EX-99.(A)(3) 2 d247905dex99a3.htm AMENDED AND RESTATED DECLARATION OF TRUST Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust

AMENDED AND RESTATED

DECLARATION OF TRUST

OF

GREEN CENTURY FUNDS

Amended and Restated as of June 29, 2016


TABLE OF CONTENTS

 

         PAGE  

ARTICLE I            Name and Definitions

     1   

Section 1.1

 

Name

     1   

Section 1.2

 

Definitions

     1   

ARTICLE II          Trustees

     3   

Section 2.1

 

Number of Trustees

     3   

Section 2.2

 

Term of Office of Trustees

     3   

Section 2.3

 

Resignation and Appointment of Trustees

     4   

Section 2.4

 

Vacancies

     4   

Section 2.5

 

Delegation of Power to Other Trustees

     5   

ARTICLE III        Powers of Trustees

     5   

Section 3.1

 

General

     5   

Section 3.2

 

Investments

     5   

Section 3.3

 

Legal Title

     7   

Section 3.4

 

Issuance and Repurchase of Securities

     7   

Section 3.5

 

Borrowing Money; Lending Trust Property

     7   

Section 3.6

 

Delegation

     7   

Section 3.7

 

Collection and Payment

     7   

Section 3.8

 

Expenses

     8   

Section 3.9

 

Manner of Acting; By-Laws

     8   

Section 3.10

 

Miscellaneous Powers

     8   

ARTICLE IV        Service Providers

     9   

Section 4.1

 

Investment Adviser

     9   

Section 4.2

 

Distributor

     9   

Section 4.3

 

Administrator

     10   

Section 4.4

 

Custodian

     10   

Section 4.5

 

Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agents

     10   

Section 4.6

 

Parties to Contract

     10   

 

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ARTICLE V           Limitations of Liability of Shareholders, Trustees and Others

     11   

Section 5.1

 

No Personal Liability of Shareholders

     11   

Section 5.2

 

Non-Liability of Trustees and Others

     11   

Section 5.3

 

Mandatory Indemnification

     12   

Section 5.4

 

No Bond Required

     14   

Section 5.5

 

No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments

     14   

Section 5.6

 

Good Faith Action; Reliance on Experts

     15   

Section 5.7

 

Derivative and Direct Actions

     15   

ARTICLE VI         Shares of Beneficial Interest

     18   

Section 6.1

 

Beneficial Interest

     18   

Section 6.2

 

Rights of Shareholders

     19   

Section 6.3

 

Trust Only

     19   

Section 6.4

 

Issuance of Shares

     19   

Section 6.5

 

Register of Shares

     20   

Section 6.6

 

Transfer of Shares

     20   

Section 6.7

 

Notices

     20   

Section 6.8

 

Voting Powers

     20   

Section 6.9

 

Series of Shares

     21   

Section 6.10

 

Classes of Shares

     23   

Section 6.11

 

Series and Class Designations

     24   

ARTICLE VII         Redemptions

     24   

Section 7.1

 

Redemptions

     24   

Section 7.2

 

Suspension of Right of Redemption

     24   

Section 7.3

 

Redemption of Shares; Disclosure of Holding

     25   

ARTICLE VIII       Determination of Net Asset Value, Net Income and Distributions

     25   

ARTICLE IX          Duration; Termination of Trust; Amendment; Mergers, Etc.

     25   

Section 9.1

 

Duration

     25   

Section 9.2

 

Termination of Trust

     25   

Section 9.3

 

Amendment Procedure

     26   

Section 9.4

 

Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets

     27   

Section 9.5

 

Incorporation, Reorganization

     28   

ARTICLE X           Miscellaneous

     29   

Section 10.1

 

Filing

     29   

Section 10.2

 

Governing Law

     29   

 

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Section 10.3

 

Counterparts

     29   

Section 10.4

 

Reliance by Third Parties

     30   

Section 10.5

 

Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations

     30   

Section 10.6

 

Principal Office

     30   

Appendix A – Establishment and Designation of Series of Shares

Appendix B – Designation of Classes of Shares

 

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AMENDED AND RESTATED

DECLARATION OF TRUST

OF

GREEN CENTURY FUNDS

Dated as of June 29, 2016

WHEREAS, GREEN CENTURY FUNDS was established pursuant to a Declaration of Trust dated as of July 1, 1991, as amended and restated as of March 15, 2006 (the “Original Declaration”), for the investment and reinvestment of funds contributed thereto;

WHEREAS, the Trustees desire that the beneficial interest in the Trust assets continue to be divided into transferable Shares of Beneficial Interest (par value $0.01 per share) issued in one or more series as hereinafter provided;

WHEREAS, the Trustees wish to amend and restate the Original Declaration in its entirety, and hereby certify that this Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust has been amended and restated in accordance with the provisions of the Original Declaration;

NOW THEREFORE, all money and property contributed to the Trust hereunder shall be held by the Trust and managed upon the following terms and conditions.

ARTICLE I

NAME AND DEFINITIONS

Section 1.1. Name. The name of the Trust is Green Century Funds.

Section 1.2. Definitions. Wherever they are used herein, the following terms have the following respective meanings:

(a) “Administrator” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Section 4.3 hereof.

(b) “By-Laws” means the By-laws referred to in Section 3.9 hereof, as from time to time amended.

(c) “Commission” has the meaning given that term in the 1940 Act.

(d) “Declaration” means this Amended and Restated Declaration of Trust, as amended from time to time. Reference in this Declaration of Trust to “Declaration,” “hereof,” “herein” and “hereunder” shall be deemed to refer to this Declaration rather than the article or section in which such words appear.


(e) “Distributor” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Section 4.2 hereof.

(f) “Interested Person” has the meaning given that term in the 1940 Act.

(g) “Investment Adviser” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any contract described in Section 4.1 hereof.

(h) “Majority Shareholder Vote” has the same meaning as the phrase “vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities” as defined in the 1940 Act, except that such term may be used herein with respect to the Shares of the Trust as a whole or the Shares of any particular series or class, as the context may require, and except that each Share shall have one vote for each dollar of net asset value as provided in Section 6.8 hereof.

(i) “1940 Act” means the Investment Company Act of 1940 and the Rules and Regulations thereunder, as amended from time to time, and as such Act or the Rules and Regulations thereunder may apply to the Trust or any series or class pursuant to any exemptive order or similar relief or interpretation issued by the Commission under such Act.

(j) “Person” means and includes individuals, corporations, limited liability companies, partnerships, trusts, associations, joint ventures and other entities, whether or not legal entities, and governments and agencies and political subdivisions thereof, whether domestic or foreign.

(k) “Shareholder” means a record owner of outstanding Shares.

(l) “Shares” means the Shares of Beneficial Interest into which the beneficial interest in the Trust shall be divided from time to time or, when used in relation to any particular series or class of Shares established by the Trustees pursuant to Section 6.11 hereof, transferable units into which such series or class of Shares shall be divided from time to time in accordance with the terms hereof. The term “Shares” includes fractions of Shares as well as whole Shares.

(m) “Shareholder Servicing Agent” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any shareholder servicing contract described in Section 4.5 hereof.

(n) “Transfer Agent” means a party furnishing services to the Trust pursuant to any transfer agency contract described in Section 4.5 hereof.

(o) “Trust” means the trust hereunder.

 

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(p) “Trust Property” means any and all property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, which is owned or held by or for the account of the Trust or the Trustees, including, without limitation, any and all property allocated or belonging to any series or class of Shares pursuant to Section 6.9 or Section 6.10 hereof.

(q) “Trustees” means the persons who have signed the Declaration, so long as they shall continue in office in accordance with the terms hereof, and all other persons who may from time to time be duly elected or appointed, qualified and serving as Trustees in accordance with the provisions hereof, and reference herein to a Trustee or the Trustees shall refer to such person or persons in their capacity as trustees hereunder.

(r) “Trustees Emeritus” means those former Trustees who, from time to time, elect to serve as trustees emeritus of the Trust in accordance with the guidelines and conditions for such service adopted by the Trustees from time to time, for so long as they serve in that capacity. Trustees Emeritus, in their capacity as such, are not Trustees of the Trust for any purpose and have no powers or obligations of Trustees hereunder.

ARTICLE II

TRUSTEES

Section 2.1. Number of Trustees. The number of Trustees shall be such number as shall be fixed from time to time by a majority of the Trustees, provided, however, that the number of Trustees shall in no event be less than three nor more than 15.

Section 2.2. Term of Office of Trustees. Subject to all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act, a Trustee shall hold office during the lifetime of this Trust and until its termination as hereinafter provided or, if sooner, until his or her death or the election and qualification of his or her successor; except that:

(a) any Trustee may resign his or her trust (without need for prior or subsequent accounting) by an instrument in writing signed by that Trustee and delivered to the Trust, which shall take effect upon such delivery or upon such later date as is specified therein;

(b) any Trustee may be removed at any time, with or without cause, by written instrument signed by at least two-thirds of the remaining independent Trustees, specifying the date when such removal shall become effective;

(c) any Trustee who has attained a mandatory retirement age established pursuant to any written policy adopted from time to time by at least two-thirds of the Trustees shall, automatically and without action of such Trustee or the remaining Trustees, be deemed to have retired in accordance with the terms of such policy, effective as of the date determined in accordance with such policy;

 

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(d) any Trustee who has served to the end of his or her term of office established pursuant to any written policy adopted from time to time by at least two-thirds of the Trustees shall, automatically and without action of such Trustee or the remaining Trustees, be deemed to have retired in accordance with the terms of such policy, effective as of the date determined in accordance with such policy;

(e) any Trustee who has become incapacitated by illness or injury, as determined by a majority of the other Trustees in their reasonable judgment, may be retired by written instrument signed by a majority of the other Trustees, specifying the date of his or her retirement; and

(f) a Trustee may be removed at any meeting of Shareholders by a vote of Shares representing two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of the Trust.

