Exhibit (5)(k)
FORUM FUNDS
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
AGREEMENT made as of the 30th day of March, 1998, by and between Forum
Funds, a Delaware business trust, with its principal office and place of
business at Two ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Trust"), and Forum
Investment Advisors, LLC, a Corporation organized under the laws of the State of
Delaware with its principal place of business at ▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇, ▇▇▇▇▇▇▇▇,
▇▇▇▇▇ (the "Adviser").
WHEREAS, the Trust is registered under the Investment Company Act of
1940, as amended (the "1940 Act"), as an open-end, management investment company
and may issue its shares of beneficial interest, no par value (the "Shares"), in
separate series; and
WHEREAS, the Trust desires that the Adviser perform investment advisory
services for each series of the Trust listed in Appendix A hereto (each, a
"Fund" and collectively, the "Funds"), and the Adviser is willing to provide
those services on the terms and conditions set forth in this Agreement;
NOW THEREFORE, for and in consideration of the mutual covenants and
agreements contained herein, the Trust and the Adviser hereby agree as follows:
SECTION 1. APPOINTMENT; DELIVERY OF DOCUMENTS
(a) The Trust hereby employs the Adviser, subject to the direction and
control of the Board, to manage the investment and reinvestment of the assets in
each Fund and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, to provide
other services as specified herein. The Adviser accepts this employment and
agrees to render its services for the compensation set forth herein.
(b) In connection therewith, the Trust has delivered to the Adviser
copies of: (i) the Trust's Trust Instrument and Bylaws (collectively, as amended
from time to time, "Organic Documents"); (ii) the Trust's Registration Statement
and all amendments thereto filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange
Commission ("SEC") pursuant to the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
"Securities Act"), or the 1940 Act (the "Registration Statement"); (iii) the
Trust's current Prospectuses and Statements of Additional Information of each
Fund (collectively, as currently in effect and as amended or supplemented, the
"Prospectus"); and (iv) all procedures adopted by the Trust with respect to the
Funds (i.e., repurchase agreement procedures), and shall promptly furnish the
Adviser with all amendments of or supplements to the foregoing. The Trust shall
deliver to the Adviser: (x) a certified copy of the resolution of the Board of
Trustees of the Trust (the "Board") appointing the Adviser and authorizing the
execution and delivery of this Agreement; (y) a copy of all proxy statements and
related materials relating to the Funds;
and (z) any other documents, materials or information that the Adviser shall
reasonably request to enable it to perform its duties pursuant to this
Agreement.
(c) The Adviser has delivered, or will deliver within 45 days, to the
Trust: (i) a copy of its Form ADV as most recently filed with the SEC; and (ii)
a copy of its code of ethics complying with the requirements of Rule 17j-1 under
the 1940 Act (the "Code"). The Adviser shall promptly furnish the Trust with all
amendments of or supplements to the foregoing at least annually.
SECTION 2. DUTIES OF THE TRUST
In order for the Adviser to perform the services required by this
Agreement, the Trust: (i) shall cause all service providers to the Trust to
furnish information to the Adviser and to assist the Adviser as may be required;
and (ii) shall ensure that the Adviser has reasonable access to all records and
documents maintained by the Trust or any service provider to the Trust.
SECTION 3. DUTIES OF THE ADVISER
(a) The Adviser will make decisions with respect to all purchases and
sales of securities and other investment assets in each Fund. To carry out such
decisions, the Adviser is hereby authorized, as agent and attorney-in-fact for
the Trust, for the account of, at the risk of and in the name of the Trust, to
place orders and issue instructions with respect to those transactions of the
Funds. In all purchases, sales and other transactions in securities and other
investments for the Funds, the Adviser is authorized to exercise full discretion
and act for the Trust in the same manner and with the same force and effect as
the Trust might or could do with respect to such purchases, sales or other
transactions, as well as with respect to all other things necessary or
incidental to the furtherance or conduct of such purchases, sales or other
transactions. Among other things, the Adviser shall make all decisions with
respect to the allocation of the Fund's investments in various securities or
other assets, in investment styles and, if applicable, in other investment
companies or pooled vehicles in which the Fund may invest.
