

            Information About Each Board Member's Experience, Qualifications, Attributes or Skills.  Board members of the Company, together with information as to their positions with the Company, principal occupations and other board memberships for the past five years, are shown below. 

 

Name (Age)
Position with Company (Since)

Principal Occupation
During Past 5 Years

Other Public Company Board Memberships During Past 5 Years

Joseph S. DiMartino (67)
Chairman of the Board
(2009)

Corporate Director and Trustee

CBIZ (formerly, Century Business Services, Inc.), a provider of outsourcing functions for small and medium size companies, Director 

 (1997 - present)

 

The Newark Group, a provider of a national market of paper recovery facilities, paperboard mills and paperboard converting plants, Director (2000-2010) 

 

Sunair Services Corporation, a provider of certain outdoor-related services to homes and business, Director (2005 - 2009)

 

 

 

James M. Fitzgibbons (76)
Director
(2009)

Corporate Director and Trustee

 

Bill Barrett Corporation, an oil and natural gas exploration company, Director (2004 - present)

 

 

 

Kenneth A. Himmel (64)
Director
(2009)

President and CEO,
Related Urban Development, a real estate development company  (1996-present)

 

President and CEO, Himmel & Company, a real estate development company (1980-present)

 

CEO, American Food Management, a restaurant company (1983-present)

N/A

 

 

 

Stephen J. Lockwood (63)
Director
(2009)

Chairman of the Board, Stephen J. Lockwood and Company LLC, a real estate investment company (2000-present)

N/A

 

 

 

Roslyn M. Watson (61)
Director
(2009)

Principal, Watson Ventures, Inc., a real estate investment company (1993-present)

N/A

 

 

 

Benaree Pratt Wiley (64)
Director
(2009)

Principal, The Wiley Group, a firm specializing in strategy and business development (2005-present)

 

President and CEO, The Partnership, an organization dedicated to increasing the representation of African Americans in positions of leadership, influence and decision-making in Boston, MA (1991-2005)

CBIZ (formerly, Century Business Services, Inc.), a provider of outsourcing functions for small and medium size companies, Director 

(2008 – present)

 

 

 

       

 


 

 

 

            Each Board member has been a Board member of the Company or other Dreyfus mutual funds for at least ten years. Additional information about each Board member follows (supplementing the information provided in the table above) that describes some of the specific experiences, qualifications, attributes or skills that each Board member possesses which the Board believes has prepared them to be effective Board members.  The Board believes that the significance of each Board member's experience, qualifications, attributes or skills is an individual matter (meaning that experience that is important for one Board member may not have the same value for another) and that these factors are best evaluated at the board level, with no single Board member, or particular factor, being indicative of board effectiveness.  However, the Board believes that Board members need to have the ability to critically review, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, and to interact effectively with Company management, service providers and counsel, in order to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties; the Board believes that its members satisfy this standard.  Experience relevant to having this ability may be achieved through a Board member's educational background; business, professional training or practice (e.g., medicine, accounting or law), public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member (including the Board of the Company) or as an executive of investment funds, public companies or significant private or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; and/or other life experiences.  The charter for the Board's nominating committee contains certain other factors considered by the committee in identifying and evaluating potential Board member nominees.  To assist them in evaluating matters under federal and state law, the Board members are counseled by their own independent legal counsel, who participates in Board meetings and interacts with the Investment Adviser, and also may benefit from information provided by the Company's or the Investment Adviser's counsel; both Board and Company counsel have significant experience advising funds and fund board members.  The Board and its committees have the ability to engage other experts as appropriate.  The Board evaluates its performance on an annual basis.

 


 

 

 

·         Joseph S. DiMartino – Mr. DiMartino has been the Chairman of the Board of the funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for over 15 years.  From 1971 through 1994, Mr. DiMartino served in various roles as an employee of Dreyfus (prior to its acquisition by a predecessor of The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation ("BNY Mellon") in August 1994 and related management changes), including portfolio manager, President, Chief Operating Officer and a Director.  He ceased being an employee or Director of Dreyfus by the end of 1994.  From July 1995 to November 1997, Mr. DiMartino served as Chairman of the Board of The Noel Group, a public buyout firm; in that capacity, he helped manage, acquire, take public and liquidate a number of operating companies. From 1986 to 2010, Mr. DiMartino served as a Director of The Muscular Dystrophy Association.

 

·         James M. Fitzgibbons – In addition to his tenure as a Board member of various Dreyfus mutual funds, or their predecessor funds, Mr. Fitzgibbons has also served as an officer or a board member of numerous public and private companies for over 40 years.  These positions included serving as Chairman of the Board of Davidson Cotton Company and as Chairman of the Board of Fieldcrest Cannon, Inc., a publicly traded diversified textile company.  He also has served as President of the American Textile Manufacturers Institute (the domestic industry's trade association) and Chairman of the Board of the Tanners' Council of America (the U.S. leather manufacturing trade group).  He has been a board member of Fiduciary Trust Company of Boston and of Brookline Savings Bank and a board member of significant charitable and non-profit organizations.  

 

·         Kenneth A. Himmel – In addition to his tenure as a Board member of various Dreyfus mutual funds, or their predecessor funds, Mr. Himmel has over 30 years experience as a business entrepreneur, primarily focusing on real estate development.  Mr. Himmel is President and Chief Executive Officer of Related Urban Development, a leading developer of large-scale mixed-use properties and a division of Related Companies, L.P. 

 

 


 

 

·         Stephen J. Lockwood – In addition to his tenure as a Board member of various Dreyfus mutual funds, or their predecessor funds, Mr. Lockwood's business experience of over 40 years includes being a Board member and/or officer of various financial institutions, including insurance companies, real estate investment companies and venture capital firms.  Mr. Lockwood serves as Managing Director and Chairman of the Board of Stephen J. Lockwood & Company, LLC, a real estate investment company. Mr. Lockwood was formerly the Vice Chairman and a member of the Board of Directors of HCC Insurance Holdings, Inc., a New York Stock Exchange-listed insurance holding company. 

 

·         Roslyn M. Watson – In addition to her tenure as a Board member of various Dreyfus mutual funds, or their predecessor funds, Ms. Watson has been a business entrepreneur in commercial and residential real estate for over 15 years. Ms. Watson currently serves as President and Founder of Watson Ventures, Inc. a real estate development investment firm, and her current board memberships include American Express Bank, FSB, SBLI USA Mutual Life Insurance Company, Inc., The Hyams Foundation, Inc., Pathfinder International and Simmons College.  Previously, she held various positions in the public and private sectors, including General Manager for the Massachusetts Port Authority.  She has received numerous awards, including the Woman of Achievement award from the Boston Big Sister Association and the Working Woman of the Year Award from Working Woman Magazine.  

 

·         Benaree Pratt Wiley – In addition to her tenure as a Board member of various Dreyfus mutual funds, Ms. Wiley has been a business entrepreneur and management consultant for over 18 years.  Ms. Wiley is a Principal of The Wiley Group, a firm specializing in personnel strategy, talent management and leadership development primarily for global insurance and consulting firms.  Prior to that, Ms. Wiley served as the President and Chief Executive Officer of The Partnership, Inc., a talent management organization for multicultural professionals in the greater Boston region.  Ms. Wiley currently serves on the board of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts and is chair of the advisory board of PepsiCo African-American, and she has served on the boards of several public companies and charitable organizations. 

 

            Additional Information About the Board and its Committees.  Board members are elected to serve for an indefinite term. The Company has standing audit and nominating committees, each comprised of its Board members who are not "interested persons" of the Company, as defined in the 1940 Act.  The function of the audit committee is (i) to oversee the Company's accounting and financial reporting processes and the audits of the Funds' financial statements and (ii) to assist in the Board's oversight of the integrity of the Funds' financial statements, the Funds' compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and the independent registered public accounting firm's qualifications, independence and performance. The Company's nominating committee is responsible for selecting and nominating persons as members of the Board for election or appointment by the Board and for election by shareholders. In evaluating potential nominees, including any nominees recommended by shareholders, the committee takes into consideration various factors listed in the nominating committee charter.  The nominating committee will consider recommendations for nominees from shareholders submitted to the Secretary of the Company, c/o The Dreyfus Corporation Legal Department, 200 Park Avenue, 8th Floor East, New York, New York 10166, which includes information regarding the recommended nominee as specified in the nominating committee charter. The Company also has a standing compensation committee comprised of Ms. Watson (Chair), Mr. Fitzgibbons and Ms. Wiley.  The function of the compensation committee is to establish the appropriate compensation for serving on the Board. The Company also has a standing pricing committee comprised of any one Board member. The function of the pricing committee is to assist in valuing the Funds' investments.  The audit committee met four times and the nominating committee met once during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010.  The compensation and pricing committees did not meet during the last fiscal year.

 


 

 

 

The table below indicates the dollar range of each Board member's ownership of Fund shares and shares of other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which he or she is a Board member, in each case as of December 31, 2010. 

 

 

 

 

Name of Fund

Joseph S. DiMartino

 

 

James M. Fitzgibbons

Kenneth A. Himmel

 

 

Stephen J. Lockwood

Roslyn M. Watson

Benaree Pratt Wiley

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

 

None

None

None

None

None

None

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

 

None

None

None

None

None

None

Aggregate Holdings of Funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which responsible as a Board Member

 

Over $100,000

 

Over $100,000

 

$50,001-$100,000

 

Over

$100,000

 

$10,001-

$50,000

 

$50,001-$100,000

 

As of December 31, 2010, none of the Board members or their immediate family members owned securities of the Manager, the Distributor or any person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by or under common control with the Manager or the Distributor.

 

            No officer or employee of the Manager or the Distributor (or of any parent, subsidiary or affiliate thereof) receives any compensation from the Company for serving as an officer or Board member of the Company. Each of the Board members also serves as a Director/Trustee of Dreyfus Investment Funds, The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc., The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust and The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds (collectively, with the Company, the "Board Group Open-End Funds") and Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund. The Board Group Open-End Funds pay each Director/Trustee who is not an "interested person" of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) $60,000 per annum, plus $7,000 per joint Board Group Open-End Funds Board meeting attended, $2,500 for separate in-person committee meetings attended which are not held in conjunction with a regularly scheduled Board meeting and $2,000 for Board meetings and separate committee meetings attended that are conducted by telephone. Each Emeritus Board member is entitled to receive an annual retainer of one-half the amount paid as a retainer at the time the Board member became Emeritus and a per meeting attended fee of one-half the amount paid to Board members.

 


 

 

The Board Group Open-End Funds also reimburse each Director/Trustee who is not an "interested person" of the Company (as defined in the 1940 Act) for travel and out-of-pocket expenses. With respect to Board meetings, the Chairman of the Board receives an additional 25% of such compensation (with the exception of reimbursable amounts).  The Chair of each of the Board's committees, unless the Chair also serves as Chairman of the Board, receives $1,350 per applicable committee meeting. In the event that there is an in-person joint committee meeting or a joint telephone meeting of the Board Group Open-End Funds and Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund, the fee is allocated between the Board Group Open-End Funds and Dreyfus High Yield Strategies Fund.

 

            The aggregate amount of compensation received by each Board member from the Company for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, and the amount paid to each Board member by all funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds for which such person was a Board member (the number of portfolios of such funds is set forth in parenthesis next to each Board member's total compensation) during the year ended December 31, 2010, were as follows:

 

Name of Board Member

Aggregate Compensation
From the Company*

Total Compensation From the Company and Fund Complex Paid
 To Board Member(**)

 

 

 

Joseph S. DiMartino   

$25,313

$1,060,250 (175)

James M. Fitzgibbons 

$20,250

$   123,000 (35)

Kenneth A. Himmel

$17,250

$   105,000 (35)

Stephen J. Lockwood

$18,750

$   121,000 (35)

Roslyn M. Watson

$18,750

$   153,250 (46)

Benaree Pratt Wiley

$20,250

$   356,000 (73)

                                     

*               Amount does not include the cost of office space, secretarial services and health benefits for the Chairman and expenses reimbursed to Board members for attending Board meetings, which is estimated in the aggregate to amount to $3,094.

(**)         Represents the number of separate portfolios comprising the investment companies in the Fund Complex, including the Funds, for which the Board member served.

Officers of the Company

BRADLEY J. SKAPYAK, President since January 2010.  Chief Operating Officer and a director of the Manager since June 2009.  From April 2003 to June 2009, Mr. Skapyak was the head of the Investment Accounting and Support Department of the Manager.  He is an officer of 76 investment companies (comprised of 171 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 52 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since February 1988. 

 

JAMES WINDELS, Treasurer since September 2009.  Director-Mutual Fund Accounting of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 52 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since April 1985.

 


 

 

 

MICHAEL A. ROSENBERG, Vice President and Secretary since September 2009.  Assistant General Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 51 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since October 1991.

 

KIESHA ASTWOOD, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since January 2010.  Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  She is 38 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since July 1995.

 

JAMES BITETTO, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon and Secretary of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 44 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since December 1996.

 

JONI LACKS CHARATAN, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  She is 55 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since October 1988.

 

JOSEPH M. CHIOFFI, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 49 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since June 2000.

 

KATHLEEN DENICHOLAS, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since January 2010.  Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  She is 36 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since February 2001. 

 

JANETTE E. FARRAGHER, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Assistant General Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  She is 48 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since February 1984.

 

JOHN B. HAMMALIAN, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Managing Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 47 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since February 1991.

 

 


 

 

M. CRISTINA MEISER, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since January 2010.  Senior Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  She is 41 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since August 2001. 

 

ROBERT R. MULLERY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Managing Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 59 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since May 1986.

 

JEFF PRUSNOFSKY, Vice President and Assistant Secretary since September 2009.  Managing Counsel of BNY Mellon, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 45 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since October 1990.

 

RICHARD S. CASSARO, Assistant Treasurer since September 2009.  Senior Accounting Manager – Money Market and Municipal Bond Funds of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 52 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since September 1982.

 

GAVIN C. REILLY, Assistant Treasurer since September 2009.  Tax Manager of the Investment Accounting and Support Department of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 42 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since April 1991.

 

ROBERT S. ROBOL, Assistant Treasurer since September 2006.  Senior Accounting Manager – Fixed Income Funds of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 47 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since October 1988.

 

ROBERT SALVIOLO, Assistant Treasurer since May 2007.  Senior Accounting Manager – Equity Funds of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 44 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since June 1989.

 

ROBERT SVAGNA, Assistant Treasurer since September 2006.  Senior Accounting Manager – Equity Funds of the Manager, and an officer of 77 investment companies (comprised of 196 portfolios) managed by the Manager.  He is 44 years old and has been an employee of the Manager since November 1990.

 

NATALIA GRIBAS, Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer since July 2010. Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of the Distributor, and the Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer of 73 investment companies (comprised of 192   portfolios) managed by Dreyfus. She is 41 years old and has been an employee of the Distributor since September 2008.

 


 

 

 

JOSEPH W. CONNOLLY, Chief Compliance Officer since September 2009.  Chief Compliance Officer of the Manager and The Dreyfus Family of Funds (77 investment companies, comprised of 196 portfolios).  From November 2001 through March 2004, Mr. Connolly was first Vice-President, Mutual Fund Servicing for Mellon Global Securities Services. In that capacity, Mr. Connolly was responsible for managing Mellon's Custody, Fund Accounting and Fund Administration services to third-party mutual fund clients.  He is 53 years old and has served in various capacities with the Manager since 1980, including manager of the firm's Fund Accounting Department from 1997 through October 2001.

 

The address of each Board member and officer of the Company is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.

The Company's Board members and officers, as a group, owned less than 1% of each Fund's voting securities outstanding on April 4, 2011.  See "Information About the Company and Funds" for a list of shareholders known by the Company to own of record 5% or more of a Fund's outstanding voting securities as of April 4, 2011.

MANAGEMENT ARRANGEMENTS

Investment Adviser.  The Manager is a wholly-owned subsidiary of BNY Mellon, a global financial services company focused on helping clients move and manage their financial assets, operating in 36 countries and serving more than 100 markets.  BNY Mellon is a leading provider of financial services for institutions, corporations and high-net-worth individuals, providing asset and wealth management, asset servicing, issuer services, and treasury services through a worldwide client-focused team.

The Manager provides management services to the Funds pursuant to an Investment Advisory Agreement (the "Management Agreement") between the Manager and the Company.  As to each Fund, the Management Agreement is subject to annual approval by (i) the Company's Board or (ii) vote of a majority (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, provided that in either event the continuance also is approved by a majority of the Company's Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company or the Manager, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such approval.  As to each Fund, the Management Agreement is terminable without penalty, on not more than 60 days' notice, by the Company's Board or by vote of the holders of a majority of the Fund's outstanding voting securities, or, on 60 days' notice, by the Manager.  The Management Agreement will terminate automatically, as to the relevant Fund, in the event of its assignment (as defined in the 1940 Act).

The following persons are officers and/or directors of Dreyfus:  Jonathan Baum, Chair of the Board and Chief Executive Officer; J. Charles Cardona, President and a director; Diane P. Durnin, Vice Chair and a director; Bradley J. Skapyak, Chief Operating Officer and a director; Dwight Jacobsen, Executive Vice President and a director; Jeffrey D. Landau, Executive Vice President and a director; Patrice M. Kozlowski, Senior Vice President-Corporate Communications; Gary E. Abbs, Vice President-Tax; Jill Gill, Vice President-Human Resources; Joanne S. Huber, Vice President-Tax; Anthony Mayo, Vice President-Information Systems; John E. Lane, Vice President; Jeanne M. Login, Vice President; Gary Pierce, Controller; Joseph W. Connolly, Chief Compliance Officer; James Bitetto, Secretary; and Robert G. Capone, Mitchell E. Harris, Cyrus Taraporevala and Scott E. Wennerholm, directors.

 


 

 

 

The Manager furnishes office furnishings, facilities and equipment, as may be reasonably required for managing the corporate affairs and conducting the business of the Company, including ordinary clerical, bookkeeping and administrative services and maintenance of each Fund's books and records. The Manager may pay the Distributor for shareholder services from the Manager's own assets, including past profits. The Distributor may use part or all of such payments to pay certain financial institutions (which may include banks), securities dealers ("Selected Dealers") and other industry professionals (collectively, "Service Agents") in respect of these services.  The Manager also may make such advertising and promotional expenditures, using its own resources, as it from time to time deems appropriate.

 

The Company, the Manager and the Distributor each have adopted a Code of Ethics that permits its personnel, subject to such respective Code of Ethics, to invest in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Funds.  The Code of Ethics subjects the personal securities transactions of the Manager's employees to various restrictions to ensure that such trading does not disadvantage any fund advised by the Manager. In that regard, portfolio managers and other investment personnel of the Manager must pre-clear and report their personal securities transactions and holdings, which are reviewed for compliance with the Code of Ethics and also are subject to the oversight of BNY Mellon's Investment Ethics Committee (the "Committee").  Portfolio managers and other investment personnel who comply with the preclearance and disclosure procedures of the Code of Ethics and the requirements of the Committee may be permitted to purchase, sell or hold securities which also may be or are held in fund(s) they manage or for which they otherwise provide investment advice.

Portfolio Management. The Manager provides day-to-day management of each Fund's portfolio of investments in accordance with the stated policies of the Fund, subject to the approval of the Company's Board.  The Manager is responsible for investment decisions, and provides each Fund with portfolio managers who are authorized by the Board to execute purchases and sales of securities. 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund's portfolio managers are Elizabeth Slover (primary portfolio manager), Barry K. Mills and David M. Sealy.  Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund's portfolio managers are B. Randall Watts, Jr. and Robert C. Zeuthan.  The portfolio managers are employed by Dreyfus and The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC ("TBCAM"), an affiliate of Dreyfus.  The Manager and its affiliates each maintain research departments with professional portfolio managers and securities analysis who provide research services for the Funds and for other funds advised by the Manager.

Portfolio Managers Compensation.   

 


 

 

 

Investment Professionals

 

With the exception of the most senior portfolio managers of TBCAM, investment professionals' cash compensation is comprised primarily of a market-based salary and incentive compensation, including both annual and long-term incentive awards.  Annual cash and long-term incentive opportunities are pre-established for each individual based upon competitive industry compensation benchmarks. Incentive pools are distributed to the respective product teams (in the aggregate) based upon product performance relative to firm-wide financial performance.  Further allocations are made to individual team members by the product portfolio manager based upon individual contribution, individual investment performance, and other qualitative factors.

 

Select Senior Portfolio Managers

 

Select senior portfolio managers participate in a more formal structured compensation plan. This plan is designed to compensate TBCAM's investment professionals for superior investment performance and business results.  It is a two stage model: an opportunity range is determined based on the level of current business (assets under management, revenue) and an assessment of long-term business value (growth, retention, development).  A significant portion of the opportunity awarded is structured and based upon the one-year, three-year and five-year (three-year and five-year weighted more heavily) pre-tax performance of a portfolio manager's accounts relative to the performance of the appropriate peer groups.  Other factors considered in determining the award are individual qualitative performance based on discretionary factors (e.g., leadership, teamwork, etc.) and the asset size and revenue growth or retention of the products managed.  In addition, awards for portfolio managers that manage alternative strategies are partially based on a portion of the fund's realized performance fee.

Incentive compensation awards are generally subject to management discretion and pool funding availability. Funding for The Boston Company Annual Incentive Plan and Long Term Retention Incentive Plan is through a pre-determined fixed percentage of overall TBCAM profitability. Awards are generally paid in cash on an annual basis, however many investment professionals receive a portion of their annual incentive award in deferred vehicles.

  

Additional Information about the Portfolio Managers. The following table lists the number and types of other accounts advised by each Fund's primary portfolio manager and assets under management in those accounts as of December 31, 2010.




Portfolio Manager

Registered Investment Company Accounts



Assets Managed



Pooled Accounts



Assets Managed



Other Accounts



Assets Managed

B. Randall Watts, Jr.

5

$1.04 billion

3

$413.5 million

32*

$2.06 billion

Robert C. Zeuthan

5

$1.04 billion

3

$413.5 million

32*

$2.06 billion

Elizabeth Slover

6

$  1.4 billion

0

$0  

1

$10.7 million

 

 


 

 

* For accounts listed above, 2 accounts, with total assets of $213 million, have an advisory fee which is based on the performance of the account.

The dollar range of Fund shares beneficially owned by the primary portfolio managers is as follows as of December 31, 2010:

 

 

Portfolio Manager

 

Fund Name

Dollar Range of Fund

Shares Beneficially Owned

B. Randall Watts, Jr.

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

None

Robert C. Zeuthan

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

None

Elizabeth Slover

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

None

Portfolio managers may manage multiple accounts for a diverse client base, including mutual funds, separate accounts (assets managed on behalf of institutions such as pension funds, insurance companies and foundations), bank common trust accounts and wrap fee programs ("Other Accounts").

 

Potential conflicts of interest may arise because of Dreyfus' management of the Funds and Other Accounts.  For example, conflicts of interest may arise with both the aggregation and allocation of securities transactions and allocation of limited investment opportunities, as Dreyfus may be perceived as causing accounts it manages to participate in an offering to increase Dreyfus' overall allocation of securities in that offering, or to increase Dreyfus' ability to participate in future offerings by the same underwriter or issuer. Allocations of bunched trades, particularly trade orders that were only partially filled due to limited availability, and allocation of investment opportunities generally, could raise a potential conflict of interest, as Dreyfus may have an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to preferred accounts. IPOs, in particular, are frequently of very limited availability.  Additionally, portfolio managers may be perceived to have a conflict of interest if there are a large number of Other Accounts, in addition to the Funds, that they are managing on behalf of Dreyfus. Dreyfus periodically reviews each portfolio manager's overall responsibilities to ensure that he or she is able to allocate the necessary time and resources to effectively manage the Funds.  In addition, Dreyfus could be viewed as having a conflict of interest to the extent that Dreyfus or its affiliates and/or portfolio managers have a materially larger investment in Other Accounts than their investment in a Fund.

Other Accounts may have investment objectives, strategies and risks that differ from those of the Funds. For these or other reasons, the portfolio managers may purchase different securities for a Fund and the Other Accounts, and the performance of securities purchased for the Funds may vary from the performance of securities purchased for Other Accounts.  The portfolio managers may place transactions on behalf of Other Accounts that are directly or indirectly contrary to investment decisions made for the Funds, which could have the potential to adversely impact the Funds, depending on market conditions.