Upon the resignation, retirement or removal of a Trustee, or his or her otherwise ceasing to be a Trustee, that individual shall execute and deliver such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require for the purpose of conveying to the Trust or the remaining Trustees any Trust Property held in the name of the resigning, retiring or removed Trustee. Upon the incapacity or death of any Trustee, that Trustee’s legal representative shall execute and deliver on his or her behalf such documents as the remaining Trustees shall require as provided in the preceding sentence. Except to the extent expressly provided in a written agreement to which the Trust is a party or in a written policy adopted by the Trustees, no resigning or removed Trustee shall have any right to any compensation for any period following his or her resignation or removal, or any right to damages on account of such removal.

Section 2.3. Resignation and Appointment of Trustees. In case of the declination, death, resignation, retirement or removal of any of the Trustees, or in case a vacancy shall, by reason of an increase in number of Trustees, or for any other reason, exist, a majority of the remaining Trustees may fill such vacancy by appointing such other individual as they in their discretion shall see fit. Any such appointment shall not become effective, however, until the person appointed shall have accepted in writing such appointment and agreed in writing to be bound by the terms of the Declaration. An appointment of a Trustee may be made by the Trustees then in office in anticipation of a vacancy to occur by reason of retirement, resignation, removal or increase in number of Trustees effective at a later date, provided that said appointment shall become effective only at or after the effective date of said retirement, resignation, removal or increase in number of Trustees. The power of appointment is subject to all applicable provisions of the 1940 Act.

Section 2.4. Vacancies. The death, declination, resignation, retirement, removal or incapacity of the Trustees, or any of them, shall not operate to annul the Trust or to revoke any existing agency created pursuant to the terms of the

 

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Declaration. Whenever a vacancy in the number of Trustees shall occur, until such vacancy is filled as provided in Section 2.3, or while any Trustee is incapacitated, the other Trustees in office, regardless of their number, shall have all the powers granted to the Trustees and shall discharge all the duties imposed upon the Trustees by the Declaration, and only such other Trustees shall be counted for the purposes of the existence of a quorum or the taking of any action to be taken by the Trustees. A written instrument certifying the existence of such vacancy or incapacity signed by a majority of the Trustees shall be conclusive evidence of the existence thereof.

Section 2.5. Delegation of Power to Other Trustees. Any Trustee may, by power of attorney, delegate his power for a period not exceeding six months at any one time to any other Trustee or Trustees; provided that in no case shall fewer than two Trustees personally exercise the powers granted to the Trustees under the Declaration except as otherwise expressly provided herein.

ARTICLE III

POWERS OF TRUSTEES

Section 3.1. General. The Trustees shall have exclusive and absolute control over the Trust Property and over the business of the Trust to the same extent as if the Trustees were the sole owners of the Trust Property and business in their own right, but with such powers of delegation as may be permitted by the Declaration. The Trustees shall have power to conduct the business of the Trust and carry on its operations in any and all of its branches and maintain offices both within and without the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, in any and all states of the United States of America, in the District of Columbia, and in any and all commonwealths, territories, dependencies, colonies, possessions, agencies or instrumentalities of the United States of America and of foreign governments, and to do all such other things and execute all such instruments as the Trustees deem necessary, proper or desirable in order to promote the interests of the Trust although such things are not herein specifically mentioned. Any determination as to what is in the interests of the Trust made by the Trustees in good faith shall be conclusive. In construing the provisions of the Declaration, the presumption shall be in favor of a grant of power to the Trustees.

The enumeration of any specific power herein shall not be construed as limiting the aforesaid power or any other power of the Trustees hereunder. Such powers of the Trustees may be exercised without order of or resort to any court.

Section 3.2. Investments. (a) The Trustees shall have the power:

(i) to conduct, operate and carry on the business of an investment company;

(ii) to subscribe for, invest in, reinvest in, purchase or otherwise acquire, own, hold, pledge, sell, assign, transfer, exchange, distribute, lend or otherwise deal

 

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in or dispose of securities of every nature and kind, U.S. and foreign currencies, any form of gold or other precious metal, commodity contracts, any form of option contract, contracts for the future acquisition or delivery of fixed income or other securities, derivative instruments of every kind, “when-issued” or standby contracts, and all types of obligations or financial instruments, including, without limitation, all types of bonds, debentures, stocks, negotiable or non-negotiable instruments, obligations, evidences of indebtedness, certificates of deposit or indebtedness, commercial paper, repurchase agreements, bankers’ acceptances, and other securities of any kind, issued, created, guaranteed or sponsored by any and all Persons, including, without limitation,

 

  (A) states, territories and possessions of the United States and the District of Columbia and any political subdivision, agency or instrumentality of any such Person,

 

  (B) the U.S. Government, any foreign government, or any political subdivision or any agency or instrumentality of the U.S. Government or any foreign government,

 

  (C) any international instrumentality,

 

  (D) any bank or savings institution, or

 

  (E) any corporation or organization organized under the laws of the United States or of any state, territory or possession thereof, or under any foreign law;

to retain Trust assets in cash and from time to time to change the investments in which the assets of the Trust are invested; and to exercise any and all rights, powers and privileges of ownership or interest in respect of any and all such investments of every kind and description, including, without limitation, the right to consent and otherwise act with respect thereto, with power to designate one or more Persons to exercise any of said rights, powers and privileges in respect of any of said investments; and

(iii) to carry on any other business in connection with or incidental to any of the foregoing powers, to do everything necessary, proper or desirable for the accomplishment of any purpose or the attainment of any object or the furtherance of any power hereinbefore set forth, and to do every other act or thing incidental or appurtenant to or connected with the aforesaid purposes, objects or powers.

(b) The Trustees shall not be limited to investing in securities or obligations maturing before the possible termination of the Trust, nor shall the Trustees be limited by any law limiting the investments which may be made by fiduciaries.

(c) Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration to the contrary, the Trustees shall have the power in their discretion without any

 

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requirement of approval by Shareholders to either invest all or a portion of the Trust Property of the Trust or, as applicable, the Trust Property of each series of the Trust, or sell all or a portion of such Trust Property and invest the proceeds of such sales, in one or more other investment companies to the extent not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

Section 3.3. Legal Title. Legal title to all Trust Property shall be vested in the Trustees as joint tenants except that the Trustees shall have power to cause legal title to any Trust Property to be held by or in the name of one or more of the Trustees, or in the name of the Trust, or in the name of any other Person or nominee, on such terms as the Trustees may determine. The right, title and interest of the Trustees in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in each person who may hereafter become a Trustee. Upon the resignation, retirement, removal or death of a Trustee, such Trustee shall automatically cease to have any right, title or interest in any of the Trust Property, and the right, title and interest of such Trustee in the Trust Property shall vest automatically in the remaining Trustees. Such vesting and cessation of title shall be effective whether or not conveyancing documents have been executed and delivered.

Section 3.4. Issuance and Repurchase of Securities. The Trustees shall have the power to issue, sell, repurchase, redeem, retire, cancel, acquire, hold, resell, reissue, dispose of, transfer, and otherwise deal in Shares and, subject to the provisions set forth in Articles VII, VIII and IX and Section 6.9 hereof, to apply to any such repurchase, redemption, retirement, cancellation or acquisition of Shares any funds of the Trust or other Trust Property, whether capital or surplus or otherwise.

Section 3.5. Borrowing Money; Lending Trust Property. The Trustees shall have power to borrow money or otherwise obtain credit and to secure the same by mortgaging, pledging or otherwise subjecting as security the Trust Property, to endorse, guarantee, or undertake the performance of any obligation, contract or engagement of any other Person and to lend Trust Property.

Section 3.6. Delegation. The Trustees shall have power to delegate from time to time to such of their number or to officers, employees, or any Investment Adviser, Distributor, custodian, agent or independent contractor of the Trust the doing of such things and the execution of such instruments either in the name of the Trust or the names of the Trustees or otherwise as the Trustees may deem appropriate or expedient.

Section 3.7. Collection and Payment. Subject to Section 6.9 hereof, the Trustees shall have power to collect all property due to the Trust; to pay all claims, including taxes, against the Trust Property; to prosecute, defend, compromise or abandon any claims relating to the Trust Property; to foreclose any security interest securing any obligations, by virtue of which any property is owed to the Trust; and to enter into releases, agreements and other instruments.

 

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Section 3.8. Expenses. Subject to Section 6.9 hereof, the Trustees shall have the power to incur and pay any expenses which in the opinion of the Trustees are necessary or incidental to carry out any of the purposes of the Declaration, and to pay reasonable compensation from the funds of the Trust to themselves as Trustees. The Trustees shall fix the compensation of all officers, employees, Trustees and Trustees Emeritus.

Section 3.9. Manner of Acting; By-Laws. Except as otherwise provided herein, in the 1940 Act or in the By-Laws, any action to be taken by the Trustees may be taken by a majority of the Trustees present at a meeting of Trustees at which a quorum is present, including any meeting held by means of a conference telephone circuit or similar communications equipment by means of which all persons participating in the meeting can hear each other, or by written consents of a majority of the Trustees. The Trustees may adopt By-Laws not inconsistent with the Declaration to provide for the conduct of the business of the Trust, including, without limitation, the rights and powers of the Trust, its Trustees, officers, employees and Shareholders, and may amend or repeal such By-Laws at any time.