Consistent with Section 28(e) of the Securities and Exchange Act of
1934, as amended, the Adviser may allocate brokerage on behalf of the Funds to
broker-dealers who provide research services. The Adviser may aggregate sales
and purchase orders of the assets of the Funds with similar orders being made
simultaneously for other accounts advised by the Adviser or its affiliates.
Whenever the Adviser simultaneously places orders to purchase or sell the same
asset on behalf of a Fund and one or more other accounts advised by the Adviser,
the orders will be allocated as to price and amount among all such accounts in a
manner believed to be equitable over time to each account.
(b) The Adviser will report to the Board at each meeting thereof as
requested by the Board all material changes in each Fund since the prior report,
and will also keep the Board informed of important developments affecting the
Trust, the Funds and the Adviser, and on its own initiative, will furnish the
Board from time to time with such information as the Adviser
may believe appropriate for this purpose, whether concerning the individual
companies whose securities are included in the Funds' holdings, the industries
in which they engage, the economic, social or political conditions prevailing in
each country in which the Funds maintain investments, or otherwise. The Adviser
will also furnish the Board with such statistical and analytical information
with respect to investments of the Funds as the Adviser may believe appropriate
or as the Board reasonably may request. In making purchases and sales of
securities and other investment assets for the Funds, the Adviser will bear in
mind the policies set from time to time by the Board as well as the limitations
imposed by the Organic Documents and Registration Statement, the limitations in
the 1940 Act, the Securities Act, the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended,
and other applicable laws and the investment objectives, policies and
restrictions of the Funds.
(c) The Adviser will from time to time employ or associate with such
persons as the Adviser believes to be particularly fitted to assist in the
execution of the Adviser's duties hereunder, the cost of performance of such
duties to be borne and paid by the Adviser. No obligation may be incurred on the
Trust's behalf in any such respect.
(d) The Adviser will report to the Board all material matters related
to the Adviser. On an annual basis, the Adviser shall report on its compliance
with its Code to the Board and upon the written request of the Trust, the
Adviser shall permit the Trust, or its representatives to examine the reports
required to be made to the Adviser under the Code. The Adviser will notify the
Trust of any change of control of the Adviser and any changes in the key
personnel who are either the portfolio manager(s) of the Fund or senior
management of the Adviser, in each case prior to or promptly after such change.
(e) The Adviser will maintain records relating to its portfolio
transactions and placing and allocation of brokerage orders as are required to
be maintained by the Trust under the 1940 Act. The Adviser shall prepare and
maintain, or cause to be prepared and maintained, in such form, for such periods
and in such locations as may be required by applicable law, all documents and
records relating to the services provided by the Adviser pursuant to this
Agreement required to be prepared and maintained by the Adviser or the Trust
pursuant to applicable law. To the extent required by law, the books and records
pertaining to the Trust which are in possession of the Adviser shall be the
property of the Trust. The Trust, or its representatives, shall have access to
such books and records at all times during the Adviser's normal business hours.
Upon the reasonable request of the Trust, copies of any such books and records
shall be provided promptly by the Adviser to the Trust or its representatives.
(f) The Adviser will cooperate with each Fund's independent public
accountants and shall take reasonable action to make all necessary information
available to those accountants for the performance of the accountants' duties.
(g) The Adviser will provide the Funds' custodian and fund accountant
on each business day with such information relating to all transactions
concerning the Funds' assets as the custodian and fund accountant may reasonably
require. In accordance with procedures adopted by the Board, the Adviser is
responsible for assisting in the fair valuation of all Fund
assets and will use its reasonable efforts to arrange for the provision of
prices from parties who are not affiliated persons of the Adviser for each asset
for which the Funds' fund accountant does not obtain prices in the ordinary
course of business.
(h) The Adviser shall authorize and permit any of its directors,
officers and employees who may be duly elected as Trustees or officers of the
Trust to serve in the capacities in which they are elected.
(i) The Adviser shall have no duties or obligations pursuant to this
Agreement (other than the continuation of its preexisting duties and
obligations) during any period in which the Fund invests all (or substantially
all) of its investment assets in a registered, open-end management investment
company, or separate series thereof, in accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(E)
under the 1940 Act.