 


 

 

A potential conflict of interest may be perceived to arise if transactions in one account closely follow related transactions in another account, such as when a purchase increases the value of securities previously purchased by the other account, or when a sale in one account lowers the sale price received in a sale by a second account.

Conflicts of interest similar to those described above arise when portfolio managers are employed by a sub-investment adviser or are dual employees of the Manager and an affiliated entity and such portfolio managers also manage Other Accounts.

BNY Mellon and its affiliates, including Dreyfus and others involved in the management, sales, investment activities, business operations or distribution of the Fund, are engaged in businesses and have interests other than that of managing the Funds. These activities and interests include potential multiple advisory, transactional, financial and other interests in securities, instruments and companies that may be directly or indirectly purchased or sold by the Funds and the Funds' service providers, which may cause conflicts that could disadvantage the Funds.

BNY Mellon and its affiliates may have deposit, loan and commercial banking or other relationships with the issuers of securities purchased by the Funds. BNY Mellon has no obligation to provide to Dreyfus or the Funds, or effect transactions on behalf of the Funds in accordance with, any market or other information, analysis, or research in its possession.  Consequently, BNY Mellon (including, but not limited to, BNY Mellon's central Risk Management Department) may have information that could be material to the management of the Funds and may not share that information with relevant personnel of Dreyfus.  Accordingly, Dreyfus has informed management of the Funds that in making investment decisions it does not obtain or use material inside information that BNY Mellon or its affiliates may possess with respect to such issuers.

Dreyfus will make investment decisions for each Fund as it believes is in the best interests of the Fund. Investment decisions made for each Fund may differ from, and may conflict with, investment decisions made for other investment companies and accounts advised by Dreyfus or BNY Mellon and its other affiliates. Actions taken with respect to such other investment companies or accounts may adversely impact a Fund, and actions taken by the Fund may benefit BNY Mellon or other investment companies or accounts (including the Fund) advised by Dreyfus or BNY Mellon and its other affiliates. Regulatory restrictions (including, but not limited to, those related to the aggregation of positions among different other investment companies and accounts) and internal BNY Mellon policies, guidance or limitations (including, but not limited to, those related to the aggregation of positions among all fiduciary accounts managed or advised buy BNY Mellon and all its affiliates (including Dreyfus) and the aggregated exposure of such accounts) may restrict investment activities of the Fund.  While the allocation of investment opportunities among each Fund and other investment companies and accounts advised by Dreyfus or BNY Mellon and its other affiliates may raise potential conflicts because of financial, investment or other interests of BNY Mellon or its personnel, Dreyfus will make allocation decisions consistent with the interests of the Fund and the other investment companies and accounts and not solely based on such other interests.

 


 

 

Expenses. All expenses incurred in the operation of the Company, with respect to the Funds, are borne by the Company, except to the extent specifically assumed by the Manager.  The expenses borne by the Company, with respect to the Funds, include, without limitation:  audits of independent public accountants; fees and expenses of legal counsel to the Company and the Board; brokerage fees and expenses and other transaction costs; taxes; fees of Board members not affiliated with the Manager; costs and expenses of Board meetings and shareholders; fees and expenses of the Company's transfer agent, registrar, custodian, dividend disbursing agent, shareholder accounting agent and certain other agents; filing reports with regulatory bodies and maintaining the Company's existence; certain insurance premiums; fees and expenses of certain investment company organizations or trade associations; preparation and distribution of reports, notices and prospectuses to existing shareholders; expenses of computing each Fund's daily per share net asset value; and expenses incurred in connection with litigation proceedings or claims.  Expenses attributable to a Fund are charged against the assets of that Fund; other expenses of the Company are allocated among the Funds and the Company's other series on the basis determined by the Company's Board, including, but not limited to, proportionately in relation to the net assets of each.  In addition, each class of shares bears any class specific expenses allocated to such class, such as expenses related to the distribution and/or shareholder servicing of such class.  Class A, Class B and Class C shares are subject to an annual shareholder services fee, and Class B, Class C and Class F shares are subject to an annual distribution fee.  See "Distribution Plan and Shareholder Services Plan."  All fees and expenses are accrued daily and deducted before the declaration of dividends to shareholders.

As compensation for the Manager's services, the Company, on behalf of each Fund, has agreed to pay the Manager a monthly management fee an the annual rate set forth below, based on the Fund's average daily net assets:

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

 

On Assets in Excess of

 

 

But Not Exceeding

 

Annual Fee

$                   0

$250,000,000

0.65%

$250,000,000

$500,000,000

0.60%

$500,000,000

$750,000,000

0.55%

$750,000,000

---

0.50%

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

 

On Assets in Excess of

 

 

But Not Exceeding

 

Annual Fee

$                   0

$  30,000,000

1.00%

$  30,000,000

$300,000,000

0.75%

$300,000,000

$500,000,000

0.70%

$500,000,000

---

0.65%

 

The aggregate of the fees payable to the Manager is not subject to reductions as the value of the Fund’s net assets increases.

 


 

 

For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2008 and for the period January 1, 2009 through August 31, 2009, the management fees payable to Founders Asset Management LLC (the Funds’ former investment adviser) by each indicated Fund were as follows:

 

Name of Fund

January 1, 2009-August 31, 2009

 

2008

 

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$1,206,033

$2,694,585

 

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$629,257

$1,820,615

 

For the period September 1, 2009 through December 31, 2009, and for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the management fees payable to Dreyfus by each indicated Fund were as follows

 

 

Name of Fund

September 1, 2009-December 31, 2009

 

2010

 

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$692,693

$2,086,038

 

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$326,112

$1,005,6801

 

____________________________

1        For the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the management fee payable by Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund to Dreyfus amounted to $1,005,680, which was reduced by $106,176 pursuant to an undertaking by the Manager, resulting in a net management fee of $899,504.

 

Distributor.  The Distributor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager, located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, serves as each Fund's distributor on a best efforts basis pursuant to an agreement with the Company, which is renewable annually.  The Distributor also serves as distributor for the other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds and BNY Mellon Funds Trust. 

 

The Distributor compensates certain Service Agents for selling Class A shares subject to a contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") and Class C shares at the time of purchase from its own assets.  The Distributor also compensated certain Service Agents for selling Class B shares at the time of purchase from its own assets when the Funds offered Class B shares; the Funds no longer offer Class B shares except in connection with a dividend reinvestment and permitted exchanges.  The proceeds of the CDSC and fees pursuant to the Company's Class B and C Shares and Distribution Plan (described below), in part, are used to defray these expenses.  The Distributor also may act as a Service Agent and retain sales loads and CDSCs and Distribution Plan fees.  For purchases of Class A shares subject to a CDSC, the Distributor generally will pay Service Agents on new investments made through such Service Agents a commission of up to 1% of the net asset value of such shares purchased by their clients.  For purchases of Class C shares, the Distributor generally will pay Service Agents on new investments made through such Service Agents a commission of 1%, and for purchases of Class B shares, the Distributor generally paid Service Agents on new investments made through such Service Agents a commission of 4% of the net asset value of such shares purchase by their clients.

 


 

 

The amounts retained on the sale of Fund shares by the Distributor from sales loads and from CDSCs, as applicable, with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares, are set forth below.

                                                                         Class A

Name of Fund

Fiscal Year

Ended 2010

Fiscal Year

Ended 2009

Fiscal Year

Ended 2008

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$2,417

$316

$1,494

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$5,951

$497

$11,453

 

                                                                         Class B

Name of Fund

Fiscal Year

Ended 2010

Fiscal Year

Ended 2009

Fiscal Year

Ended 2008

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$802

$2,530

$1,561

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$2,898

$1,231

$2,143

 

                                                                         Class C

Name of Fund

Fiscal Year

Ended 2010

Fiscal Year

Ended 2009

Fiscal Year

Ended 2008

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$293

$561

$1,100

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$2,290

$3,902

$20,478

 

The Distributor may pay Service Agents that have entered into agreements with the Distributor a fee based on the amount invested through such Service Agents in Fund shares by employees participating in qualified or non-qualified employee benefit plans, including pension, profit-sharing and other deferred compensation plans, whether established by corporations, partnerships, non-profit entities, trade or labor unions or state and local governments ("Retirement Plans"), or other programs. The term "Retirement Plans" does not include IRAs, IRA "Rollover Accounts" or IRAs set up under Simplified Employee Pension Plans ("SEP-IRAs").  Generally, the Distributor may pay such Service Agents a fee of up to 1% of the amount invested through the Service Agents.  The Distributor, however, may pay Service Agents a higher fee and reserves the right to cease paying these fees at any time.  The Distributor will pay such fees from its own funds, other than amounts received from the Funds, including past profits or any other source available to it.  Sponsors of such Retirement Plans or the participants therein should consult their Service Agent for more information regarding any such fee payable to the Service Agent.

The Manager or the Distributor may provide additional cash payments out of its own resources to financial intermediaries that sell shares of the Funds or provide other services.  Such payments are separate from any sales charges, 12b-1 fees and/or shareholder services fees or other expenses paid by the Funds to those intermediaries.  Because those payments are not made by you or the Funds, the Funds' total expense ratios will not be affected by any such payments.  These additional payments may be made to Service Agents, including affiliates, that provide shareholder servicing, sub-administration, recordkeeping and/or sub-transfer agency services, marketing support and/or access to sales meetings, sales representatives and management representatives of the Service Agent.  Cash compensation also may be paid from the Manager's or the Distributor's own resources to Service Agents for inclusion of a Fund on a sales list, including a preferred or select sales list or in other sales programs.  These payments sometimes are referred to as "revenue sharing."  From time to time, the Manager or the Distributor also may provide cash or non-cash compensation to Service Agents in the form of:  occasional gifts; occasional meals, tickets or other entertainment; support for due diligence trips; educational conference sponsorship; support for recognition programs; and other forms of cash or non-cash compensation permissible under broker-dealer regulations.  In some cases, these payments or compensation may create an incentive for a Service Agent to recommend or sell shares of the Funds to you.  Please contact your Service Agent for details about any payments it may receive in connection with the sale of Fund shares or the provision of services to the Funds.

 


 

 

Transfer and Dividend Disbursing Agent and Custodian. Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. (the "Transfer Agent"), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Manager, located at 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166, is the Company's transfer and dividend disbursing agent.  Under a transfer agency agreement with the Company, the Transfer Agent arranges for the maintenance of the relevant shareholder account records for the Funds, the handling of certain communications between shareholders and the Funds and the payment of dividends and distributions payable by the Funds.  For these services, the Transfer Agent receives a monthly fee computed on the basis of the number of shareholder accounts it maintains for the Funds during the month, and is reimbursed for certain out-of-pocket expenses. Each Fund also makes payments to certain financial intermediaries, including affiliates, who provide sub-administration, recordkeeping and/or sub-transfer agency services to beneficial owners of Fund shares.

The Bank of New York Mellon (the "Custodian"), an affiliate of the Manager, located at One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286, acts as custodian for the investments of each Fund.  The Custodian has no part in determining the investment policies of the Funds or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Funds. Under a custody agreement with the Company, the Custodian holds each Fund's securities and keeps all necessary accounts and records.  For its custody services, the Custodian receives a monthly fee based on the market value of each Fund's assets held in custody and receives certain securities transaction charges.

HOW TO BUY SHARES

General.  Class A and Class C shares of the Funds may be purchased only by clients of certain Service Agents, including the Distributor.  Subsequent purchases may be sent directly to the Transfer Agent or your Service Agent.  You will be charged a fee if an investment check is returned unpayable.  Share certificates are issued only upon your written request.  No certificates are issued for fractional shares. 

As of June 1, 2006 (the "Effective Date"), Class B shares of each Fund are offered only in connection with dividend reinvestment and exchanges of Class B shares of certain other funds advised by the Manager or its predecessor, or shares of Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc. or General Money Market Fund, Inc. held in an Exchange Account (as defined under "Shareholder Services – Fund Exchanges") as a result of a previous exchange of Class B shares.  No new or subsequent investments, including through automatic investment plans, are allowed in Class B shares of either Fund, except through dividend reinvestment and permitted exchanges.  If you hold Class B shares and make a subsequent investment in Fund shares, unless you specify the Class of shares you wish to purchase, such subsequent investment will be made in Class A shares and will be subject to any applicable sales load.  For Class B shares outstanding on the Effective Date and Class B shares acquired upon reinvestment of dividends, all Class B share attributes, including associated CDSC schedules, conversion to Class A features and Distribution Plan and Shareholder Services Plan fees, will continue in effect.

 


 

 

Class I shares of each Fund are offered only to (i) bank trust departments, trust companies and insurance companies that have entered into agreements with the Distributor to offer Class I shares to their clients, (ii) institutional investors acting in a fiduciary, advisory, agency, custodial or similar capacity for Retirement Plans and SEP-IRAs (Class I shares may be purchased for a Retirement Plan or SEP-IRA only by a custodian, trustee, investment manager or other entity authorized to act on behalf of such Retirement Plan or SEP-IRA that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor to offer Class I shares to such Retirement Plan or SEP-IRA), (iii) law firms or attorneys acting as trustees or executors/administrators, (iv) foundations and endowments that make an initial investment in the Fund of at least $1 million, (v) sponsors of college savings plans that qualify for tax-exempt treatment under Section 529 of the Code that maintain an omnibus account with the Fund and do not require shareholder tax reporting or 529 account support responsibilities from the Distributor, and (vi) advisory fee-based accounts offered through financial intermediaries who, depending on the structure of the selected advisory platform, make Class I shares available.  Institutions effecting transactions in Class I shares for the accounts of their clients may charge their clients direct fees in connection with such transactions.

Class F shares generally are offered only to persons or entities who have continuously maintained a Class F account with a Fund since December 30, 1999.  These include, without limitation, customers of certain financial institutions which offer Retirement Plan programs and which have had relationships with the Manager or its predecessor and/or a Fund continuously since December 30, 1999.  See the applicable Fund's Prospectus for more detailed information regarding eligibility to purchase Class F shares.  In addition, holders of Class A shares of Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund who are former holders of Class F shares of Dreyfus Founders Growth Fund (which was reorganized into Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund on August 10, 2007) may convert their Equity Growth Fund Class A shares into Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund Class F shares.

Effective on February 4, 2009 (the "Exchange Date"), the Funds no longer offered Class T shares.  Holders of Class T shares as of the Exchange Date automatically received in exchange for their Class T shares of a Fund Class A shares of the Fund having an aggregate net asset value equal to the aggregate value of the shareholder's Class T shares.

 


 

 

The Company reserves the right to reject any purchase order.  None of the Funds will establish an account for a "foreign financial institution," as that term is defined in Department of the Treasury rules implementing section 312 of the USA PATRIOT Act of 2001.  Foreign financial institutions include:  foreign banks (including foreign branches of U.S. depository institutions); foreign offices of U.S. securities broker-dealers, futures commission merchants, and mutual funds; non-U.S. entities that, if they were located in the United States, would be securities broker-dealers, futures commission merchants or mutual funds; and non-U.S. entities engaged in the business of currency dealer or exchanger or money transmitter.  The Funds will not accept cash, travelers' checks or money orders as payment for shares.

When purchasing shares of a Fund, you must specify which Class is being purchased.  Your Service Agent can help you choose the share class that is appropriate for your investment.  The decision as to which Class of shares is most beneficial to you depends on a number of factors, including the amount and the intended length of your investment in the Fund.  Please refer to the relevant Fund's Prospectus for a further discussion of those factors.

In many cases, neither the Distributor nor the Transfer Agent will have the information necessary to determine whether a quantity discount or reduced sales charge is applicable to a purchase.  You or your Service Agent must notify the Distributor whenever a quantity discount or reduced sales charge is applicable to a purchase and must provide the Distributor with sufficient information at the time of purchase to verify that each purchase qualifies for the privilege or discount.

Service Agents may receive different levels of compensation for selling different Classes of shares.  Management understands that some Service Agents may impose certain conditions on their clients which are different from those described in the relevant Fund's Prospectus and this SAI, and, to the extent permitted by applicable regulatory authority, may charge their clients direct fees. You should consult your Service Agent in this regard. As discussed under "Management Arrangements—Distributor," Service Agents may receive revenue sharing payments from the Manager or the Distributor. The receipt of such payments could create an incentive for a Service Agent to recommend or sell shares of the Funds instead of other mutual funds where such payments are not received.  Please contact your Service Agent for details about any payments it may receive in connection with the sale of Fund shares or the provision of services to the Funds.

Except as stated below, the minimum initial investment is $1,000.  Subsequent investments in a Fund must be at least $100.  However, with respect to Classes A, C and F, the minimum initial investment is $750 for Dreyfus-sponsored Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs and rollover IRAs) and 403(b)(7) Plans with only one participant and $500 for Dreyfus-sponsored Education Savings Accounts, with no minimum for subsequent purchases. The initial investment must be accompanied by the Account Application.  For full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries who elect to have a portion of their pay directly deposited into their Fund accounts, the minimum initial investment is $50.  Fund shares are offered without regard to the minimum initial investment requirements to Board members of a fund advised by the Manager, including members of the Company's Board, who elect to have all or a portion of their compensation for serving in that capacity automatically invested in the Fund.  Fund shares are offered without regard to the minimum initial or subsequent investment amount requirements to investors purchasing Fund shares through wrap fee accounts or other fee-based programs.  The Company reserves the right to offer Fund shares without regard to minimum purchase requirements to government-sponsored programs or to employees participating in certain Retirement Plans or other programs where contributions or account information can be transmitted in a manner and form acceptable to the Company. The Company reserves the right to vary further the initial and subsequent investment minimum requirements at any time.

 


 

 

The minimum initial investment through an exchange for Class B shares of a Fund is $1,000.  Subsequent exchanges for Class B shares of a Fund must be at least $500.

Each Fund may, in its discretion, accept securities in payment for Fund shares.  Securities may be accepted in payment for shares only if they are, in the judgment of the Manager, appropriate investments for the Fund. These securities are valued by the same method used to value the Fund's existing portfolio holdings. The contribution of securities to a Fund may be a taxable transaction to the shareholder. 

The Code imposes various limitations on the amount that may be contributed to certain Retirement Plans or government-sponsored programs. These limitations apply with respect to participants at the plan level and, therefore, do not directly affect the amount that may be invested in a Fund by a Retirement Plan or government-sponsored program. Participants and plan sponsors should consult their tax advisers for details.

Class A, C, F and I shares also may be purchased through Dreyfus-Automatic  Asset Builder®, Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege or Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan as described under "Shareholder Services."  These services enable you to make regularly scheduled investments and may provide you with a convenient way to invest for long-term financial goals.  You should be aware, however, that periodic investment plans do not guarantee a profit and will not protect an investor against loss in a declining market.

Fund shares are sold on a continuous basis.  Net asset value per share of each Class is determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m., Eastern time), on each day the New York Stock Exchange is open for regular business.  For purposes of determining net asset value, certain options and futures contracts may be valued 15 minutes after the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.  Net asset value per share of each Class of a Fund is computed by dividing the value of the Fund's net assets represented by such Class (i.e., the value of its assets less liabilities) by the total number of shares of such Class outstanding.  For information regarding the methods employed in valuing the Funds' investments, see "Determination of Net Asset Value."

If an order is received in proper form by the Transfer Agent or other entity authorized to receive orders on behalf of the Fund by the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m., Eastern time) on a regular business day, Fund shares will be purchased at the public offering price determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on that day.  Otherwise, Fund shares will be purchased at the public offering price determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on the next regular business day, except where shares are purchased through a dealer as provided below.

 


 

 

Orders for the purchase of Fund shares received by dealers by the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on any business day and transmitted to the Distributor or its designee by the close of its business day (usually 5:15 p.m., Eastern time) will be based on the public offering price per share determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on that day.  Otherwise, the orders will be based on the next determined public offering price.  It is the dealer's responsibility to transmit orders so that they will be received by the Distributor or its designee before the close of its business day.  For certain institutions that have entered into agreements with the Distributor, payment for the purchase of Fund shares may be transmitted, and must be received by the Transfer Agent, within three business days after the order is placed.  If such payment is not received within three business days after the order is placed, the order may be canceled and the institution could be held liable for resulting fees and/or losses.

Class A Shares.  The public offering price for Class A shares of a Fund is the net asset value per share of that Class plus a sales load as shown below:

 

Total Sales Load* -- Class A Shares

 

 

Amount of Transaction

As a % of offering
price per share

As a % of net asset
value per share

Dealers' reallowance as a
% of offering price

 

 

 

 

 

 

Less than $50,000

5.75

6.10

5.00

 

 

 

 

 

 

$50,000 to less than $100,000

4.50

4.71

3.75

 

 

 

 

 

 

$100,000 to less than $250,000

3.50

3.63

2.75

 

 

 

 

 

 

$250,000 to less than $500,000

2.50

2.56

2.25

 

 

 

 

 

 

$500,000 to less than $1,000,000

2.00

2.4

1.75

 

 

 

 

 

 

$1,000,000 or more

-0-

-0-

-0-

 

_____________________

 

*

Due to rounding, the actual sales load you pay may be more or less than that calculated using these percentages

               

 

For shareholders of a Fund who received Class A shares of the Fund in exchange for their Class T shares of the Fund on the Exchange Date, the public offering price for Class A shares of such Fund is the net asset value per share of that Class plus a sales load as shown below:

 


 

 

 

Total Sales Load* -- Class A Shares

 

Amount of Transaction

As a % of offering
price per share

As a % of net asset
value per share

Dealers' reallowance as a
% of offering price

 

 

 

 

Less than $50,000

4.50

4.71

4.00

 

 

 

 

$50,000 to less than $100,000

4.00

4.17

3.50

 

 

 

 

$100,000 to less than $250,000

3.00

3.09

2.50

 

 

 

 

$250,000 to less than $500,000

2.00

2.04

1.75

 

 

 

 

$500,000 to less than $1,000,000

1.50

1.50

1.25

 

 

 

 

$1,000,000 or more

-0-

-0-

-0-

_____________________

 

*

Due to rounding, the actual sales load you pay may be more or less than that calculated using these percentages

 

             

Class A shares purchased without an initial sales charge as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more may be assessed at the time of redemption a 1% CDSC if redeemed within one year of purchase.  The Distributor may pay Service Agents an up-front commission of up to 1% of the net asset value of Class A shares purchased by their clients as part of a $1,000,000 or more investment in Class A shares that are subject to a CDSC.  If the Service Agent waives receipt of such commission, the CDSC applicable to such Class A shares will not be assessed at the time of redemption.  See "Management Arrangements-Distributor."

The scale of sales loads applies to purchases of Class A shares made by any "purchaser," which term includes an individual and/or spouse purchasing securities for his, her or their own account or for the account of any minor children, or a trustee or other fiduciary purchasing securities for a single trust estate or a single fiduciary account (including a pension, profit-sharing or other employee benefit trust created pursuant to a plan qualified under Section 401 of the Code) although more than one beneficiary is involved; or a group of accounts established by or on behalf of the employees of an employer or affiliated employers pursuant to an employee benefit plan or other program (including accounts established pursuant to Sections 403(b), 408(k) and 457 of the Code); or an organized group that has been in existence for more than six months, provided that it is not organized for the purpose of buying redeemable securities of a registered investment company and provided that the purchases are made through a central administration or a single dealer, or by other means that result in economy of sales effort or expense.

Set forth below is an example of the method of computing the offering price of Class A shares of each Fund. The example assumes a purchase of Class A shares of the Fund aggregating less than $50,000, subject to the schedule of sales charges set forth above at a price based upon the net asset value of the Fund's Class A shares on December 31, 2010:

 


 

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

 

 

 

Net Asset Value Per Share........................

           $5.92

           $5.29

Per Share Sales Charge

 

 

Class A – 5.75% of offering price
(6.10% of net asset value per share).... .................................................................... ....................................................................

 .36 

.32

 

 

 

Per Share Offering Price to the Public.....

           $6.28 

           $5.61 

 

 

 

 

Dealers' Reallowance—Class A Shares.  The dealer reallowance provided with respect to Class A shares may be changed from time to time but will remain the same for all dealers.  The Distributor, at its own expense, may provide additional promotional incentives to dealers that sell shares of funds advised by the Manager which are sold with a sales load, such as Class A shares.  In some instances, these incentives may be offered only to certain dealers who have sold or may sell significant amounts of such shares.  See "Management Arrangements—Distributor."