Section 3.10. Miscellaneous Powers. Without limiting the foregoing, the Trustees shall have the power to:

(a) employ or contract with such Persons as the Trustees may deem desirable for the transaction of the business of the Trust;

(b) enter into joint ventures, partnerships and any other combinations or associations;

(c) elect and remove such officers and appoint and terminate such agents or employees as they consider appropriate, in each case with or without cause, and appoint and terminate any one or more committees which may exercise some or all of the power and authority of the Trustees as the Trustees may determine;

(d) purchase, and pay for out of Trust Property, such insurance as they may deem necessary or appropriate for the conduct of the business of the Trust, including, without limitation, insurance policies insuring the assets of the Trust and payment of distributions and principal on its portfolio investments, and insurance policies insuring Shareholders, any Administrator, Trustees, Trustees Emeritus, officers, employees, agents, any Investment Adviser, any Distributor, any custodian, any Transfer Agent, any shareholder servicing agent, or selected dealers or independent contractors of the Trust against all claims arising by reason of holding any such position or by reason of any action taken or omitted by any such Person in such capacity, whether or not constituting negligence, or whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Person against such liability;

(e) establish pension, profit-sharing, Share purchase, deferred compensation, and other retirement, incentive and benefit plans for any Trustees, officers, employees or agents of the Trust;

 

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(f) to the extent permitted by law, indemnify any Person with whom the Trust has dealings, including any Investment Adviser, Administrator, custodian, Distributor, Transfer Agent, Shareholder Servicing Agent and any dealer, to such extent as the Trustees shall determine;

(g) guarantee indebtedness or contractual obligations of others;

(h) determine and change the fiscal year of the Trust or any series thereof and the method by which its accounts shall be kept; and

(i) adopt a seal for the Trust, provided, that the absence of such seal shall not impair the validity of any instrument executed on behalf of the Trust.

ARTICLE IV

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Section 4.1. Investment Adviser. Subject to applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more investment advisory or management contracts whereby the other party to each such contract shall undertake to furnish the Trust such management, investment advisory, statistical and research facilities and services, promotional activities, and such other facilities and services, if any, with respect to one or more series of Shares, as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine. Notwithstanding any provision of the Declaration, the Trustees may delegate to the Investment Adviser authority (subject to such general or specific instructions as the Trustees may from time to time adopt) to effect purchases, sales, loans or exchanges of assets of the Trust or any series thereof on behalf of the Trustees or may authorize any officer, employee or Trustee to effect such purchases, sales, loans or exchanges pursuant to recommendations of the Investment Adviser (and all without further action by the Trustees). Any of such purchases, sales, loans or exchanges shall be deemed to have been authorized by all the Trustees. Such services may be provided by one or more Persons.

Section 4.2. Distributor. Subject to applicable requirements of the 1940 Act, the Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more exclusive or non-exclusive distribution contracts providing for the sale of Shares of one or more series or classes whereby the Trust may either agree to sell the Shares to the other party to any such contract or appoint any such other party its sales agent for such Shares. In either case, any such contract shall be on such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine, provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration or the By-Laws; and such contract may also provide for the repurchase or sale of Shares by such other party as principal or as agent of the Trust and may provide that such other party may enter into selected dealer and sales agreements or agency agreements with securities dealers and depository institutions or other Persons to further the purpose of the distribution or repurchase of the Shares. Such services may be provided by one or more Persons.

 

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Section 4.3. Administrator. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more administrative services contracts whereby the other party to each such contract shall undertake to furnish such administrative services to the Trust as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine, provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the Declaration or the By-Laws.

Section 4.4. Custodian. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more contracts whereby the other party to each such contract shall undertake to furnish such custody services to the Trust as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine, provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the provisions of the 1940 Act, the Declaration or the By-Laws. The Trustees may authorize any custodian to employ one or more sub-custodians from time to time to perform such of the services of the custodian as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable. Services described in this Section may be provided by one or more Persons.

Section 4.5. Transfer and Shareholder Servicing Agents. The Trustees may in their discretion from time to time enter into one or more transfer agency or sub-transfer agency and shareholder servicing contracts whereby the other party to each such contract shall undertake to furnish such transfer agency and/or shareholder services to the Trust as the Trustees shall from time to time consider desirable and all upon such terms and conditions as the Trustees may in their discretion determine, provided that such terms and conditions are not inconsistent with the provisions of the Declaration or the By-Laws. Such services may be provided by one or more Persons. Except as otherwise provided in the applicable shareholder servicing contract, a Shareholder Servicing Agent shall be deemed to be the record owner of outstanding Shares beneficially owned by the customers of such Shareholder Servicing Agent for whom it is acting pursuant to such shareholder servicing contract.

Section 4.6. Parties to Contract. Any contract of the character described in any Section of this Article IV may be entered into with any Person, although one or more of the Trustees or officers of the Trust may be an officer, partner, director, trustee, shareholder, or member of such other party to the contract, and no such contract shall be invalidated or rendered voidable by reason of the existence of any such relationship; nor shall any Person holding such relationship be liable merely by reason of such relationship for any loss or expense to the Trust under or by reason of any such contract or accountable for any profit realized directly or indirectly therefrom, provided that the contract when entered into was not inconsistent with the provisions of this Article IV or the By-Laws. The same Person may be the other party to contracts entered into pursuant to Sections 4.1 through 4.5 above, and any individual may be financially interested or otherwise affiliated with Persons who are parties to any or all of the contracts mentioned in this Section 4.6.

 

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ARTICLE V

LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY OF SHAREHOLDERS,

TRUSTEES AND OTHERS

Section 5.1. No Personal Liability of Shareholders. No Shareholder or former Shareholder shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person in connection with Trust Property or the acts, obligations or affairs of the Trust solely by reason of being or having been a Shareholder. The Trust shall indemnify and hold each Shareholder and former Shareholder harmless from and against all claims and liabilities to which such Shareholder may become subject solely by reason of his or her being or having been a Shareholder (other than taxes payable by virtue of owning Shares), and shall reimburse such Shareholder for all legal and other expenses reasonably incurred by him or her in connection with any such claim or liability. The rights accruing to a Shareholder or former Shareholder under this Section 5.1 shall not exclude any other right to which such Shareholder may be lawfully entitled, nor shall anything herein contained restrict the right of the Trust to indemnify or reimburse a Shareholder or former Shareholder in any appropriate situation even though not specifically provided herein. The Trust shall, upon request by a Shareholder or former Shareholder, assume the defense of any claim made against such Shareholder for any act or obligation of the Trust and satisfy any judgment thereon from the assets of the Trust. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Declaration to the contrary, no Trust Property shall be used to indemnify or reimburse any Shareholder or former Shareholder of any Shares of any series other than Trust Property allocated or belonging to such series.

Section 5.2. Non-Liability of Trustees and Others.

(i) No Trustee, officer, or employee of the Trust shall owe any duty, or have any related liability, to any Person whatsoever (including without limitation any Shareholder) other than to the Trust or any Series, and this Declaration of Trust eliminates any such duty arising at law (common or statutory) or in equity and any related liability, to the extent that such duty or liability may be so eliminated.

(ii) No Trustee, Trustee Emeritus, former Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be subject to any personal liability whatsoever to any Person, other than the Trust or any Series, in connection with Trust Property or the affairs of the Trust; and all Persons shall look solely to the Trust Property for satisfaction of claims of any nature arising in connection with the affairs of the Trust. No Trustee, Trustee Emeritus, former Trustee, officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be liable to the Trust or to any Shareholder, Trustee, officer, employee, or agent of the Trust for any action or failure to act (including without limitation the failure to compel in any way any former or acting Trustee to redress any breach of trust) except for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties involved in the conduct of the individual’s office.

 

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(iii) Without limiting Section 5.2(ii), the appointment, designation or identification (including in any proxy or registration statement or other document) of a Trustee as chairperson (including an independent chairperson) of the Board of Trustees, a member or chairperson of a committee established by the Trustees, an expert on any topic or in any area (including an audit committee financial expert), or the lead independent Trustee, or as having experience, attributes or skills in any area, or any other appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee, shall not impose on that person any standard of care, duty, obligation or liability that is greater than the standard of care, duties, obligations and liabilities imposed on that person as a Trustee in the absence of the appointment, designation or identification (except that the foregoing limitation shall not apply to duties expressly imposed pursuant to the By-Laws, a committee charter or a Trust policy statement), and no Trustee who has special skills or expertise, or is appointed, designated or identified as aforesaid, shall be held to a higher standard of care by virtue thereof. In addition, no appointment, designation or identification of a Trustee as aforesaid shall affect in any way that Trustee’s rights or entitlement to indemnification.

(iv) Every note, bond, contract, instrument, certificate or undertaking and every other act or thing whatsoever issued, executed or done by or on behalf of the Trust or the Trustees or any of them in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively deemed to have been issued, executed or done only in or with respect to their or his or her capacity as Trustees or Trustee, and such Trustees or Trustee shall not be personally liable thereon.

Section 5.3. Mandatory Indemnification. (a) Subject to the exceptions and limitations contained in paragraph (b) below:

(i) every person who is or has been a Trustee, Trustee Emeritus or officer of the Trust (hereinafter referred to as a “Covered Person”) shall be indemnified by the Trust against all liability and against all expenses reasonably incurred or paid by him or her in connection with any claim, action, suit or proceeding in which that individual becomes involved as a party or otherwise by virtue of being or having been a Trustee, Trustee Emeritus or officer and against amounts paid or incurred by that individual in the settlement thereof;

(ii) the words “claim,” “action,” “suit” or “proceeding” shall apply to all claims, actions, suits or proceedings (civil, criminal, administrative or other, including appeals), actual or threatened; and the words “liability” and “expenses” shall include, without limitation, attorneys’ fees, costs, judgments, amounts paid in settlement or compromise, fines, penalties and other liabilities.