SECTION 4. COMPENSATION; EXPENSES
(a) In consideration of the foregoing, the Trust shall pay the Adviser,
with respect to each of Fund, a fee at an annual rate as listed in Appendix A
hereto. Such fees shall be accrued by the Trust daily and shall be payable
monthly in arrears on the first day of each calendar month for services
performed hereunder during the prior calendar month. If fees begin to accrue in
the middle of a month or if this Agreement terminates before the end of any
month, all fees for the period from that date to the end of that month or from
the beginning of that month to the date of termination, as the case may be,
shall be prorated according to the proportion that the period bears to the full
month in which the effectiveness or termination occurs. Upon the termination of
this Agreement with respect to a Fund, the Trust shall pay to the Adviser such
compensation as shall be payable prior to the effective date of termination.
(b) The Adviser shall reimburse expenses of each Fund or waive its fees
to the extent necessary to maintain a Fund's expense ratio at an agreed-upon
amount for a period of time specified in a separate letter of agreement. The
Adviser's reimbursement of a Fund's expenses shall be estimated and paid to the
Trust monthly in arrears, at the same time as the Trust's payment to the Adviser
for such month.
(c) No fee shall be payable hereunder with respect to a Fund during any
period in which the Fund invests all (or substantially all) of its investment
assets in a registered, open-end, management investment company, or separate
series thereof, in accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(E) under the 1940 Act.
(d) The Trust shall be responsible for and assumes the obligation for
payment of all of its expenses, including: (i) the fee payable under this
Agreement; (ii) the fees payable to each administrator under an agreement
between the administrator and the Trust; (iii) expenses of issue, repurchase and
redemption of Shares; (iv) interest charges, taxes and brokerage fees and
commissions; (v) premiums of insurance for the Trust, its trustees and officers,
and fidelity bond premiums; (vi) fees and expenses of third parties, including
the Trust's independent public accountant, custodian, transfer agent, dividend
disbursing agent and fund accountant; (vii) fees of
pricing, interest, dividend, credit and other reporting services; (viii) costs
of membership in trade associations; (ix) telecommunications expenses; (x)
funds' transmission expenses; (xi) auditing, legal and compliance expenses;
(xii) costs of forming the Trust and maintaining its existence; (xiii) costs of
preparing, filing and printing the Trust's Prospectuses, subscription
application forms and shareholder reports and other communications and
delivering them to existing shareholders, whether of record or beneficial; (xiv)
expenses of meetings of shareholders and proxy solicitations therefor; (xv)
costs of maintaining books of original entry for portfolio and fund accounting
and other required books and accounts, of calculating the net asset value of
Shares and of preparing tax returns; (xvi) costs of reproduction, stationery,
supplies and postage; (xvii) fees and expenses of the Trust's trustees and
officers; (xviii) the costs of personnel (who may be employees of the Adviser,
an administrator or their respective affiliated persons) performing services for
the Trust; (xix) costs of Board, Board committee, shareholder and other
corporate meetings; (xx) SEC registration fees and related expenses; (xxi)
state, territory or foreign securities laws registration fees and related
expenses; and (xxii) all fees and expenses paid by the Trust in accordance with
any distribution or service plan or agreement related to similar matters.
SECTION 5. STANDARD OF CARE
(a) The Trust shall expect of the Adviser, and the Adviser will give
the Trust the benefit of, the Adviser's best judgment and efforts in rendering
its services to the Trust. The Adviser shall not be liable hereunder for error
of judgment or mistake of law or in any event whatsoever, except for lack of
good faith, provided that nothing herein shall be deemed to protect, or purport
to protect, the Adviser against any liability to the Trust or to the Trust's
security holders to which the Adviser would otherwise be subject by reason of
willful misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence in the performance of the
Adviser's duties hereunder, or by reason of the Adviser's reckless disregard of
its obligations and duties hereunder.