Class A Shares Offered at Net Asset Value.  Full-time employees of FINRA member firms and full-time employees of other financial institutions that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor pertaining to the sale of Fund shares (or which otherwise have a brokerage related or clearing arrangement with a FINRA member firm or financial institution with respect to the sale of such shares) may purchase Class A shares for themselves directly or pursuant to an employee benefit plan or other program (if Fund shares are offered to such plans or programs), or for their spouses or minor children, at net asset value without a sales load, provided they have furnished the Distributor such information as it may request from time to time in order to verify eligibility for this privilege.  This privilege also applies to full-time employees of financial institutions affiliated with FINRA member firms whose full-time employees are eligible to purchase Class A shares at net asset value.  In addition, Class A shares are offered at net asset value to full-time or part-time employees of the Manager or any of its affiliates or subsidiaries, directors of the Manager, Board members of a fund advised by the Manager or its affiliates, including members of the Company's Board, or the spouse or minor child of any of the foregoing.

Class A shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales load through certain broker-dealers and other financial institutions that have entered into an agreement with the Distributor, which includes a requirement that such shares be sold for the benefit of clients participating in a "wrap account" or a similar program under which such clients pay a fee to such broker-dealer or other financial institution.

Class A shares also may be purchased at net asset value without a sales load, subject to appropriate documentation, by (i) qualified separate accounts maintained by an insurance company pursuant to the laws of any State or territory of the United States, (ii) a State, county or city or instrumentality thereof, (iii) a charitable organization (as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code) investing $50,000 or more in Fund shares, and (iv) a charitable remainder trust (as defined in Section 501(c)(3) of the Code).

 


 

 

Class A shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales load by qualified investors who (i) purchase Class A shares directly through the Distributor, and (ii) have, or whose spouse or minor children have, beneficially owned shares and continuously maintained an open account directly through the Distributor in a Dreyfus fund since on or before February 28, 2006.

Class A shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales load with the cash proceeds from an investor's exercise of employment-related stock options, whether invested in the Fund directly or indirectly through an exchange from a Dreyfus-managed money market fund, provided that the proceeds are processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor specifically relating to processing stock options. Upon establishing the account in a Fund or Dreyfus-managed money market fund, the investor and the investor's spouse or minor children become eligible to purchase Class A shares of the Fund at net asset value, whether or not using the proceeds of the employment-related stock options.

Class A shares may be purchased at net asset value without a sales load by members of qualified affinity groups who purchase Class A shares directly through the Distributor, provided that the qualified affinity group has entered into an affinity agreement with the Distributor.

Class A shares are offered at net asset value without a sales load to employees participating in Retirement Plans. Class A shares also may be purchased (including by exchange) at net asset value without a sales load for Dreyfus-sponsored IRA "Rollover Accounts" with the distribution proceeds from a Retirement Plan or a Dreyfus-sponsored 403(b)(7) plan, provided that, in the case of a Retirement Plan, the rollover is processed through an entity that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor specifically relating to processing rollovers. Upon establishing the Rollover Account in a Fund, the shareholder becomes eligible to make subsequent purchases of Class A shares of the Fund at net asset value in such account.

Right of Accumulation--Class A Shares.  Reduced sales loads apply to any purchase of Class A shares by you and any related "purchaser" as defined above, where the aggregate investment, including such purchase, is $50,000 or more. If, for example, you previously purchased and still hold shares of a Fund or shares of certain other Dreyfus funds that are subject to a front-end sales load or a CDSC or shares acquired by a previous exchange of such shares (hereinafter referred to as "Eligible Funds"), or combination thereof, with an aggregate current market value of $40,000 and subsequently purchase Class A shares of the Fund having a current value of $20,000, the sales load applicable to the subsequent purchase would be reduced to 4.50% of the offering price. All present holdings of Eligible Funds may be combined to determine the current offering price of the aggregate investment in ascertaining the sales load applicable to each subsequent purchase.

To qualify for reduced sales loads, at the time of purchase you or your Service Agent must notify the Distributor if orders are made by wire, or the Transfer Agent if orders are made by mail.  The reduced sales load is subject to confirmation of your holdings through a check of appropriate records.

 


 

 

Class B Shares. Class B shares of each Fund are offered only in connection with dividend reinvestment and permitted exchanges of Class B shares of certain other funds. The public offering price for such Class B shares is the net asset value per share of the Class. No initial sales charge is imposed at the time of dividend reinvestment or exchange.  A CDSC is imposed, however, on certain redemptions of Class B shares as described in the relevant Fund's Prospectus and in this SAI under "How to Redeem Shares—Contingent Deferred Sales Charge—Class B Shares."

Approximately six years after the date of purchase, Class B shares automatically will convert to Class A shares, based on the relative net asset values for shares of each such Class.  Class B shares of a Fund that have been acquired through the Fund's reinvestment of dividends and distributions will be converted on a pro rata basis together with other Class B shares, in the proportion that a shareholder's Class B shares converting to Class A shares bears to the total Class B shares held by the shareholder not acquired through the reinvestment of the Fund's dividends and distributions.

Class C Shares.  The public offering price for Class C shares is the net asset value per share of that Class.  No initial sales charge is imposed at the time of purchase.  A CDSC is imposed, however, on redemptions of Class C shares made within the first year of purchase.  See "How to Redeem Shares—Contingent Deferred Sales Charge—Class C Shares."

Class F and I Shares. The public offering price for Class I shares is the net asset value per share of that Class.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may purchase shares (except Class B shares) by telephone or online if you have checked the appropriate box and supplied the necessary information on the Account Application or have filed a Shareholder Services Form with the Transfer Agent.  The proceeds will be transferred between the bank account designated in one of these documents and your Fund account. Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution that is an Automated Clearing House ("ACH") member may be so designated.

Dreyfus TeleTransfer  purchase orders may be made at any time.  If purchase orders are received by 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on any day the Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for regular business, Fund shares will be purchased at the public offering price determined on that day.  If purchase orders are made after 4:00 p.m., Eastern time, on any day the Transfer Agent and the New York Stock Exchange are open for regular business, or on Saturday, Sunday or any Fund holiday (e.g., when the New York Stock Exchange is not open for business), Fund shares will be purchased at the public offering price determined on the next bank business day following such purchase order. To qualify to use the Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege, the initial payment for purchase of Fund shares must be drawn on, and redemption proceeds paid to, the same bank and account as are designated on the Account Application or Shareholder Services Form on file.  If the proceeds of a particular redemption are to be sent to an account at any other bank, the request must be in writing and signature-guaranteed.  See "How to Redeem Shares—Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege."

 


 

 

Reopening an Account.  You may reopen an account with a minimum investment of $100 without filing a new Account Application during the calendar year the account is closed or during the following calendar year, provided the information on the old Account Application is still applicable.

Converting Shares. Under certain circumstances, Fund shares may be converted from one Class of shares to another Class of shares of the same Fund.  The aggregate dollar value of the shares of the Class received upon any such conversion will equal the aggregate dollar value of the converted shares on the date of the conversion.  An investor whose Fund shares are converted from one Class to another Class of the Fund will not realize taxable gain or loss as a result of the conversion.

DISTRIBUTION PLAN AND SHAREHOLDER SERVICES PLAN

Class B, Class C and Class F shares are subject to a Distribution Plan and Class A, Class B and Class C shares are subject to a Shareholder Services Plan.

Distribution Plans

Class B and Class C Shares.  Rule 12b-1 (the "Rule") adopted by the SEC under the 1940 Act provides, among other things, that an investment company may bear expenses of distributing its shares only pursuant to a plan adopted in accordance with the Rule.  The Company's Board has adopted such a plan with respect to each Fund's Class B and Class C shares (the "Class B and C Distribution Plan"), pursuant to which each Fund pays the Distributor for distributing its Class B and Class C shares a fee at an annual rate of 0.75% of the value of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class B and Class C shares.  The Distributor may pay one or more Service Agents in respect of advertising, marketing and other distribution services, and determines the amounts, if any, to be paid to Service Agents and the basis on which such payments are made.  The Company's Board believes that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Class B and C Distribution Plan will benefit each Fund and the holders of its Class B and Class C shares, respectively.

With respect to Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $1,581 and $22,417 with respect to Class B and Class C shares, respectively, pursuant to the Class B and C Distribution Plan.

With respect to Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $3,581 and $86,084 with respect to Class B and Class C shares, respectively, pursuant to the Class B and C Distribution Plan.

Class F Shares.  The Company's Board also has adopted a plan with respect to the Class F shares (the "Class F Distribution Plan"), pursuant to which each Fund pays the Distributor for distributing its Class F shares a fee at an annual rate that may be less than, but that may not exceed, 0.25% of the value of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class F shares.  These fees may be used to pay directly, or to reimburse the Distributor for paying, expenses in connection with distribution of the Funds' Class F shares and related activities.

 


 

 

Payments under the Class F Distribution Plan may be made only to reimburse expenses paid during a rolling twelve-month period, subject to the annual limitation of 0.25% of average daily net assets.  Any reimbursable expenses paid in excess of this limitation are not reimbursable and will be borne by the Distributor. 

The Distributor has agreed not to seek reimbursement of any expenses under the Class F Distribution Plan other than reimbursement for payments made to brokers and other intermediaries whose customers hold Class F shares (“Third Party Payments”). This commitment applies to any such expenses (other than Third Party Payments, which will continue to be reimbursed) incurred after May 13, 2009. The Distributor may seek reimbursement under the Class F Distribution Plan for any such expenses (and Third Party Payments) that may have been incurred by the Distributor on or before May 13, 2009, subject to the terms of the Class F Distribution Plan. This commitment will continue indefinitely and will not terminate without the prior approval of the Company’s Board of Directors.

With respect to Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $36,880 pursuant to the Class F Distribution Plan.

With respect to Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $55,852 pursuant to the Class F Distribution Plan.

 

Provisions Applicable to All Classes.  A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Distribution Plans, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board for its review.  In addition, each Distribution Plan provides that it may not be amended to increase materially the costs that holders of a Class of shares of a Fund may bear pursuant to the Distribution Plan without the approval of the holders of such Class of shares and that other material amendments of the Distribution Plan must be approved by the Company's Board, and by the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Plan or in any agreements entered into in connection with the Distribution Plan, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments.  As to each Fund, the Distribution Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Distribution Plan. As to each Fund, the Distribution Plan may be terminated at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not "interested persons" and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Distribution Plan or in any agreements entered into in connection with the Distribution Plan or by vote of the holders of a majority of such class of shares.

Shareholder Services Plan.  The Company has adopted a Shareholder Services Plan with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares of each Fund. Pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan, each Fund pays the Distributor for the provision of certain services to the holders of such shares a fee at the annual rate of 0.25% of the value of the average daily net assets of the Fund's Class A and Class C shares.  The services provided may include personal services relating to shareholder accounts, such as answering shareholder inquiries regarding the relevant Fund and providing reports and other information, and services related to the maintenance of such shareholder accounts. Under the Shareholder Services Plan, the Distributor may make payments to certain Service Agents in respect of these services.

 


 

 

A quarterly report of the amounts expended under the Shareholder Services Plan, and the purposes for which such expenditures were incurred, must be made to the Board for its review.  In addition, the Shareholder Services Plan provides that material amendments must be approved by the Company's Board, and by the Board members who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Company and have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Shareholder Services Plan or in any agreements entered into in connection with the Shareholder Services Plan, by vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments.  As to each Fund and the relevant class of shares, the Shareholder Services Plan is subject to annual approval by such vote of the Board members cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Shareholder Services Plan.  As to each Fund and the relevant class of shares, the Shareholder Services Plan is terminable at any time by vote of a majority of the Board members who are not "interested persons" and who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Shareholder Services Plan or in any agreements entered into in connection with the Shareholder Services Plan.

With respect to Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $442,533, $527 and $7,472 with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares, respectively, pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.

With respect to Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund, for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the Fund paid the Distributor $62,838, $1,193 and $28,695 with respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares, respectively, pursuant to the Shareholder Services Plan.

HOW TO REDEEM SHARES

General.  Each Fund ordinarily will make payment for all shares redeemed within seven days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of a redemption request in proper form, except as provided by the rules of the SEC.  However, if you have purchased Class A, C, F or I shares by check, by Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege or through Dreyfus-Automatic  Asset Builder® and subsequently submit a written redemption request to the Transfer Agent, the Fund may delay sending the redemption proceeds for up to eight business days after the purchase of such shares.  In addition, a Fund will reject requests to redeem shares by wire or telephone, online or pursuant to the Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege, for a period of up to eight business days after receipt by the Transfer Agent of the purchase check, the Dreyfus TeleTransfer  purchase or the Dreyfus-Automatic  Asset Builder order against which such redemption is requested.  These procedures will not apply if your shares were purchased by wire payment, or if you otherwise have a sufficient collected balance in your account to cover the redemption request.  Fund shares may not be redeemed until the Transfer Agent has received your Account Application.

 


 

 

If you hold shares of more than one Class of a Fund, any request for redemption must specify the Class of shares being redeemed. If you fail to specify the Class of shares to be redeemed or if you own fewer shares of the Class than specified to be redeemed, the redemption request may be delayed until the Transfer Agent receives further instructions from you or your Service Agent.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge—Class B Shares.  A CDSC payable to the Distributor is imposed on any redemption of Class B shares which reduces the current net asset value of your Class B shares to an amount which is lower than the dollar amount of all payments by you for the purchase of Class B shares of the applicable Fund held by you at the time of redemption.  No CDSC will be imposed to the extent that the net asset value of the Class B shares redeemed does not exceed (i) the current net asset value of Class B shares acquired through reinvestment of Fund dividends or capital gain distributions, plus (ii) increases in the net asset value of your Class B shares above the dollar amount of all your payments for the purchase of Class B shares held by you at the time of redemption.

If the aggregate value of Class B shares redeemed has declined below their original cost as a result of the relevant Fund's performance, a CDSC may be applied to the then-current net asset value rather than the purchase price.

In circumstances where the CDSC is imposed, the amount of the charge will depend on the number of years from the time you purchased the Class B shares until the time of redemption of such shares.  Solely for purposes of determining the number of years from the time of any payment for the purchase of Class B shares, all payments during a month will be aggregated and deemed to have been made on the first day of the month.

The following table sets forth the rates of the CDSC and the conversion to Class A schedule for Class B shares of a Fund:

 

 

Year Since Purchase

Payment Was Made

CDSC as a % of

Amount Invested or Redemption Proceeds (whichever is less)

 

 

First

4.00

Second

4.00

Third

3.00

Fourth

3.00

Fifth

2.00

Sixth

1.00*

____________________

*      These class B shares will automatically convert into Class A shares approximately six years after the date of purchase.

 

In determining whether a CDSC is applicable to a redemption, the calculation will be made in a manner that results in the lowest possible rate.  It will be assumed that the redemption is made first of amounts representing Class B shares of a Fund acquired pursuant to the reinvestment of Fund dividends and distributions; then, of amounts representing the increase in net asset value of Class B shares above the total amount of payments for the purchase of Class B shares made during the preceding year; and finally, of amounts representing the cost of shares held for the longest period.

 


 

 

For example, assume an investor purchased 100 shares of a Fund at $10 per share for a cost of $1,000.  Subsequently, the shareholder acquired five additional Fund shares through the reinvestment of Fund dividends.  Within a year after the purchase the investor decided to redeem $500 of the investment. Assuming at the time of the redemption the net asset value had appreciated to $12 per share, the value of the investor's shares would be $1,260 (105 shares at $12 per share).  The CDSC would not be applied to the value of the reinvested dividend shares and the amount that represents appreciation ($260). Therefore, $240 of the $500 redemption proceeds ($500 minus $260) would be charged at a rate of 4% for a total CDSC of $9.60.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge—Class C Shares. A CDSC of 1% payable to the Distributor is imposed on any redemption of Class C shares made within one year of the date of purchase.  The basis for calculating the payment of any such CDSC will be the method used in calculating the CDSC for Class B shares.  See "Contingent Deferred Sales Charge – Class B Shares" above.

Waiver of CDSC.  The CDSC may be waived in connection with (a) redemptions made within one year after the death or disability, as defined in Section 72(m)(7) of the Code, of the shareholder, (b) redemptions by employees participating in Retirement Plans, (c) redemptions as a result of a combination of any investment company with the Fund by merger, acquisition of assets or otherwise, (d) a distribution following retirement under a tax-deferred retirement plan or upon attaining age 70½ in the case of an IRA or Keogh plan or custodial account pursuant to Section 403(b) of the Code, and (e) redemptions pursuant to the Automatic Withdrawal Plan, as described below.  If the Company's Board determines to discontinue the waiver of the CDSC, the disclosure herein will be revised appropriately. Any Fund shares subject to a CDSC that were purchased prior to the termination of such waiver will have the CDSC waived, as provided in the relevant Fund's Prospectus or this SAI at the time of the purchase of such shares.

To qualify for a waiver of the CDSC, at the time of redemption you or your Service Agent must notify the Distributor.  Any such qualification is subject to confirmation of your entitlement.

Reinvestment Privilege. Upon written request, you may reinvest up to the number of Class A shares you have redeemed, within 45 days of redemption, at the then-prevailing net asset value without a sales load, or reinstate your account for the purpose of exercising Fund Exchanges.  Upon reinstatement, if such shares were subject to a CDSC, your account will be credited with an amount equal to the CDSC previously paid upon redemption of the shares reinvested.  The Reinvestment Privilege may be exercised only once.

Wire Redemption Privilege.  By using this Privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on telephone, letter or online redemption instructions from any person representing himself or herself to be you, or a representative of your Service Agent, and reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine. Ordinarily, the Company will initiate payment for shares redeemed pursuant to this Privilege on the next business day after receipt by the Transfer Agent of the redemption request in proper form.  Redemption proceeds ($1,000 minimum) will be transferred by Federal Reserve wire only to the commercial bank account specified by you on the Account Application or Shareholder Services Form, or to a correspondent bank if your bank is not a member of the Federal Reserve System. Fees ordinarily are imposed by such bank and borne by the investor.  Immediate notification by the correspondent bank to your bank is necessary to avoid a delay in crediting the funds to your bank account.

 


 

 

To change the commercial bank or account designated to receive redemption proceeds, a written request must be sent to the Transfer Agent. This request must be signed by each shareholder, with each signature guaranteed as described below under "Share Certificates; Signatures."

Dreyfus TeleTransfer Privilege. You may request by telephone or online that redemption proceeds be transferred between your Fund account and your bank account.  Only a bank account maintained in a domestic financial institution that is an ACH member may be designated. You should be aware that if you have selected the Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege, any request for a Dreyfus TeleTransfer  transaction will be effected through the ACH system unless more prompt transmittal specifically is requested.  Redemption proceeds will be on deposit in your account at an ACH member bank ordinarily two business days after receipt of the redemption request.  Shares held in an IRA or Education Savings Account may not be redeemed through the Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege.  See "How to Buy Shares—Dreyfus TeleTransfer  Privilege."

Redemption Through a Selected Dealer.  If you are a customer of a Selected Dealer, you may make redemption requests to your Selected Dealer. If the Selected Dealer transmits the redemption request so that it is received by the Transfer Agent prior to the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange (usually 4:00 p.m., Eastern time), the redemption request will be effective on that day.  If the Transfer Agent receives a redemption request after the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange, the redemption request will be effective on the next business day.  It is the responsibility of the Selected Dealer to transmit a request so that it is received in a timely manner.  The proceeds of the redemption are credited to your account with the Selected Dealer. See "How to Buy Shares" for a discussion of additional conditions or fees that may be imposed upon redemption.

In addition, the Distributor or its designee will accept orders from Selected Dealers with which the Distributor has sales agreements for the repurchase of shares held by shareholders.  Repurchase orders received by dealers by the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on any business day and transmitted to the Distributor or its designee prior to the close of its business day (usually 5:15 p.m., Eastern time), are effected at the price determined as of the close of trading on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange on that day.  Otherwise, the shares will be redeemed at the next determined net asset value. It is the responsibility of the Selected Dealer to transmit orders on a timely basis.  The Selected Dealer may charge the shareholder a fee for executing the order. This repurchase arrangement is discretionary and may be withdrawn at any time.

 


 

 

Share Certificates; Signatures.  Any certificates representing Fund shares to be redeemed must be submitted with the redemption request.  A fee may be imposed to replace lost or stolen certificates, or certificates that were never received.  Written redemption requests must be signed by each shareholder, including each holder of a joint account, and each signature must be guaranteed. Signatures on endorsed certificates submitted for redemption also must be guaranteed. The Transfer Agent has adopted standards and procedures pursuant to which signature-guarantees in proper form generally will be accepted from domestic banks, brokers, dealers, credit unions, national securities exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies and savings associations, as well as from participants in the New York Stock Exchange Medallion Signature Program, the Securities Transfer Agents Medallion Program ("STAMP") and the Stock Exchanges Medallion Program. Guarantees must be signed by an authorized signatory of the guarantor and "Signature-Guaranteed" must appear with the signature. The Transfer Agent may request additional documentation from corporations, executors, administrators, trustees or guardians, and may accept other suitable verification arrangements from foreign investors, such as consular verification.  For more information with respect to signature-guarantees, please call 1-800-554-4611.

Redemption Commitment. The Company has committed itself to pay in cash all redemption requests by any shareholder of record of a Fund, limited in amount during any 90‑day period to the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the value of the Fund's net assets at the beginning of such period.  Such commitment is irrevocable without the prior approval of the SEC. In the case of requests for redemption from a Fund in excess of such amount, the Company's Board reserves the right to make payments in whole or in part in securities or other assets of the Fund in case of an emergency or any time a cash distribution would impair the liquidity of the Fund to the detriment of the existing shareholders. In such event, the securities would be valued in the same manner as the relevant Fund's portfolio is valued.  If the recipient sells such securities, brokerage charges would be incurred.

Suspension of Redemptions. The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment postponed (a) during any period when the New York Stock Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings), (b) when the SEC determines that trading in the markets the Fund ordinarily utilizes is restricted, or when an emergency exists as determined by the SEC so that disposal of the Fund's investments or determination of its net asset value is not reasonably practicable, or (c) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit to protect the Fund's shareholders.

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES

Fund Exchanges. You may purchase, in exchange for shares of a Fund, shares of the same Class of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, or shares of certain other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, to the extent such shares are offered for sale in your state of residence.  Shares of such other funds purchased by exchange will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:

 


 

 

A.      Exchanges for shares of funds offered without a sales load will be made without a sales load.

B.      Shares of funds purchased without a sales load may be exchanged for shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.

C.      Shares of funds purchased with a sales load may be exchanged without a sales load for shares of other funds sold without a sales load.

D.      Shares of funds purchased with a sales load, shares of funds acquired by a previous exchange from shares purchased with a sales load, and additional shares acquired through reinvestment of dividends or distributions of any such funds (collectively referred to herein as "Purchased Shares") may be exchanged for shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load that could have been imposed in connection with the Purchased Shares (at the time the Purchased Shares were acquired), without giving effect to any reduced loads, the difference may be deducted.

E.       Shares of funds subject to a CDSC that are exchanged for shares of another fund will be subject to the higher applicable CDSC of the two funds, and, for purposes of calculating CDSC rates and conversion periods, if any, will be deemed to have been held since the date the shares being exchanged were initially purchased.

To accomplish an exchange under item D above, you, or your Service Agent acting on your behalf, must notify the Transfer Agent of your prior ownership of Fund shares and your account number.