 

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(b) No indemnification shall be provided hereunder to a Covered Person:

(i) against any liability to the Trust or the Shareholders by reason of a final adjudication by the court or other body before which the proceeding was brought that the Covered Person engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of that individual’s office;

(ii) with respect to any matter as to which the Covered Person shall have been finally adjudicated not to have acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that that individual’s action was in the best interest of the Trust; or

(iii) in the event of a settlement involving a payment by a Trustee, Trustee Emeritus or officer or other disposition not involving a final adjudication as provided in paragraph (b)(i) or (b)(ii) above resulting in a payment by a Covered Person, unless there has been either a determination that such Covered Person did not engage in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of that individual’s office by the court or other body approving the settlement or other disposition or a reasonable determination, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry) that that individual did not engage in such conduct:

(A) by vote of a majority of the Disinterested Trustees (as defined below) acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter); or

(B) by written opinion of legal counsel chosen by a majority of the Trustees and determined by them in their reasonable judgment to be independent.

(c) Subject to the provisions of the 1940 Act, the Trust may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, its Shareholders, Trustees, Trustees Emeritus, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability (whether or not the Trust would have the power to indemnify such Persons against such liability), and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable.

(d) The rights of indemnification herein provided may be insured against by policies maintained by the Trust, shall be severable, shall not affect any other rights to which any Covered Person may now or hereafter be entitled, shall continue as to a person who has ceased to be a Covered Person and shall inure to the benefit of the heirs, executors and administrators of such person. Nothing contained herein shall affect any rights to indemnification to which personnel, including Covered Persons, may be entitled by contract or otherwise under law.

(e) Expenses of preparation and presentation of a defense to any claim, action, suit, or proceeding of the character described in paragraph (a) of this Section 5.3 shall be advanced by the Trust prior to final disposition thereof upon receipt of an undertaking by or on behalf of the Covered Person to repay such amount if it is ultimately determined that the Covered Person is not entitled to indemnification under this Section 5.3, provided that either:

 

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(i) such undertaking is secured by a surety bond or some other appropriate security or the Trust shall be insured against losses arising out of any such advances; or

(ii) a majority of the Disinterested Trustees acting on the matter (provided that a majority of the Disinterested Trustees then in office act on the matter) or legal counsel selected as provided in Section 5.3(b)(iii)(B) above in a written opinion, shall determine, based upon a review of readily available facts (as opposed to a full trial-type inquiry), that there is reason to believe that the Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

As used in this Section 5.3 a “Disinterested Trustee” is one (i) who is not an “Interested Person” of the Trust (including anyone who has been exempted from being an “Interested Person” by any rule, regulation or order of the Commission), and (ii) against whom none of such actions, suits or other proceedings or another action, suit or other proceeding on the same or similar grounds is then or had been pending.

In making a determination under Section 5.3(b)(iii) as to whether a Covered Person engaged in the conduct described therein, or under Section 5.3(e)(ii) as to whether there is reason to believe that a Covered Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification, the Disinterested Trustees or legal counsel making the determination shall afford the Covered Person a rebuttable presumption that the Covered Person has not engaged in willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of the Covered Person’s office and has acted in good faith in the reasonable belief that the Covered Person’s action was in the best interest of the Trust or series and its shareholders.

Section 5.4. No Bond Required. No Trustee, Trustee Emeritus or officer shall be obligated to give any bond or other security for the performance of any of his or her duties hereunder.

Section 5.5. No Duty of Investigation; Notice in Trust Instruments. No purchaser, lender, Shareholder Servicing Agent, Transfer Agent or other Person dealing with the Trustees or any officer, employee or agent of the Trust shall be bound to make any inquiry concerning the validity of any transaction purporting to be made by the Trustees or by said officer, employee or agent or be liable for the application of money or property paid, loaned, or delivered to or on the order of the Trustees or of said officer, employee or agent. Every obligation, contract, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or undertaking, and every other act or thing whatsoever executed in connection with the Trust shall be conclusively presumed to have been executed or done by the executors thereof only in their capacity as Trustees under the Declaration or in their capacity as officers, employees or agents of the Trust. Every written obligation, contract, instrument, certificate, Share, other security of the Trust or undertaking made or issued by the

 

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Trustees or officers shall recite that the same is executed or made by them not individually, but as or on behalf of Trustees under the Declaration, and that the obligations of any such instrument are not binding upon any of the Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually, but bind only the Trust estate, and may contain any further recital deemed appropriate, but the omission of such recital shall not operate to bind any of the Trustees, officers or Shareholders individually. The Trustees may maintain insurance for the protection of the Trust Property, Shareholders, Trustees, Trustees Emeritus, officers, employees and agents in such amount as the Trustees shall deem adequate to cover possible tort liability, and such other insurance as the Trustees in their sole judgment shall deem advisable.

Section 5.6. Good Faith Action; Reliance on Experts. The exercise by the Trustees or the officers of the Trust of their powers and discretions hereunder in good faith and with reasonable care under the circumstances then prevailing shall be binding upon everyone interested. The Trustees or the officers of the Trust shall not be liable for errors of judgment or mistakes of fact or law. Each Trustee and officer or employee of the Trust shall, in the performance of his or her duties, be under no liability and fully and completely justified and protected with regard to any act or any failure to act resulting from reliance in good faith upon the books of account or other records of the Trust, upon advice of counsel, or upon reports made to the Trust by any of its officers or employees or by any Investment Adviser, the Distributor, Transfer Agent, custodian, any Shareholder Servicing Agent, selected dealers, accountants, appraisers or other experts or consultants selected with reasonable care by the Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust, regardless of whether such counsel or expert may also be a Trustee.

Section 5.7. Derivative and Direct Actions. (a) The purpose of this Section 5.7 is to protect the interests of the Trust and its Shareholders by establishing a process that will permit legitimate inquiries and claims to be made and considered while avoiding the time, expense, distraction and other harm that can be caused to the Trust and its Shareholders as a result of spurious Shareholder claims, demands and derivative actions.

(b) No Shareholder may bring a derivative or similar action or proceeding in the right of the Trust or any Series to recover a judgment in its favor (a “derivative action”) unless each of the following conditions is met:

(i) Each complaining Shareholder was a Shareholder of (A) the Series on behalf of or in the right of which the derivative action is proposed to be brought and (B) a Class of the Series affected by the action or failure to act complained of, to the extent that fewer than all Classes were affected (the “affected Series or Class”), at the time of the action or failure to act complained of, or acquired the Shares afterwards by operation of law from a Person who was a Shareholder at that time;

(ii) Each complaining Shareholder was a Shareholder of the affected Series or Class at the time the demand required by subparagraph (iii) below was made;

 

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(iii) Prior to the commencement of such derivative action, the complaining Shareholders have made a written demand on the Trustees requesting that the Trustees cause the Trust to file the action itself on behalf of the affected Series or Class (a “demand”), which demand shall include at least the following:

(1) a copy of the proposed derivative complaint, setting forth a detailed description of the action or failure to act complained of, the facts upon which each such allegation is made and the reasonably estimated damages or other relief sought;

(2) a statement to the effect that the complaining Shareholders believe in good faith that they will fairly and adequately represent the interests of similarly situated Shareholders in enforcing the rights of the affected Series or Class and an explanation of why the complaining Shareholders believe that to be the case;

(3) a certification that the requirements of sub-paragraphs (i) and (ii) of this paragraph (b) have been met, as well as information and documentation reasonably designed to allow the Trustees to verify that certification;

(4) a list of all other derivative or class actions in which any of the complaining Shareholders is or was a named plaintiff, the court in which such action was filed, the date of filing, the name of all counsel to any plaintiffs and the outcome or current status of such actions;

(5) a certification of the number of Shares of the affected Series or Class owned beneficially or of record by each complaining Shareholder at the time set forth in clauses (i), (ii) and (iii) of this subsection (b) and an undertaking that each complaining Shareholder will be a Shareholder of the affected Series as of the commencement of and throughout the derivative action and will notify the Trust in writing of any sale, transfer or other disposition by any of the complaining Shareholders of any such Shares within three business days thereof; and

(6) an acknowledgment of the provisions of paragraphs (d) and (e) of this Section 5.7 below; and

(iv) The derivative action has not been barred in accordance with paragraph (c)(1) below.

(c) Within 90 calendar days of the receipt of a Shareholder demand submitted in accordance with the requirements above, those Trustees who are

 

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independent for purposes of considering the demand (the “independent Trustees”) will consider, with the assistance of counsel who may be retained by such Trustees on behalf and at the expense of the Trust, the merits of the claim and determine whether maintaining a suit would be in the best interests of the Trust or the affected Series or Class, as applicable. If, during this 90-day period, those independent Trustees conclude that a determination as to the maintenance of a suit cannot reasonably be made within the 90-day period, those independent Trustees may extend the 90-day period by a period of time that the independent Trustees consider will be sufficient to permit them to make such a determination, not to exceed 60 calendar days from the end of the initial 90-day period (such 90-day period, as may be extended as provided hereunder, the “review period”). Notice of any such decision to extend the review period shall be sent in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.7 hereof to the complaining Shareholders, or, the Shareholders’ counsel if represented by counsel, in writing within five business days of any decision to extend the period. Trustees who are not deemed to be Interested Persons of the Trust are deemed independent for all purposes, including for the purpose of approving or dismissing a derivative action. A Trustee otherwise independent for purposes of considering the demand shall not be considered not to be independent solely by virtue of (i) the fact that such Trustee receives remuneration for his service as a Trustee of the Trust or as a trustee or director of one or more investment companies with the same or an affiliated investment adviser or underwriter, (ii) the amount of such remuneration, (iii) the fact that such Trustee was identified in the demand as a potential defendant or witness, or (iv) the fact that the Trustee approved the act being challenged in the demand if the act resulted in no material personal benefit to the Trustee or, if the Trustee is also a Shareholder, no material personal benefit that is not shared pro rata with other Shareholders.