(b) The Adviser shall not be responsible or liable for any failure or
delay in performance of its obligations under this Agreement arising out of or
caused, directly or indirectly, by circumstances beyond its reasonable control
including, without limitation, acts of civil or military authority, national
emergencies, labor difficulties (other than those related to the Adviser's
employees), fire, mechanical breakdowns, flood or catastrophe, acts of God,
insurrection, war, riots or failure of the mails, transportation, communication
or power supply.
SECTION 6. EFFECTIVENESS, DURATION AND TERMINATION
(a) This Agreement shall become effective with respect to a Fund
immediately upon approval by a majority of the outstanding voting securities of
the Fund.
(b) This Agreement shall remain in effect with respect to a Fund for a
period of two years from the date of its effectiveness and shall continue in
effect for successive annual periods with respect to the Fund; provided that
such continuance is specifically approved at least annually: (i) by the Board or
by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and,
in either case; (ii) by a majority of the Trust's trustees who are not parties
to this
Agreement or interested persons of any such party (other than as trustees of the
Trust); provided further, however, that if the continuation of this Agreement is
not approved as to a Fund, the Adviser may continue to render to that Fund the
services described herein in the manner and to the extent permitted by the 1940
Act and the rules and regulations thereunder.
(c) This Agreement may be terminated with respect to a Fund at any
time, without the payment of any penalty: (i) by the Board or by a vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund on 60 days' written
notice to the Adviser; or (ii) by the Adviser on 60 days' written notice to the
Trust. This Agreement shall terminate immediately upon its assignment.
SECTION 7. ACTIVITIES OF THE ADVISER
Except to the extent necessary to perform its obligations hereunder,
nothing herein shall be deemed to limit or restrict the Adviser's right, or the
right of any of the Adviser's directors, officers or employees to engage in any
other business or to devote time and attention to the management or other
aspects of any other business, whether of a similar or dissimilar nature, or to
render services of any kind to any other corporation, trust, firm, individual or
association.
SECTION 8. REPRESENTATIONS OF ADVISER.
The Adviser represents and warrants that: (i) it is either registered
as an investment adviser under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended
("Advisers Act") (and will continue to be so registered for so long as this
Agreement remains in effect) or exempt from registration under the Advisers Act;
(ii) is not prohibited by the 1940 Act or the Advisers Act from performing the
services contemplated by this Agreement; (iii) has met, and will seek to
continue to meet for so long as this Agreement remains in effect, any other
applicable federal or state requirements, or the applicable requirements of any
self-regulatory agency, necessary to be met in order to perform the services
contemplated by this Agreement; and (iv) will promptly notify the Trust of the
occurrence of any event that would disqualify the Adviser from serving as an
investment adviser of an investment company pursuant to Section 9(a) of the 1940
Act or otherwise.
SECTION 9. SUBADVISERS
At its own expense, the Adviser may carry out any of its obligations
under this Agreement by employing, subject to the direction and control of the
Board, one or more persons who are registered as investment advisers pursuant to
the Advisers Act or who are exempt from registration thereunder ("Subadvisers").
Each Subadviser's employment will be evidenced by a separate written agreement
approved by the Board and, if required, by the shareholders of the applicable
Fund. The Adviser shall not be liable hereunder for any act or omission of any
Subadviser, except to exercise good faith in the employment of the Subadviser
and except with respect to matters as to which the Adviser assumes
responsibility in writing.
SECTION 10. LIMITATION OF SHAREHOLDER AND TRUSTEE LIABILITY
The Trustees of the Trust and the shareholders of each Fund shall not
be liable for any obligations of the Trust or of the Funds under this Agreement,
and the Adviser agrees that, in asserting any rights or claims under this
Agreement, it shall look only to the assets and property of the Trust or the
Fund to which the Adviser's rights or claims relate in settlement of such rights
or claims, and not to the Trustees of the Trust or the shareholders of the
Funds.
SECTION 11. MISCELLANEOUS
(a) No provisions of this Agreement may be amended or modified in any
manner except by a written agreement properly authorized and executed by both
parties hereto and, if required by the 1940 Act, by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of any Fund thereby affected.
(b) No amendment to this Agreement or the termination of this Agreement
with respect to a Fund shall affect this Agreement as it pertains to any other
Fund, nor shall any such amendment require the vote of the shareholders of any
other Fund.