As of the Effective Date, you also may exchange your Class B shares for Class B shares of General Money Market Fund, Inc. (the "General Fund").  The shares so purchased will be held in a special account created solely for this purpose ("Exchange Account").  Exchanges of shares for an Exchange Account only can be made into Class B shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager. No CDSC is charged when an investor exchanges into an Exchange Account; however, the applicable CDSC will be imposed when shares are redeemed from an Exchange Account or other applicable fund account. Upon redemption, the applicable CDSC will be calculated without regard to the time such shares were held in an Exchange Account.  In addition, the time Class B shares are held in the General Fund's Exchange Account will be taken into account for purposes of calculating when such shares convert to Class A shares.  If your Class B shares are held in the General Fund's Exchange Account at the time such shares are scheduled to convert to Class A shares, you will receive Class A shares of the General Fund.  Prior to the Effective Date, shareholders were permitted to exchange their Class B shares for shares of Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc. ("Worldwide Dollar Fund"), and such shares were held in an Exchange Account.  Shareholders who held shares of Worldwide Dollar Fund in an Exchange Account on the Effective Date may continue to hold those shares and upon redemption from the Exchange Account or other applicable fund account, the applicable CDSC and conversion to Class A schedule will be calculated without regard to the time such shares were held in Worldwide Dollar Fund's Exchange Account.  Exchanges of shares from an Exchange Account in Worldwide Dollar Fund only can be made into Class B shares of certain other funds managed or administered by the Manager, and the General Fund.  See "How to Redeem Shares." Redemption proceeds for Exchange Account shares are paid by Federal wire or check only. Exchange Account shares also are eligible for the Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege and the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

 


 

 

The Funds also have established an exchange privilege between the Class F shares of the Funds and Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc. ("DLA").  This privilege allows Class F shareholders of the Funds to exchange their shares for Class 1 shares of DLA, and for such exchanging shareholders, as well as DLA shareholders who are former shareholders of Dreyfus Founders Money Market Fund (which was reorganized into DLA on September 22, 2006), to exchange their Class 1 DLA shares for the Class F shares of the Funds, subject to the terms of the Funds' Prospectuses.

To request an exchange, you, or your Service Agent acting on your behalf, must give exchange instructions to the Transfer Agent in writing, by telephone or online. The ability to issue exchange instructions by telephone or online is given to all Fund shareholders automatically, unless you check the applicable "No" box on the Account Application, indicating that you specifically refuse this privilege. By using this privilege, you authorize the Transfer Agent to act on telephonic and online instructions (including over the Dreyfus Express® voice response telephone system) from any person representing himself or herself to be you or a representative of your Service Agent and reasonably believed by the Transfer Agent to be genuine.  Exchanges may be subject to limitations as to the amount involved or the number of exchanges permitted.  Shares issued in certificate form are not eligible for telephone or online exchange. No fees currently are charged shareholders directly in connection with exchanges, although the Company reserves the right, upon not less than 60 days' written notice, to charge shareholders a nominal administrative fee in accordance with rules promulgated by the SEC.

Exchanges of Class I shares held by a Retirement Plan may be made only between the investor's Retirement Plan account in one fund and such investor's Retirement Plan account in another fund.

To establish a personal retirement plan by exchange, shares of the fund being exchanged must have a value of at least the minimum initial investment required for shares of the same class of the fund into which the exchange is being made.

During times of drastic economic or market conditions, the Company may suspend Fund Exchanges temporarily without notice and treat exchange requests based on their separate components -- redemption orders with a simultaneous request to purchase the other fund's shares.  In such a case, the redemption request would be processed at the Fund's next determined net asset value but the purchase order would be effective only at the net asset value next determined after the fund being purchased receives the proceeds of the redemption, which may result in the purchase being delayed.

 


 

 

Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege. Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege permits you to purchase (on a semi-monthly, monthly, quarterly or annual basis), in exchange for shares of a Fund, shares of the same Class of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, or shares of certain other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, of which you are a shareholder. This Privilege is available only for existing accounts. Shares will be exchanged on the basis of relative net asset value as described above under "Fund Exchanges."  Enrollment in or modification or cancellation of this Privilege is effective three business days following notification by you.  You will be notified if your account falls below the amount designated to be exchanged under this Privilege.  In this case, your account will fall to zero unless additional investments are made in excess of the designated amount prior to the next Auto-Exchange transaction.  Shares held under an IRA and other retirement plans are eligible for this Privilege.  Exchanges of IRA shares may be made between IRA accounts and from regular accounts to IRA accounts, but not from IRA accounts to regular accounts. With respect to all other retirement accounts, exchanges may be made only among those accounts.

Fund Exchanges and Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege are available to shareholders resident in any state in which shares of the fund being acquired may legally be sold.  Shares may be exchanged only between accounts having certain identical identifying designations.

Shareholder Services Forms and prospectuses for the other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds may be obtained by calling 1-800-554-4611, or visiting www.dreyfus.com. The Company reserves the right to reject any exchange request in whole or in part.  Shares may be exchanged only between accounts having certain identical identifying designations. The Fund Exchanges service or Dreyfus Auto-Exchange Privilege may be modified or terminated at any time upon notice to shareholders.

Dreyfus-Automatic Asset Builder®. Dreyfus-Automatic  Asset Builder permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $150,000 per transaction) at regular intervals selected by you.  Fund shares are purchased by transferring funds from the bank account designated by you.

Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege. Dreyfus Government Direct Deposit Privilege enables you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 and maximum of $50,000 per transaction) by having Federal salary, Social Security, or certain veterans', military or other payments from the U.S. Government automatically deposited into your Fund account.

Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.  Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan permits you to purchase Fund shares (minimum of $100 per transaction) automatically on a regular basis.  Depending upon your employer's direct deposit program, you may have part or all of your paycheck transferred to your existing Dreyfus account electronically through the ACH system at each pay period.  To establish a Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan account, you must file an authorization form with your employer's payroll department. It is the sole responsibility of your employer to arrange for transactions under the Dreyfus Payroll Savings Plan.

 


 

 

Dreyfus Dividend Options.  Dreyfus Dividend Sweep allows you to invest automatically your dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from Class A, C, F or I shares of a Fund in shares of the same Class of another fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, or shares of certain other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds, of which you are a shareholder.  Shares of other funds purchased pursuant to this privilege will be purchased on the basis of relative net asset value per share as follows:

A.      Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested without a sales load in shares of other funds offered without a sales load.

B.      Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that does not charge a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales load, and the applicable sales load will be deducted.

C.      Dividends and distributions paid by a fund that charges a sales load may be invested in shares of other funds sold with a sales load (referred to herein as "Offered Shares"), but if the sales load applicable to the Offered Shares exceeds the maximum sales load charged by the fund from which dividends or distributions are being swept (without giving effect to any reduced loads), the difference may be deducted.

D.      Dividends and distributions paid by a fund may be invested in shares of other funds that impose a CDSC and the applicable CDSC, if any, will be imposed upon redemption of such shares.

Dreyfus Dividend ACH permits you to transfer electronically dividends or dividends and capital gain distributions, if any, from the Class A, Class B, Class C, Class F or Class I shares of a Fund to a designated bank account.  Only an account maintained at a domestic financial institution that is an ACH member may be so designated.  Banks may charge a fee for this service.

Dreyfus Automatic Withdrawal Plan. The Automatic Withdrawal Plan permits you to request withdrawal of a specified dollar amount (minimum of $50) on either a monthly or quarterly basis if you have a $5,000 minimum account.  Withdrawal payments are the proceeds from sales of Fund shares, not the yield on the shares.  If withdrawal payments exceed reinvested dividends and distributions, your shares will be reduced and eventually may be depleted.  The Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be established by filing an Automatic Withdrawal Plan application with the Transfer Agent or by oral request from any of the authorized signatories on the account by calling 1-800-554-4611.  The Automatic Withdrawal Plan may be terminated at any time by you, the Company or the Transfer Agent.  Shares for which certificates have been issued may not be redeemed through the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

 


 

 

No CDSC with respect to Class B shares (including Class B shares held in an Exchange Account) or Class C shares will be imposed on withdrawals made under the Automatic Withdrawal Plan, provided that any amount withdrawn under the plan does not exceed on an annual basis 12% of the greater of (1) the account value at the time of the first withdrawal under the Automatic Withdrawal Plan, or (2) the account value at the time of the subsequent withdrawal. Withdrawals with respect to Class B or Class C shares under the Automatic Withdrawal Plan that exceed such amounts will be subject to a CDSC.  Withdrawals of Class A shares subject to a CDSC under the Automatic Withdrawal Plan will be subject to any applicable CDSC.  Purchases of additional Class A shares where the sales load is imposed concurrently with withdrawals of Class A shares generally are undesirable.

Certain Retirement Plans, including Dreyfus-sponsored Retirement Plans, may permit certain participants to establish an automatic withdrawal plan from such Retirement Plans.  Participants should consult their Retirement Plan sponsor and tax adviser for details.  Such a withdrawal plan is different than the Automatic Withdrawal Plan.

Letter of Intent—Class A Shares. By signing a Letter of Intent form, you become eligible for the reduced sales load on purchases of Class A shares based on the total number of shares of Eligible Funds (as defined under "Right of Accumulation" above) purchased by you and any related "purchaser" (as defined above) in a 13-month period pursuant to the terms and conditions set forth in the Letter of Intent.  Shares of any Eligible Fund purchased within 90 days prior to the submission of the Letter of Intent may be used to equal or exceed the amount specified in the Letter of Intent.  A minimum initial purchase of $5,000 is required.  You can obtain a Letter of Intent form by calling 1-800-554-4611.

Each purchase you make during the 13-month period (which begins on the date you submit the Letter of Intent) will be at the public offering price applicable to a single transaction of the aggregate dollar amount you select in the Letter of Intent.  The Transfer Agent will hold in escrow 5% of the amount indicated in the Letter of Intent, which may be used for payment of a higher sales load if you do not purchase the full amount indicated in the Letter of Intent.  When you fulfill the terms of the Letter of Intent by purchasing the specified amount the escrowed amount will be released and additional shares representing such amount credited to your account.  If your purchases meet the total minimum investment amount specified in the Letter of Intent within the 13-month period, an adjustment will be made at the conclusion of the 13-month period to reflect any reduced sales load applicable to shares purchased during the 90-day period prior to submission of the Letter of Intent. If your purchases qualify for a further sales load reduction, the sales load will be adjusted to reflect your total purchase at the end of 13 months. If total purchases are less than the amount specified, the offering price of the shares you purchased (including shares representing the escrowed amount) during the 13-month period will be adjusted to reflect the sales load applicable to the aggregate purchases you actually made (which will reduce the number of shares in your account), unless you have redeemed the shares in your account, in which case the Transfer Agent, as attorney-in-fact pursuant to the terms of the Letter of Intent, will redeem an appropriate number of Class A shares of the Fund held in escrow to realize the difference between the sales load actually paid and the sales load applicable to the aggregate purchases actually made and any remaining shares will be credited to your account.  Signing a Letter of Intent does not bind you to purchase, or the relevant Fund to sell, the full amount indicated at the sales load in effect at the time of signing, but you must complete the intended purchase to obtain the reduced sales load. At the time you purchase Class A shares, you must indicate your intention to do so under a Letter of Intent.  Purchases pursuant to a Letter of Intent will be made at the then-current net asset value plus the applicable sales load in effect at the time such Letter of Intent was submitted.

 


 

 

Corporate Pension/Profit-Sharing and Retirement Plans.  The Company makes available to corporations a variety of prototype pension and profit-sharing plans, including a 401(k) Salary Reduction Plan.  In addition, the Company makes available Keogh Plans, IRAs (including regular IRAs, spousal IRAs for a non-working spouse, Roth IRAs, SEP-IRAs, and rollover IRAs), Education Savings Accounts, 401(k) Salary Reduction Plans and 403(b)(7) Plans.  Plan support services also are available.

If you wish to purchase Class A, C or I shares in conjunction with a Keogh Plan, a 403(b)(7) Plan or an IRA, including a SEP-IRA, you may request from the Distributor forms for adoption of such plans.

The entity acting as custodian for Keogh Plans, 403(b)(7) Plans or IRAs may charge a fee, payment of which could require the liquidation of shares.  All fees charged are described in the appropriate form.

Shares may be purchased in connection with these plans only by direct remittance to the entity acting as custodian.  Purchases for these plans may not be made in advance of receipt of funds.

You should read the prototype retirement plan and the appropriate form of custodial agreement for further details on eligibility, service fees and tax implications, and should consult a tax adviser.

OTHER SERVICES

Fund Accounting and Administrative Services Agreement. Dreyfus performs administrative, accounting and recordkeeping services for the Funds pursuant to a Fund Accounting and Administrative Services Agreement that was initially approved on October 10, 2006 by a vote cast by all of the Board members of the Company, including all of the Independent Board members.  The Agreement may be continued from year to year thereafter as long as each such continuance is specifically approved by the Board, including a majority of the directors who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting for the purpose of voting on such continuance.  The Agreement may be terminated at any time without penalty by the Company upon ninety (90) days' written notice, or by Dreyfus upon ninety (90) days' written notice, and terminates automatically in the event of its assignment unless the Board approves such assignment.

 


 

 

Pursuant to the Agreement, Dreyfus maintains the portfolios, general ledgers, and financial statements of the Funds; accumulates data from the Funds' shareholder servicing agent, Transfer Agent and Custodian and calculates daily the net asset value of each Class of the Funds; monitors the data and transactions of the Custodian, Transfer Agent and the shareholder servicing agent of the Funds; monitors compliance with tax and federal securities rules and regulations; provides reports and analyses of portfolio, transfer agent, shareholder servicing agent, and custodial operations, performance and costs; and reports on regulatory and other shareholder matters. Each Fund pays a fee for this service which is computed at an annual rate of 0.06% of the daily net assets of the Fund from $0 to $500 million, 0.04% of the daily net assets of the Fund from $500 million to $1 billion and 0.02% of the daily net assets of the Fund in excess of $1 billion.

In addition, after applying any expense limitations or fee waivers that reduce the fees paid to Dreyfus for this service, Dreyfus has agreed to waive any remaining fees for this service to the extent that they exceed both Dreyfus' costs in providing these services and a reasonable allocation of the costs incurred by Dreyfus and its affiliates related to the support and oversight of these services.

The Funds also reimburse Dreyfus for the out-of-pocket expenses incurred by it in performing this service for the Funds.

During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, 2009 and 2008, the Company paid fund accounting and administrative services fees to Dreyfus pursuant to the Agreement of $270,442, $316,452 and $497,9141, respectively, after applying the waiver described above. 

Shareholder Services Agreement. Pursuant to a Shareholder Services Agreement, the Distributor performs certain telephone, retirement plan, quality control, personnel training, shareholder inquiry, shareholder account and other shareholder-related services for the Class F shareholders of the Funds.  The Agreement was approved on November 15, 2002 by a vote cast in person by a majority of the Board members of the Company, including a majority of the Independent Board members.  The Agreement may be continued from year to year thereafter as long as such continuance is specifically approved by the Board, including a majority of the directors who are not parties to the Agreement or interested persons (as defined in the 1940 Act) of any such party, cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on such continuance.  The Agreement may be terminated at any time without penalty by the Company upon ninety (90) days' written notice to the Distributor or by the Distributor upon one hundred eighty (180) days' written notice to the Company, and terminates automatically in the event of an assignment unless the Board approves such assignment. The Funds pay to the Distributor a prorated monthly fee for such services equal on an annual basis to $24 for each Class F shareholder account of the Funds considered to be an open account at any time during the applicable month.  The fee provides for the payment not only for services rendered and facilities furnished by the Distributor pursuant to the Agreement, but also for services rendered and facilities furnished by the Transfer Agent in performing transfer agent services for Class F shareholders.  In addition to the per account fee, the Distributor and the Transfer Agent are reimbursed for all reasonable out-of-pocket expenses incurred in the performance of their respective services.  During the fiscal years ended December 31, 2010, December 31, 2009 and December 31, 2008, the Company paid shareholder servicing fees for the Class F shareholder accounts to the Distributor of $257,409, $180,879 and $270,6691, respectively.

 


 

 

________________________

1          These figures include fees paid by Dreyfus Discovery Fund, Dreyfus Global Growth Fund and Dreyfus Passport Fund, which have liquidated.

 

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

Valuation of Portfolio Securities. Each Fund's investments are valued each business day using available market quotations or at fair value. Substantially all of a Fund's debt securities and instruments, including interest rate, credit default and total return swaps and options thereon, are valued by one or more independent pricing services (the "Service") approved by the Company's Board. When, in the judgment of the Service, quoted bid prices for investments are readily available and are representative of the bid side of the market, these investments are valued at the mean between the quoted bid prices (as obtained by the Service from dealers in such securities) and asked prices (as calculated by the Service based upon its evaluation of the market for such securities). The value of other debt securities and instruments is determined by the Service based on methods that include consideration of: yields or prices of securities of comparable quality, coupon, maturity and type; indications as to values from dealers; and general market conditions. Overnight and certain other short-term debt securities and instruments (excluding U.S. Treasury securities) are valued by the amortized cost method, which approximates value, unless a Service provides a valuation for such security or, in the opinion of the board or a committee or other persons designated by the Board, the amortized cost method would not represent fair value. Other investments that are not valued by the Service are valued at the last sales price for securities traded primarily on an exchange or the national securities market or otherwise at the average of the most recent bid and asked prices. Bid price is used when no asked price is available. Market quotations of foreign securities in foreign currencies and any assets or liabilities initially expressed in terms of foreign currency will be translated into U.S. dollars, and foreign currency forward contracts are valued at the average of the most recent bid and asked quotations obtained from a Service approved by the Board. Because of the need to obtain prices as of the close of trading on various exchanges throughout the world, the calculation of NAV generally does not take place contemporaneously with the determination of prices of foreign securities held by the Fund. Expenses and fees, including the management fee paid by a Fund and the fees paid pursuant to the Distribution Plan and Service Plan, as applicable (reduced by the expense limitation, if any), are accrued daily and taken into account for the purpose of determining the NAV of the Fund shares. Because of the differences in operating expenses incurred by each Class of shares of the Fund, the per share NAV of each Class of shares of the Fund will differ.

Generally, over-the-counter option contracts will be valued by the Service at the average of the most recent bid and asked quotations obtained from the Service. Restricted securities, as well as securities or other assets for which recent market quotations are not readily available or are determined by the Company not to reflect accurately fair value (such as when the value of a security has been materially affected by events occurring after the close of the exchange or market on which the security is principally traded (for example, a foreign exchange or market) but before the Fund calculated its NAV), or which are not valued by the Service, are valued at fair value as determined in good faith based on procedures approved by the Company's Board. Fair value of investments may be determined by the Company's Board, its pricing committee or is valuation committee using such information as it deems appropriate under the circumstances. The factors that may be considered when fair valuing a security include fundamental analytical data, the nature and duration of restrictions on disposition, an evaluation of the forces that influence the market in which the securities are purchased or sold, and public trading in similar securities of the issuer or comparable issuers. The valuation of a security based on fair value procedures may differ from the security's most recent closing price, and from the prices used by other mutual funds to calculate their NAVs. Foreign securities held by a Fund may trade on days that the Fund is not open for business, thus affecting the value of the Fund's assets on days when Fund investors have no access to the Fund.     

 


 

 

New York Stock Exchange Closings. The holidays (as observed) on which the New York Stock Exchange is closed currently are: New Year's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

            If a Fund investor elects to receive dividends and distributions in cash, and the investor's dividend or distribution check is returned to the Fund as undeliverable or remains uncashed for six months, the Fund reserves the right to reinvest such dividends or distributions and all future dividends and distributions payable to you in additional Fund shares at net asset value. No interest will accrue on amounts represented by uncashed distribution or redemption checks.

 

            Any dividend or distribution paid shortly after an investor's purchase of Fund shares may have the effect of reducing the aggregate net asset value of the shares below the cost of the investment.  Such a dividend or distribution would be a return of capital in an economic sense, although taxable as stated in the Fund's prospectus.  In addition, the Code provides that if a shareholder holds shares of a Fund for six months or less and has (or is deemed to have) received a capital gain distribution with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the sale of such shares will be treated as long-term capital loss to the extent of the capital gain distribution received or deemed to have been received. The Code further provides that if a shareholder holds shares of a municipal or other tax-exempt Fund for six months or less and has received an exempt-interest dividend with respect to such shares, any loss incurred on the sale of such shares will be disallowed to the extent of the exempt-interest dividend received.

 

A Fund may make distributions on a more frequent basis than is described in its prospectus to comply with the distribution requirements of the Code, in all events in a manner consistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act. A Fund may not make distributions from net realized securities gains unless capital loss carryovers, if any, have been utilized or have expired.  Dividends and distributions among share classes in the same Fund may vary due to the different expenses of such share classes.

 


 

 

TAXATION

See the prospectus and elsewhere in this SAI to determine which sections of the discussion below apply to your funds.

 

            The following is only a general summary of some of the important federal income tax considerations generally affecting the funds and their shareholders. No attempt is made to present a complete explanation of the federal tax treatment of the funds' activities or to discuss state and local tax matters affecting the funds.  Shareholders are urged to consult their own tax advisors for more detailed information concerning the tax implications of investments in the funds.

 

            Taxation of the Funds. Each fund intends to qualify for treatment as a regulated investment company ("RIC") under the Code and intends to continue to so qualify if such qualification is in the best interests of its shareholders.  To qualify as a RIC, a fund must, among other things: (a) derive in each taxable year (the "gross income test") at least 90% of its gross income from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to securities loans and gains from the sale or other disposition of stocks, securities or foreign currencies or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stocks, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income from interests in "qualified publicly traded partnerships" ("QPTPs") (as defined in the Code); (b) diversify its holdings (the "asset diversification test") so that, at the end of each quarter of the taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the fund's assets is represented by cash and cash items (including receivables), U.S. Government securities, the securities of other RICs and other securities, with such other securities of any one issuer limited for the purposes of this calculation to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the fund's total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of its total assets is invested in the securities (other than U.S. Government securities or the securities of other RICs) of a single issuer, two or more issuers that the fund controls and that are engaged in the same, similar or related trades or businesses or one or more QPTPs; and (c) distribute with respect to each taxable year at least 90% of the sum of its investment company taxable income (determined without regard to the dividends paid deduction) and net tax-exempt interest income, if any, for such year.

            Pursuant to the recently enacted Regulated Investment Company Modernization Act of 2010 (the "Modernization Act"), a RIC that fails the gross income test for a taxable year shall nevertheless be considered to have satisfied the test for such year if (i) the RIC satisfies certain procedural requirements, and (ii) the RIC's failure to satisfy the gross income test is due to reasonable cause and not due to willful neglect. However, in such case, a tax is imposed on the RIC for the taxable year in which, absent the application of the above cure provision, it would have failed the gross income test equal to the amount by which (x) the RIC's non- qualifying gross income exceeds (y) one-ninth of the RIC's qualifying gross income, each as determined for purposes of applying the gross income test for such year.

 


 

 

 

            Also pursuant to the Modernization Act, a RIC that fails the asset diversification test as of the end of a quarter shall nevertheless be considered to have satisfied the test as of the end of such quarter in the following circumstances. If the RIC's failure to satisfy the asset diversification test at the end of the quarter is due to the ownership of assets the total value of which does not exceed the lesser of (i) one percent of the total value of the RIC's assets at the end of such quarter and (ii) $10,000,000 (a "de minimis failure"), the RIC shall be considered to have satisfied the asset diversification test as of the end of such quarter if, within six months of the last day of the quarter in which the RIC identifies that it failed the asset diversification test (or such other prescribed time period), the RIC either disposes of assets in order to satisfy the asset diversification test, or otherwise satisfies the asset diversification test.

 

In the case of a failure to satisfy the asset diversification test at the end of a quarter under circumstances that do not constitute a de minimis failure, a RIC shall nevertheless be considered to have satisfied the asset diversification test as of the end of such quarter if (i) the RIC satisfies certain procedural requirements; (ii) the RIC's failure to satisfy the asset diversification test is due to reasonable cause  and not due to willful neglect; and (iii) within six months of the last day of the quarter in which the RIC identifies that it failed the asset diversification test (or such other prescribed time period), the RIC either disposes of the assets that caused the asset diversification failure, or otherwise satisfies the asset diversification test. However, in such case, a tax is imposed on the RIC, at the current rate of 35%, on the net income generated by the assets that caused the RIC to fail the asset diversification test during the period for which the asset diversification test was not met.  In all events, however, such tax will not be less than $50,000.

 

            As a RIC, a fund will pay no federal income tax on its net investment income and net realized capital gains to the extent that such income and gains are distributed to shareholders in accordance with applicable provisions of the Code.  If a fund were to fail to qualify as a RIC in any taxable year, the fund would be subject to tax on its taxable income at corporate rates, and all distributions from current or accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net tax-exempt income and net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income. Some portions of such distributions may be eligible for the dividends received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders and, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013 (unless such date is extended by future legislation), may be eligible for a 15% preferential maximum tax rate in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals, provided in both cases, the shareholder meets certain holding period and other requirements in respect of the fund's shares (as described below).  In addition, a fund could be required to recognize unrealized gains, pay substantial taxes and interest and make substantial distributions before requalifying as a RIC that is accorded special tax treatment.