(1) If the demand has been properly made under paragraph (b) of this Section 5.7, and a majority of the independent Trustees have considered the merits of the claim and have determined that maintaining a suit would not be in the best interests of the Trust, the demand shall be rejected and the complaining Shareholders shall not be permitted to maintain a derivative action unless they first sustain the burden of proof to the court that the decision of the Trustees not to pursue the requested action was not a good faith exercise of their business judgment on behalf of the Trust. If upon such consideration a majority of the independent Trustees determine that such a suit should be maintained, then the appropriate officers of the Trust shall either cause the Trust to commence that suit and such suit shall proceed directly rather than derivatively, or permit the complaining Shareholders to proceed derivatively, provided however that any counsel representing the interests of the Trust shall be approved by the Trustees. The Trustees, or the appropriate officers of the Trust, shall inform the complaining Shareholders of any decision reached under this sub-paragraph (1) by sending in accordance with the provisions of Section 6.7 hereof written notice to each complaining Shareholder, or the Shareholder’s counsel, if represented by counsel, within five business days of such decision having been reached.

 

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(2) If notice of a decision has not been sent to the complaining Shareholders or the Shareholders’ counsel within the time permitted by paragraph (1) above, and sub-paragraphs (i) through (iv) of paragraph (b) above have been complied with, the complaining Shareholders shall not be barred by this Declaration from commencing a derivative action.

(d) Each complaining Shareholder whose demand is rejected pursuant to paragraph (c)(1) above shall be responsible, jointly and severally, for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trust in connection with the Trust’s consideration of the demand if a court determines that the demand was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose.

(e) The Trust shall be responsible for payment of attorneys’ fees and legal expenses incurred by a Shareholder bringing a derivative or direct action in any circumstances only if required by law. Any attorneys’ fees so incurred by a Shareholder that the Trust is obligated to pay on the basis of hourly rates shall be calculated using reasonable hourly rates.

(f) No Shareholder may bring a direct action claiming injury as a Shareholder of the Trust where the matters alleged (if true) would give rise to a claim by the Trust, unless the Shareholder has suffered an injury distinct from that suffered by the Trust. A Shareholder bringing a direct claim must be a Shareholder of the Series or Class with respect to which the direct action is brought at the time of the injury complained of, or have acquired the Shares afterwards by operation of law from a person who was a Shareholder at that time.

(g) Each Shareholder who commences or maintains a derivative or direct action in violation of this Section 5.7 shall, jointly and severally, reimburse the Trust for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trust in connection with the action if the action is dismissed on the basis of the failure to comply with this Section 5.7. If a court determines that any derivative action has been brought without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose, the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trust in connection with the action shall be borne, jointly and severally, by each Shareholder who commenced the action.

ARTICLE VI

SHARES OF BENEFICIAL INTEREST

Section 6.1. Beneficial Interest. The interest of the beneficiaries hereunder may be divided into transferable Shares of Beneficial Interest (par value $0.01 per Share), which may be divided into one or more series and classes as provided in

 

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Sections 6.9 and 6.10 hereof. The number of Shares authorized hereunder is unlimited. All Shares issued hereunder including, without limitation, Shares issued in connection with a dividend in Shares or a split of Shares, shall be fully paid and non-assessable.

Section 6.2. Rights of Shareholders. The ownership of the Trust Property of every description and the right to conduct any business hereinbefore described are vested exclusively in the Trustees, and the Shareholders shall have no interest therein other than the beneficial interest conferred by their Shares, and they shall have no right to call for any partition or division of any property, profits, rights or interests of the Trust nor can they be called upon to assume any losses of the Trust or suffer an assessment of any kind by virtue of their ownership of Shares. The Shares shall be personal property giving only the rights specifically set forth in the Declaration. For the avoidance of doubt, Shareholders shall have no rights, privileges, claims or remedies under any contract or agreement entered into by the Trust or any Series thereof with any service provider or other agent to or contractor with the Trust or a Series thereof, including, without limitation, any third party beneficiary rights, except as may be expressly provided in any such contract or agreement. The Shares shall not entitle the holder to preference, preemptive, appraisal, conversion or exchange rights, except as the Trustees may determine with respect to any series or class of Shares. By becoming a Shareholder each Shareholder shall be held expressly to have assented to and agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and any By-Laws adopted hereunder.

Section 6.3. Trust Only. It is the intention of the Trustees to create only the relationship of Trustee and beneficiary between the Trustees and each Shareholder from time to time. It is not the intention of the Trustees to create a general partnership, limited partnership, joint stock association, corporation, bailment or any form of legal relationship other than a trust. Nothing in the Declaration shall be construed to make the Shareholders, either by themselves or with the Trustees, partners or members of a joint stock association.

Section 6.4. Issuance of Shares. The Trustees, in their discretion may, from time to time without vote of the Shareholders, issue Shares, in addition to the then issued and outstanding Shares and Shares held in the treasury, to such party or parties and for such amount and type of consideration, including cash or property, at such time or times, and on such terms as the Trustees may deem best, and may in such manner acquire other assets (including the acquisition of assets subject to, and in connection with, the assumption of liabilities) and businesses. In connection with any issuance of Shares, the Trustees may issue fractional Shares. The Trustees may from time to time divide or combine the Shares of the Trust or of any series or class into a greater or lesser number without thereby changing their proportionate beneficial interests in Trust Property allocated or belonging to such series or class. Contributions to the Trust may be accepted for, and Shares shall be redeemed as, whole Shares and/or 1/1,000ths of a Share or integral multiples thereof.

 

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Section 6.5. Register of Shares. A register or registers shall be kept at the principal office of the Trust or at an office of the Transfer Agent or any one or more Shareholder Servicing Agents, which register or registers, taken together, shall contain the names and addresses (which may be addresses for electronic delivery) of the Shareholders and the number of Shares held by them respectively and a record of all transfers thereof. Such register or registers shall be conclusive as to who are the holders of the Shares and who shall be entitled to receive dividends or distributions or otherwise to exercise or enjoy the rights of Shareholders. No Shareholder shall be entitled to receive payment of any dividend or distribution, nor to have notice given to that Shareholder as provided herein or in the By-Laws, until the Shareholder has given his or her address to the Transfer Agent, the Shareholder Servicing Agent which is the agent of record for such Shareholder, or such other officer or agent of the Trustees as shall keep the said register for entry thereon. It is not contemplated that certificates will be issued for the Shares; however, the Trustees, in their discretion, may authorize the issuance of Share certificates and promulgate appropriate rules and regulations as to their use.

Section 6.6. Transfer of Shares. Shares shall be transferable on the records of the Trust in accordance with policies established by the Trustees from time to time. Until so transferred, the Shareholder of record shall be deemed to be the holder of such Shares for all purposes hereunder.

Section 6.7. Notices. Any and all notices to which any Shareholder may be entitled and any and all communications shall be deemed duly served or given (i) if mailed, postage prepaid, addressed to any Shareholder of record at the Shareholder’s last known address as recorded on the register of the Trust, (ii) if sent by electronic transmission to the Shareholder of record at the Shareholder’s last known address for electronic delivery as recorded on the register of the Trust, (iii) if mailed or sent by electronic delivery to one or more members of the Shareholder’s household in accordance with applicable law or regulation, or (iv) if otherwise sent in accordance with applicable law or regulation.

Section 6.8. Voting Powers. The Shareholders shall have power to vote only (i) for the election of Trustees when that issue is submitted to Shareholders, and for the removal of Trustees as provided in Section 2.2 hereof, (ii) with respect to any investment advisory or management contract on which a shareholder vote is required by the 1940 Act, (iii) with respect to termination of the Trust or any series or class to the extent and as provided in Section 9.2 hereof, (iv) with respect to any amendment of the Declaration to the extent and as provided in Section 9.3 hereof, (v) with respect to any merger, consolidation or sale of assets to the extent and as provided in Section 9.4 hereof, (vi) to the same extent as the stockholders of a Massachusetts business corporation as to whether or not a court action, proceeding or claim should or should not be brought or maintained derivatively or as a class action on behalf of the Trust or the Shareholders, and (vii) with respect to such additional matters relating to the Trust as may be required by the Declaration, the By-Laws or any registration of the Trust with the Commission (or any successor agency) or any other regulator having jurisdiction over the Trust, or as the Trustees may consider necessary or desirable.

 

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A Shareholder of each series or class shall be entitled to one vote for each dollar of net asset value (number of Shares owned times net asset value per Share) of such series or class, on each matter on which such Shareholder is entitled to vote and each fractional dollar amount shall be entitled to a proportionate fractional vote, except that the Trustees may, in conjunction with the establishment of any series or class of Shares (but subject to applicable law), establish conditions under which the several series or classes shall have separate or no voting rights. Shares held in the treasury of the Trust shall not be voted.

Except when a larger vote is required by applicable law or by any provision of the Declaration or the By-Laws, if any, Shares entitled to vote and representing a majority of the voting power of the Shares voted on the matter in person or by proxy shall decide any matter and a plurality shall elect a Trustee, provided that where any provision of law or of the Declaration requires that the holders of any series or class shall vote as a series or class, then Shares representing a majority of the voting power of the Shares of that series or class entitled to vote and voted on the matter shall decide that matter insofar as that series or class is concerned, and provided further that subject to applicable law, abstentions and broker non-votes shall not be counted as having been voted on the applicable matter.

