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PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (“SAI”) SUPPLEMENT

NORTHERN FUNDS

LIMITED TERM TAX‑EXEMPT FUND

LIMITED TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND

HIGH YIELD MUNICIPAL FUND

INTERMEDIATE TAX‑EXEMPT FUND

(EACH A “FUND,” AND TOGETHER, THE “FUNDS”)

SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 24, 2022 TO THE FUNDS’ PROSPECTUS AND SAI DATED JULY 31, 2021, EACH AS SUPPLEMENTED

This supplement supersedes and replaces the supplement dated December 23, 2021 relating to the Funds.

HIGH YIELD MUNICIPAL FUND

1.	The “Average Annual Total Return” table and related disclosure in the section entitled “FUND SUMMARIES — High Yield Municipal Fund — Fund Performance” on page 147 of the Prospectus for the High Yield Municipal Fund is replaced with the following:

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN

(For the periods ended December 31, 2020)


	Inception Date	1‑Year	5‑Years	10-Years
Shares Class	12/31/98
Returns before taxes		4.35%	4.01%	5.53%
Returns after taxes on distributions		4.34%	3.97%	5.50%
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares		4.10%	3.94%	5.28%
Bloomberg Municipal 60% High Yield/40% Investment Grade Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		5.12%	5.52%	5.98%
Bloomberg Municipal 65% Investment Grade/35% High Yield Total Return Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		5.20%	4.85%	5.42%

After‑tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after‑tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After‑tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax‑advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

In calculating the federal income taxes due on redemptions, capital gains taxes resulting from redemptions are subtracted from the redemption proceeds and the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from the redemptions are added to the redemption proceeds.

*

Effective February 1, 2022, the benchmark for the Fund changed from the Bloomberg Municipal Bond 65% Investment Grade/35% High Yield Total Return Index (formerly known as the Bloomberg Barclays Municipal Bond 65% Investment Grade/35% High Yield Total Return Index) to the Bloomberg Municipal Bond 60% High Yield/40% Investment Grade Index to better align the Fund’s benchmark with the Fund’s portfolio objective.

INTERMEDIATE TAX‑EXEMPT FUND

1.	The “Average Annual Total Return” table and related disclosure in the section entitled “FUND SUMMARIES — Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund — Fund Performance” on page 152 of the Prospectus for the Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund is replaced with the following:

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN

(For the periods ended December 31, 2020)


	Inception Date	1‑Year	5‑Years	10-Years
Shares Class	4/1/94
Returns before taxes		4.67%	3.14%	3.78%
Returns after taxes on distributions		4.42%	2.92%	3.56%
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares		3.61%	2.80%	3.37%
Bloomberg Municipal 1 – 15 Year Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		4.73%	3.39%	3.84%
Bloomberg Intermediate Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		5.18%	3.54%	4.07%

After‑tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after‑tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After‑tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax‑advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

In calculating the federal income taxes due on redemptions, capital gains taxes resulting from redemptions are subtracted from the redemption proceeds and the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from the redemptions are added to the redemption proceeds.

*

Effective February 1, 2022, the benchmark for the Fund changed from the Bloomberg Intermediate Municipal Bond Index (formerly known as the Bloomberg Barclays Intermediate Municipal Bond Index) to the Bloomberg Municipal 1—15 Year Index to better align the Fund’s benchmark with the Fund’s current portfolio objectives and composition.

LIMITED TERM TAX‑EXEMPT FUND AND LIMITED TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND

Effective February 1, 2022, the name of the Short-Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund was changed to the Limited Term Tax‑Exempt Fund and the name of the Short-Intermediate U.S. Government Fund was changed to the Limited Term U.S. Government Fund, as approved by the Board of Trustees of Northern Funds. Accordingly, effective February 1, 2022, all references in the Prospectus and SAI to the Short-Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund were deleted and replaced with references to the Limited Term Tax‑Exempt Fund and all references in the Prospectus and SAI to the Short-Intermediate U.S. Government Fund were deleted and replaced with references to the Limited Term U.S. Government Fund.

Risk/Return:

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Supplement to Prospectus [Text Block]

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PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (“SAI”) SUPPLEMENT

NORTHERN FUNDS

LIMITED TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND

(EACH A “FUND,” AND TOGETHER, THE “FUNDS”)

SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 24, 2022 TO THE FUNDS’ PROSPECTUS AND SAI DATED JULY 31, 2021, EACH AS SUPPLEMENTED

This supplement supersedes and replaces the supplement dated December 23, 2021 relating to the Funds.

LIMITED TERM TAX‑EXEMPT FUND AND LIMITED TERM U.S. GOVERNMENT FUND

Effective February 1, 2022, the name of the Short-Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund was changed to the Limited Term Tax‑Exempt Fund and the name of the Short-Intermediate U.S. Government Fund was changed to the Limited Term U.S. Government Fund, as approved by the Board of Trustees of Northern Funds. Accordingly, effective February 1, 2022, all references in the Prospectus and SAI to the Short-Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund were deleted and replaced with references to the Limited Term Tax‑Exempt Fund and all references in the Prospectus and SAI to the Short-Intermediate U.S. Government Fund were deleted and replaced with references to the Limited Term U.S. Government Fund.

Risk/Return:

rr_RiskReturnAbstract

Supplement to Prospectus [Text Block]

rr_SupplementToProspectusTextBlock

PROSPECTUS AND STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION (“SAI”) SUPPLEMENT

NORTHERN FUNDS

INTERMEDIATE TAX‑EXEMPT FUND

(EACH A “FUND,” AND TOGETHER, THE “FUNDS”)

SUPPLEMENT DATED MAY 24, 2022 TO THE FUNDS’ PROSPECTUS AND SAI DATED JULY 31, 2021, EACH AS SUPPLEMENTED

This supplement supersedes and replaces the supplement dated December 23, 2021 relating to the Funds.

INTERMEDIATE TAX‑EXEMPT FUND

1.	The “Average Annual Total Return” table and related disclosure in the section entitled “FUND SUMMARIES — Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund — Fund Performance” on page 152 of the Prospectus for the Intermediate Tax‑Exempt Fund is replaced with the following:

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN

(For the periods ended December 31, 2020)


	Inception Date	1‑Year	5‑Years	10-Years
Shares Class	4/1/94
Returns before taxes		4.67%	3.14%	3.78%
Returns after taxes on distributions		4.42%	2.92%	3.56%
Returns after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares		3.61%	2.80%	3.37%
Bloomberg Municipal 1 – 15 Year Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		4.73%	3.39%	3.84%
Bloomberg Intermediate Municipal Bond Index (reflects no deduction for fees, expenses, or taxes)*		5.18%	3.54%	4.07%

After‑tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after‑tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After‑tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their shares through tax‑advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.

In calculating the federal income taxes due on redemptions, capital gains taxes resulting from redemptions are subtracted from the redemption proceeds and the tax benefits from capital losses resulting from the redemptions are added to the redemption proceeds.

*

Effective February 1, 2022, the benchmark for the Fund changed from the Bloomberg Intermediate Municipal Bond Index (formerly known as the Bloomberg Barclays Intermediate Municipal Bond Index) to the Bloomberg Municipal 1—15 Year Index to better align the Fund’s benchmark with the Fund’s current portfolio objectives and composition.