 

            A nondeductible excise tax at a rate of 4% will be imposed on the excess, if any, of a fund's "required distribution" over its actual distributions in any calendar year.  Generally, the required distribution is 98% of a fund's ordinary income for the calendar year plus 98% (98.2% for calendar years after 2010) of its capital gain net income, determined under prescribed rules for this purpose, recognized during the one-year period ending on October 31st of such year (or December 31st of that year if the fund is permitted to so elect and so elects) plus undistributed amounts from prior years.  Each fund generally intends to make distributions sufficient to avoid imposition of the excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so.

 


 

 

 

Although in general the passive loss rules of the Code do not apply to RICs, such rules do apply to a RIC with respect to items attributable to an interest in a QPTP.  A fund's investments in partnerships, including in QPTPs, may result in a fund being subject to state, local or foreign income, franchise or withholding tax liabilities.

 

            Taxation of Fund Distributions (Funds Other Than Municipal or Other Tax-Exempt Funds). For federal income tax purposes, distributions of investment income generally are taxable as ordinary income to the extent of a fund's earnings and profits, regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or have them reinvested in additional fund shares. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long a fund owned the investments that generated them, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her shares.  In general, a fund will recognize long-term capital gain or loss on assets it has owned (or is deemed to have owned) for more than one year, and short-term capital gain or loss on investments it has owned (or is deemed to have owned) for one year or less. Distributions of "net capital gains," that is, the excess of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, that are properly characterized by the fund as capital gain dividends ("capital gain dividends") will generally be taxable to a shareholder receiving such distributions as long-term capital gain.  Long-term capital gain rates applicable to individuals have been temporarily reduced, in general to 15%, with lower rates applying to taxpayers in the 10% and 15% rate brackets, for taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013.  Distributions of net short-term capital gains that exceed net long-term capital losses will generally be taxable as ordinary income.  The determination of whether a distribution is from capital gains is generally made taking into account available net capital loss carryforwards, if any.  Under the Modernization Act, if a RIC has a "net capital loss" (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains) for a taxable year, that portion of the net capital loss consisting of the excess (if any) of the RIC's net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the RIC's next taxable year, and that portion of the net capital loss consisting of the excess (if any) of the RIC's net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the RIC's next taxable year.  Any such capital losses of a RIC may be carried forward to succeeding taxable years of the RIC without limitation.  Net capital loss carryforwards of a RIC arising in taxable years of the RIC beginning on or before December 22, 2010 (the date of enactment of the Modernization Act) may be applied against any net realized capital gains of the RIC in each succeeding year, or until their respective expiration dates, whichever is first.

 

            Distributions are taxable to shareholders even if they are paid from income or gains earned by a fund before a shareholder's investment (and thus were included in the price the shareholder paid for his or her shares). Distributions are taxable regardless of whether shareholders receive them in cash or in additional shares.  Distributions declared and payable by a fund during October, November or December to shareholders of record on a date in any such month and paid by the fund during the following January generally will be treated for federal tax purposes as paid by the fund and received by shareholders on December 31st of the year in which the distributions are declared rather than the calendar year in which they are received.

 


 

 

 

            A fund may elect to retain its net capital gain or a portion thereof for investment and be taxed at corporate rates on the amount retained.  In such case, the fund may designate its retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who will be treated as if each received a distribution of his or her pro rata share of such gain, with the result that each shareholder in the fund will (i) be required to report his or her pro rata share of such gain on his or her tax return as long-term capital gain, (ii) receive a refundable tax credit for his or her pro rata share of tax paid by the fund on the gain and (iii) increase the tax basis for his or her shares in the fund by an amount equal to the deemed distribution less the tax credit.

 

In general, dividends (other than capital gain dividends) paid by a fund to U.S. individual shareholders may be eligible for the 15% preferential maximum tax rate to the extent that the fund's income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations and certain "qualified foreign corporations" on shares that have been held by the fund for at least 61 days during the 121-day period commencing 60 days before the shares become ex-dividend.  Dividends paid on shares held by a fund will not be taken into account in determining the applicability of the preferential maximum tax rate 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.  Dividends paid by REITs are not generally eligible for the preferential maximum tax rate.  Further, a "qualified foreign corporation" does not include any foreign corporation, which for its taxable year in which its dividend was paid, or the preceding taxable year, is a passive foreign investment company.  Unless extended, this favorable provision will expire on December 31, 2012, and ordinary dividends will again be taxed at tax rates applicable to ordinary income.  In order to be eligible for the preferential rate, the shareholder in the fund must have held his or her shares in the fund for at least 61 days during the 121-day period commencing 60 days before the fund shares become ex-dividend.  Additional restrictions on a shareholder's qualification for the preferential rate may apply.

 

            In general, dividends (other than capital gain dividends) paid by a fund to U.S. corporate shareholders may be eligible for the dividends received deduction to the extent that the fund's income consists of dividends paid by U.S. corporations (other than REITs) on shares that have been held by the fund for at least 46 days during the 91-day period commencing 45 days before the shares become ex-dividend.  Dividends paid on shares held by a fund will not be taken into account for this purpose if the stock on which the dividend is paid is considered to be "debt-financed" (generally, acquired with borrowed funds), or 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.  Moreover, the dividend received deduction may be disallowed or reduced if the corporate shareholder fails to satisfy the foregoing holding period and other requirements with respect to its shares of the fund or by application of the Code.

 


 

 

 

            If a fund makes a distribution that is or is considered to be in excess of its current and accumulated "earnings and profits" for the relevant period, the excess distribution will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of a shareholder's tax basis in his or her shares, and thereafter as capital gain.  A return of capital is not taxable, but it reduces a shareholder's basis in his or her shares, thus reducing any loss or increasing any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of such shares.

 

            Many states grant tax-free status to dividends paid to shareholders of RICs from interest income earned by the fund from direct obligations of the U.S. Government, subject in some states to minimum investment requirements that must be met by the fund.  At the end of each calendar year, as applicable, shareholders will be provided with the percentage of any dividends paid that may qualify for such tax-free treatment.  Shareholders should then consult with their tax advisors with respect to the application of state and local laws to these distributions.

 

            Sale, Exchange or Redemption of Shares. A sale, exchange or redemption of shares in a fund will give rise to a gain or loss. Any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months. Otherwise, the gain or loss on the taxable disposition of fund shares will be treated as short-term capital gain or loss.

            However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of fund shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any capital gain dividends received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares.  Further, all or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of fund shares will be disallowed if other substantially identical shares of the fund are purchased (including by means of a dividend reinvestment plan) within 30 days before or after the disposition.  In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

 

            As discussed below under "Funds Investing in Municipal Securities," any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares in a municipal or other tax-exempt fund that have been held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares.  Under the Modernization Act, this loss disallowance rule, however, does not apply with respect to a regular dividend paid by a RIC which 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 on a monthly or more frequent basis.

 

            Generally, if a shareholder sells or redeems shares of a fund within 90 days of their original acquisition, the shareholder cannot claim a loss on the original shares attributable to the amount of their load charge if the load charge is reduced or waived on a future purchase of shares of any fund (on account of the prior load charge), but instead is required to reduce the basis of the original shares by the amount of their load charge and carry over that amount to increase the basis of the newly acquired fund shares. Under the Modernization Act, this rule applies only if the acquisition of the new fund shares occurs on or before January 31 of the calendar year following the year in which the original shares were sold or redeemed.

 


 

 

 

            If a shareholder recognizes a loss with respect to a fund's shares of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder, the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on Form 8886.  Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted.  Future guidance may extend the current exception from this reporting requirement to shareholders of most or all RICs.  The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer's treatment of the loss is proper.  Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

 

            Legislation passed by Congress in 2008 requires the funds (or their administrative agent) to report to the IRS and furnish to fund shareholders the cost basis information and holding period for fund shares purchased on or after January 1, 2012, and redeemed on or after that date.  The funds will permit fund shareholders to elect from among several IRS-accepted cost basis methods, including average cost.  In the absence of an election, the funds will use a default cost basis method that has not yet been determined.  The cost basis method a shareholder elects may not be changed with respect to a redemption of shares after the settlement date of the redemption.  Fund shareholders should consult with their tax advisors to determine the best IRS-accepted cost basis method for their tax situation and to obtain more information about how the new cost basis reporting rules apply to them.

 

                Passive Foreign Investment Companies. Funds that invest in foreign securities may own shares in certain foreign entities that are treated as "passive foreign investment companies" ("PFICs"), which could potentially subject such a fund to U.S. federal income tax (including interest charges) on distributions received from the PFIC or gains from a disposition of shares in the PFIC.  To avoid this treatment, each fund owning PFIC shares intends to make an election to mark the gains (and to a limited extent losses) in a PFIC "to the market" as though it had sold and repurchased its holdings in the PFIC on the last day of the fund's taxable year.  Such gains and losses are treated as ordinary income and loss.  Alternatively, a fund may in certain cases elect to treat a PFIC as a "qualified electing fund" (i.e., make a "QEF election"), in which case that fund will be required to include in its income annually its share of the PFIC's income and net capital gains, regardless of whether the fund receives any distribution from the PFIC.

 

            The mark-to-market and QEF elections may accelerate the recognition of income (without the receipt of cash) and increase the amount required to be distributed by a fund to avoid taxation.  Making either of these elections therefore may require a fund to liquidate investments (including when it is not advantageous to do so) to meet its distribution requirements, which also may accelerate the recognition of gain and affect the fund's total return.  Dividends paid by PFICs generally will not be eligible to be treated as qualified dividend income.

 


 

 

 

Non-U.S. Taxes. Investment income that may be received by a fund from sources within foreign countries may be subject to foreign taxes. Tax treaties between the United States and certain countries 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 stock or securities of foreign corporations, or, as provided in the Modernization Act, if at least 50% of the value of a fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its taxable year is represented by interests in other RICs (such as a Fund of Funds), that fund may elect to "pass through" to its shareholders the amount of foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by that fund.  If that fund so elects, each of its shareholders would be required to include in gross income, even though not actually received, his or her pro rata share of the foreign taxes paid or deemed paid by that fund, but would be treated as having paid his or her pro rata share of such foreign taxes and would therefore be allowed to either deduct such amount in computing taxable income or use such amount (subject to various Code limitations) as a foreign tax credit against federal income tax (but not both). For purposes of the foreign tax credit limitation rules of the Code, each shareholder would treat as foreign source income his or her pro rata share of such foreign taxes plus the portion of dividends received from the fund representing income derived from foreign sources.  No deduction for foreign taxes could be claimed by an individual shareholder who does not itemize deductions.  In certain circumstances, a shareholder that (i) has held shares of the fund for less than a specified minimum period during which it is not protected from risk of loss or (ii) is obligated to make payments related to the dividends will not be allowed a foreign tax credit for foreign taxes deemed imposed on dividends paid on such shares.  Additionally, the fund must also meet this holding period requirement with respect to its foreign stocks and securities in order for "creditable" taxes to flow-through. Each shareholder should consult his or her own tax advisor regarding the potential application of foreign tax credits.

 

Foreign Currency Transactions. Gains or losses attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the time a fund accrues income or receivables or expenses or other liabilities denominated in a foreign currency and the time that fund actually collects such income or receivables or pays such liabilities are generally treated as ordinary income or loss.  Similarly, gains or losses on foreign currency forward contracts and the disposition of debt securities denominated in a foreign currency, to the extent attributable to fluctuations in exchange rates between the acquisition and disposition dates, also are treated as ordinary income or loss.

 

Financial Products. A fund's investments in options, futures contracts, forward contracts, swaps and derivatives, as well as any of its other hedging, short sale or similar transactions, may be subject to one or more special tax rules (including notional principal contract, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale, short sale and other rules), the effect of which may be to accelerate income to the fund (including, potentially, without a corresponding receipt of cash with which to make required distributions), defer fund losses, cause adjustments in the holding periods of fund securities, convert capital gains into ordinary income, render dividends that would otherwise be eligible for the dividends received deduction or a preferential rate of taxation ineligible for such treatment, convert long-term capital gains into short-term capital gains and convert short-term capital losses into long-term capital losses. These rules could therefore affect the amount, timing and character of distributions to shareholders of a fund. In addition, because the tax rules applicable to derivative financial instruments are in some cases uncertain under current law, an adverse determination or future guidance by the IRS with respect to these rules (which determination or guidance could be retroactive) may affect whether a fund has made sufficient distributions, and otherwise satisfied the applicable requirements, to maintain its qualification as a RIC and avoid fund-level taxation.

 


 

 

 

Securities Issued or Purchased at a Discount and Payment-in-Kind Securities. A fund's investments, if any, in securities issued or purchased at a discount, as well as certain other securities (including zero coupon obligations and certain redeemable preferred stock), may require the fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received.  Similarly, a fund's investment in payment-in-kind securities will give rise to income which is required to be distributed even though the fund receives no payment in cash on the security during the year.  In order to generate sufficient cash to make its requisite distributions, a fund may be required to borrow money or sell securities in its portfolio that it otherwise would have continued to hold.

 

Inflation-Indexed Treasury Securities. The taxation of inflation-indexed Treasury securities is similar to the taxation of conventional bonds.  Both interest payments and the difference between original principal and the inflation-adjusted principal will be treated as interest income subject to taxation.  Interest payments are taxable when received or accrued.  The inflation adjustment to the principal is subject to tax in the year the adjustment is made, not at maturity of the security when the cash from the repayment of principal is received.  Accordingly, as in the case of securities issued or purchased at a discount and zero coupon obligations, a fund’s investments in inflation-indexed Treasury securities may require the fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. Decreases in the indexed principal can be deducted only from current or previous interest payments reported as income. If inflation-indexed Treasury securities are sold prior to maturity, capital losses or gains are realized in the same manner as traditional debt instruments. 

 

Certain Higher-Risk and High Yield Securities. A fund may invest in lower-quality fixed income securities, including debt obligations of issuers not currently paying interest or that are in default.  Investments in debt obligations that are at risk of or are in default present special tax issues for a fund.  Tax rules are not entirely clear on the treatment of such debt obligations, including as to whether and to what extent a fund should recognize market discount on such a debt obligation, when a fund may cease to accrue interest, original issue discount or market discount, when and to what extent a fund may take deductions for bad debts or worthless securities and how a fund shall allocate payments received on obligations in default between principal and interest.  These and other related issues will be addressed by each fund if it invests in such securities as part of the fund's efforts to ensure that it distributes sufficient income to preserve its status as a RIC and does not become subject to U.S. federal income or excise tax.

 

 


 

 

Funds Investing in Municipal Securities (Municipal or Other Tax-Exempt Funds). It is anticipated that substantially all of the income dividends to be paid by municipal or other tax-exempt funds that invest substantially all of their assets in municipal securities will be exempt from federal income taxes.  It is possible, however, that a portion of the income dividends from such funds will not be exempt from federal income taxes.  Municipal or other tax-exempt funds may realize capital gains from the sale or other disposition of municipal securities or other securities.  Distributions by such funds of capital gains will be treated in the same manner as described under “Taxation.” Recipients of social security and/or certain railroad retirement benefits who receive income dividends from municipal bond or other tax-exempt funds may have to pay taxes on a portion of their benefits.  Shareholders will receive a Form 1099-DIV, Form 1099-INT or other IRS forms, as required, reporting the taxability of all dividends.  Certain municipal or other tax-exempt funds may invest in municipal securities the income from which is subject to AMT.  Such funds will advise shareholders of the percentage of dividends, if any, which should be included in the computation of AMT. 

 

Because the income dividends of municipal or other tax-exempt funds are expected to be derived from tax-exempt interest on municipal securities, any interest on money a shareholder of such a fund borrows that is directly or indirectly used to purchase shares in the fund is not deductible.  Further, entities or persons that are "substantial users" (or persons related to "substantial users") of facilities financed by private activity bonds or industrial development bonds should consult their tax advisors before purchasing shares of these funds. The income from such bonds may not be tax-exempt for such substantial users.  here also may be collateral federal income tax consequences regarding the receipt of dividends exempt from federal income tax by shareholders such as S corporations, financial institutions and property and casualty insurance companies. A shareholder falling into any such category should consult its tax adviser concerning its investment in a fund that is intended to generate dividends exempt from federal income tax.

 

Any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares in a municipal or other tax-exempt fund that have been held for six months or less will be disallowed to the extent of any exempt-interest dividends received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares.  Under the Modernization Act, this loss disallowance rule, however, does not apply with respect to a regular dividend paid by a RIC which 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 on a monthly or more frequent basis.

 

Under the Modernization Act, if at least 50% of the value of a fund's total assets at the close of each quarter of its taxable year is represented by interests in other RICs (such as a Fund of Funds), the fund may pass through to its shareholders its exempt interest income in the form of dividends that are exempt from federal income tax.

 

Proposals have been and may be introduced before Congress that would restrict or eliminate the federal income tax exemption of interest on municipal securities. If such a proposal were enacted, the availability of such securities for investment by a fund that would otherwise invest in tax-exempt securities and the value of such a fund's portfolio would be affected.  In that event, such a fund would reevaluate its investment objective and policies.

 


 

 

 

The treatment under state and local tax law of dividends from a fund that invests in municipal securities may differ from the federal income tax treatment of such dividends under the Code.

 

Investing in Mortgage Entities. Special tax rules may apply to the investments by a fund in entities which invest in or finance mortgage debt.  Such investments include residual interests in REMICs and interests in a REIT which qualifies as a taxable mortgage pool under the Code or has a qualified REIT subsidiary that is a taxable mortgage pool under the Code. Although it is the practice of each fund not to make such investments, there is no guarantee that a fund will be able to sustain this practice or avoid an inadvertent investment.

 

Such investments may result in a fund receiving excess inclusion income ("EII") in which case a portion of its distributions will be characterized as EII and shareholders receiving such distributions, including shares held through nominee accounts, will be deemed to have received EII. This can result in the funds being required to pay tax on the portion of its EII that is allocated to disqualified organizations, including certain cooperatives, agencies or instrumentalities of a government or international organization, and tax-exempt organizations that are not subject to tax on unrelated business taxable income ("UBTI").  In addition, such amounts generally cannot be offset by net operating losses, will be treated as UBTI to tax-exempt organizations that are not disqualified organizations, and will be subject to a 30% withholding tax for shareholders who are not U.S. persons, notwithstanding any otherwise applicable exemptions or rate reductions in any relevant tax treaties.

 

Special tax consequences also apply where charitable remainder trusts invest in RICs that invest directly or indirectly in residual interests in REMICs or in taxable mortgage pools.  Furthermore, any investment in residual interests of a REMIC can create complex tax consequences to both a fund and its shareholders, especially if a fund has state or local governments or other tax-exempt organizations as shareholders.

 

Tax-Exempt Shareholders. Under current law, each fund serves to "block" (that is, prevent the attribution to shareholders of) UBTI from being realized by its tax-exempt shareholders (including, among others, individual retirement accounts, 401(k) accounts, Keogh plans, pension plans and certain charitable entities).  Notwithstanding the foregoing, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in a fund if shares in the fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Section 514(b) of the Code.  As noted above, a tax-exempt shareholder may also recognize UBTI if a fund recognizes EII derived from direct or indirect investments in residual interests in REMICs or taxable mortgage pools.  If a charitable remainder annuity trust or a charitable remainder unitrust (each as defined in Section 664 of the Code) has UBTI for a taxable year, a 100% excise tax on the UBTI is imposed on the trust.

 

 


 

 

Backup Withholding. Each fund generally is required to withhold and remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and redemption proceeds paid to a shareholder who fails to properly furnish the fund with a correct taxpayer identification number ("TIN"), who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify to the applicable fund that he or she is not subject to such withholding.  Corporate shareholders, certain foreign persons and other shareholders specified in the Code and applicable regulations are generally exempt from backup withholding, but may need to provide documentation to the fund to establish such exemption.

 

Backup withholding is not an additional tax.  Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder's U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the IRS.

 

Foreign (Non-U.S.) Shareholders. Dividends paid by a fund to non-U.S. shareholders are generally subject to withholding tax at a 30% rate or a reduced rate specified by an applicable income tax treaty, if any, to the extent derived from investment income and short-term capital gains.  In order to obtain a reduced rate of withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will be required to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable tax form certifying its entitlement to benefits under a treaty.  The withholding tax does not apply to regular dividends paid to a non-U.S. shareholder who provides a Form W-8ECI, certifying that the dividends are effectively connected with the non-U.S. shareholder's conduct of a trade or business within the United States.  Instead, the effectively connected dividends will be subject to regular U.S. income tax as if the non-U.S. shareholder were a U.S. shareholder. A non-U.S. corporation receiving effectively connected dividends may also be subject to additional "branch profits tax" imposed at a rate of 30% (or, if applicable, a lower treaty rate).  A non-U.S. shareholder who fails to provide an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form may be subject to back-up withholding at the appropriate rate.  All non-U.S. shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the appropriate tax forms to provide to a fund to claim a reduced rate or exemption from U.S. federal withholding taxes, and the proper completion of those forms.

 

In general, and subject to the exceptions described below, U.S. withholding tax will not apply to any gain or income realized by a non-U.S. shareholder in respect of any distributions of net long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses, exempt-interest dividends or upon the sale or other disposition of shares of a fund.

 

For non-U.S. shareholders of a fund, a distribution by a fund that is attributable to the fund's receipt of certain capital gain distributions from a REIT and, for calendar years before 2012, gains from sales or exchanges of "United States real property interests" ("USRPIs") generally will be treated as "effectively connected" real property gain that is subject to tax in the hands of the non-U.S. shareholder at the graduated rates applicable to U.S. shareholders (subject to a special alternative minimum tax in the case of nonresident alien individuals), a potential 30% branch profits tax in the hands of a non-U.S. shareholder that is a corporation and a 35% withholding tax (which can be credited against the non-U.S. shareholder's direct U.S. tax liabilities) if the fund is a "United States real property holding corporation" (as such term is defined in the Code, and referred to herein as a "USRPHC") or would be but for the operation of certain exclusions.  An exception to such treatment is provided if the non-U.S. shareholder has not owned more than 5% of the class of stock of the fund in respect of which the distribution was made at any time during the one-year period ending on the date of the distribution.  In that case, the distribution generally is treated as an ordinary dividend subject to U.S. withholding tax at the rate of 30% (or lower treaty rate).  In addition, non-U.S. shareholders may be subject to certain tax filing requirements if the fund is a USRPHC.

 


 

 

 

Gains from the disposition of fund shares by a non-U.S. shareholder will be subject to withholding tax and treated as income effectively connected to a U.S. trade or business if at any time during the five-year period ending on the date of disposition (or if shorter, the non-U.S. shareholder's holding period for the shares), the fund was a USRPHC and the foreign shareholder actually or constructively held more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the fund.  Notwithstanding the foregoing, gains recognized upon a disposition of fund shares in calendar years before 2012 will not be subject to U.S. income or withholding taxes if the fund is "domestically controlled" (as such term is defined in the Code).

 

Non-U.S. shareholders that engage in certain "wash sale" and/or substitute dividend payment transactions the effect of which is to avoid the receipt of distributions from a fund that would be treated as gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business generally will be treated as having received such distributions. All shareholders of a fund should consult their tax advisors regarding the application of the foregoing rule.

 

For calendar years before 2012, a distribution of a USRPI in redemption of a non-U.S. shareholder's shares of a fund generally will cause that fund to recognize gain if the fund is considered "domestically controlled."  If a fund is required to recognize gain, the amount of gain recognized will equal a percentage of the excess of the fair market value of the distributed USRPI over the fund's adjusted basis in the distributed USRPI, with such percentage based on the greatest foreign ownership percentage of the fund during the five-year period ending on the date of the redemption.

 

For taxable years of RICs beginning before January 1, 2012, properly-designated dividends are generally exempt from U.S. federal withholding tax where they (i) are paid in respect of a fund's "qualified net interest income" (generally, the fund's U.S. source interest income, other than certain contingent interest and interest from obligations of a corporation or partnership in which the fund is at least a 10% shareholder, reduced by expenses that are allocable to such income) or (ii) are paid in respect of a fund's "qualified short-term capital gains" (generally, the excess of the fund's net short-term capital gain over the fund's long-term capital loss for such taxable year).  However, depending on its circumstances, a fund may designate all, some or none of its potentially eligible dividends as such qualified net interest income or as qualified short-term capital gains and/or treat such dividends, in whole or in part, as ineligible for this exemption from withholding. In order to qualify for this exemption from withholding, a non-U.S. shareholder will need to comply with applicable certification requirements relating to its non-U.S. status (including, in general, furnishing an IRS Form W-8BEN or other applicable form).  In the case of shares held through an intermediary, the intermediary may withhold even if a fund designates the payment as qualified net interest income or qualified short-term capital gain. Non-U.S. shareholders should contact their intermediaries with respect to the application of these rules to their accounts.