Shares of all series shall be voted in the aggregate on any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders of the Trust except as provided in Section 6.9(g) hereof. There shall be no cumulative voting in the election of Trustees. Until Shares are issued and during any period when no Shares are outstanding, the Trustees may exercise all rights of Shareholders and may take any action required by law, the Declaration or the By-Laws to be taken by Shareholders. At any meeting of Shareholders of the Trust or any series or class of the Trust, a Shareholder Servicing Agent may vote any shares as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record and for which no voting instructions are received, proportionately in accordance with the votes cast by holders of all shares otherwise represented at the meeting in person or by proxy as to which such Shareholder Servicing Agent is the agent of record. Any shares so voted by a Shareholder Servicing Agent will be deemed represented at the meeting for quorum purposes. The By-Laws may include further provisions for Shareholder votes and meetings and related matters.

Section 6.9. Series of Shares. Shares of the Trust may be divided into series, the number and relative rights, privileges and preferences of which shall be established and designated by the Trustees, in their discretion, in accordance with the terms of this Section 6.9. The Trustees may from time to time exercise their power to authorize the division of Shares into one or more series by establishing and designating one or more series of Shares upon and subject to the following provisions:

(a) All Shares shall be identical (subject to such variations between classes of Shares as may be permitted in accordance with the terms of Section 6.10 hereof) except that there may be such variations between different series as are approved by the Trustees and as are consistent with applicable law.

 

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(b) The number of authorized Shares and the number of Shares of each series that may be issued shall be unlimited. The Trustees may classify or reclassify any Shares of any Series, including outstanding Shares, unissued Shares and Shares previously issued and reacquired, into one or more series that may be established and designated from time to time. The Trustees may hold as treasury shares (of the same or some other series), reissue for such consideration and on such terms as they may determine, or cancel any Shares of any series reacquired by the Trust at their discretion from time to time.

(c) All consideration received by the Trust for the issue or sale of Shares of a particular series, together with all assets in which such consideration is invested or reinvested, all income, earnings, profits, and proceeds thereof, including any proceeds derived from the sale, exchange or liquidation of such assets, and any funds or payments derived from any reinvestment of such proceeds in whatever form the same may be, shall irrevocably belong to that series for all purposes, subject only to the rights of creditors of such series, and shall be so recorded upon the books of account of the Trust. In the event that there are any assets, income, earnings, profits and proceeds thereof, funds, or payments which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series, the Trustees shall allocate them among any one or more of the series established and designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as they, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable. Each such allocation by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all series for all purposes. No Shareholder of any particular series shall have any claim on or right to any assets allocated or belonging to any other series of Shares. No Shareholder of any particular series shall be entitled to participate in a derivative or class action on behalf of any other series or the Shareholders of any other series.

(d) The assets belonging to each particular series shall be charged with the liabilities of the Trust in respect of that series and all expenses, costs, charges and reserves attributable to that series, and any general liabilities, expenses, costs, charges or reserves of the Trust which are not readily identifiable as belonging to any particular series shall be allocated and charged by the Trustees to and among any one or more of the series established and designated from time to time in such manner and on such basis as the Trustees, in their sole discretion, deem fair and equitable. Each allocation of liabilities, expenses, costs, charges and reserves by the Trustees shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders of all series for all purposes. The Trustees shall have full discretion, to the extent not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, to determine which items shall be treated as income and which items as capital; and each such determination and allocation shall be conclusive and binding upon the Shareholders. Under no circumstances shall the assets allocated or belonging to any particular series be charged with liabilities attributable to any other series. All Persons who have extended credit which has been allocated to a particular series, or who have a claim or contract which has been allocated to any particular series, shall look only to the assets of that particular series for payment of such credit, claim or contract.

 

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(e) The power of the Trustees to invest and reinvest the Trust Property allocated or belonging to any particular series shall be governed by Section 3.2 hereof unless otherwise provided in the instrument of the Trustees establishing such series.

(f) Each Share of a series shall represent a beneficial interest in the net assets allocated or belonging to such series only, and such interest shall not extend to the assets of the Trust generally. Dividends and distributions on Shares of a particular series may be paid with such frequency as the Trustees may determine, which may be monthly or otherwise, pursuant to a standing resolution or resolutions adopted only once or with such frequency as the Trustees may determine, to the Shareholders of that series only, from such of the income and capital gains, accrued or realized, from the assets belonging to that series, as the Trustees may determine, after providing for actual and accrued liabilities belonging to that series. Subject to differences among classes, all dividends and distributions on Shares of a particular series shall be distributed pro rata to the Shareholders of that series in proportion to the number and value of Shares of that series held by such Shareholders at the date and time of record established for the payment of such dividends or distributions. Shares of any particular series of the Trust may be redeemed solely out of Trust Property allocated or belonging to that series. Upon liquidation or termination of a series of the Trust, Shareholders of such series shall be entitled to receive a pro rata share of the net assets of such series only.

(g) Notwithstanding any provision hereof to the contrary, on any matter submitted to a vote of the Shareholders of the Trust, all Shares of all series then entitled to vote shall be voted in the aggregate, except that (i) when required by the 1940 Act to be voted by individual series or class, Shares shall not be voted in the aggregate, and (ii) when the Trustees have determined that a matter affects only the interests of Shareholders of particular series or classes of Shares, only Shareholders of such series or classes of Shares, as applicable, shall be entitled to vote thereon.

Section 6.10. Classes of Shares. The Trustees may, in their discretion, authorize the division of Shares of the Trust (or any series of the Trust) into one or more classes, the number and relative rights, privileges and preferences of which shall be established and designated by the Trustees, in their discretion, in accordance with the terms of the 1940 Act. The number of Shares of each class that may be issued is unlimited, and the Trustees may classify or reclassify any Shares of any class, including outstanding Shares, into one or more classes that may be established and designated from time to time. All Shares of a class shall be identical with each other and with the Shares of each other class of the Trust or the same series of the Trust (as applicable), except for such variations between classes as may be approved by the Board of Trustees and not prohibited by the 1940 Act.

 

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Section 6.11 Series and Class Designations. The establishment and designation of any series or class of Shares shall be effective (a) upon the execution by a majority of the then Trustees of an instrument setting forth such establishment and designation and the relative rights and preferences of such series or class, (b) upon the vote of a majority of the Trustees as set forth in an instrument executed by an officer of the Trust, or (c) at such other time as the instrument referred to in the foregoing clause (a) or the vote referred to in the foregoing clause (b) may provide. The Trustees may at any time by an instrument executed by a majority of their number abolish any series or class and the establishment and designation thereof. Each instrument referred to in this paragraph shall be an amendment to the Declaration.

The series of Shares existing as of the date hereof are set forth in Appendix A hereto. The classes of Shares existing as of the date hereof are set forth in Appendix B.

ARTICLE VII

REDEMPTIONS

Section 7.1. Redemptions. All Shares shall be redeemable based on a redemption price determined in accordance with this Section 7.1 and Article VIII of the Declaration. Redeemed Shares may be resold by the Trust. The Trust shall redeem the Shares at the price determined as hereinafter set forth, upon acceptance of the appropriately verified application of the record holder thereof (or upon such other form of request as the Trustees may determine) at such office or agency as may be designated from time to time for that purpose in the Trust’s then effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 and the 1940 Act. The Trustees may from time to time specify additional conditions, not inconsistent with the 1940 Act, in the Trust’s registration statement regarding the redemption of Shares. Shares shall be redeemed at the net asset value thereof next determined after acceptance of such request, less any applicable redemption fee or sales charge.

Subject to Section 7.2 hereof, payment for said Shares shall be made to the Shareholder in cash or in property at such time and in such manner not inconsistent with the 1940 Act or other applicable law. Except as expressly determined by the Trustees, Shareholders shall not have the right to have Shares redeemed in-kind.

Section 7.2. Suspension of Right of Redemption. The Trust may declare a suspension of the right of redemption or postpone the date of payment of the redemption proceeds of any series or class as permitted under the 1940 Act. Such suspension shall take effect at such time as the Trust shall specify, and thereafter there shall be no right of redemption or payment of the redemption proceeds until the Trust shall declare the suspension at an end. In the case of a suspension of the right of redemption, a Shareholder may either withdraw the Shareholder’s request for redemption or receive payment based on the net asset value existing after the termination of the suspension.

 

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Section 7.3. Redemption of Shares; Disclosure of Holding. The Trustees may, in their discretion, require the Trust to redeem Shares held by any Shareholder for any reason under terms set by the Trustees, including, but not limited to, (i) the determination of the Trustees that direct or indirect ownership of Shares of any series has or may become concentrated in such Shareholder to an extent that would disqualify that series as a regulated investment company under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), (ii) the failure of a Shareholder to supply a tax identification number if required to do so, (iii) the failure of a Shareholder to pay when due for the purchase of Shares issued to that Shareholder, (iv) the value of a Shareholder’s Shares being less than a minimum amount established from time to time by the Trustees, (v) failure of a Shareholder to meet or maintain the qualifications for ownership of a particular class of Shares, or (vi) the determination by the Trustees or pursuant to policies adopted by the Trustees that ownership of Shares by a particular Shareholder is not in the best interests of the remaining Shareholders of the Trust or applicable series or class. The redemption shall be effected at the redemption price and in the manner provided in Section 7.1 hereof.

The holders of Shares or other securities of the Trust shall upon demand disclose to the Trustees in writing such information with respect to direct and indirect ownership of Shares or other securities of the Trust as the Trustees deem necessary to comply with the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), or to comply with the requirements of any other law or regulation, and ownership of Shares may be disclosed by the Trustees if so required by law or regulation.