(c) Neither party to this Agreement shall be liable to the other party
for consequential damages under any provision of this Agreement.
(d) This Agreement shall be governed by, and the provisions of this
Agreement shall be construed and interpreted under and in accordance with, the
laws of the State of New York.
(e) This Agreement constitutes the entire agreement between the parties
hereto and supersedes any prior agreement between those parties with respect to
the subject matter hereof, whether oral or written.
(f) This Agreement may be executed by the parties hereto on any number
of counterparts, and all of the counterparts taken together shall be deemed to
constitute one and the same instrument.
(g) If any part, term or provision of this Agreement is held to be
illegal, in conflict with any law or otherwise invalid, the remaining portion or
portions shall be considered severable and not be affected, and the rights and
obligations of the parties shall be construed and enforced as if the Agreement
did not contain the particular part, term or provision held to be illegal or
invalid.
(h) Section headings in this Agreement are included for convenience
only and are not to be used to construe or interpret this Agreement.
(i) Notices, requests, instructions and communications received by the
parties at their respective principal places of business, or at such other
address as a party may have designated in writing, shall be deemed to have been
properly given.
(j) Notwithstanding any other provision of this Agreement, the parties
agree that the assets and liabilities of each Fund of the Trust are separate and
distinct from the assets and liabilities of each other Fund and that no Fund
shall be liable or shall be charged for any debt, obligation or liability of any
other Fund, whether arising under this Agreement or otherwise.
(k) No affiliated person, employee, agent, director, officer or manager
of the Adviser shall be liable at law or in equity for the Adviser's obligations
under this Agreement.
(l) The terms "vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities", "interested person", "affiliated person," "control" and
"assignment" shall have the meanings ascribed thereto in the 1940 Act.
(m) Each of the undersigned warrants and represents that they have full
power and authority to sign this Agreement on behalf of the party indicated and
that their signature will bind the party indicated to the terms hereof and each
party hereto warrants and represents that this Agreement, when executed and
delivered, will constitute a legal, valid and binding obligation of the party,
enforceable against the party in accordance with its terms, subject to
bankruptcy, insolvency, reorganization, moratorium and other laws of general
application affecting the rights and remedies of creditors and secured parties.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have caused this Agreement to be
duly executed all as of the day and year first above written.
FORUM FUNDS
/s/▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
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▇▇▇▇ ▇. ▇▇▇▇▇▇
President
FORUM INVESTMENT ADVISERS, LLC
/s/▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
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▇▇▇▇ ▇▇▇▇▇▇
Managing Director
FORUM FUNDS
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AGREEMENT
Appendix A
(a) INVESTMENT ADVISORY FEES
FUNDS OF THE TRUST FEE AS A % OF THE ANNUAL
AVERAGE DAILY NET ASSETS OF THE FUND
Small Company Opportunities Fund .90%
(b) SECTION 12(D)(1)(E) ("MASTER-FEEDER") STRUCTURES
No fee shall be payable hereunder with respect to a Fund during any period in
which the Fund invests all (or substantially all) of its investment assets in a
registered, open-end, management investment company, or separate series thereof,
in accordance with and reliance upon Section 12(d)(1)(E) under the Act.
(c) FUND-OF-FUNDS STRUCTURES
The fee payable hereunder with respect to a Fund shall be 0.25% of the Fund's
annual average daily net assets during any period in which the Fund invests: (1)
some or all of its investment assets in two or more registered, open-end
management investment companies, or separate series thereof; or (2) some of its
investment assets in a registered, open-end management investment company, or
separate series thereof, in each case, in accordance with Section 12(d)(1)(H)
under the Act, the rules thereunder or an exemptive order issued by the
Commission exempting the Fund from the provisions of Section 12(d)(1)(A) under
the Act (a "Fund-of-Funds structure").
In addition to the fee payable under the preceding paragraph, to the extent a
Fund invests in a Fund-of-Funds structure and invests a portion of the Fund's
assets directly in portfolio securities or other assets, the fee payable
hereunder with respect to that portion of the Fund's assets invested directly in
portfolio securities or other assets shall be the fee as stated in paragraph (a)
of this Appendix A.