 


 

 

 

Under legislation that is generally effective in respect of payments made after December 31, 2012, certain payments of U.S. source interest, dividends, and other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits and income, as well as gross proceeds from the sale or disposition of property of a type that can produce U.S. source dividends and interest (all such payments, "withholdable payments"), which are made to a "foreign financial institution," which term may include certain non-U.S. shareholders of a fund, may be subject to a 30% withholding tax, if the foreign financial institution does not, among other things, comply, under an agreement with the Secretary of the Treasury or his/her delegate, with prescribed due diligence requirements necessary to determine which of its accounts (including equity interests in the foreign financial institution) are held by specified United States persons or United States owned foreign entities (such accounts, "United States accounts"), and prescribed reporting requirements in respect of its United States accounts. Further, a 30% withholding tax may apply in respect of payments by a foreign financial institution to certain account holders that do not comply with reasonable information requests aimed at enabling the foreign financial institution to identify its United States accounts and meet applicable reporting obligations. The legislation further imposes a 30% withholding tax on certain payments to non-financial foreign entities.  The scope of this legislation is not entirely clear and no assurance can be given that some or all of the income of a fund and certain of its shareholders will not be subject to any of the new withholding taxes or that information will not be required to be reported to the IRS in respect of a shareholder's interest in a fund.  To comply with the requirements of the legislation, a fund may, in appropriate circumstances, require shareholders to provide information and tax documentation regarding their direct and indirect owners.

 

The legislation also imposes information reporting requirements on individuals (and, to the extent provided in future regulations, certain domestic entities) that hold any interest in a "specified foreign financial asset" if the aggregate value of all such assets held by such individual exceeds $50,000.  Significant penalties can apply upon a failure to make the required disclosure and in respect of understatements of tax attributable to undisclosed foreign financial assets.  This information reporting requirement is generally applicable for taxable years beginning after March 18, 2010. The scope of this reporting requirement is not entirely clear and all shareholders should consult their own tax advisors as to whether reporting may be required in respect of their indirect interests in the investments of a fund.

 

All non-U.S. shareholders are advised to consult their own tax advisors with respect to the particular tax consequences to them of an investment in a fund.

 

Other Tax Matters. Special tax rules apply to investments through defined contribution plans and other tax-qualified plans. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the suitability of shares of a fund as an investment through such plans and the precise effect of such an investment in their particular tax situation.

 

 


 

 

Dividends, distributions and gains from the sale of fund shares may be subject to state, local and foreign taxes.  Shareholders are urged to consult their tax advisors regarding specific questions as to federal, state, local and, where applicable, foreign taxes.

 

PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

General. The Manager assumes general supervision over the placement of securities purchase and sale orders on behalf of the funds it manages. Funds managed by dual employees of the Manager and an affiliated entity, and funds that employ a sub-investment adviser, execute portfolio transactions through the trading desk of the affiliated entity (the "Trading Desk"). Those funds use the research facilities, and are subject to the internal policies and procedures, of applicable affiliated entity.

 

Debt securities purchased and sold by a fund generally are traded on a net basis (i.e., without a commission) through dealers acting for their own account and not as brokers, or otherwise involve transactions directly with the issuer of the instrument.  This means that a dealer makes a market for securities by offering to buy at one price and sell at a slightly higher price.  The difference between the prices is known as a "spread."  Other portfolio transactions may be executed through brokers acting as agents, which are typically paid a commission.

 

            The Trading Desk generally has the authority to select brokers (for equity securities) or dealers (for fixed income securities) and the commission rates or spreads to be paid.  Allocation of brokerage transactions is made in the best judgment of the Trading Desk and in a manner deemed fair and reasonable. In choosing brokers or dealers, the Trading Desk evaluates the ability of the broker or dealer to execute the transaction at the best combination of price and quality of execution. 

 

In general, brokers or dealers involved in the execution of portfolio transactions on behalf of a fund are selected on the basis of their professional capability and the value and quality of their services. The Trading Desk attempts to obtain best execution for the funds by choosing brokers or dealers to execute transactions based on a variety of factors, which may include, but are not limited to, the following: (i) price; (ii) liquidity; (iii) the nature and character of the relevant market for the security to be purchased or sold; (iv) the quality and efficiency of the broker's or dealer's execution; (v) the broker's or dealer's willingness to commit capital; (vi) the reliability of the broker or dealer in trade settlement and clearance; (vii) the level of counter-party risk (i.e., the broker's or dealer's financial condition); (viii) the commission rate or the spread; (ix) the value of research provided;  (x) the availability of electronic trade entry and reporting links; and (xi) the size and type of order (e.g., foreign or domestic security, large block, illiquid security).  In selecting brokers or dealers no factor is necessarily determinative; however, at various times and for various reasons, certain factors will be more important than others in determining which broker or dealer to use. Seeking to obtain best execution for all trades takes precedence over all other considerations.

 

            Investment decisions for one fund or account are made independently from those for other funds or accounts managed by the portfolio managers. Under the Trading Desk's procedures, portfolio managers and their corresponding Trading Desks may, but are not required to, seek to aggregate (or "bunch") orders that are placed or received concurrently for more than one fund or account, and available investments or opportunities for sales will be allocated equitably to each.  In some cases, this policy may adversely affect the size of the position obtained or sold or the price paid or received by a fund.  When transactions are aggregated, but it is not possible to receive the same price or execution on the entire volume of securities purchased or sold, the various prices may be averaged, and the fund will be charged or credited with the average price. 

 


 

 

 

            The portfolio managers will make investment decisions for the funds as they believe are in the best interests of the funds.  Investment decisions made for a fund may differ from, and may conflict with, investment decisions made for other funds and accounts advised by the Manager and its affiliated entities or a Sub-Adviser.  Actions taken with respect to such other funds or accounts may adversely impact a fund, and actions taken by a fund may benefit the Manager or its affiliates or a Sub-Adviser or other funds or accounts advised by the Manager or an affiliated entity or Sub-Adviser.  Funds and accounts managed by the Manager, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser may own significant positions in portfolio companies which, depending on market conditions, may affect adversely the ability to dispose of some or all of such positions.  Regulatory restrictions (including, but not limited to, those related to the aggregation of positions among other funds and accounts) and internal BNY Mellon policies, guidance or limitations (including, but not limited to, those related to the aggregation of positions among all fiduciary accounts managed or advised by BNY Mellon and all its affiliates (including the Manager) and the aggregated exposure of such accounts) may restrict investment activities of the funds.  While the allocation of investment opportunities among a fund and other funds and accounts advised by the Manager and its affiliated entities may raise potential conflicts because of financial, investment or other interests of BNY Mellon or its personnel, the portfolio managers will make allocation decisions consistent with the interests of the fund and other funds and accounts and not solely based on such other interests.

 

            Portfolio managers may deem it appropriate for one fund or account they manage to sell a security while another fund or account they manage is purchasing the same security. Under such circumstances, the portfolio managers may arrange to have the purchase and sale transactions effected directly between the funds and/or accounts ("cross transactions"). Cross transactions will be effected in accordance with procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act.

 

            The Manager, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser may buy for a fund securities of issuers in which other funds or accounts advised by the Manager, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser may have, or are making, an investment in the same issuer that are subordinate or senior to the securities purchased for the fund.  For example, a fund may invest in debt securities of an issuer at the same time that other funds or accounts are investing, or currently have an investment, in equity securities of the same issuer.  To the extent that the issuer experiences financial or operational challenges which may impact the price of its securities and its ability to meet its obligations, decisions by the Manager, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser relating to what actions are to be taken may raise conflicts of interests and the Manager, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser, as applicable, may take actions for certain funds or accounts that have negative impacts on other funds or accounts. 

 


 

 

 

            Portfolio turnover may vary from year to year as well as within a year.  In periods in which extraordinary market conditions prevail, portfolio managers will not be deterred from changing a fund's investment strategy as rapidly as needed, in which case higher turnover rates can be anticipated which would result in greater brokerage expenses. The overall reasonableness of brokerage commissions paid is evaluated by the Trading Desk based upon its knowledge of available information as to the general level of commissions paid by other institutional investors for comparable services.  Higher portfolio turnover rates usually generate additional brokerage commissions and transaction costs, and any short-term gains realized from these transactions are taxable to shareholders as ordinary income.

 

            To the extent that a fund invests in foreign securities, certain of such fund's transactions in those securities may not benefit from the negotiated commission rates available to funds for transactions in securities of domestic issuers. For funds that permit foreign exchange transactions, such transactions are made with banks or institutions in the interbank market at prices reflecting a mark-up or mark-down and/or commission.

 

The Manager (and where applicable, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser) may utilize the services of an affiliate to effect certain client transactions when it determines that the use of such affiliate is consistent with its fiduciary obligations, including its obligation to obtain best execution, and the transactions are in the best interests of its clients.  Procedures have been adopted in conformity with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to provide that all brokerage commissions paid by the funds to the Manager (or, where applicable, an affiliated entity or a Sub-Adviser) are reasonable and fair.

Brokerage Commissions. The Company contemplates that, consistent with the policy of obtaining the most favorable net price, brokerage transactions may be conducted through the Manager (and where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate) or their affiliates.  The Company's Board has adopted procedures in conformity with Rule 17e-1 under the 1940 Act to ensure that all brokerage commissions paid to the Manager (and where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate) are reasonable and fair.

For the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010, amounts paid by the Funds for brokerage commissions, gross spreads and concessions on principal transactions, none of which was paid directly to the Manager or the Distributor, were as follows:

 

Name of Fund

Brokerage Commissions Paid

Gross Spreads and Concessions

 

2008

2009

2010

2008

2009

 

2010

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

$928,248

$1,230,037

$546,610

$111,723

$43,565

$0

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund

$662,319

$155,817

$330,276

$1,735

$0

$14,179

 

 


 

 

The aggregate dollar amount of brokerage commissions paid by the Funds differed materially between the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010 as a result of a significant difference in the amount of securities purchased by the respective Fund during those periods.      

 

There were no brokerage commissions paid by the Funds to Dreyfus or its affiliates for the fiscal years ended December 31, 2008, 2009 and 2010.

 

Soft Dollars.  The term "soft dollars" is commonly understood to refer to arrangements where an investment adviser uses client (or fund) brokerage commissions to pay for research and other services to be used by the investment adviser. Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 provides a "safe harbor" that permits investment advisers to enter into soft dollar arrangements if the investment adviser determines in good faith that the amount of the commission is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided.  Eligible products and services under Section 28(e) include those that provide lawful and appropriate assistance to the investment adviser in the performance of its investment decision-making responsibilities.

 

Subject to the policy of seeking best execution, Dreyfus-managed funds may execute transactions with brokerage firms that provide research services and products, as defined in Section 28(e).  Any and all research products and services received in connection with brokerage commissions will be used to assist the applicable affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser in its investment decision-making responsibilities, as contemplated under Section 28(e).  Under certain conditions, higher brokerage commissions may be paid in connection with certain transactions in return for research products and services. 

The products and services provided under these arrangements permit the Trading Desk to supplement its own research and analysis activities, and provide it with information from individuals and research staffs of many securities firms.  Such services and products may include, but are not limited to the following:  fundamental research reports (which may discuss, among other things, the value of securities, or the advisability of investing in, purchasing or selling securities, or the availability of securities or the purchasers or sellers of securities, or issuers, industries, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy and performance); current market data and news; technical and portfolio analyses; economic forecasting and interest rate projections; and historical information on securities and companies.  The Trading Desk also may defray the costs of certain services and communication systems that facilitate trade execution (such as on-line quotation systems, direct data feeds from stock exchanges and on-line trading systems with brokerage commissions generated by client transactions) or functions related thereto (such as clearance and settlement).  Some of the research products or services received by the Trading Desk may have both a research function and a non-research administrative function (a "mixed use").  If the Trading Desk determines that any research product or service has a mixed use, the Trading Desk will allocate in good faith the cost of such service or product accordingly.  The portion of the product or service that the Trading Desk determines will assist it in the investment decision-making process may be paid for in soft dollars.  The non-research portion is paid for by the Trading Desk in hard dollars. 

 


 

 

The Trading Desk generally considers the amount and nature of research, execution and other services provided by brokerage firms, as well as the extent to which such services are relied on, and attempts to allocate a portion of the brokerage business of its clients on the basis of that consideration.  Neither the services nor the amount of brokerage given to a particular brokerage firm are made pursuant to any agreement or commitment with any of the selected firms that would bind the Trading Desk to compensate the selected brokerage firm for research provided. The Trading Desk endeavors, but is not legally obligated, to direct sufficient commissions to broker/dealers that have provided it with research and other services to ensure continued receipt of research the Trading Desk believes is useful.  Actual commissions received by a brokerage firm may be more or less than the suggested allocations.

There may be no correlation between the amount of brokerage commissions generated by a particular fund or client and the indirect benefits received by that fund or client.  The affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser may receive a benefit from the research services and products that is not passed on to a fund in the form of a direct monetary benefit.  Further, research services and products may be useful to the affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser in providing investment advice to any of the funds or clients it advises.  Likewise, information made available to the affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser from brokerage firms effecting securities transactions for a fund may be utilized on behalf of another fund or client.  Information so received is in addition to, and not in lieu of, services required to be performed by the affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser and fees are not reduced as a consequence of the receipt of such supplemental information.  Although the receipt of such research services does not reduce the normal independent research activities of the affiliated entity or sub-investment adviser, it enables them to avoid the additional expenses that might otherwise be incurred if it were to attempt to develop comparable information through its own staff.  During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2010, the aggregate amount of transactions in securities effected on an agency basis through a broker-dealer for, among other things, research services were $488,198,894 for Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund and $199,242,378 for Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund. The commissions and concessions related to such transactions were $474,831 for Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund and $211,311 for Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund.

 

IPO Allocations.  Certain funds advised by the Manager (and where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate) may participate in IPOs.  In deciding whether to purchase an IPO, the Manager (and where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate) generally considers the capitalization characteristics of the security, as well as other characteristics of the security, and identifies funds and accounts with investment objectives and strategies consistent with such a purchase.  Generally, as more IPOs involve small- and mid-cap companies, the funds and accounts with a small- and mid-cap focus may participate in more IPOs than funds and accounts with a large-cap focus.  The Manager (and where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate), when consistent with the fund's and/or account's investment guidelines, generally will allocate shares of an IPO on a pro rata basis.  In the case of "hot" IPOs, where the Manager (and if applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate) only receives a partial allocation of the total amount requested, those shares will be distributed fairly and equitably among participating funds or accounts managed by the Manager (or where applicable, a sub-adviser or Dreyfus affiliate).  "Hot" IPOs raise special allocation concerns because opportunities to invest in such issues are limited as they are often oversubscribed.  The distribution of the partial allocation among funds and/or accounts will be based on relevant net asset values.  Shares will be allocated on a pro rata basis to all appropriate funds and accounts, subject to a minimum allocation based on trading, custody, and other associated costs.  International hot IPOs may not be allocated on a pro rata basis due transaction costs, market liquidity and other factors unique to international markets.

 


 

 

Regular Broker-Dealers.  Each Fund may acquire securities issued by one or more of its "regular brokers or dealers," as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act.  Rule 10b-1 provides that a "regular broker or dealer" is one of the ten brokers or dealers that, during the Fund's most recent fiscal year (i) received the greatest dollar amount of brokerage commissions from participating, either directly or indirectly, in the Fund's portfolio transactions, (ii) engaged as principal in the largest dollar amount of the Fund's portfolio transactions or (iii) sold the largest dollar amount of the Fund's securities.  The following is a list of the issuers of the securities and the aggregate value per issuer, as of December 31, 2010, of such securities:

 

Fund

Name of Regular Broker or Dealer

Aggregate Value Per Issuer

 

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund

Morgan Stanley

$1,850,000

 

Disclosure of Portfolio Holdings.  It is the policy of Dreyfus to protect the confidentiality of fund portfolio holdings and prevent the selective disclosure of non-public information about such holdings.  Each fund, or its duly authorized service providers, publicly discloses its portfolio holdings in accordance with regulatory requirements, such as periodic portfolio disclosure in filings with the SEC.  Each non-money market fund, or its duly authorized service providers, may publicly disclose its complete schedule of portfolio holdings at month-end, with a one-month lag, at www.dreyfus.com.  In addition, fifteen days following the end of each calendar quarter, each non-money market fund, or its duly authorized service providers, may publicly disclose on the website its complete schedule of portfolio holdings as of the end of such quarter.  Each money market fund will disclose daily on www.dreyfus.com the fund's complete schedule of holdings as of the end of the previous business day.  The schedule of holdings will remain on the website until the date on which the fund files its Form N-Q or Form N-CSR for the period that includes the date of the posted holdings.

 

If a fund's portfolio holdings are released pursuant to an ongoing arrangement with any party, such fund must have a legitimate business purpose for doing so, and neither the fund, nor Dreyfus or its affiliates, may receive any compensation in connection with an arrangement to make available information about the fund's portfolio holdings.  Funds may distribute portfolio holdings to mutual fund evaluation services such as Standard & Poor's, Morningstar or Lipper Analytical Services; due diligence departments of broker-dealers and wirehouses that regularly analyze the portfolio holdings of mutual funds before their public disclosure; and broker-dealers that may be used by the fund, for the purpose of efficient trading and receipt of relevant research, provided that: (a) the recipient does not distribute the portfolio holdings to persons who are likely to use the information for purposes of purchasing or selling fund shares or fund portfolio holdings before the portfolio holdings become public information; and (b) the recipient signs a written confidentiality agreement.

 


 

 

Funds may also disclose any and all portfolio information to their service providers and others who generally need access to such information in the performance of their contractual duties and responsibilities and are subject to duties of confidentiality, including a duty not to trade on non-public information, imposed by law and/or contract.  These service providers include the fund's custodian, independent registered public accounting firm, investment adviser, administrator and each of their respective affiliates and advisers.

Disclosure of portfolio holdings may be authorized only by the Company's Chief Compliance Officer, and any exceptions to this policy are reported quarterly to the Company's Board.

SUMMARY OF THE PROXY VOTING POLICY, PROCEDURES AND GUIDELINES OF THE DREYFUS FAMILY OF FUNDS

            The Board of each fund in the Dreyfus Family of Funds has delegated to Dreyfus the authority to vote proxies of companies held in the fund's portfolio. Dreyfus, through its participation on the BNY Mellon Proxy Policy Committee (the "PPC"), applies BNY Mellon's Proxy Voting Policy, related procedures, and voting guidelines when voting proxies on behalf of the funds.

 

            Dreyfus recognizes that an investment adviser is a fiduciary that owes its clients a duty of utmost good faith and full and fair disclosure of all material facts.  Dreyfus further recognizes that the right to vote proxies is an asset, just as the economic investment represented by the shares is an asset.  An investment adviser's duty of loyalty precludes an adviser from subrogating its clients' interests to its own.  Accordingly, in voting proxies, Dreyfus seeks to act solely in the best financial and economic interests of the funds. 

 

            Dreyfus seeks to avoid material conflicts of interest through its participation in the PPC, which applies detailed, pre-determined proxy voting guidelines in an objective and consistent manner across client accounts, based on internal and external research and recommendations provided by third party vendors, and without consideration of any client relationship factors.  Further, Dreyfus engages a third party as an independent fiduciary to vote all proxies for Fund securities. 

 

            Each proxy is reviewed, categorized and analyzed in accordance with the PPC’s written guidelines in effect from time to time.  The guidelines are reviewed periodically and updated as necessary to reflect new issues and changes to the PPC’s policies on specific issues.  Items that can be categorized will be voted in accordance with any applicable guidelines or referred to the PPC, if the applicable guidelines so require.  Proposals for which a guideline has not yet been established are referred to the PPC for discussion and vote.  Additionally, the PPC may elect to review any proposal where it has identified a particular issue for special scrutiny in light of new information. The PPC will also consider specific interests and issues raised by a fund, which interests and issues may require that a vote for a fund be cast differently from the collective vote in order to act in the best interests of such fund.

 


 

 

 

            Dreyfus believes that a shareholder’s role in the governance of a publicly-held company is generally limited to monitoring the performance of the company and its managers and voting on matters which properly come to a shareholder vote.  Dreyfus carefully reviews proposals that would limit shareholder control or could affect shareholder values.

 

            Dreyfus generally opposes proposals that seem designed to insulate management unnecessarily from the wishes of a majority of the shareholders and that would lead to a determination of a company’s future by a minority of its shareholders.  Dreyfus generally supports proposals that seem to have as their primary purpose providing management with temporary or short-term insulation from outside influences so as to enable them to bargain effectively with potential suitors and otherwise achieve identified long-term goals to the extent such proposals are discrete and not bundled with other proposals.

 

            On questions of social responsibility where economic performance does not appear to be an issue, Dreyfus attempts to ensure that management reasonably responds to the social issues.  Responsiveness is measured by management's efforts to address the particular social issue including, where appropriate, assessment of the implications of the proposal to the ongoing operations of the company. Dreyfus pays particular attention to repeat issues where management has failed in its commitment to take specific actions.  With respect to funds having investment policies that require proxies to be cast in a certain manner on particular social responsibility issues, Dreyfus votes such issues in accordance with those investment policies.

 

Information regarding how Dreyfus voted proxies for the funds is available on the Dreyfus website at www.dreyfus.com  and on the SEC’s website at www.SEC.gov  on the fund’s Form N-PX.

INFORMATION ABOUT THE COMPANY AND FUNDS

Each Fund share has one vote and, when-issued and paid for in accordance with the terms of the offering, is fully paid and non-assessable.  Fund shares have equal rights as to dividends and in liquidation.  Shares have no preemptive or subscription rights and are freely transferable.

Unless otherwise required by the 1940 Act, ordinarily it will not be necessary for the Company to hold annual meetings of shareholders.  As a result, shareholders may not consider each year the election of Board members or the appointment of auditors.  However, the holders of at least 10% of the shares outstanding and entitled to vote may require the Company to hold a special meeting of shareholders for purposes of removing a Board member from office.  Shareholders may remove a Board member by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Company's outstanding voting shares.  In addition, the Board will call a meeting of shareholders for the purpose of electing Board members if, at any time, less than a majority of the Board members then holding office have been elected by shareholders.

 


 

 

The Company is a "series fund," which is a mutual fund divided into separate portfolios, each of which is treated as a separate entity for certain matters under the 1940 Act and for other purposes. A shareholder of one portfolio is not deemed to be a shareholder of any other portfolio.  For certain matters shareholders vote together as a group; as to others they vote separately by portfolio.

To date, the Board has authorized the creation of two series of shares.  All consideration received by the Company for shares of a series, and all assets in which such consideration is invested, will belong to that series (subject only to the rights of creditors of the Company) and will be subject to the liabilities related thereto.  The income attributable to, and the expenses of, a series will be treated separately from those of the other series of the Company.  The Company has the ability to create, from time to time, new series without shareholder approval.

Rule 18f-2 under the 1940 Act provides that any matter required to be submitted under the provisions of the 1940 Act or applicable state law or otherwise to the holders of the outstanding voting securities of an investment company, such as the Company, will not be deemed to have been effectively acted upon unless approved by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of each series affected by such matter.  Rule 18f-2 further provides that a series shall be deemed to be affected by a matter unless it is clear that the interests of each series in the matter are identical or that the matter does not affect any interest of such series.  Rule
18f-2 exempts the selection of the independent registered public accounting firm and the election of Board members from the separate voting requirements of the Rule.

Each Fund is intended to be a long-term investment vehicle and is not designed to provide investors with a means of speculating on short-term market movements.  A pattern of frequent purchases and exchanges can be disruptive to efficient portfolio management and, consequently, can be detrimental to a Fund's performance and its shareholders. If Fund management determines that an investor is following an abusive investment strategy, it may reject any purchase request, or terminate the investor's exchange privilege, with or without prior notice.  Such investors also may be barred from purchasing shares of other funds in the Dreyfus Family of Funds.  Accounts under common ownership or control may be considered as one account for purposes of determining a pattern of excessive or abusive trading.  In addition, a Fund may refuse or restrict purchase or exchange requests for Fund shares by any person or group if, in the judgment of Fund management, the Fund would be unable to invest the money effectively in accordance with its investment objective and policies or could otherwise be adversely affected or if the Fund receives or anticipates receiving simultaneous orders that may significantly affect the Fund.  If an exchange request is refused, the Company will take no other action with respect to Fund shares until it receives further instructions from the investor.  While the Company will take reasonable steps to prevent excessive short term trading deemed to be harmful to a Fund, it may not be able to identify excessive trading conducted through certain financial intermediaries or omnibus accounts.