ARTICLE VIII

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE,

NET INCOME AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Trustees, in their absolute discretion, may prescribe and shall set forth in the By-laws or in a duly adopted vote of the Trustees such bases and times for determining the per Share net asset value of the Shares or net income, or the declaration and payment of dividends and distributions, as they may deem necessary or desirable.

ARTICLE IX

DURATION; TERMINATION OF TRUST;

AMENDMENT; MERGERS, ETC.

Section 9.1. Duration. The Trust shall continue without limitation of time but subject to the provisions of this Article IX.

Section 9.2. Termination of Trust. (a) The Trust, any series of the Trust, or any class of any series, may be terminated at any time (i) by a Majority

 

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Shareholder Vote of the Shareholders of the Trust, that series or class, as applicable, or (ii) by the Trustees by written notice to the Shareholders of the Trust, that series or class, as applicable. Upon the termination of the Trust or any series of the Trust:

(i) The Trust or series of the Trust shall carry on no business except for the purpose of winding up its affairs;

(ii) The Trustees shall proceed to wind up the affairs of the Trust or series of the Trust and all the powers of the Trustees under the Declaration shall continue until the affairs of the Trust or series of the Trust shall have been wound up, including the power to fulfill or discharge the contracts of the Trust or series of the Trust, collect its assets, sell, convey, assign, exchange, transfer or otherwise dispose of all or any part of the remaining Trust Property or Trust Property of the series to one or more Persons at public or private sale for consideration which may consist in whole or in part of cash, securities or other property of any kind, discharge or pay its liabilities, and do all other acts appropriate to liquidate its business; and

(iii) After paying or adequately providing for the payment of all liabilities, and upon receipt of such releases, indemnities and refunding agreements as they deem necessary for their protection, the Trustees may distribute the remaining Trust Property or Trust Property of the series, in cash or in kind or partly in cash and partly in kind, among the Shareholders of the Trust or the series according to their respective rights.

The foregoing provisions shall also apply, with appropriate modifications as determined by the Trustees, to the termination of any class.

(b) After termination of the Trust or series or class and distribution to the Shareholders of the Trust or series or class as herein provided, a majority of the Trustees shall execute and lodge among the records of the Trust an instrument in writing setting forth the fact of such termination, and the Trustees shall thereupon be discharged from all further liabilities and duties hereunder with respect to the Trust or series or class, and the rights and interests of all Shareholders of the Trust or series or class shall thereupon cease.

Section 9.3. Amendment Procedure. (a) Except as specifically provided herein, the Trustees may, without any Shareholder vote, amend or otherwise supplement the Declaration by making an amendment, a Declaration of Trust supplemental hereto or an amended and restated Declaration. Without limiting the foregoing power reserved to the Trustees, the Trustees may, without any Shareholder vote, amend the Declaration to designate or redesignate series or classes, to change the name, principal office or registered agent of the Trust, to supply any omission, to cure, correct or supplement any ambiguous, defective or inconsistent provision hereof, or if they deem it necessary or advisable, to conform the Declaration to the requirements of applicable law, including the 1940 Act and the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto),

 

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but the Trustees shall not be liable for failing to do so. Shareholders shall have the right to vote on (i) any amendment that would affect their right to vote granted in Section 6.8, (ii) any amendment to this Section 9.3(a), (iii) any amendment as may be required by law, or by the Trust’s registration statement, to be approved by Shareholders, and (iv) any amendment submitted to them by the Trustees. Any amendment on which Shareholders have the right to vote shall require a Majority Shareholder Vote of the Shareholders of the Trust or the written consent, without a meeting, of the holders of Shares representing not less than a majority of the voting power of the Shares of the Trust. Notwithstanding the foregoing, if the Trustees shall determine that any amendment required or permitted to be submitted to Shareholders would affect only the interest of Shareholders of particular series or classes of Shares, then only Shareholders of such series or classes, as applicable, shall be entitled to vote thereon, and no vote of Shareholders of any other series or classes shall be required.

(b) Nothing contained in the Declaration shall permit the amendment of the Declaration to impair the exemption from personal liability of the Shareholders, former Shareholders, Trustees, Trustees Emeritus, officers, employees and agents of the Trust or to permit assessments upon Shareholders or former Shareholders. Notwithstanding anything else herein, any amendment to Section 5.3 shall not limit the rights to indemnification or insurance provided therein with respect to actions or omissions of persons entitled to indemnification under such Section prior to such amendment.

(c) A certificate signed by a majority of the Trustees setting forth an amendment and reciting that it was duly adopted by the Shareholders (if applicable) or by the Trustees as aforesaid or a copy of the Declaration, as amended, and executed by a majority of the Trustees, shall be conclusive evidence of such amendment when lodged among the records of the Trust.

(d) Notwithstanding any other provision hereof, until such time as Shares of a particular series or class are first issued the Declaration may be terminated or amended in any respect as to that series or class, and as to any series or class in which Shares are not outstanding, by the affirmative vote of a majority of the Trustees or by an instrument signed by a majority of the Trustees.

Section 9.4. Merger, Consolidation and Sale of Assets. Subject to applicable law and except as otherwise provided in Section 9.5 hereof, the Trust or any series or class thereof may merge or consolidate with any other corporation, association, trust or other organization or may sell, lease or exchange all or substantially all of the Trust Property (or all or substantially all of the Trust Property allocated or belonging to a particular series or class of the Trust) including its good will, upon such terms and conditions and for such consideration when and as authorized (a) at any meeting of Shareholders called for such purpose by the vote of Shares representing two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of all series of the Trust voting as a single class if the entire Trust is merging, consolidating or disposing of assets, by the vote of Shares representing two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of the particular series if the entire series is

 

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merging, consolidating or disposing of assets, or by the vote of Shares representing two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of a class if only that class is merging, consolidating or disposing of assets, or (b) by the written consent, without a meeting, of the holders of Shares representing two-thirds of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of all series of the Trust voting as a single class, or of the particular series or class as described above; provided, however, that if such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange is recommended by the Trustees, a Majority Shareholder Vote of all series of the Trust voting as a single class, or of the particular series or class as described above, or the written consent of the holders of Shares representing a majority of the voting power of the outstanding Shares of all series of the Trust voting as a single class, or of the particular series or class as described above, shall be sufficient authorization. Any such merger, consolidation, sale, lease or exchange shall be deemed for all purposes to have been accomplished under and pursuant to the statutes of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Such transactions may be effected through share-for-share exchanges, transfers or sales of assets, in-kind redemptions and purchases, exchange offers, or any other method approved by the Trustees. Nothing contained herein shall be construed as requiring approval of Shareholders for any sale of assets in the ordinary course of the business of the Trust, or for any transaction, whether deemed a merger, consolidation, reorganization or exchange of shares or otherwise, whereby the Trust issues shares of one or more series or classes in connection with the acquisition of assets (including those subject to liabilities) from any other investment company or similar entity.

Section 9.5. Incorporation, Reorganization. The Trustees may, without the vote or consent of Shareholders, cause to be organized or assist in organizing a corporation or corporations under the laws of any jurisdiction, or any other trust or series or class of a trust, unit investment trust, partnership, limited liability company, association or other organization to acquire all or a portion of the Trust Property (or all or a portion of the Trust Property allocated or belonging to a particular series or class) or to carry on any business in which the Trust shall directly or indirectly have any interest, and to sell, convey and transfer such Trust Property to any such corporation, trust or series or class of a trust, partnership, limited liability company, association or organization in exchange for the shares or securities thereof or otherwise, and to lend money to, subscribe for the shares or securities of, and enter into any contracts with any such corporation, trust, partnership, association or organization in which the Trust holds or is about to acquire shares or any other interest. The Trustees may also, without the vote or consent of Shareholders, cause a merger or consolidation between the Trust or any successor thereto and any such corporation, trust (or series or class thereof), partnership, association or other organization if and to the extent permitted by law. The Trustees shall provide written notice to affected Shareholders of each transaction pursuant to this Section 9.5. Such transactions may be effected through share-for-share exchanges, transfers or sales of assets, in-kind redemptions and purchases, exchange offers, or any other method approved by the Trustees.

 

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ARTICLE X

MISCELLANEOUS

Section 10.1. Filing. The Declaration and any subsequent amendment hereto shall be filed in the office of the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and in such other place or places as may be required under the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and may also be filed or recorded in such other places as the Trustees deem appropriate, provided that the failure to so file shall not invalidate this instrument or any properly authorized amendment hereto. Each amendment so filed shall be accompanied by a certificate signed and acknowledged by an officer or Trustee stating that such action was duly taken in a manner provided herein, and unless such amendment or such certificate sets forth some other time for the effectiveness of such amendment, such amendment shall be effective upon its filing. A restated Declaration, integrating into a single instrument all of the provisions of the Declaration which are then in effect and operative, may be executed from time to time by a majority of the Trustees and shall, upon filing with the Secretary of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, be conclusive evidence of all amendments contained therein and may thereafter be referred to in lieu of the original Declaration and the various amendments thereto.

Section 10.2. Governing Law. The Declaration is executed by the Trustees and delivered in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts and with reference to the laws thereof, and the rights of all parties and the validity and construction of every provision hereof shall be subject to and construed according to the laws of said Commonwealth. Any action commenced by a Shareholder (i) directly against (x) the Trust or a Series thereof, (y) its Trustees or officers related to, arising out of or concerning the Trust, is business or operations, and/or (z) otherwise related to, arising out of or concerning the Trust, its business or operations or (ii) derivatively in the right or name of, or on behalf of the Trust or a Series or Class thereof (collectively, the “Covered Actions”), shall be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts, or if such action may not be brought in that court, then such action shall be brought in Massachusetts Superior Court, Business Litigation Session, in Boston, Massachusetts (each, a “Designated Court”). The Trust, its Trustees and officers, and its Shareholders each (a) consent to jurisdiction in the Designated Courts; (b) waive any objection to venue in either Designated Court and (c) waive any objection that either Designated Court is an inconvenient forum. Except to the extent prohibited by applicable law, if any Shareholder shall commence a Covered Action in any court other than a Designated Court without the written consent of the Trust, then each such Shareholder shall be obligated, jointly and severally, to reimburse the Trust and any Trustee or officer of the Trust made a party to such proceeding for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred by the Trust and any Trustee or officer of the Trust in connection with any successful motion to dismiss, stay or transfer such action on the basis of the failure to comply with this Section 10.2. In any Covered Action, there shall be no right to a jury trial. THE RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY IS EXPRESSLY WAIVED TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW.

Section 10.3. Counterparts. The Declaration may be simultaneously executed in several counterparts, each of which shall be deemed to be an original, and such counterparts, together, shall constitute one and the same instrument, which shall be sufficiently evidenced by any such original counterpart.

 

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Section 10.4. Reliance by Third Parties. Any certificate executed by an individual who, according to the records of the Trust, appears to be an officer or Trustee hereunder, certifying to: (i) the number or identity of Trustees or Shareholders, (ii) the due authorization of the execution of any instrument or writing, (iii) the form of any vote passed at a meeting of Trustees or Shareholders, (iv) the fact that the number of Trustees or Shareholders present at any meeting or executing any written instrument satisfies the requirements of the Declaration, (v) the form of any By-Laws adopted by or the identity of any officers elected by the Trustees, or (vi) the existence of any fact or facts which in any manner relates to the affairs of the Trust, shall be conclusive evidence as to the matters so certified in favor of any Person dealing with the Trustees and their successors.

Section 10.5. Provisions in Conflict with Law or Regulations.

(a) The provisions of the Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees shall determine, with the advice of counsel, that any of such provisions is in conflict with the 1940 Act, the regulated investment company or other provisions of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (or any successor statute thereto), or with other applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provision shall be deemed never to have constituted a part of the Declaration; provided, however, that such determination shall not affect any of the remaining provisions of the Declaration or render invalid or improper any action taken or omitted prior to such determination.

(b) If any provision of the Declaration shall be held invalid or unenforceable in any jurisdiction, such invalidity or unenforceability shall attach only to such provision in such jurisdiction and shall not in any manner affect such provision in any other jurisdiction or any other provision of the Declaration in any jurisdiction.

Section 10.6. Principal Office. The principal office of the Trust is 114 State Street, Boston, Massachusetts, 02109. The Trustees, without a vote of Shareholders, may change the principal office or registered agent of the Trust.

[Signature page follows.]

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this instrument as of the day and year first above written.

 

/s/ Jonathan Darnell

Jonathan Darnell

   

/s/ Bancroft Poor

Bancroft R. Poor

/s/ Daniel Kern

Daniel Kern

   

/s/ Mary Raftery

Mary Raftery

/s/ Peter Kinder

Peter Kinder

   

/s/ James H. Starr

James H. Starr

/s/ Laurie Moskowitz

Laurie Moskowitz

   

/s/ Wendy Wendlandt

Wendy Wendlandt

/s/ Douglas H. Phelps

Douglas H. Phelps

   

 

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Appendix A

Establishment and

Designation of Series of Shares of

Beneficial Interest (par value $0.01 per Share)

(Effective as of June 29, 2016)

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust, acting pursuant to the Trust’s Declaration, have previously established and designated each of Green Century Balanced Fund and Green Century Equity Fund asseries of Shares of Beneficial Interest of the Trust pursuant to one or more designations of series (the “Prior Designations”); and

WHEREAS, in connection with the adoption of an Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of March 15, 2006 (the “Declaration”), the previously established and designated Series were included on Appendix A to the Declaration, which was deemed an amendment and restatement of the Prior Designations; and

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust hereby establish an additional series of the Trust called “Green Century MSCI International Index Fund,” effective as of June 29, 2016, with such relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms as are set forth below; and

WHEREAS, this Appendix A to the Declaration shall be deemed to be an amendment and restatement of the Appendix A to the Declaration effective as of March 15, 2006;

NOW THEREFORE, the following Series of the Trust are established with such relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms as are set forth below:

Green Century Balanced Fund

Green Century Equity Fund

Green Century MSCI International Index Fund

(each a “Fund”)

2. Each Fund shall be authorized to hold cash, invest in securities, instruments and other property and use investment techniques as from time to time described in the Trust’s then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 to the extent pertaining to the offering of Shares of the Fund. Each Share of each Fund shall be redeemable as provided in the Declaration. Subject to differences among classes, each Share of each Fund shall be entitled to vote on matters on which Shares of the Fund shall be entitled to vote as provided in Section 6.8 of the Trust’s Declaration of Trust, shall represent a pro rata beneficial interest in the assets allocated or belonging to the Fund, and shall be entitled to


receive its pro rata share of the net assets of the Fund upon liquidation of the Fund, all as provided in Section 6.9 of the Declaration of Trust. The proceeds of sales of Shares of each Fund, together with any income and gain thereon, less any diminution or expenses thereof, shall irrevocably belong to the Fund, unless otherwise required by law.

3. Shareholders of each Fund shall vote separately as a class on any matter to the extent required by, and any matter shall have been deemed effectively acted upon with respect to the Fund as provided in, Rule 18f-2, as from time to time in effect, under the 1940 Act or any successor rule, and the Declaration.

4. The assets and liabilities of the Trust shall be allocated among each Fund and any series of the Trust designated in the future as set forth in Section 6.9 of the Declaration.

5. Subject to the provisions of Section 6.9 and Article IX of the Declaration, the Trustees (including any successor Trustees) shall have the right at any time and from time to time to reallocate assets and expenses or to change the designation of each Fund, or otherwise to change the special and relative rights of each Fund.

6. Any Fund may be terminated by the Trustees at any time by written notice to the Shareholders of the Fund.

7. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Declaration.

 

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Appendix B

Designation of Classes of Shares

(Effective as of June 29, 2016)

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust, acting pursuant to the Trust’s agreement and declaration of trust as then in effect, have previously established and designated each of Green Century Balanced Fund and Green Century Equity Fund as series of Shares of Beneficial Interest of the Trust; and

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust have previously established and designated one class of Shares (a “Class”) for each of Green Century Balanced Fund and Green Century Equity Fund; and

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust hereby name the class of Shares of each of Green Century Balanced Fund and Green Century Equity Fund as “Individual Investor Shares”; and

WHEREAS, the Trustees of the Trust hereby hereby divide Shares of an additional series of the Trust called “Green Century MSCI International Index Fund” into “Individual Investor Shares” and “Institutional Shares,” effective as of June 29, 2016, with such relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms as are set forth below; and

WHEREAS, this Appendix B to the Declaration shall be deemed to be an amendment and restatement of the Declaration effective as June 29, 2016;

NOW THEREFORE, the following Classes as listed below with respect to the identified Series of the Trust are established with such relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms as are set forth below:

 

Series

   Classes

Green Century Balanced Fund

   Individual Investor Shares

Green Century Equity Fund

   Individual Investor Shares

Green Century MSCI International Index Fund

   Individual Investor Shares

 

Institutional Shares

 

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1. Each Share of each Class is entitled to all the rights and preferences accorded to Shares under the Declaration.

2. The number of authorized Shares of each Class is unlimited.

3. All Shares of a Class of a Series shall be identical with each other and with the Shares of each other Class of the same Series except for such variations between Classes as may be authorized by the Trustees from time to time and set forth in the Trust’s then currently effective registration statement under the Securities Act of 1933 to the extent pertaining to the offering of Shares of the Class of such Series, as the same may be amended and supplemented from time to time (“Prospectus”). The Trustees may change the name or other designation of a Class; and take such other action with respect to the Classes as the Trustees may deem desirable.

4. With respect to the Shares of a Class of a Series, (a) the time and method of determining the purchase price, (b) the fees and expenses, (c) the qualifications for ownership, if any, (d) minimum purchase amounts, if any, (e) minimum account size, if any, (f) the price, terms and manner of redemption of, (g) any conversion or exchange feature or privilege, (h) the relative dividend rights, and (i) any other relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms have been established by the Trustees in accordance with the Declaration and are set forth in the Prospectus with respect to such Class of such Series.

5. The Trustees may from time to time modify any of the relative rights, preferences, privileges, limitations, restrictions and other relative terms of a Class of a Series that have been established by the Trustees, divide or combine the issued or unissued Shares of any Class of a Series into a greater or lesser number; classify or reclassify any issued or unissued Shares of any Class of a Series into one or more Classes of such Series; combine two or more Classes of a Series into a single Class of such Series; in each case without any action or consent of the Shareholders.

6. The designation of any Class hereby shall not impair the power of the Trustees from time to time to designate additional Classes of Shares of a Series or terminate any one or more Classes of a Series hereby designated.

7. Capitalized terms not defined herein have the meanings given to such terms in the Declaration.

 

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IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned have executed this instrument as of the 29th day of June, 2016.

 

/s/ Jonathan Darnell

Jonathan Darnell

   

/s/ Bancroft Poor

Bancroft R. Poor

/s/ Daniel Kern

Daniel Kern

   

/s/ Mary Raftery

Mary Raftery

/s/ Peter Kinder

Peter Kinder

   

/s/ James Starr

James H. Starr

/s/ Laurie Moskowitz

Laurie Moskowitz

   

/s/ Wendy Wendlandt

Wendy Wendlandt

/s/ Douglas H. Phelps

Douglas H. Phelps

   

 

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