 


 

 

The Company will send annual and semi-annual financial statements to all of its shareholders.

On February 22, 2002, Dreyfus Founders Focus Fund was merged into Dreyfus Founders Growth Fund.  On December 22, 2004, Dreyfus Founders Growth and Income Fund changed its name to Dreyfus Founders Equity Growth Fund.  On August 10, 2007, Dreyfus Founders Growth Fund was merged into Dreyfus Founders Equity Growth Fund.  On December 1, 2008, Dreyfus Founders Funds, Inc. changed its name to Dreyfus Funds, Inc.  In connection with that change, each Fund changed its name by removing the word "Founders" from its name, and the Worldwide Growth Fund changed the word "Worldwide" to "Global" in its name.

The following shareholders are known by the Company to own of record 5% or more of a Class of the indicated Fund's shares outstanding voting securities as of April 4, 2011.  A shareholder who beneficially owns, directly or indirectly, more than 25% of a Fund's voting securities may be deemed a "control person" (as defined in the 1940 Act) of the Fund. 

 


Name and Address

Percentage of
Outstanding Shares

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund – Class A

 

 

 

National Financial Services

82 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA, 02109-3605

8.3747%

 

 

CitiGroup Global Markets, Inc.

333 West 34th Street

New York, NY 10001-2402

9.3446%

 

 

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Attn.: Mutual Funds Dept.

101 Montgomery Street

San Francisco, CA 94101-4151

12.0649%

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund – Class B

 

 

 

Pershing LLC

P.O. Box 2052

Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052

6.2468%

 

 

CitiGroup Global Markets, Inc.

333 West 34th Street

New York, NY 10001-2402

21.1166%

 

 

UBS WM USA

499 Washington Blvd

Jersey City, NJ 0731-1995

9.5200%

 

 

American Enterprise Investment SVC

P.O Box 9446

Minneapolis, MN 55440-9446

16.7630%

 

 

TD Ameritrade Clearing, Inc.

P.O. Box 2226

Omaha, NE 68103-2226

7.1400%

 

 

 

LPL Financial Services

9785 Towne Centre Drive

San Diego, CA 92121-1968

9.9337%

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund – Class C

 

 

 

National Financial Services

82 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA, 02109-3605

10.1016%

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

61.3179%

 

 

Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund – Class I

 

 

 

Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co.

100 Magellan Way

Covington, KY 41015-1999

47.8329%

 

 

 

Pershing LLC

P.O. Box 2052

Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052

9.0304%

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

8.6486%

 

 

First Clearing, LLC

10750 Wheat First Drive

Glen Allen, VA 23060-924

25.4009%

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Class A

 

 

 

National Financial Services

82 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA, 02109-3605

18.6209%

 

 

Pershing LLC

P.O. Box 2052

Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052’

5.1707%

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

6.3193%

 

 

 

Nationwide Trust Company

P.O. Box 182029

Columbus, OH 43218-2029

6.6543%

 

First Clearing, LLC

10750 Wheat First Drive

Glen Allen, VA 23060-924

12.6234%

 

 

LPL Financial

9785 Towne Centre Drive

San Diego, CA 92121-1968

15.4920%

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Class B

 

 

 

National Financial Services

82 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA, 02109-3605

9.8939%

 

 

 

CitiGroup Global Markets, Inc.

333 West 34th Street

New York, NY 10001-2402

8.4689%

 

 

 

Pershing LLC

P.O. Box 2052

Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052’

13.6358%

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

7.8501%

 

 

 

Morgan Stanley & Co.

Harbor side Financial Center Plaza 2

3rd Floor

Jersey City, NJ 07311

5.2647%

 

 

UBS WM USA

499 Washington Blvd

Jersey City, NJ 0731-1995

20.7278%

 

 

First Clearing, LLC

10750 Wheat First Drive

Glen Allen, VA 23060-924

 

19.8543%

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Class C

 

 

 

CitiGroup Global Markets, Inc.

333 West 34th Street

New York, NY 10001-2402

18.6263%

 

 

 

Pershing LLC

P.O. Box 2052

Jersey City, NJ 07303-2052’

6.9828%

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

 

26.8671%

 

Morgan Stanley & Co.

Harbor side Financial Center Plaza 2

3rd Floor

Jersey City, NJ 0731

8.6442%

 

 

First Clearing, LLC

10750 Wheat First Drive

Glen Allen, VA 23060-9243

13.5343%

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Class I

 

 

 

Fidelity Investments Institutional Operations Co.

100 Magellan Way

Covington, KY 41015-1999

 

13.7422%

National Financial Services

82 Devonshire Street

Boston, MA, 02109-3605

26.7177%

 

 

 

Merrill Lynch

4800 Deer Lake Drive East

Jacksonville, FL 32246-6484

19.9207%

 

 

First Clearing, LLC

10750 Wheat First Drive

Glen Allen, VA 23060-9243

13.4652%

 

 

Frontier Trust Company

P.O. Box 10758

Fargo, ND 58106-0758

5.8471%

 

 

Sunflower Bank

1251 Waterfront Pl., Suite 525

Pittsburgh, PA 15222-4228

5.1325%

 

 

Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund – Class F

 

 

 

National Financial Services

P.O. Box 3908

Church Street Station

New York, NY 10008-3908

8.5747%

 

 

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Attn.: Mutual Funds

101 Montgomery Street

San Francisco, CA 94101-4151

11.7084%

 


 

 

 

COUNSEL AND INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

K&L Gates LLP, 1601 K Street N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006-1600, has passed upon the legality of the shares offered by the relevant Fund Prospectus and this Statement of Additional Information.

 

Stroock & Stroock & Lavan LLP, 180 Maiden Lane, New York, New York 10038-4982, serves as counsel to the Independent Board members of the Company.

KPMG LLP, 345 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10154, an independent registered public accounting firm, was appointed by the Directors to serve as the Funds' independent registered public accounting firm for the year ending December 31, 2011, providing audit and other services including (1) examination of the annual financial statements, (2) review in connection with SEC filings and (3) review of the annual federal income tax return filed on behalf of the Funds.

 


 

 

APPENDIX A

RATING CATEGORIES

 

The following is a description of certain ratings assigned by S&P, Moody's, Fitch and DBRS.

 

S&P

            An S&P 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's view of the obligor's capacity and willingness to meet its financial commitments as they come due, and 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 ratings are generally assigned to those obligations considered short-term in the relevant market. In the U.S., for example, that means obligations with an original maturity of no more than 365 days¾including commercial paper. Short-term ratings also are used to indicate the creditworthiness of an obligor with respect to put features on long-term obligations. The result is a dual rating, in which the short-term rating addresses the put feature, in addition to the usual long-term rating.  Medium-term notes are assigned long-term ratings.

 

Long-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

Issue credit ratings are based, in varying degrees, on S&P's analysis of the following considerations:

 

·         likelihood of payment¾capacity and willingness of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on an obligation in accordance with the terms of the obligation;

·         nature of and provisions of the obligation; and

·         protection afforded by, and relative position of, the obligation in the event of bankruptcy, reorganization or other arrangement under the laws of bankruptcy and other laws affecting creditors' rights.

 

Issue ratings are 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 the 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.)

 

An obligation rated "AAA" has the highest rating assigned by S&P.  The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation is extremely strong.

 

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.

 

 


 

 

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 commitment on the obligation is still strong.

 

An obligation rated "BBB" exhibits adequate protection parameters.  However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

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 exposures to adverse conditions.

 

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 which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

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

 

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 commitment 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 commitment on the obligation.

 

An obligation rated "CC" is currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment.

 

A "C" rating is assigned to obligations that are currently highly vulnerable to nonpayment, obligations that have payment arrearages allowed by the terms of the documents or obligations of an issuer that is the subject of a bankruptcy petition or similar action which have not experienced a payment default. Among others, the "C" rating may be assigned to subordinated debt, preferred stock or other obligations on which cash payments have been suspended in accordance with the instrument's terms or when preferred stock is the subject of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

An obligation rated "D" is in payment default. The "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period.  The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.  An obligation's rating is lowered to "D" upon completion of a distressed exchange offer, whereby some or all of the issue is either repurchased for an amount of cash or replaced by other instruments having a total value that is less than par.

 

Note:  The ratings from "AA" to "CCC" may be modified by the addition of a plus (+) or minus (-) sign to show relative standing within the major rating categories.

 

 


 

 

An "NR" indicates that no rating has been requested, that there is insufficient information on which to base a rating, or that S&P does not rate a particular obligation as a matter of policy.

 

Short-Term Issue Credit Ratings

 

A short-term obligation rated "A-1" is rated in the highest category by S&P. The obligor's capacity to meet its financial commitment 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 commitment on these obligations is extremely strong.

 

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 commitment on the obligation is satisfactory.

 

A short-term obligation rated "A-3" exhibits adequate protection parameters.  However, adverse economic conditions or changing circumstances are more likely to lead to a weakened capacity of the obligor to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

A short-term obligation rated "B" is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics.  Ratings of "B-1," "B-2," and "B-3" may be assigned to indicate finer distinctions within the "B" category.  The obligor currently has the capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation; however, it faces major ongoing uncertainties which could lead to the obligor's inadequate capacity to meet its financial commitment on the obligation.

 

A short-term obligation rated "B-1" is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, but the obligor has a relatively stronger capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

A short-term obligation rated "B-2" is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has an average speculative-grade capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

A short-term obligation rated "B-3" is regarded as having significant speculative characteristics, and the obligor has a relatively weaker capacity to meet its financial commitments over the short-term compared to other speculative-grade obligors.

 

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 commitment on the obligation.

 

A short-term obligation rated "D" is in payment default. The "D" rating category is used when payments on an obligation, including a regulatory capital instrument, are not made on the date due even if the applicable grace period has not expired, unless S&P believes that such payments will be made during such grace period. The "D" rating also will be used upon the filing of a bankruptcy petition or the taking of a similar action if payments on an obligation are jeopardized.

 

Municipal Short-Term Note Ratings Definitions

An S&P U.S. municipal note rating reflects S&P's 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 analysis will review the following considerations:

 


 

 

 

·         amortization schedule¾the larger the final maturity relative to other maturities, the more likely it will be treated as a note; and

·         source of payment¾the more dependent the issue is on the market for its refinancing, the more likely it will be treated as a note.

 

Note rating symbols are as follows:

 

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.

 

SP-3     Speculative capacity to pay principal and interest.

Moody's

Long-Term Obligation Ratings and Definitions

Moody's long-term obligation ratings are opinions of the relative credit risk of fixed income obligations with an original maturity of one year or more.  They address the possibility that a financial obligation will not be honored as promised. Such ratings reflect both the likelihood of default and any financial loss suffered in the event of default.

  

Obligations rated "Aaa" are judged to be of the highest quality, with minimal credit risk. Obligations rated "Aa" are judged to be of high quality and are subject to very low credit risk.

 

Obligations rated "A" are considered upper-medium grade and are subject to low credit risk.

 

Obligations rated "Baa" are subject to moderate credit risk. They are considered medium-grade and as such may possess certain speculative characteristics.

 

Obligations rated "Ba" are judged to have speculative elements and are subject to substantial credit risk.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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.

 


 

 

 

Short-Term Ratings

Moody's short-term ratings are opinions of the ability of issuers to honor short-term financial obligations.  Ratings may be assigned to issuers, short-term programs or to individual short-term debt instruments.  Such obligations generally have an original maturity not exceeding thirteen months, unless explicitly noted.

 

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

 

P-1

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-1 have a superior ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

 

P-2

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-2 have a strong ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

 

P-3

Issuers (or supporting institutions) rated Prime-3 have an acceptable ability to repay short-term debt obligations.

 

 

NP

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

Fitch

Corporate Finance Obligations — Long-Term Rating Scales

Ratings of individual securities or financial obligations of a corporate issuer address relative vulnerability to default on an ordinal scale.  In addition, for financial obligations in corporate finance, a measure of recovery given default on that liability also is included in the rating assessment. This notably applies to covered bond ratings, which incorporate both an indication of the probability of default and of the recovery given a default of this debt instrument.

 

The relationship between issuer scale and obligation scale assumes an historical average recovery of between 30%–50% on the senior, unsecured obligations of an issuer.  As a result, individual obligations of entities, such as corporations, are assigned ratings higher, lower or the same as that entity's issuer rating. 

 

Highest credit quality:  "AAA" ratings denote the lowest expectation of credit 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.

 

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

 

High credit quality:  "A" ratings denote expectations of low credit 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.

 

 


 

 

Good credit quality:  "BBB" ratings indicate that expectations of credit 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:  "BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to credit risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time; however, business or financial alternatives may be available to allow financial commitments to be met.

 

Highly speculative:  "B" ratings indicate that material credit risk is present.

 

Substantial credit risk:  "CCC" ratings indicate that substantial credit risk is present.

Very high levels of credit risk:  "CC" ratings indicate very high levels of credit risk.

 

Exceptionally high levels of credit risk:  "C" indicates exceptionally high levels of credit risk.

 

Defaulted obligations typically are not assigned "D" ratings, but are instead rated in the "B" to "C" rating categories, depending upon their recovery prospects and other relevant characteristics.  This approach better aligns obligations that have comparable overall expected loss but varying vulnerability to default and loss.

 

Note:  The modifiers "+" or "-" may be appended to a rating to denote relative status within major rating categories.  Such suffixes are not added to the "AAA" obligation rating category, or to corporate finance obligation ratings in the categories below "B."

 

Structured, Project & Public Finance Obligations — Long-Term Rating Scales

Ratings of structured finance, project finance and public finance obligations on the long-term scale, including the financial obligations of sovereigns, consider the obligations' relative vulnerability to default. These ratings are typically assigned to an individual security or tranche in a transaction and not to an issuer.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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.

 

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:  "BB" ratings indicate an elevated vulnerability to default risk, particularly in the event of adverse changes in business or economic conditions over time.

 

 


 

 

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.

 

Substantial credit risk:  "CCC" indicates that default is a real possibility.

 

Very high levels of credit risk:  "CC" indicates that default of some kind appears probable.

 

Exceptionally high levels of credit risk:  "C" indicates that default appears imminent or inevitable.

 

Default:  "D" indicates a default.  Default generally is defined as one of the following:

 

·         failure to make payment of principal and/or interest under the contractual terms of the rated obligation;

·         the bankruptcy filings, administration, receivership, liquidation or other winding-up or cessation of the business of an issuer/obligor; or

 

·         the coercive exchange of an obligation, where creditors were offered securities with diminished structural or economic terms compared with the existing obligation.

Short-Term Ratings Assigned to Obligations in Corporate, Public and Structured Finance

A short-term issuer or obligation rating is based in all cases on the short-term vulnerability to default of the rated entity or security stream and relates to the capacity to meet financial obligations in accordance with the documentation governing the relevant obligation.  Short-term ratings are assigned to obligations whose initial maturity is viewed as "short-term" based on market convention.  Typically, this means up to 13 months for corporate, sovereign and structured obligations, and up to 36 months for obligations in U.S. public finance markets.

 

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

 

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

 

Fair short-term credit quality: "F3" indicates that the intrinsic capacity for timely payment of financial commitments is adequate.

 

Speculative short-term credit quality: "B" indicates minimal capacity for timely payment of financial commitments, plus heightened vulnerability to near term adverse changes in financial and economic conditions.

 

High short-term default risk:  "C" indicates that default is a real possibility.

 

Restricted default:  "RD" indicates an entity that has defaulted on one or more of its financial commitments, although it continues to meet other financial obligations.  Applicable to entity ratings only.

Default: "D" indicates a broad-based default event for an entity, or the default of a specific short-term obligation.

 

 


 

 

DBRS

 

Long Term Obligations

 

The DBRS long-term rating scale provides an opinion on the risk of default.  That is, the risk that an issuer will fail to satisfy its financial obligations in accordance with the terms under which an obligation has been issued.  Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer, and the relative ranking of claims.  All ratings categories other than AAA and D also contain subcategories "(high)" and "(low)."  The absence of either a "(high)" or "(low)" designation indicates the rating is in the middle of the category.

  

Long-term debt rated "AAA" is considered to be of the highest credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is exceptionally high and unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

Long-term debt rated "AA" is considered to be of superior credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered high.  Credit quality differs from AAA only to a small degree.  Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

 

Long-term debt rated "A" is considered to be of good credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is substantial, but of lesser credit quality than AA.  May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

 

Long-term debt rated "BBB" is considered to be of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of financial obligations is considered acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events.

 

Long-term debt rated "BB" is considered to be of speculative, non-investment-grade credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of future obligations is uncertain.  Vulnerable to future events.

Long-term debt rated "B" is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality.  There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet financial obligations.

 

Long-term debt rated "CCC," "CC" or "C" is of very highly speculative credit quality.  In danger of defaulting on financial obligations.  There is little difference between these three categories, although CC and C ratings are normally applied to obligations that are seen as highly likely to default, or subordinated to obligations rated in the CCC to B range.  Obligations in respect of which default has not technically taken place but is considered inevitable may be rated in the C category.

 

A "D" rating implies a financial obligation has not been met or it is clear that a financial obligation will not met in the near future or a debt instrument has been subject to a distressed exchange.  A downgrade to D may not immediately follow an insolvency or restructuring filing as grace periods or extenuating circumstances may exist.

 

Commercial Paper and Short Term Debt

 

The DBRS short-term debt rating scale provides an opinion on the risk that an issuer will not meet its short-term financial obligations in a timely manner.  Ratings are based on quantitative and qualitative considerations relevant to the issuer and the relative ranking of claims.  The R-1 and R-2 rating are further denoted by the subcategories "(high)," "(middle)" and "(low)."

 

Short-term debt rated "R-1 (high)" is considered to be of the highest credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is exceptionally high.  Unlikely to be adversely affected by future events.

 


 

 

 

Short-term debt rated "R-1 (middle)" is considered to be of superior credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is very high.  Differs from R-1 (high) by a relatively modest degree.  Unlikely to be significantly vulnerable to future events.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-1 (low)" is considered to be of good credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is substantial.  Overall strength is not as favorable as higher rating categories.  May be vulnerable to future events, but qualifying negative factors are considered manageable.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-2 (high)" is considered to be at the upper end of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-2 (middle)" is considered to be of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events or may be exposed to other factors that could reduce credit quality.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-2 (low)" is considered to be at the lower end of adequate credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is acceptable.  May be vulnerable to future events.  A number of challenges are present that could affect the issuer's ability to meet such obligations. Short-term debt rated "R-3" is considered to be at the lowest end of adequate credit quality.  There is a capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due.  May be vulnerable to future events and the certainty of meeting such obligations could be impacted by a variety of developments.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-4" is considered to be of speculative credit quality.  The capacity for the payment of short-term financial obligations as they fall due is uncertain.

 

Short-term debt rated "R-5" is considered to be of highly speculative credit quality.  There is a high level of uncertainty as to the capacity to meet short-term financial obligations as they fall due.

 

A security rated "D" implies that a financial obligation has not been met or it is clear that a financial obligation will not met in the near future, or a debt instrument has been subject to a distressed exchange. A downgrade to D may not immediately follow an insolvency or restructuring filing as grace periods, other procedural considerations or extenuating circumstances may exist.

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

PART C: OTHER INFORMATION

Item 28. Exhibits

     

(a)

(1)

Articles of Incorporation of Founders Funds, Inc.,
dated June 19, 1987.1

 

(2)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed November 25, 1987.1

 

(3)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed February 25, 1988.1

 

(4)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed December 12, 1989.1

 

(5)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed May 3, 1990.1

 

(6)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed September 22, 1993.1

 

(7)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed December 27, 1995.1

 

(8)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed May 20,1996.2

 

(9)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed October 21, 1996.2

 

(10)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed April 9, 1997.3

 

(11)

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed April 27, 1999.5

 

(12)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed October 25, 1999.6

 

(13)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed December 29, 1999.6

 

(14)

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation,
filed December 29, 1999.6

 

(15)

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation,effective December 22, 2004. 11

 

(16)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation, filed November 30, 2006. 13

 

 

     
 

(17)

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, effective June 1, 2007. 14

 

(18)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation, effective June 1, 2007. 14

 

(19)

(20)

Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation, effective August 26, 2008. 15

Articles of Amendment to the Articles of Incorporation, effective December 1, 2008. 15

(b)

 

By-Laws of Dreyfus Funds, Inc. (formerly known as Dreyfus Founders Funds, Inc.), as amended May 13, 2009. 16

(c)

 

Provisions defining the rights of holders of securities are contained in Article Fifth of the Registrant's Articles of Incorporation, as amended, the Articles Supplementary to the Articles of Incorporation filed October 25, 1999, and Articles II, IV, VII and IX of the Registrant's Bylaws.

(d)

 

Investment Advisory Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and The Dreyfus Corporation, dated September 1, 2009.16

(e)

(1)

Form of Underwriting Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and MBSC Securities Corporation (formerly known as Dreyfus Services Corporation), dated March 22, 2000, amended October 2009.16

 

(2)

Form of Distribution and Shareholder Support Agreement for Dreyfus Funds, Inc. - Class F Shares. 14

 

 

(3)

Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement dated October 1, 201017.

 

(4)

Form of Broker-Dealer Agreement for Dreyfus Funds, Inc. 15

 

(5)

Form of Bank Affiliated Broker-Dealer Agreement for Dreyfus Funds, Inc.8

 

(6)

Form of Bank Agreement for Dreyfus Funds, Inc. 15

 

(7)

(8)

(9)

Form of Supplement to Service Agreements dated October 1, 2006. 13

Form of Supplement to Service Agreements dated April 16, 2007. 13

Form of Supplemental Agreement to Broker-Dealer Agreements and Bank Agreements for Dreyfus Funds, Inc. 14

(f)

 

Not applicable.

 

 

     

(g)

 

Custody Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon, dated January 1, 201117.

  

 

  

(h)

(1)

Amended and Restated Shareholder Services Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and MBSC Securities Corporation, dated September 1, 2009. 16

 

(2)

Amended and Restated Fund Accounting and Administrative Services Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and The Dreyfus Corporation, dated August 20, 2008. 15

 

(3)

Shareholder Services Plan, dated December 31, 1999.5

(i)

(1)

Opinion and consent of Moye, Giles, O’Keefe,Vermeire & Gorrell. 5

 

(2)

Opinion and consent of Dreyfus Funds Inc.'s counsel (relating to Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund and Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund) 17.

(j)

 

Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm. 17

(k)

 

Not applicable.

(l)

 

Investment letters from MBC Investment Corporation,
dated December 30, 1999.7

(m)

(1)

Amended and Restated Dreyfus Funds, Inc. Rule 12b-1 Distribution Plan (For Class F shares only),dated December 31, 1999 and amended August 19, 2009. 16

 

(2)

Dreyfus Funds, Inc. Distribution Plan for Classes B and C, dated December 31, 1999 and amended August 19, 2009.16

(n)

 

Dreyfus Funds, Inc. Rule 18f-3 Plan, as amended February 4, 2009.15

(p)

(1)

Code of Ethics for the Independent Directors of Dreyfus Funds, Inc., effective March 31, 2010. 16

 

(2)

The Bank of New York Mellon Personal Securities Trading Policy.16

(q)

 

Power of Attorney of Bradley J. Sakpyak, James Windels and Trustees, dated October 28, 2009. 16

______________

1 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 60 to the Registration Statement on April 29, 1996 and incorporated herein by reference.

2 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 62 to the Registration Statement on February 24, 1997 and incorporated herein by reference.

3 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 63 to the Registration Statement on February 27, 1998 and incorporated herein by reference.

 

 

5 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 65 to the Registration Statement on October 7, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference.

6 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 66 to the Registration Statement on December 29, 1999 and incorporated herein by reference.

7 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 67 to the Registration Statement on February 29, 2000 and incorporated herein by reference.

8 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 68 to the Registration Statement on February 28, 2001 and incorporated herein by reference.

9 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 71 to the Registration Statement on February 28, 2003 and incorporated herein by reference.

10 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 72 to the Registration Statement on February 27, 2004 and incorporated herein by reference.

11 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 74 to the Registration Statement on February 28, 2005 and incorporated herein by reference.

12 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 76 to the Registration Statement on April 27, 2006 and incorporated herein by reference.

13 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 77 to the Registration Statement on March 2, 2007 and incorporated herein by reference.

 14 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 78 to the Registration Statement on February 29, 2008 and incorporated herein by reference.

 15  Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 80 to the Registration Statement on February 26, 2009 and incorporated herein by reference.

16 Filed previously on EDGAR with Post-Effective Amendment No. 83 to the Registration Statement on February 25, 2010 and incorporated herein by reference.

17 Filed herewith.

Item 29. Persons Controlled by or Under Common Control with the Fund

Not applicable.

Item 30. Indemnification

Indemnification provisions for officers, directors, employees, and agents of the Registrant are set forth in Article XII of the By-Laws of the Registrant, which By-Laws were filed herein. Section 12.01 of Article XII of the By-Laws provides that the Registrant shall indemnify each person who is or was a director, officer, employee or agent of the Registrant against expenses (including attorneys’ fees), judgments, fines and amounts paid in settlement to the full extent permitted by Section 2-418 of the General Corporation Law of Maryland or any other applicable law.

 

 

Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Act”), may be provided to directors, 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 the 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 director, officer or controlling person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or proceeding) is asserted by such director, 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 the Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of the Investment Adviser

The Dreyfus Corporation ("Dreyfus") and subsidiary companies comprise a financial service organization whose business consists primarily of providing investment management services as the investment adviser and manager for sponsored investment companies registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 and as an investment adviser to institutional and individual accounts. Dreyfus also serves as sub-investment adviser to and/or administrator of other investment companies. MBSC Securities Corporation, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Dreyfus, serves primarily as a registered broker-dealer.

Item 31. Business and Other Connections of Investment Adviser (continued)
  Officers and Directors of Investment Adviser

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

       

Jonathan Baum
Chief Executive Officer and Chair of the Board

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Chief Executive Officer
Chairman of the Board
Director
Executive Vice President

3/08 - Present
3/08 - Present
6/07 - 3/08
6/07 - 3/08

       

J. Charles Cardona
President and Director

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Director
Executive Vice President

6/07 – Present
6/07 - Present

       
 

Universal Liquidity Funds plc+

Director

4/06 - Present

       

Diane P. Durnin
Vice Chair and Director

None

   
       

Phillip N. MaisanoDirector, Vice Chair and Chief Investment Officer

The Bank of New York Mellon *****

Senior Vice President

7/08 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

       
 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Senior Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

Mellon Bank, N.A.+

Senior Vice President

4/06 - 6/08

       
 

BNY Alcentra Group Holdings, Inc.++

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

BNY Mellon Investment Office GP LLC*

Manager

4/07 - Present

       
 

Mellon Global Alternative Investments Limited
London, England

Director

8/06 - Present

       
 

Pareto Investment Management Limited
London, England

Director

4/08 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management NY, LLC*

Manager

10/07 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management, LLC*

Manager

12/06 - Present

       
 

Urdang Capital Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

Urdang Securities Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

EACM Advisors LLC
200 Connecticut Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854-1940

Chairman of Board

8/04 - Present

       
 

Founders Asset Management LLC****

Member, Board of Managers

11/06 - 12/09

       
 

Standish Mellon Asset Management Company, LLC
Mellon Financial Center
201 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02108-4408

Board Member

12/06 - Present

       
 

Mellon Capital Management Corporation***

Director

12/06 - Present

       

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

Newton Management Limited
London, England

Board Member

12/06 - Present

       
 

Franklin Portfolio Associates, LLC*

Board Member

12/06 - Present

       

Robert G. Capone
Director

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Executive Vice President Director

4/07 - Present
4/07 - Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon*****

Vice President

2/06 - Present

       

Mitchell E. Harris
Director

Standish Mellon Asset Management Company LLC
Mellon Financial Center
201 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02108-4408

Chairman
Chief Executive Officer
Member, Board of Managers

2/05 – Present
8/04 – Present
10/04 - Present

       
 

Alcentra NY, LLC++

Manager

1/08 - Present

       
 

Alcentra US, Inc. ++

Director

1/08 - Present

       
 

Alcentra, Inc. ++

Director

1/08 - Present

       
 

BNY Alcentra Group Holdings, Inc.  

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

Pareto New York LLC++

Manager

11/07 - Present

       
 

Standish Ventures LLC
Mellon Financial Center
201 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02108-4408

President
Manager

12/05 - Present
12/05 - Present

       
 

Palomar Management
London, England

Director

12/97 - Present

       
 

Palomar Management Holdings Limited
London, England

Director

12/97 - Present

       
 

Pareto Investment Management Limited
London, England

Director

9/04 - Present

       

Jeffrey D. Landau
Director

The Bank of New York Mellon+

Executive Vice President

4/07 - Present

 

Allomon Corporation+

Treasurer

12/07 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

       
 

APT Holdings Corporation+

Treasurer

12/07 - Present

       
 

BNY Mellon, N.A.+

Treasurer

7/07 - 0/10

       
 

Mellon Funding Corporation+
The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation+

Treasurer
Treasurer

12/07 - 12/09
7/07 - 01/10

       

Cyrus Taraporevala
Director

Urdang Capital Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

Urdang Securities Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management NY, LLC*

Manager

08/06 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management LLC*

Manager

01/08 - Present

       
 

BNY Mellon, National Association+

Senior Vice President

07/06 - Present

       
 

The Bank of New York Mellon*****

Senior Vice President

07/06 - Present

       

Scott E. Wennerholm
Director

Mellon Capital Management Corporation***

Director

10/05 - Present

       
 

Newton Management Limited
London, England

Director

1/06 - Present

       
 

Gannett Welsh & Kotler LLC

Manager

11/07 - Present

 

222 Berkley Street
Boston, MA 02116

Administrator

11/07 - Present

       
 

BNY Alcentra Group Holdings, Inc. ++

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

Ivy Asset Management Corp.
One Jericho Plaza
Jericho, NY 11753

Director

12/07 - Present

       

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

Urdang Capital Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

Urdang Securities Management, Inc.
630 West Germantown Pike, Suite 300
Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462

Director

10/07 - Present

       
 

EACM Advisors LLC
200 Connecticut Avenue
Norwalk, CT 06854-1940

Manager

6/04 - Present

       
 

Franklin Portfolio Associates LLC*

Manager

1/06 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management NY, LLC*

Manager

10/07 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Asset Management LLC*

Manager

10/05 - Present

       
 

Pareto Investment Management Limited

London, England

Director

3/06 - Present

       
 

Standish Mellon Asset Management Company, LLC
Mellon Financial Center
201 Washington Street
Boston, MA 02108-4408

Member, Board of Managers

10/05 - Present

       
 

The Boston Company Holding, LLC*

Member, Board of Managers

4/06 - Present

       
 

The Bank of New York Mellon *****

Senior Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Senior Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

Mellon Bank, N.A. +

Senior Vice President

10/05 - 6/08

       
 

Mellon Trust of New England, N. A.*

Director
Senior Vice President

4/06 - 6/08
10/05 - 6/08

       
 

MAM (DE) Trust+++++

Member of Board of Trustees

1/07 - Present

       
 

MAM (MA) Holding Trust+++++

Member of Board of Trustees

1/07 - Present

       

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

Bradley J. Skapyak
Chief Operating Officer and Director

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Executive Vice President

6/07 - Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon****

Senior Vice President

4/07 - Present

       
 

The Dreyfus Family of Funds++

President

1/10 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. ++

Senior Vice President
Director

5/10 - Present
5/10 - Present

       

Dwight Jacobsen
Executive Vice President and Director

None

   
       

Patrice M. Kozlowski
Senior Vice President – Corporate Communications

None

   
       

Gary Pierce
Controller

The Bank of New York Mellon *****

Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

The Dreyfus Trust Company+++

Chief Financial Officer

Treasurer

7/05 - 6/08
7/05 - 6/08

       
 

Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+

Chief Financial Officer

5/07 - Present

       
 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Director
Chief Financial Officer

6/07 – Present
6/07 - Present

       
 

Founders Asset Management, LLC****

Assistant Treasurer

7/06 - 12/09

 

Dreyfus Consumer Credit
Corporation ++

Treasurer

7/05 - 08/10

       
 

Dreyfus Transfer, Inc. ++

Chief Financial Officer

7/05 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Service
Organization, Inc.++

Treasurer

7/05 – Present

 

Seven Six Seven Agency, Inc. ++

Treasurer

4/99 - Present

       

Joseph W. Connolly
Chief Compliance Officer

The Dreyfus Family of Funds++

Chief Compliance Officer

10/04 - Present

 

Laurel Capital Advisors, LLP+

Chief Compliance Officer

4/05 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

BNY Mellon Funds Trust++

Chief Compliance Officer

10/04 - Present

 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Chief Compliance Officer

6/07 – Present

       

Gary E. Abbs
Vice President – Tax

The Bank of New York Mellon+

First Vice President and Manager of Tax Compliance

12/96 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Service Organization++

Vice President – Tax

01/09 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation++

Chairman
President

01/09 – 08/10
01/09 – 08/10

       
 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Vice President – Tax

01/09 - Present

       

Jill Gill
Vice President –
Human Resources

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Vice President

6/07 – Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon *****

Vice President

7/08 – Present

       
 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Vice President

7/08 - Present

       
 

Mellon Bank N.A. +

Vice President

10/06 – 6/08

       

Joanne S. Huber
Vice President – Tax

The Bank of New York Mellon+

State & Local Compliance Manager

07/1/07 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Service Organization++

Vice President – Tax

01/09 – Present

       
 

Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation++

Vice President – Tax

01/09 – 08/10

       
 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Vice President – Tax

01/09 – Present

       

Anthony Mayo
Vice President – Information Systems

None

   
       

John E. Lane
Vice President

A P Colorado, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

A P East, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

A P Management, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

A P Properties, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Allomon Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

AP Residential Realty, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

AP Wheels, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/08 - Present

 

Citmelex Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Eagle Investment Systems LLC
65 LaSalle Road
West Hartford, CT 06107

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

East Properties Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

FSFC, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Holiday Properties, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MBC Investments Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MELDEL Leasing Corporation Number 2, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Bank Community Development Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

11/07 - Present

 

Mellon Capital Management Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Mellon Financial Services Corporation #1+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Mellon Financial Services Corporation #4+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Funding Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

12/07 - Present

 

Mellon Holdings, LLC+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

12/07 - Present

 

Mellon International Leasing Company+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Leasing Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Securities Trust Company+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 7/08

 

Mellon Trust Company of Illinois+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 07/08

 

Mellon Trust Company of New England, N.A.+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 6/08

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

Mellon Trust Company of New York LLC++

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 6/08

 

Mellon Ventures, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Melnamor Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MFS Leasing Corp. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

MMIP, LLC+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Pareto New York LLC++

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

10/07 - Present

 

Pontus, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Promenade, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

RECR, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Technology Services Group, Inc.*****

Senior Vice President

6/06 - Present

       
 

Tennesee Processing Center LLC*****

Managing Director

5/08 - Present

   

Senior Vice President

4/04 - 5/08

       
 

Texas AP, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon*****

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/08 - Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon Corporation*****

Executive Vice President

8/07 - Present

       
 

Trilem, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

Jeanne M. Login
Vice President

A P Colorado, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

A P East, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

A P Management, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

A P Properties, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Allomon Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

AP Residential Realty, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

AP Wheels, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

APT Holdings Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

BNY Investment Management Services LLC++++

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

1/01 - Present

 

BNY Mellon, National Association +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/08 - Present

 

Citmelex Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Eagle Investment Systems LLC+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

East Properties Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

FSFC, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Holiday Properties, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MBC Investments Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

MELDEL Leasing Corporation Number 2, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Bank Community Development Corporation+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

11/07 - Present

 

Mellon Capital Management Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Mellon Financial Services Corporation #1+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Mellon Financial Services Corporation #4+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Funding Corporation+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

12/07 - Present

 

Mellon Holdings LLC+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

12/07 - Present

 

Mellon International Leasing Company+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Leasing Corporation+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Mellon Securities Trust Company+

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 7/08

 

Mellon Trust of New England, N.A. *

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 6/08

 

Mellon Trust Company of Illinois+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - 7/08

 

MFS Leasing Corp. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

MMIP, LLC+

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Pontus, Inc. +

Vice President– Real Estate and Leases

7/07 - Present

 

Promenade, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

 

       

Name and Position
With Dreyfus  

Other Businesses

Position Held

Dates

 

RECR, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

Tennesee Processing Center LLC*****

Managing Director

5/08 - Present

   

Senior Vice President

4/04 - 5/08

       
 

Texas AP, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

 

The Bank of New York Mellon*****

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

7/08 - Present

 

Trilem, Inc. +

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

8/07 - Present

       

James Bitetto
Secretary

The Dreyfus Family of Funds++

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

8/05 - Present

       
 

MBSC Securities Corporation++

Assistant Secretary

6/07 - Present

       
 

Dreyfus Service Organization, Inc.++

Secretary

8/05 - Present

       
 

The Dreyfus Consumer Credit Corporation++

Vice President

2/02 - 08/10

       
 

Founders Asset Management LLC****

Assistant Secretary

3/09 - 12/09

   

*

The address of the business so indicated is One Boston Place, Boston, Massachusetts, 02108.

**

The address of the business so indicated is One Bush Street, Suite 450, San Francisco, California 94104.

***

The address of the business so indicated is 50 Fremont Street, Suite 3900, San Francisco, California 94104.

****

The address of the business so indicated is 210 University Blvd., Suite 800, Denver, Colorado 80206.

*****

The address of the business so indicated is One Wall Street, New York, New York 10286.

+

The address of the business so indicated is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258.

++

The address of the business so indicated is 200 Park Avenue, New York, New York 10166.

+++

The address of the business so indicated is 144 Glenn Curtiss Boulevard, Uniondale, New York 11556-0144.

++++

The address of the business so indicated is White Clay Center, Route 273, Newark, Delaware 19711.

+++++

The address of the business so indicated is 4005 Kennett Pike, Greenville, DE 19804.

     

Item 32. Principal Underwriters

 (a) Other investment companies for which Registrant's principal underwriter (exclusive distributor) acts as principal underwriter or exclusive distributor:

1. 

Advantage Funds, Inc.

 

2. 

BNY Mellon Funds Trust

 

3. 

CitizensSelect Funds

 

4. 

Dreyfus Appreciation Fund, Inc.

 

5. 

Dreyfus BASIC Money Market Fund, Inc.

 

 

 

   

6. 

Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Government Money Market Fund

7. 

Dreyfus BASIC U.S. Mortgage Securities Fund

8. 

Dreyfus Bond Funds, Inc.

9. 

Dreyfus Cash Management

10. 

Dreyfus Cash Management Plus, Inc.

11. 

Dreyfus Connecticut Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.

12. 

Dreyfus Dynamic Alternatives Fund, Inc.

13. 

Dreyfus Funds, Inc.

14. 

The Dreyfus Fund Incorporated

15. 

Dreyfus Government Cash Management Funds

16. 

Dreyfus Growth and Income Fund, Inc.

17. 

Dreyfus Index Funds, Inc.

18. 

Dreyfus Institutional Cash Advantage Funds

19. 

Dreyfus Institutional Preferred Money Market Funds

20. 

Dreyfus Institutional Reserves Funds

21. 

Dreyfus Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.

22. 

Dreyfus International Funds, Inc.

23. 

Dreyfus Investment Funds

24. 

Dreyfus Investment Grade Funds, Inc.

25. 

Dreyfus Investment Portfolios

26. 

The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds, Inc.

27. 

The Dreyfus/Laurel Funds Trust

28. 

The Dreyfus/Laurel Tax-Free Municipal Funds

29. 

Dreyfus LifeTime Portfolios, Inc.

30. 

Dreyfus Liquid Assets, Inc.

31. 

Dreyfus Manager Funds I

32. 

Dreyfus Manager Funds II

33. 

Dreyfus Massachusetts Municipal Money Market Fund

34. 

Dreyfus Midcap Index Fund, Inc.

35. 

Dreyfus Money Market Instruments, Inc.

36. 

Dreyfus Municipal Bond Opportunity Fund

37. 

Dreyfus Municipal Cash Management Plus

38. 

Dreyfus Municipal Funds, Inc.

39. 

Dreyfus Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.

40. 

Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.

41. 

Dreyfus New Jersey Municipal Money Market Fund, Inc.

42. 

Dreyfus New York AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund

43. 

Dreyfus New York AMT-Free Municipal Money Market Fund

44. 

Dreyfus New York Municipal Cash Management

45. 

Dreyfus New York Tax Exempt Bond Fund, Inc.

46. 

Dreyfus Opportunity Funds

47. 

Dreyfus Pennsylvania Municipal Money Market Fund

48. 

Dreyfus Premier California AMT-Free Municipal Bond Fund, Inc.

49. 

Dreyfus Premier GNMA Fund, Inc.

50. 

Dreyfus Premier Investment Funds, Inc.

51. 

Dreyfus Premier Short-Intermediate Municipal Bond Fund

52. 

Dreyfus Premier Worldwide Growth Fund, Inc.

53. 

Dreyfus Research Growth Fund, Inc.

54. 

Dreyfus State Municipal Bond Funds

55. 

Dreyfus Stock Funds

56. 

Dreyfus Short-Intermediate Government Fund

57. 

The Dreyfus Socially Responsible Growth Fund, Inc.

 

 

   

58. 

Dreyfus Stock Index Fund, Inc.

59. 

Dreyfus Tax Exempt Cash Management Funds

60. 

The Dreyfus Third Century Fund, Inc.

61. 

Dreyfus Treasury & Agency Cash Management

62. 

Dreyfus Treasury Prime Cash Management

63. 

Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Intermediate Term Fund

64. 

Dreyfus U.S. Treasury Long Term Fund

65. 

Dreyfus 100% U.S. Treasury Money Market Fund

66. 

Dreyfus Variable Investment Fund

67. 

Dreyfus Worldwide Dollar Money Market Fund, Inc.

68. 

General California Municipal Money Market Fund

69. 

General Government Securities Money Market Funds, Inc.

70. 

General Money Market Fund, Inc.

71. 

General Municipal Money Market Funds, Inc.

72. 

General New York Municipal Money Market Fund

73. 

Strategic Funds, Inc.

     

(b)

   

Name and principal
Business address

Positions and offices with the Distributor

Positions and Offices with Registrant

Jon R. Baum*

Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the Board

None

Ken Bradle**

President and Director

None

Robert G. Capone****

Executive Vice President and Director

None

J. Charles Cardona*

Executive Vice President and Director

Executive Vice President (Money Market Funds Only)

Sue Ann Cormack**

Executive Vice President

None

John M. Donaghey***

Executive Vice President and Director

None

Dwight D. Jacobsen*

Executive Vice President and Director

None

Mark A. Keleher*****

Executive Vice President

None

James D. Kohley***

Executive Vice President

None

Jeffrey D. Landau*

Executive Vice President and Director

None

William H. Maresca*

Executive Vice President and Director

None

Timothy M. McCormick*

Executive Vice President

None

David K. Mossman***

Executive Vice President

None

Irene Papadoulis**

Executive Vice President

None

Matthew Perrone**

Executive Vice President

None

Noreen Ross*

Executive Vice President

None

Bradley J. Skapyak*

Executive Vice President

President

Gary Pierce*

Chief Financial Officer and Director

None

Tracy Hopkins*

Senior Vice President

None

Denise B. Kneeland****

Senior Vice President

None

Mary T. Lomasney****

Senior Vice President

None

 

 

     

(b)

   

Name and principal
Business address

Positions and offices with the Distributor

Positions and Offices with Registrant

Barbara A. McCann****

Senior Vice President

None

Kevin L. O’Shea***

Senior Vice President

None

Christine Carr Smith*****

Senior Vice President

None

Ronald Jamison*

Chief Legal Officer and Secretary

None

Joseph W. Connolly*

Chief Compliance Officer (Investment Advisory Business)

Chief Compliance Officer

Stephen Storen*

Chief Compliance Officer

None

Maria Georgopoulos*

Vice President – Facilities Management

None

Stewart Rosen*

Vice President – Facilities Management

None

Natalia Gribas*

Vice President – Compliance and Anti-Money Laundering Officer

Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer

Karin L. Waldmann*

Privacy Officer

None

Gary E. Abbs***

Vice President – Tax

None

Timothy I. Barrett**

Vice President

None

Gina DiChiara*

Vice President

None

Jill Gill*

Vice President

None

Joanne S. Huber***

Vice President – Tax

None

John E. Lane******

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

None

Jeanne M. Login******

Vice President – Real Estate and Leases

None

Donna M. Impagliazzo**

Vice President – Compliance

None

Edward A. Markward*

Vice President – Compliance

None

Anthony Nunez*

Vice President – Finance

None

William Schalda*

Vice President

None

John Shea*

Vice President – Finance

None

Christopher A. Stallone**

Vice President

None

Susan Verbil*

Vice President – Finance

None

William Verity*

Vice President – Finance

None

James Windels*

Vice President

Treasurer

James Bitetto*

Assistant Secretary

Vice President and
Assistant Secretary

James D. Muir*

Assistant Secretary

None

Barbara J. Parrish***

Assistant Secretary

None

Cristina Rice***

Assistant Secretary

None

   

*

Principal business address is 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166.

**

Principal business address is 144 Glenn Curtiss Blvd., Uniondale, NY 11556-0144.

***

Principal business address is One Mellon Bank Center, Pittsburgh, PA 15258.

****

Principal business address is One Boston Place, Boston, MA 02108.

*****

Principal business address is 50 Fremont Street, Suite 3900, San Francisco, CA 94104.

 

 

   

******

Principal business address is 101 Barclay Street, New York 10286.

Item 33. Location of Accounts and Records

  1. The Bank of New York Mellon
   One Wall Street
   New York, New York 10286

2. The Bank of New York Mellon
  One Mellon Bank Center
  Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15258

  3. DST Systems, Inc.
   1055 Broadway
   Kansas City, MO 64105

  4. The Dreyfus Corporation
   200 Park Avenue
   New York, New York 10166 

Item 34. Management Services

  Not Applicable

Item 35. Undertakings

  None

 

 

SIGNATURES

 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, the Registrant certifies that it meets all of the requirements for effectiveness of this Amendment to the Registration Statement pursuant to Rule 485(b) under the Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this Amendment to the Registration Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized, in the City of New York, and State of New

York on the 28th day of April, 2011.

DREYFUS FUNDS, INC.

   

BY:

/s/ Bradley J. Skapyak*

 

Bradley J. Skapyak, PRESIDENT

 Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933 and the Investment Company Act of 1940, this Amendment to the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the capacities and on the dates indicated.

         

Signatures

 

Title

 

Date

         

/s/ Bradley J. Skapyak*

 

President (Principal Executive Officer)

 

4/28/11

Bradley J. Skapyak

       

/s/ James Windels*

 

Treasurer (Principal Financial
and Accounting Officer)

 

4/28/11

James Windels

       

/s/ Joseph S. DiMartino*

 

Chairman of the Board

 

4/28/11

Joseph S. DiMartino

       

/s/ James M. Fitzgibbons*

 

Board Member

 

4/28/11

James M. Fitzgibbons

       

/s/ Kenneth A. Himmel*

 

Board Member

 

4/28/11

Kenneth A. Himmel

       

/s/ Stephen J. Lockwood*

 

Board Member

 

4/28/11

Stephen J. Lockwood

       

/s/ Roslyn M. Watson*

 

Board Member

 

4/28/11

Roslyn M. Watson

       

/s/ Benaree Pratt Wiley*

Benaree Pratt Wiley

     

4/28/11

   

*BY:

/s/ James Bitetto

 

James Bitetto
Attorney-in-Fact

INDEX OF EXHIBITS

_________________________

Exhibits

 

 

 

e(3)  Amended and Restated Distribution Agreement dated October 1, 2010.

g Custody Agreement between Dreyfus Funds, Inc. and The Bank of New York Mellon, dated January 1, 2011.

i(2) Opinion and consent of Dreyfus Funds Inc.'s counsel (relating to Dreyfus Equity Growth Fund and Dreyfus Mid-Cap Growth Fund).

j Consent of Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm.