Nushares ETF Trust
         
     
     
   
 

May 1, 2024

 
   
     

Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF

 
 

Ticker Symbol: NURE

   
 

Listing Exchange: Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc.

   

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

This Statement of Additional Information (the “SAI”) is not a prospectus. This SAI relates to, and should be read in conjunction with, the prospectus dated May 1, 2024, for the Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF (the “Fund”), a series of Nushares ETF Trust (the “Trust”), as such prospectus may be revised from time to time (the “Prospectus”). Capitalized terms used herein that are not defined have the same meaning as in the Prospectus, unless otherwise noted. A Prospectus may be obtained without charge from the Fund by visiting the Fund’s website at www.nuveen.com/etf, or by calling (888) 290-9881.

The Fund’s audited financial statements for the most recent fiscal year are incorporated in this SAI by reference to the Fund’s most recent Annual Report to Shareholders. You may obtain a copy of the Fund’s Annual Report at no charge by request to the Fund by visiting the website or calling the phone number noted above.


TABLE OF CONTENTS

   

GENERAL INFORMATION

S-1

GENERAL RISKS

S-1

CONTINUOUS OFFERING

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INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

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INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES

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Borrowing Money

S-4

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

S-4

Corporate Debt Securities

S-6

Derivatives

S-7

Equity Securities

S-14

Fixed Rate Debt Obligations

S-17

Illiquid Investments

S-17

Lending of Portfolio Securities

S-17

Non-Investment Grade Debt Securities

S-18

Other Investment Companies and Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

S-19

Over-the-Counter Market

S-20

U.S. Government Securities

S-20

When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Transactions

S-20

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

S-20

MANAGEMENT

S-21

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight

S-31

Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications

S-34

Board Compensation

S-38

Share Ownership

S-40

SERVICE PROVIDERS

S-41

Investment Adviser

S-41

Sub-Adviser

S-41

Portfolio Managers

S-42

Administrator, Custodian, and Transfer Agent

S-45

Distributor

S-45

Distribution and Service Plan

S-46

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

S-46

Securities Lending Agent

S-46

CODES OF ETHICS

S-46

PROXY VOTING POLICIES

S-47

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

S-47

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

S-49

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

S-49

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

S-50

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

S-51

Purchase (Creation)

S-51

Redemption

S-54

Transaction Fees

S-55

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

S-55

CAPITAL STOCK

S-55

TAX MATTERS

S-57

Federal Income Tax Matters

S-57

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company (RIC)

S-57

Taxation of the Fund

S-58

Distributions

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Sale or Exchange of Shares

S-60

Backup Withholding

S-60

Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments

S-60

Additional Tax Information Concerning REITs

S-61

Foreign Investments

S-62

Tax-Exempt Shareholders

S-62

Non-U.S. Investors

S-62

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

S-63

Section 351

S-63

Certain Reporting Regulations

S-63

Cost Basis Reporting

S-64

Capital Loss Carry-Forward

S-64

General Considerations

S-64

Qualified Business Income

S-64

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

S-64

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

S-64

APPENDIX A: Nuveen Proxy Voting Policies

A-1


GENERAL INFORMATION

The Fund is a non-diversified series of the Trust, an open-end management investment company organized as a Massachusetts business trust on February 20, 2015. Each series of the Trust represents shares of beneficial interest in a separate portfolio of securities and other assets, with its own objective and policies. The Fund is an exchange-traded fund (“ETF”) within the Nuveen family of ETFs (the “Nuveen ETFs”). The investment objective of the Fund is to track the investment results, before fees and expenses, of the Dow Jones U.S. Select Short-Term REIT Index (the “Index”). The Fund’s investment adviser is Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC (“Nuveen Fund Advisors” or the “Adviser”). The Fund’s sub-adviser is Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL” or the “Sub-Adviser”). The Adviser has agreed to pay all organizational and offering expenses of the Trust.

The Fund issues and redeems shares at its net asset value per share (“NAV”) only in large block aggregations of a specified number of shares (“Creation Units”). Only certain institutional investors who have entered into agreements with the Fund’s distributor (“Authorized Participants”) may purchase and redeem shares directly from the Fund at NAV. Except when aggregated in Creation Units, shares of the Fund are not redeemable securities. See “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units” later in this SAI for more information.

The Fund's shares are listed for trading on the Cboe BZX Exchange, Inc., a national securities exchange (the “Listing Exchange”) and may be listed or traded on U.S. and non-U.S. stock exchanges other than the Listing Exchange. The shares trade on the Listing Exchange at market prices that may differ from the shares’ NAVs.

The Fund intends to qualify each year for treatment as a regulated investment company (a “RIC”) under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), so that it will not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are timely distributed to Fund shareholders. The Fund invests its assets, and otherwise conducts its operations, in a manner that is intended to satisfy the qualifying income, diversification and distribution requirements necessary to establish and maintain eligibility for such treatment.

GENERAL RISKS

An investment in the Fund should be made with an understanding that the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities may fluctuate in accordance with changes in the financial condition of an issuer or counterparty, changes in specific economic or political conditions that affect a particular security or issuer and changes in general economic or political conditions. The Fund may not outperform other investment strategies over short- or long-term market cycles and the Fund may decline in value. The Fund’s shares may trade above or below their NAV. An investor in the Fund could lose money over short or long periods of time. The price of the securities and other investments held by the Fund and thus the value of the Fund’s portfolio is expected to fluctuate in accordance with general economic conditions, interest rates, political events, and other factors.

Investor perceptions may also impact the value of the Fund’s investments and the value of an investment in the Fund’s shares. These investor perceptions are based on various and unpredictable factors, including expectations regarding government, economic, monetary and fiscal policies, inflation and interest rates, economic expansion or contraction, and global or regional political, economic, public health or banking crises. Issuer-specific conditions may also affect the value of the Fund’s investments. The financial condition of an issuer of a security or counterparty to a contract may cause it to default or become unable to pay interest or principal due on the security or contract. The Fund cannot collect interest and principal payments if the issuer or counterparty defaults. Accordingly, the value of an investment in the Fund may change in response to issuer or counterparty defaults and changes in the credit ratings of the Fund’s portfolio securities.

Although the Fund attempts to invest in liquid securities and instruments, there can be no guarantee that a liquid market for such securities and instruments will be made or maintained or that any such market will be or remain liquid. The price at which securities may be sold and the value of the Fund’s shares will be adversely affected if trading markets for the Fund’s portfolio securities are limited or absent, or if bid/ask spreads are wide.

S-1


CONTINUOUS OFFERING

The method by which Creation Units are created and Fund shares are subsequently traded may raise certain issues under applicable securities laws. Because new Creation Units are issued and sold by the Trust on an ongoing basis, at any point a “distribution,” as such term is used in the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “1933 Act”), may occur. Broker-dealers and other persons are cautioned that some activities on their part may, depending on the circumstances, result in their being deemed participants in a distribution in a manner which could render them statutory underwriters and subject them to the prospectus delivery and liability provisions of the 1933 Act.

For example, a broker-dealer firm or its client may be deemed a statutory underwriter if, after placing an order for Creation Units with Nuveen Securities, LLC (“Nuveen Securities” or the “Distributor”), the broker-dealer or its client breaks them down into constituent shares and sells such shares directly to customers, or if the broker-dealer or its client chooses to couple the creation of a supply of new shares with an active selling effort involving solicitation of secondary market demand for shares. A determination of whether one is an underwriter for purposes of the 1933 Act must take into account all the facts and circumstances pertaining to the activities of the broker-dealer or its client in the particular case, and the examples mentioned above should not be considered a complete description of all the activities that could lead to a categorization as an underwriter.

Broker-dealer firms should also note that dealers who are not “underwriters” but are effecting transactions in shares, whether or not participating in the distribution of shares, are generally required to deliver a prospectus. This is because the prospectus delivery exemption in Section 4(a)(3) of the 1933 Act is not available in respect of such transactions as a result of Section 24(d) of the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “1940 Act”). Firms that incur a prospectus-delivery obligation with respect to shares of the Fund are reminded that pursuant to Rule 153 under the 1933 Act, a prospectus-delivery obligation under Section 5(b)(2) of the 1933 Act owed to an exchange member in connection with a sale on the Listing Exchange is satisfied by the fact that the Fund’s Prospectus is available at the Listing Exchange upon request. The prospectus delivery mechanism provided in Rule 153 is only available with respect to transactions on an exchange.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

In addition to the investment objectives and policies set forth in the Prospectus and under “Investment Policies and Techniques” below, the Fund is subject to the investment restrictions set forth below. The investment restrictions set forth in numbers (1) through (6) below are fundamental and cannot be changed with respect to the Fund without approval by the holders of a majority of the outstanding shares of the Fund as defined in the 1940 Act, i.e., by the lesser of the vote of (a) 67% of the shares of the Fund present at a meeting where more than 50% of the outstanding shares are present in person or by proxy, or (b) more than 50% of the outstanding shares of the Fund.

The Fund may not:

(1) Concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as the term “concentrate” is used in the 1940 Act, except as may be necessary to approximate the composition of the Index.

(2) Borrow money or issue senior securities, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as interpreted or modified from time to time by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction.

(3) Purchase or sell physical commodities, unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; but this restriction shall not prohibit the Fund from investing in options on commodity indices, commodity futures contracts and options thereon, commodity-related swap agreements, other commodity-related derivative instruments, and investment companies that provide exposure to commodities.

(4) Purchase or sell real estate unless acquired as a result of ownership of securities or other instruments; but this restriction shall not prevent the Fund from purchasing or selling securities or other instruments backed by real estate or interests therein or of issuers engaged in real estate activities.

(5) Act as an underwriter of another issuer’s securities, except to the extent that the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriter within the meaning of the 1933 Act in connection with the purchase and sale of portfolio securities.

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(6) Make loans, except as permitted under the 1940 Act, as interpreted or modified from time to time by any regulatory authority having jurisdiction.

Except with respect to the limitation set forth in number (2) above, the foregoing restrictions and limitations will apply only at the time of purchase of securities, and the percentage limitations will not be considered violated unless an excess or deficiency occurs or exists immediately after and as a result of an acquisition of securities, unless otherwise indicated.

For purposes of applying the limitation set forth in number (1) above, according to the current interpretation by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “SEC”), the Fund would be concentrated in an industry if 25% or more of its net assets, based on current market value at the time of purchase, were invested in that industry. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, it will consider the investments of the underlying investment companies when determining compliance with the limitation set forth in number (1) above, to the extent the Fund has sufficient information about such investments. For purposes of this limitation, issuers of the following securities will not be considered to be members of any industry: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; except as set forth in the following sentence, tax-exempt securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. To the extent that the income from a municipal bond is derived principally from a specific project or backed principally from the assets and revenue of a non-governmental user, the securities will be deemed to be from the industry of that non-governmental user. To the extent the Fund invests in other investment companies, it will consider the investments of the underlying investment companies when determining compliance with the limitation set forth in number (1) above, to the extent the Fund has sufficient information about such investments. For purposes of this limitation, all sovereign debt of a single country will be considered investments in a single industry.

Where a security is guaranteed by a governmental entity or some other facility, such as a bank guarantee or letter of credit, such a guarantee or letter of credit would be considered a separate security and would be treated as an issue of such government, other entity or bank. Each foreign government will be considered to be a member of a separate industry.

For purposes of applying the limitations set forth in number (2) above, under the 1940 Act as currently in effect, the Fund is not permitted to issue senior securities, except that the Fund may borrow from any bank if immediately after such borrowing the value of the Fund’s total assets is at least 300% of the principal amount of all of the Fund’s borrowings (i.e., the principal amount of the borrowings may not exceed 33 1/3% of the Fund’s total assets). In the event that such asset coverage shall at any time fall below 300%, the Fund shall, within three calendar days thereafter (not including Sundays and holidays), reduce the amount of its borrowings to an extent that the asset coverage of such borrowing shall be at least 300%.

For purposes of applying the limitations set forth in number (6) above, there are no limitations with respect to unsecured loans made by the Fund to an unaffiliated party. However, if the Fund loans its portfolio securities, the obligation on the part of the Fund to return collateral upon termination of the loan could be deemed to involve the issuance of a senior security within the meaning of Section 18(f) of the 1940 Act. In order to avoid violation of Section 18(f), the Fund may not make a loan of portfolio securities if, as a result, more than one-third of its total asset value (at market value computed at the time of making a loan) would be on loan.

In addition to the foregoing fundamental investment policies, the Fund is also subject to the following non-fundamental restrictions and policies, which may be changed by the Fund’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) without a shareholder vote.

The Fund may not:

(1) Acquire any securities of registered open-end investment companies or registered unit investment trusts in reliance on subparagraph (F) or subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1) of the 1940 Act.

(2) Invest directly in futures, options on futures and swaps to the extent that the Adviser would be required to register with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) as a commodity pool operator. See “Investment Policies and Techniques—Derivatives—Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures, Options on Futures and Swaps.”

The Fund has adopted a non-fundamental investment policy pursuant to Rule 35d-1 under the 1940 Act (the “Name Policy”) whereby the Fund, under normal market conditions, will invest at least 80%

S-3


of the sum of its net assets and the amount of any borrowings for investment purposes in real estate investment trusts (“REITs”). As a result, the Fund must provide shareholders with a notice, meeting the requirements of Rule 35d-1(c), at least 60 days prior to any change of its Name Policy. For purposes of the Name Policy, the Fund may consider both direct investments and indirect investments (e.g., investments in other investment companies, derivatives and synthetic instruments with economic characteristics similar to the direct investments that meet the Name Policy) when determining compliance with the Name Policy. If, subsequent to an investment, the 80% requirement is no longer met, the Fund’s future investments will be made in a manner that will bring the Fund into compliance with this policy.

INVESTMENT POLICIES AND TECHNIQUES

The following information supplements the discussion of the Fund’s investment objective, principal investment strategies, policies and techniques that appears in the Prospectus for the Fund. Additional information concerning principal investment strategies of the Fund, and other investment strategies that may be used by the Fund, is set forth below in alphabetical order.

If a percentage limitation on investments by the Fund stated in this SAI or the Prospectus is adhered to at the time of an investment, a later increase or decrease in percentage resulting from changes in asset value will not be deemed to violate the limitation except in the case of the limitations on borrowing. In connection with the Fund’s investment restrictions, any reference in this SAI or the Prospectus to a specific rating encompasses all gradations of that rating (e.g., if this SAI or the Prospectus states that the Fund may invest in securities rated as low as B, the fund may invest in securities rated B-).

References in this section to the Adviser also apply, to the extent applicable, to the Sub-Adviser of the Fund.

Borrowing Money

The Fund may borrow money from a bank as permitted by the 1940 Act, or other governing statute, by the rules thereunder, or by the SEC or other regulatory agency with authority over the Fund, but only for temporary or emergency purposes. The Fund may also invest in reverse repurchase agreements, which are considered borrowings under the 1940 Act. Although the 1940 Act presently allows the Fund to borrow from any bank (including pledging, mortgaging or hypothecating assets) in an amount up to 33 1/3% of its total assets (not including temporary borrowings not in excess of 5% of its total assets), and there is no limit on the percentage of Fund assets that can be used in connection with reverse repurchase agreements, under normal circumstances any borrowings by the Fund will not exceed 10% of the Fund’s total assets. While a reverse repurchase agreement is outstanding, the Fund will, for all of its reverse repurchase agreements, either (i) consistent with Section 18 of the 1940 Act, maintain asset coverage of at least 300% of the value of the repurchase agreement, or (ii) treat the reverse repurchase agreement as a derivatives transaction for purposes of Rule 18f-4, including, as applicable, the value-at-risk-based limit on leverage risk.

Cash Equivalents and Short-Term Investments

The Fund may hold assets in cash or cash equivalents, money market funds and short-term taxable fixed income securities in such proportions as warranted by prevailing market conditions and the Fund’s principal investment strategies. The Fund may only invest in short-term taxable fixed income securities with a maturity of one year or less and whose issuers have a long-term rating of at least A- or higher by Standard & Poor’s Ratings Services, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. (“Standard & Poor’s”), A3 or higher by Moody’s Investors Service, Inc. (“Moody’s”) or A- or higher by Fitch, Inc. (“Fitch”). Short-term taxable fixed income securities are defined to include, without limitation, the following:

(1) U.S. Government Securities. The Fund may invest in U.S. government securities, including bills, notes and bonds differing as to maturity and rates of interest, which are either issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Treasury or by U.S. government agencies or instrumentalities. U.S. government agency securities include securities issued by (a) the Federal Housing Administration, Farmers Home Administration, Export-Import Bank of the United States, Small Business Administration, and the Government National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the full faith and credit of the United States; (b) the Federal Home Loan Banks, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks, and the Tennessee Valley Authority, whose securities are supported by the right of the agency to borrow from the U.S. Treasury; (c) the Federal National Mortgage Association, whose securities are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S.

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government to purchase certain obligations of the agency or instrumentality; and (d) the Student Loan Marketing Association, whose securities are supported only by its credit. While the U.S. government provides financial support to such U.S. government-sponsored agencies or instrumentalities, no assurance can be given that it always will do so since it is not so obligated by law. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate. In addition, the Fund may invest in sovereign debt obligations of non-U.S. countries. U.S. Treasury obligations include separately traded interest and principal component parts of such obligations, known as Separately Traded Registered Interest and Principal Securities (“STRIPS”), which are transferable through the Federal book-entry system. STRIPS are sold as zero coupon securities, which means that they are sold at a substantial discount and redeemed at face value at their maturity date without interim cash payments of interest or principal. This discount is accreted over the life of the security, and such accretion will constitute the income earned on the security for both accounting and tax purposes. Because of these features, such securities may be subject to greater interest rate volatility than interest paying U.S. Treasury obligations.

(2) Certificates of Deposit. The Fund may invest in certificates of deposit issued against funds deposited in a bank or savings and loan association. Such certificates are for a definite period of time, earn a specified rate of return, and are normally negotiable. If such certificates of deposit are non-negotiable, they will be considered illiquid investments and be subject to the Fund’s 15% restriction on investments in illiquid investments. Pursuant to the certificate of deposit, the issuer agrees to pay the amount deposited plus interest to the bearer of the certificate on the date specified thereon. Under current FDIC regulations, the maximum insurance payable as to any one certificate of deposit is $250,000; therefore, certificates of deposit purchased by the Fund may not be fully insured.

(3) Bankers’ Acceptances. The Fund may invest in bankers’ acceptances, which are short-term credit instruments used to finance commercial transactions. Generally, an acceptance is a time draft drawn on a bank by an exporter or an importer to obtain a stated amount of funds to pay for specific merchandise. The draft is then “accepted” by a bank that, in effect, unconditionally guarantees to pay the face value of the instrument on its maturity date. The acceptance may then be held by the accepting bank as an asset or it may be sold in the secondary market at the going rate of interest for a specific maturity.

(4) Repurchase Agreements. The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements which involve purchases of debt securities. In such an action, at the time the Fund purchases the security, it simultaneously agrees to resell and redeliver the security to the seller, who also simultaneously agrees to buy back the security at a fixed price and time. This assures a predetermined yield for the Fund during its holding period since the resale price is always greater than the purchase price and reflects an agreed-upon market rate. Such actions afford an opportunity for the Fund to invest temporarily available cash. The Fund may enter into repurchase agreements only with respect to certain obligations. Collateral may consist of any fixed income security which is an eligible investment for the Fund. The Fund’s custodian will hold the securities underlying any repurchase agreement, or the securities will be part of the Federal Reserve/Treasury Book Entry System. The market value of the collateral underlying the repurchase agreement will be determined on each business day. If at any time the market value of the collateral falls below the repurchase price under the repurchase agreement (including any accrued interest), the Fund will promptly receive additional collateral (so the total collateral is an amount at least equal to the repurchase price plus accrued interest). Repurchase agreements may be considered loans to the seller, collateralized by the underlying securities. The risk to the Fund is limited to the ability of the seller to pay the agreed-upon sum on the repurchase date; in the event of default, the repurchase agreement provides that the Fund is entitled to sell the underlying collateral. If the value of the collateral declines after the agreement is entered into, however, and if the seller defaults under a repurchase agreement when the value of the underlying collateral is less than the repurchase price, the Fund could incur a loss of both principal and interest. The portfolio managers monitor the value of the collateral at the time the action is entered into and at all times during the term of the repurchase agreement. The portfolio managers do so in an effort to determine that the value of the collateral always equals or exceeds the agreed-upon repurchase price to be paid to the Fund. If the seller were to be subject to a federal bankruptcy proceeding, the ability of the Fund to liquidate the collateral could be delayed or impaired because of certain provisions of the bankruptcy laws.

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(5) Bank Time Deposits. The Fund may invest in bank time deposits, which are monies kept on deposit with banks or savings and loan associations for a stated period of time at a fixed rate of interest. There may be penalties for the early withdrawal of such time deposits, in which case the yields of these investments will be reduced.

(6) Commercial Paper. The Fund may invest in commercial paper, which are short-term unsecured promissory notes, including variable rate master demand notes issued by corporations to finance their current operations. Master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and a corporation. There is no secondary market for the notes. However, they are redeemable by the Fund at any time. The portfolio managers will consider the financial condition of the corporation (e.g., earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios) and will continuously monitor the corporation’s ability to meet all of its financial obligations, because the Fund’s liquidity might be impaired if the corporation were unable to pay principal and interest on demand. The Fund may purchase commercial paper consisting of issues rated at the time of purchase within the two highest rating categories by Standard & Poor’s, Fitch or Moody’s, or which have been assigned an equivalent rating by another nationally recognized statistical rating organization.

(7) Eurodollar and Yankee Instruments. The Fund may invest in Eurodollar certificates of deposit issued by foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; Eurodollar time deposits, which are U.S. dollar-denominated deposits in foreign branches of U.S. or foreign banks; and Yankee certificates of deposit, which are U.S. dollar-denominated certificates of deposit issued by U.S. branches of foreign banks and held in the United States. In each instance, the Fund may only invest in bank instruments issued by an institution which has capital, surplus and undivided profits of more than $100 million or the deposits of which are insured by the Bank Insurance Fund or the Savings Association Insurance Fund.

(8) Money Market Funds and Short-Term Debt Funds. The Fund may invest in money market funds. The Fund will bear its proportionate share of the money market fund’s fees and expenses (see “Other Investment Companies and Other Pooled Investment Vehicles” below). The Fund may hold securities of other mutual funds that invest primarily in debt obligations with remaining maturities of 13 months or less.

(9) Variable Amount Master Demand Notes. The Fund may invest in variable amount master demand notes, which are unsecured demand notes that permit the indebtedness thereunder to vary and provide for periodic adjustments in the interest rate according to the terms of the instrument. Because master demand notes are direct lending arrangements between the Fund and the issuer, they are not normally traded. Although there is no secondary market in the notes, the Fund may demand payment of principal and accrued interest at any time. While the notes are not typically rated by credit rating agencies, issuers of variable amount master demand notes (which are normally manufacturing, retail, financial, and other business concerns) must satisfy the same criteria as set forth above for commercial paper. The Sub-Adviser will consider the earning power, cash flow and other liquidity ratios of the issuers of such notes and will continuously monitor their financial status and ability to meet payment on demand.

Corporate Debt Securities

The Fund may invest in corporate debt securities. The broad category of corporate debt securities includes debt issued by companies of all kinds, including those with small-, mid- and large-capitalizations. Corporate debt may be rated investment grade or below investment grade and may carry variable or floating rates of interest. Corporate debt securities are usually issued by businesses to finance their operations, although corporate debt instruments may also include bank loans to companies. Notes, bonds, debentures and commercial paper are the most common types of corporate debt securities, with the primary difference being their maturities and secured or unsecured status. Commercial paper has the shortest term and is usually unsecured.

Because of the wide range of types and maturities of corporate debt securities, as well as the range of creditworthiness of its issuers, corporate debt securities have widely varying potentials for return and risk profiles. Rates on corporate debt securities are set according to prevailing interest rates at the time of the issue, the credit rating of the issuer, the length of the maturity and other terms of the security. For example, commercial paper issued by a large established domestic corporation that is rated investment grade may have a modest return on principal, but carries relatively limited risk. On the other hand, a long-term corporate note issued by a small non-U.S. corporation from an emerging market

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country that has not been rated by a Nationally Recognized Statistical Rating Organization (“NRSRO”) may have the potential for relatively large returns on principal, but carries a relatively high degree of risk.

Corporate debt securities carry both credit risk and interest rate risk. Credit risk is the risk that the Fund could lose money if the issuer of a corporate debt security is unable to pay interest or repay principal when it is due. Some corporate debt securities that are rated below investment grade are generally considered speculative because they present a greater risk of loss, including default, than higher quality debt securities. The credit risk of a particular issuer’s debt security may vary based on its priority for repayment. For example, higher ranking (senior) debt securities have a higher priority than lower ranking (subordinated) securities. This means that the issuer might not make payments on subordinated securities while making payments on senior securities. In addition, in the event of bankruptcy, holders of higher-ranking senior securities may receive amounts otherwise payable to the holders of more junior securities. Interest rate risk is the risk that the value of certain corporate debt securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise. In general, corporate debt securities with longer terms tend to fall more in value when interest rates rise than corporate debt securities with shorter terms. Additionally, corporate debt securities may also be subject to price volatility due to such factors as market interest rates, market perception of the creditworthiness of the issuer and general market liquidity.

In addition, corporate restructurings, such as mergers, leveraged buyouts, takeovers or similar corporate transactions are often financed by an increase in a corporate issuer’s debt securities. As a result of the added debt burden, the credit quality and market value of an issuer’s existing debt securities may decline significantly.

Derivatives

Subject to the limitations set forth below under “Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures, Options on Futures and Swaps,” the Fund may use derivative instruments as described below. Generally, a derivative is a financial contract the value of which depends upon, or is derived from, the value of an underlying asset, reference rate or index. Derivatives generally take the form of contracts under which the parties agree to payments between them based upon the performance of a wide variety of underlying references, such as stocks, bonds, loans, commodities, interest rates, currency exchange rates, and various domestic and foreign indices.

The Fund may use derivatives for a variety of reasons, including as a substitute for investing directly in securities, as part of a hedging strategy (that is, for the purpose of reducing risk to the Fund), or for other purposes related to the management of the Fund. Derivatives permit the Fund to increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, to which its portfolio is exposed in much the same way as the Fund can increase or decrease the level of risk, or change the character of the risk, of its portfolio by making investments in specific securities. However, derivatives may entail investment exposures that are greater than their cost would suggest. As a result, a small investment in derivatives could have a large impact on the Fund’s performance.

While transactions in some derivatives may be effected on established exchanges, many other derivatives are privately negotiated and entered into in the over-the-counter (“OTC”) market with a single counterparty. When exchange-traded derivatives are purchased and sold, a clearing agency associated with the exchange stands between each buyer and seller and effectively guarantees performance of each contract, either on a limited basis through a guaranty fund or to the full extent of the clearing agency’s balance sheet. Transactions in OTC derivatives not subject to a clearing requirement have no such protection. Each party to an uncleared OTC derivative bears the risk that its direct counterparty will default. In addition, OTC derivatives are generally less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives because they often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction.

The use of derivative instruments is subject to applicable regulations of the SEC, the CFTC, various state regulatory authorities and, with respect to exchange-traded derivatives, the several exchanges upon which they are traded. Under Rule 18f-4 under the 1940 Act, a registered investment company’s derivatives exposure, which includes short positions and certain when-issued and delayed delivery transactions for this purpose, is limited through a value-at-risk test and Rule 18f-4 requires the adoption and implementation of a derivatives risk management program for certain derivatives users. However, subject to certain conditions, limited derivatives users (as defined in Rule 18f-4) are not subject to the full requirements of Rule 18f-4. In connection with adopting Rule 18f-4, the SEC eliminated that asset segregation framework arising from prior SEC guidance for covering derivatives and certain financial instruments. In addition, under Rule 18f-4, the Fund is permitted to invest in when-issued securities, and the transaction will be deemed not to involve a senior security, provided that (i) the Fund

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intends to physically settle the transaction and (ii) the transaction will settle within 35 days of its trade date (the “Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision”). The Fund may otherwise engage in such transactions that do not meet the conditions of the Delayed-Settlement Securities Provision so long as the Fund treats any such transaction as a “derivatives transaction” for purposes of compliance with the rule. Rule 18f-4 could limit the Fund’s ability to engage in certain derivatives transactions and/or increase the costs of such derivatives transactions, which could adversely affect the value or performance of the Fund. Changes in the value of a derivative may also create margin delivery or settlement payment obligations for the Fund. In addition, the Fund’s ability to use derivative instruments may be limited by tax considerations.

The particular derivative instruments the Fund can use are described below. The Fund’s portfolio managers may decide not to employ some or all of these instruments, and there is no assurance that any derivatives strategy used by the Fund will succeed. The Fund may employ new derivative instruments and strategies when they are developed, if those investment methods are consistent with the Fund’s investment objective and are permissible under applicable regulations governing the Fund.

Options Transactions

The Fund may purchase put and call options on specific securities (including groups or “baskets” of specific securities), stock indices, and/or foreign currencies. In addition, the Fund may write put and call options on such financial instruments.

Options on Securities. The Fund may purchase put and call options on securities. A put option on a security gives the purchaser of the option the right (but not the obligation) to sell, and the writer of the option the obligation to buy, the underlying security at a stated price (the “exercise price”) at any time before the option expires. A call option on a security gives the purchaser the right (but not the obligation) to buy, and the writer the obligation to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price at any time before the option expires. The purchase price for a put or call option is the “premium” paid by the purchaser for the right to sell or buy.

The Fund may purchase put options to hedge against a decline in the value of its portfolio. By using put options in this way, the Fund would reduce any profit it might otherwise have realized in the underlying security by the amount of the premium paid for the put option and by transaction costs. In similar fashion, the Fund may purchase call options to protect against an increase in the price of securities that the Fund anticipates purchasing in the future, a practice sometimes referred to as “anticipatory hedging.” The premium paid for the call option plus any transaction costs will reduce the benefit, if any, realized by the Fund upon exercise of the option, and, unless the price of the underlying security rises sufficiently, the option may expire unexercised.

Options on Interest Rates and Indices. The Fund may purchase put and call options on interest rates and bond indices. An option on interest rates or on an index gives the holder the right to receive, upon exercise of the option, an amount of cash if the closing value of the underlying interest rate or index is greater than, in the case of a call, or less than, in the case of a put, the exercise price of the option. This amount of cash is equal to the difference between the exercise-settlement value of the interest rate option or the closing price of the index and the exercise price of the option expressed in dollars times a specified multiple (the “multiplier”). The writer of the option is obligated, for the premium received, to make delivery of this amount. Settlements for interest rate and index options are always in cash.

Writing Options. The Fund may write (sell) put and call options. These transactions would be undertaken principally to produce additional income. The Fund receives a premium from writing options which it retains whether or not the option is exercised. The Fund may write straddles consisting of a combination of a call and a put written on the same underlying instrument.

The Fund will write a call option on a security only if (a) the Fund owns the security underlying the call, (b) the Fund has an absolute and immediate right to acquire that security without additional cash consideration (or, if additional cash consideration is required, cash or other liquid assets in such amount are segregated), or (c) the Fund holds a call on the same security where the exercise price of the call is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated liquid assets.

The Fund will write a call option on a basket of securities, an index or currency only if (a) the Fund segregates liquid assets in an amount equal to the contract value of the index, basket or currency, or (b) the Fund holds a call on the same index, basket or currency as the call written where the exercise price of the call held is (i) equal to or less than the exercise price of the call written, or (ii) greater than the

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exercise price of the call written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated liquid assets.

The Fund will write a put option on a security, basket of securities, index or currency only if (a) the Fund segregates liquid assets equal to the exercise price or (b) the Fund holds a put on the same security, basket of securities, index or currency as the put written where the exercise price of the put held is (i) equal to or greater than the exercise price of the put written, or (ii) less than the exercise price of the put written, provided the difference is maintained by the Fund in segregated liquid assets.

When the Fund writes a straddle, sufficient assets will be segregated to meet the Fund’s immediate obligations. The Fund may segregate the same liquid assets for both the call and put options in a straddle where the exercise price of the call and put are the same, or the exercise price of the call is higher than that of the put. In such cases, the Fund will also segregate liquid assets equivalent to the amount, if any, by which the put is “in the money.”

Expiration or Exercise of Options. If an option purchased by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to the premium paid. If an option written by the Fund expires unexercised, the Fund realizes a capital gain equal to the premium received at the time the option was written. Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an exchange traded option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series (type, exchange, underlying security, currency or index, exercise price, and expiration). There can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be effected when the Fund desires.

The Fund may sell put or call options it has previously purchased, which could result in a net gain or loss depending on whether the amount realized on the sale is more or less than the premium and other transaction costs paid on the put or call option which is sold. Prior to exercise or expiration, an option may be closed out by an offsetting purchase or sale of an option of the same series. The Fund will realize a capital gain from a closing purchase transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium received from writing the option, or, if it is more, the Fund will realize a capital loss. If the premium received from a closing sale transaction is more than the premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if it is less, the Fund will realize a capital loss. The principal factors affecting the market value of a put or a call option include supply and demand, interest rates, the current market price of the underlying security, currency or index in relation to the exercise price of the option, the volatility of the underlying security, currency or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

Futures

The Fund may engage in futures transactions. The Fund may buy and sell futures contracts that relate to (1) interest rates, (2) foreign currencies, (3) debt securities, and (4) bond indices. The Fund may only enter into futures contracts which are standardized and traded on a U.S. or foreign exchange, board of trade or similar entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

A futures contract is an agreement between two parties to buy and sell a security, interest rate or currency (each a “financial instrument”) for a set price on a future date. Certain futures contracts, such as futures contracts relating to individual securities, call for making or taking delivery of the underlying financial instrument. However, these contracts generally are closed out before delivery by entering into an offsetting purchase or sale of a matching futures contract. Other futures contracts, such as futures contracts on interest rates and indices, do not call for making or taking delivery of the underlying financial instrument, but rather are agreements pursuant to which two parties agree to take or make delivery of an amount of cash equal to the difference between the value of the financial instrument at the close of the last trading day of the contract and the price at which the contract was originally written. These contracts also may be settled by entering into an offsetting futures contract.

Unlike when the Fund purchases or sells a security, no price is paid or received by the Fund upon the purchase or sale of a futures contract. Initially, the Fund will be required to deposit with its futures broker (also known as a futures commission merchant (“FCM”)) an amount of cash or securities equal to a specified percentage of the contract amount. This amount is known as initial margin. The margin deposit is intended to ensure completion of the contract. Minimum initial margin requirements are established by the futures exchanges and may be revised. In addition, FCMs may establish margin deposit requirements that are higher than the exchange minimums. Cash held as margin is generally invested by the FCM in high-quality instruments permitted under CFTC regulations, with returns retained by the FCM and interest paid to the Fund on the cash at an agreed-upon rate. The Fund will also receive any interest paid from coupon-bearing securities, such as Treasury securities, held in margin accounts. Subsequent payments to and from the FCM, called variation margin, will be made on a daily basis as the

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price of the underlying financial instrument fluctuates, making the futures contract more or less valuable, a process known as marking the contract to market. Changes in variation margin are recorded by the Fund as unrealized gains or losses. At any time prior to expiration of the futures contract, the Fund may elect to close the position by taking an opposite position that will operate to terminate its position in the futures contract. A final determination of variation margin is then made, additional cash is required to be paid by or released to the Fund, and the Fund realizes a gain or loss. In the event of the bankruptcy or insolvency of an FCM that holds margin on behalf of the Fund, the Fund may be entitled to the return of margin owed to it only in proportion to the amount received by the FCM’s other customers, potentially resulting in losses to the Fund. Futures transactions also involve brokerage costs.

Most U.S. futures exchanges limit the amount of fluctuation permitted in futures contract prices during a single trading day. The daily limit establishes the maximum amount that the price of a futures contract may vary either up or down from the previous day’s settlement price at the end of a trading session. Once the daily limit has been reached in a particular type of futures contract, no trades may be made on that day at a price beyond that limit. The daily limit governs only price movement during a particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses, because the limit may prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. Futures contract prices have occasionally moved to the daily limit for several consecutive trading days with little or no trading, thereby preventing prompt liquidation of futures positions and subjecting some futures traders to substantial losses.

Swap Transactions

The Fund may enter into interest rate, total return, and credit default swap agreements.

The Fund may enter into swap transactions for any purpose consistent with its investment objectives and strategies, such as for the purpose of attempting to obtain or preserve a particular return or spread at a lower cost than obtaining a return or spread through purchases and/or sales of instruments in other markets, to protect against an increase in the price of securities the Fund anticipates purchasing at a later date, to reduce risk arising from the ownership of a particular instrument, or to gain exposure to certain securities, reference rates, sectors or markets.

Swap agreements are two party contracts entered into primarily by institutional investors for a specified period of time. In a standard swap transaction, two parties agree to exchange the returns (or differentials in rates of return) earned or realized on a particular predetermined asset, reference rate or index. The gross returns to be exchanged or swapped between the parties are generally calculated with respect to a notional amount, e.g., the return on or increase in value of a particular dollar amount invested at a particular interest rate or in a basket of securities representing a particular index. The notional amount of the swap agreement generally is only used as a basis upon which to calculate the obligations that the parties to the swap agreement have agreed to exchange. The Fund’s current obligations under a net swap agreement will be accrued daily (offset against any amounts owed to the Fund).

Interest Rate Swaps. Interest rate swaps are financial instruments that involve the exchange of one type of interest rate for another type of interest rate cash flow on specified dates in the future. Some of the different types of interest rate swaps are “fixed-for floating rate swaps,” “termed basis swaps” and “index amortizing swaps.” Fixed-for floating rate swaps involve the exchange of fixed interest rate cash flows for floating rate cash flows. Termed basis swaps entail cash flows to both parties based on floating interest rates, where the interest rate indices are different. Index amortizing swaps are typically fixed-for floating swaps where the notional amount changes if certain conditions are met. Like a traditional investment in a debt security, the Fund could lose money by investing in an interest rate swap if interest rates change adversely.

Total Return Swaps. In a total return swap, one party agrees to pay the other the “total return” of a defined underlying asset during a specified period, in return for periodic payments based on a fixed or variable interest rate or the total return from other underlying assets. A total return swap may be applied to any underlying asset but is most commonly used with bonds and defined baskets of loans and mortgages. The Fund might enter into a total return swap involving an underlying index or basket of securities to create exposure to a potentially widely-diversified range of securities in a single trade. An index total return swap can be used by the portfolio managers to assume risk, without the complications of buying the component securities from what may not always be the most liquid of markets.

Credit Default Swaps. A credit default swap is a bilateral contract that enables an investor to buy or sell protection against a defined-issuer credit event. The Fund may enter into credit default swap agreements either as a buyer or a seller. The Fund may buy protection to attempt to mitigate the risk of default or credit quality deterioration in one or more of its individual holdings or in a segment of the fixed

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income securities market to which it has exposure, or to take a “short” position in individual bonds or market segments which it does not own. The Fund may sell protection in an attempt to gain exposure to the credit quality characteristics of particular bonds or market segments without investing directly in those bonds or market segments.

As the buyer of protection in a credit default swap, the Fund will pay a premium (by means of an upfront payment or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the agreement) in return for the right to deliver a referenced bond or group of bonds to the protection seller and receive the full notional or par value (or other agreed upon value) upon a default (or similar event) by the issuer(s) of the underlying referenced obligation(s). If no default occurs, the protection seller would keep the stream of payments and would have no further obligation to the Fund. Thus, the cost to the Fund would be the premium paid with respect to the agreement. If a credit event occurs, however, the Fund may elect to receive the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. The Fund bears the risk that the protection seller may fail to satisfy its payment obligations.

If the Fund is a seller of protection in a credit default swap and no credit event occurs, the Fund would generally receive an up-front payment or a periodic stream of payments over the term of the swap. If a credit event occurs, however, generally the Fund would have to pay the buyer the full notional value of the swap in exchange for an equal face amount of deliverable obligations of the reference entity that may have little or no value. As the protection seller, the Fund effectively adds economic leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to being subject to investment exposure on its total net assets, the Fund is subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. Thus, the Fund bears the same risk as it would by buying the reference obligations directly, plus the additional risks related to obtaining investment exposure through a derivative instrument discussed below under “Risks Associated with Swap Transactions.”

Swap Options. A swap option is a contract that gives a counterparty the right (but not the obligation), in return for payment of a premium, to enter into a new swap agreement or to shorten, extend, cancel, or otherwise modify an existing swap agreement at some designated future time on specified terms. A cash-settled option on a swap gives the purchaser the right, in return for the premium paid, to receive an amount of cash equal to the value of the underlying swap as of the exercise date. The Fund may write (sell) and purchase put and call swap options. Depending on the terms of the particular option agreement, the Fund generally will incur a greater degree of risk when it writes a swap option than when it purchases a swap option. When the Fund purchases a swap option, it risks losing only the amount of the premium it has paid should it decide to let the option expire unexercised. However, when the Fund writes a swap option, upon exercise of the option the Fund will become obligated according to the terms of the underlying agreement.

Risks Associated with Swap Transactions. The use of swap transactions is a highly specialized activity which involves strategies and risks different from those associated with ordinary portfolio security transactions. If the Sub-Adviser is incorrect in its forecasts of default risks, market spreads or other applicable factors the investment performance of the Fund would diminish compared with what it would have been if these techniques were not used. As the protection seller in a credit default swap, the Fund effectively adds economic leverage to its portfolio because, in addition to being subject to investment exposure on its total net assets, the Fund is subject to investment exposure on the notional amount of the swap. The Fund may only close out a swap or other two-party contract with its particular counterparty, and may only transfer a position with the consent of that counterparty. In addition, the price at which the Fund may close out such a two party contract may not correlate with the price change in the underlying reference asset. If the counterparty defaults, the Fund will have contractual remedies, but there can be no assurance that the counterparty will be able to meet its contractual obligations or that the Fund will succeed in enforcing its rights. It also is possible that developments in the derivatives market, including potential government regulation, could adversely affect the Fund’s ability to terminate existing swap or other agreements or to realize amounts to be received under such agreements.

Caps, Collars and Floors

The Fund may enter into interest rate caps, floors, and collars. Caps and floors have an effect similar to buying or writing options. In a typical cap or floor agreement, one party agrees to make payments only under specified circumstances, usually in return for payment of a fee by the other party. For example, the buyer of an interest rate cap obtains the right to receive payments to the extent that a specified interest rate exceeds an agreed-upon level. The seller of an interest rate floor is obligated to make payments to the extent that a specified interest rate falls below an agreed-upon level. An interest

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rate collar involves selling a cap and purchasing a floor or vice versa to protect the Fund against interest rate movements exceeding given minimum or maximum levels.

Limitations on the Use of CFTC-Regulated Futures, Options on Futures and Swaps

The Fund will limit its direct investments in CFTC-regulated futures, options on futures and swaps (“CFTC Derivatives”) to the extent necessary for the Adviser to claim the exclusion from regulation as a commodity pool operator with respect to the Fund under CFTC Rule 4.5, as such rule may be amended from time to time. Under Rule 4.5 as currently in effect, the Fund will limit its trading activity in CFTC Derivatives (excluding activity for “bona fide hedging purposes,” as defined by the CFTC) such that it meets one of the following tests:

· Aggregate initial margin and premiums required to establish its positions in CFTC Derivatives do not exceed 5% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions; or

· Aggregate net notional value of its positions in CFTC Derivatives does not exceed 100% of the liquidation value of the Fund’s portfolio, after taking into account unrealized profits and losses on such positions.

With respect to the Fund, the Adviser has filed a notice of eligibility for exclusion from the definition of the term commodity pool operator under the Commodity Exchange Act and therefore is not subject to registration or regulation as a commodity pool operator thereunder.

The requirements for qualification as a regulated investment company may also limit the extent to which the Fund may invest in CFTC Derivatives. See “Tax Matters—Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company.”

Federal Income Tax Treatment of Futures Contracts and Options

The Fund’s transactions in futures contracts and options will be subject to special provisions of the Code, that, among other things, may affect the character of gains and losses realized by the Fund (i.e., may affect whether gains or losses are ordinary or capital, or short-term or long-term), may accelerate recognition of income to the Fund and may defer Fund losses. These rules could, therefore, affect the character, amount and timing of distributions to shareholders. These provisions also (a) will require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of the positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) and (b) may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the 90% distribution requirement for qualifying to be taxed as a regulated investment company and the distribution requirement for avoiding excise taxes.

Risks and Special Considerations Concerning Derivatives

The use of derivative instruments involves certain general risks and considerations as described below.

(1) Market Risk. Market risk is the risk that the value of the underlying assets may go up or down. Adverse movements in the value of an underlying asset can expose the Fund to losses. The successful use of derivative instruments depends upon a variety of factors, particularly the portfolio managers’ ability to predict movements in the relevant markets, which may require different skills than predicting changes in the prices of individual securities. There can be no assurance that any particular strategy adopted will succeed.

(2) Counterparty Risk. Counterparty risk is the risk that a loss may be sustained as a result of the failure of a counterparty to comply with the terms of a derivative instrument. The counterparty risk for exchange-traded derivatives is generally less than for OTC derivatives, since generally a clearing agency, which is the issuer or counterparty to each exchange-traded instrument, provides a guarantee of performance. For many OTC instruments, there is no similar clearing agency guarantee and there is less regulation or supervision of transactions. In all transactions, the Fund will bear the risk that the counterparty will default, and this could result in a loss of the expected benefit of the derivative transactions and possibly other losses to the Fund. The Fund will enter into derivatives transactions only with counterparties that its portfolio managers reasonably believe are capable of performing under the contract.

(3) Correlation Risk. Correlation risk is the risk that there might be an imperfect correlation, or even no correlation, between price movements of a derivative instrument and price movements of investments being hedged. When a derivative transaction is used to completely hedge another position, changes in the market value of the combined position (the derivative

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instrument plus the position being hedged) result from an imperfect correlation between the price movements of the two instruments. With a perfect hedge, the value of the combined position remains unchanged with any change in the price of the underlying asset. With an imperfect hedge, the value of the derivative instrument and its hedge are not perfectly correlated. For example, if the value of a derivative instrument used in a short hedge (such as a CDS) increased by less than the decline in value of the hedged investments, the hedge would not be perfectly correlated. This might occur due to factors unrelated to the value of the investments being hedged, such as speculative or other pressures on the markets in which these instruments are traded. The effectiveness of hedges using instruments on indices will depend, in part, on the degree of correlation between price movements in the index and the price movements in the investments being hedged.

(4) Liquidity Risk. Liquidity risk is the risk that a derivative instrument cannot be sold, closed out or replaced quickly at or very close to its fundamental value. Generally, exchange contracts are very liquid because the exchange clearinghouse is the counterparty of every contract. OTC transactions are less liquid than exchange-traded derivatives since they often can only be closed out with the other party to the transaction. The Fund might be required to maintain assets as “cover,” maintain segregated accounts, and/or make margin payments when it takes positions in derivative instruments involving obligations to third parties (i.e., instruments other than purchase options). If the Fund is unable to close out its positions in such instruments, it might be required to continue to maintain such assets or accounts or make such payments until the position expires, matures or is closed out. These requirements might impair the Fund’s ability to sell a security or make an investment at a time when it would otherwise be favorable to do so, or require that the Fund sell a portfolio security at a disadvantageous time. The Fund’s ability to sell or close out a position in an instrument prior to expiration or maturity depends upon the existence of a liquid secondary market or, in the absence of such a market, the ability and willingness of the counterparty to enter into a transaction closing out the position. There is no assurance that any derivatives position can be sold or closed out at a time and price that is favorable to the Fund. The Fund must comply with the SEC rule related to the use of derivatives and certain other transactions when engaging in the transactions discussed above. See “Derivatives” above.

(5) Legal Risk. Legal risk is the risk of loss caused by the unenforceability of a party’s obligations under the derivative. While a party seeking price certainty agrees to surrender the potential upside in exchange for downside protection, the party taking the risk is looking for a positive payoff. Despite this voluntary assumption of risk, a counterparty that has lost money in a derivative transaction may try to avoid payment by exploiting various legal uncertainties about certain derivative products.

(6) Systemic or “Interconnection” Risk. Systemic or interconnection risk is the risk that a disruption in the financial markets will cause difficulties for all market participants. In other words, a disruption in one market will spill over into other markets, perhaps creating a chain reaction. Much of the OTC derivatives market takes place among the OTC dealers themselves, thus creating a large interconnected web of financial obligations. This interconnectedness raises the possibility that a default by one large dealer could create losses for other dealers and destabilize the entire market for OTC derivative instruments.

(7) Leverage Risk. Leverage risk is the risk that the Fund may be more volatile than if it had not been leveraged due to leverage’s tendency to exaggerate the effect of any increase or decrease in the value of the Fund’s portfolio securities. The use of leverage may also cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet segregation requirements.

(8) Regulatory Risk. The Dodd-Frank Act Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (the “Dodd-Frank Act”) has initiated a dramatic revision of the U.S. financial regulatory framework and covers a broad range of topics, including (among many others) a reorganization of federal financial regulators; a process intended to improve financial systemic stability and the resolution of potentially insolvent financial firms; and new rules for derivatives trading. In particular, the Dodd-Frank Act makes broad changes to the OTC derivatives market, grants significant new authority to the SEC and the CFTC to regulate OTC derivatives and market participants, and will require clearing and exchange trading of many OTC derivatives transactions. New requirements, such as capital requirements and mandatory clearing of OTC

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derivatives transactions, have impacted and may continue to impact the costs to the Fund of trading these instruments and, as a result, may affect returns to investors in the Fund. Instruments in which the Fund may invest, or the issuers of such instruments, may be affected by this legislation and regulation in ways that are unforeseeable. Certain of the implementing regulations have not yet been finalized or made effective. Accordingly, the ultimate impact of the Dodd-Frank Act, including on the derivative instruments in which the Fund may invest, is not yet certain.

Equity Securities

The Fund invests primarily in REITs, which are types of equity securities. The Fund may also invest in equity securities, which include common stocks, preferred securities, rights and warrants to purchase common stocks or preferred securities, convertible securities, participatory notes, interests in real estate investment trusts, common and preferred units of master limited partnerships, and other securities with equity characteristics.

Common Stocks

Common stocks represent units of ownership in a company. Common stocks usually carry voting rights and earn dividends. Unlike preferred securities, dividends on common stocks are not prescribed in advance but are declared at the discretion of a company’s board.

While investing in stocks allows shareholders to participate in the benefits of owning a company, such shareholders must accept the risks of ownership. Unlike bondholders, who have preference to a company’s earnings and cash flow, common stockholders are entitled only to the residual amount after a company meets its other obligations. For this reason, the value of a company’s stock will usually react more strongly to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects than its debt obligations. Stockholders of a company that fares poorly can lose money.

Stock markets tend to move in cycles with short or extended periods of rising and falling stock prices. The value of a company’s stock may fall because of:

· Factors that directly relate to that company, such as decisions made by its management or lower demand for the company’s products or services;

· Factors affecting an entire industry, such as increases in production costs; and

· Changes in financial market conditions that are relatively unrelated to the company or its industry, such as changes in interest rates, currency exchange rates or inflation rates.

An investment in common stocks of issuers with small or medium market capitalizations generally involves greater risk and price volatility than an investment in common stocks of larger, more established companies. This increased risk may be due to the greater business risks of their small or medium size, limited markets and financial resources, narrow product lines and frequent lack of management depth. The securities of small and medium capitalization companies are often traded in the over-the-counter market, and might not be traded in volumes typical of securities traded on a national securities exchange. Thus, the securities of small and medium capitalization companies are likely to be less liquid and subject to more abrupt or erratic market movements than securities of larger, more established companies.

Preferred Securities

Like common stocks, preferred securities are also units of ownership in a company, but preferred securities normally have preference over common stocks in the payment of dividends and the liquidation of the company. In all other respects, however, preferred securities are subordinated to the liabilities of the issuer. Unlike common stocks, preferred securities are generally not entitled to vote on corporate matters. Types of preferred securities include adjustable-rate preferred securities, fixed dividend preferred securities, perpetual preferred securities and sinking fund preferred securities. Generally, the market value of preferred securities with a fixed dividend rate and no conversion element varies inversely with interest rates and perceived credit risk.

Because preferred securities are generally junior to most other forms of debt securities and other obligations of the issuer, deterioration in the credit quality of the issuer will cause greater changes in the value of a preferred security than in a more senior debt security with similar stated yield characteristics.

Warrants

The Fund may invest in warrants if, after giving effect thereto, not more than 5% of its net assets will be invested in warrants other than warrants acquired in units or attached to other securities. Investing

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in warrants is purely speculative in that they have no voting rights, pay no dividends, and have no rights with respect to the assets of the corporation issuing them. Warrants are issued by the issuer of a security and provide their holder the option to purchase that security upon the warrants’ exercise at a specific price for a specific period of time. They do not represent ownership of the securities but only the right to buy them. The prices of warrants do not necessarily parallel the prices of the underlying securities.

Convertible Securities

For issues where the conversion of the security is not at the option of the holder, the Fund may be required to convert the security into the underlying common stock even at times when the value of the underlying common stock or other equity security has declined substantially.

Convertible securities are hybrid securities that combine the investment characteristics of bonds and common stocks. Convertible securities typically consist of debt securities or preferred securities that may be converted within a specified period of time (typically for the entire life of the security) into a certain amount of common stock or other equity security of the same or a different issuer at a predetermined price. They also include debt securities with warrants or common stock attached and derivatives combining the features of debt securities and equity securities. Convertible securities entitle the holder to receive interest paid or accrued on debt, or dividends paid or accrued on preferred securities, until the security matures or is redeemed, converted or exchanged.

The market value of a convertible security generally is a function of its “investment value” and its “conversion value.” A security’s “investment value” represents the value of the security without its conversion feature (i.e., a comparable non-convertible fixed-income security). The investment value is determined by, among other things, reference to its credit quality and the current value of its yield to maturity or probable call date. At any given time, investment value is dependent upon such factors as the general level of interest rates, the yield of similar non-convertible securities, the financial strength of the issuer and the seniority of the security in the issuer’s capital structure. A security’s “conversion value” is determined by multiplying the number of shares the holder is entitled to receive upon conversion or exchange by the current price of the underlying security. If the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly below its investment value, the convertible security will trade like non-convertible debt or a preferred security in the sense that its market value will not be influenced greatly by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying security into which it can be converted. Instead, the convertible security’s price will tend to move in the opposite direction from interest rates. Conversely, if the conversion value of a convertible security is significantly above its investment value, the market value of the convertible security will be more heavily influenced by fluctuations in the market price of the underlying stock. In that case, the convertible security’s price may be as volatile as that of the common stock. Because both interest rate and market movements can influence its value, a convertible security is not generally as sensitive to interest rates as a similar fixed-income security, nor is it generally as sensitive to changes in share price as its underlying stock.

The Fund’s investments in convertible securities, particularly securities that are convertible into securities of an issuer other than the issuer of the convertible security, may be illiquid. The Fund’s investments in convertible securities may at times include securities that have a mandatory conversion feature, pursuant to which the securities convert automatically into common stock or other equity securities (of the same or a different issuer) at a specified date and a specified conversion ratio, or that are convertible at the option of the issuer. For issues where the conversion of the security is not at the option of the holder, the Fund may be required to convert the security into the underlying common stock even at times when the value of the underlying common stock or other equity security has declined substantially.

In addition, some convertible securities are often rated below investment-grade or are not rated, and therefore may be considered speculative investments. The credit rating of a company’s convertible securities is generally lower than that of its conventional debt securities. Convertible securities are normally considered “junior” securities—that is, the company usually must pay interest on its conventional corporate debt before it can make payments on its convertible securities. Some convertible securities are particularly sensitive to interest rate changes when their predetermined conversion price is much higher than the issuing company’s common stock.

Participatory Notes

The Fund may invest in participatory notes issued by banks or broker-dealers that are designed to replicate the performance of certain non-U.S. companies traded on a non-U.S. exchange. Participatory notes are a type of equity-linked derivative which generally are traded over-the-counter. Even though a participatory note is intended to reflect the performance of the underlying

S-15


equity securities on a one-to-one basis so that investors will not normally gain or lose more in absolute terms than they would have made or lost had they invested in the underlying securities directly, the performance results of participatory notes will not replicate exactly the performance of the issuers or markets that the notes seek to replicate due to transaction costs and other expenses. Investments in participatory notes involve risks normally associated with a direct investment in the underlying securities. In addition, participatory notes are subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the broker-dealer or bank that issues the notes will not fulfill its contractual obligation to complete the transaction with the Fund. Participatory notes constitute general unsecured, unsubordinated contractual obligations of the banks or broker-dealers that issue them, and the Fund is relying on the creditworthiness of such banks or broker-dealers and has no rights under a participatory note against the issuers of the securities underlying such participatory notes. There can be no assurance that the trading price or value of participatory notes will equal the value of the underlying value of the equity securities they seek to replicate.

Real Estate Investment Trusts

REITs are publicly traded corporations or trusts that specialize in acquiring, holding, and managing residential, commercial or industrial real estate located in the United States or foreign countries. A REIT is not taxed at the entity level on income distributed to its shareholders or unitholders if it distributes to shareholders or unitholders at least 90% of its taxable income for each taxable year and complies with regulatory requirements relating to its organization, ownership, assets and income.

REITs generally can be classified as equity REITs, mortgage REITs and hybrid REITs. An equity REIT invests the majority of its assets directly in real property and derives its income primarily from rents and from capital gains on real estate appreciation which are realized through property sales. A mortgage REIT invests the majority of its assets in real estate mortgage loans and services its income primarily from interest payments. A hybrid REIT combines the characteristics of an equity REIT and a mortgage REIT.

The Fund invests primarily in REITs, which subjects the Fund to risks associated with the real estate industry. The real estate industry has been subject to substantial fluctuations and declines on a local, regional and national basis in the past and may continue to be in the future. Real property values and income from real property may decline due to general and local economic conditions, overbuilding and increased competition, increases in property taxes and operating expenses, changes in zoning laws, casualty or condemnation losses, regulatory limitations on rents, changes in neighborhoods and in demographics, increases in market interest rates, or other factors. Factors such as these may adversely affect companies which own and operate real estate directly, companies which lend to such companies, and companies which service the real estate industry.

The Fund is also subject to risks associated with direct investments in REITs. Equity REITs will be affected by changes in the values of and income from the properties they own, while mortgage REITs may be affected by the credit quality of the mortgage loans they hold. In addition, REITs are dependent on specialized management skills and on their ability to generate cash flow for operating purposes and to make distributions to shareholders or unitholders. REITs may have limited diversification and are subject to risks associated with obtaining financing for real property, as well as to the risk of self-liquidation. REITs also can be adversely affected by their failure to qualify for tax-free pass-through treatment of their income under the Code or their failure to maintain an exemption from registration under the 1940 Act. By investing in REITs indirectly through the Fund, a shareholder bears not only a proportionate share of the expenses of the Fund, but also may indirectly bear similar expenses of some of the REITs in which it invests.

Master Limited Partnerships

Equity securities in which the Fund may invest include master limited partnerships (“MLPs”). An MLP is an entity, most commonly a limited partnership that is taxed as a partnership, publicly traded and listed on a national securities exchange. Holders of common units of MLPs typically have limited control and limited voting rights as compared to holders of a corporation’s common shares. MLPs are limited by the Code to only apply to enterprises that engage in certain businesses, mostly pertaining to the use of natural resources, such as petroleum and natural gas extraction and transportation, although some other enterprises may also qualify as MLPs.

S-16


Fixed Rate Debt Obligations

The debt obligations in which the Fund invests have fixed interest rates. Fixed rate securities pay a fixed rate of interest and tend to exhibit more price volatility during times of rising or falling interest rates than securities with variable or floating rates of interest. The value of fixed rate securities will tend to fall when interest rates rise and rise when interest rates fall. The value of variable or floating rate securities, on the other hand, fluctuates much less in response to market interest rate movements than the value of fixed rate securities. This is because variable and floating rate securities behave like short-term instruments in that the rate of interest they pay is subject to periodic adjustments according to a specified formula, usually with reference to some interest rate index or market interest rate. Fixed rate securities with short-term characteristics are not subject to the same price volatility as fixed rate securities without such characteristics. Therefore, they behave more like variable or floating rate securities with respect to price volatility.

Illiquid Investments

The Fund may invest in illiquid investments (i.e., investments that the Fund reasonably expects cannot be sold or disposed of in current market conditions in seven calendar days or less without the sale or disposition significantly changing the market value of the investment). For purposes of this restriction, illiquid investments include, but are not limited to, restricted securities (securities the disposition of which is restricted under the federal securities laws) and repurchase agreements with maturities in excess of seven days. However, the Fund will not acquire illiquid investments if, as a result, such securities would comprise more than 15% of the value of the Fund’s net assets. The Board or its delegate has the ultimate authority to determine, to the extent permissible under the federal securities laws, which securities are liquid or illiquid for purposes of this 15% limitation. The Board has delegated to the Adviser the day-to-day determination of the illiquidity of any portfolio security, although it has retained oversight over and ultimate responsibility for such determinations. The Adviser works with and to a large extent relies on the expertise and advice of the Sub-Adviser in making these liquidity determinations. Although no definitive liquidity criteria are used, the Board has directed the Adviser to look to such factors as (i) the nature of the market for a security (including the institutional private resale market, the frequency of trades and quotes for the security, the number of dealers willing to purchase or sell the security, and the amount of time normally needed to dispose of the security, the method of soliciting offers and the mechanics of transfer); (ii) the terms of certain securities or other instruments allowing for the disposition to a third party or the issuer thereof (e.g., certain repurchase obligations and demand instruments); and (iii) other permissible relevant facts.

Restricted securities may be sold only in privately negotiated transactions or in a public offering with respect to which a registration statement is in effect under the 1933 Act. Where registration is required, the Fund may be obligated to pay all or part of the registration expenses and a considerable period may elapse between the time of the decision to sell and the time the Fund may be permitted to sell a security under an effective registration statement. If, during such a period, adverse market conditions were to develop, the Fund might obtain a less favorable price than that which prevailed when it decided to sell. Illiquid investments will be priced at fair value as determined in good faith by the Board or its delegate.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

In order to generate additional income, the Fund may lend portfolio securities representing up to one-third of the value of its total assets to broker-dealers, banks or other institutional borrowers of securities that the Adviser has determined are creditworthy. The securities lending agent will generally bear the risk that a borrower may default on its obligation to return loaned securities; however, the Fund bears the risk that the securities lending agent may default on its contractual obligations to the Fund. The Fund also bears the market risk with respect to the investment of the cash collateral used to secure the loan. The Fund may lose money on its investment of cash collateral or may fail to earn sufficient income on its investment to meet its obligations to the borrower. The Fund will pay a portion of the income earned on other lending transactions to the placing broker and may pay administrative and custodial fees in connection with these loans.

In these loan arrangements, the Fund will receive cash collateral equal to at least 102% of the value of the securities loaned as determined at the time of loan origination. If the market value of the loaned securities increases, the borrower must furnish additional collateral to the Fund. During the time portfolio securities are on loan, the borrower pays the Fund any dividends or interest paid on the securities. Loans are subject to termination at any time by the Fund or the borrower. While the Fund does

S-17


not have the right to vote securities on loan, it would terminate the loan and regain the right to vote if that were considered important with respect to the investment.

When the Fund lends portfolio securities to a borrower, payments in lieu of dividends made by the borrower to the Fund will not constitute “qualified dividends” taxable at the same rate as long-term capital gains, even if the actual dividends would have constituted qualified dividends had the Fund held the securities. However, the Fund currently recalls all loaned securities from the borrower so that it may receive dividends paid on the securities, if any.

Non-Investment Grade Debt Securities

The Fund may invest in non-investment grade debt securities. Non-investment grade debt securities are medium- to low-quality debt obligations. Debt obligations rated below investment grade (BB/Ba or lower) are commonly known as “high yield,” “high risk” or “junk” bonds. Junk bonds, while generally offering higher yields than investment grade securities with similar maturities, involve greater risks, including the possibility of default or bankruptcy. They are regarded as predominantly speculative with respect to the issuer’s capacity to pay interest and repay principal. The special risk considerations in connection with investments in these securities are discussed below.

(1) Effect of Interest Rates and Economic Changes. All interest-bearing securities typically experience appreciation when interest rates decline and depreciation when interest rates rise. In addition, the market values of junk bond securities tend to reflect individual issuer developments to a greater extent than do the market values of higher rated securities, which react primarily to fluctuations in the general level of interest rates. Junk bond securities also tend to be more sensitive to economic conditions than are higher rated securities. As a result, they generally involve more credit risk than securities in the higher rated categories. During an economic downturn or a sustained period of rising interest rates, highly leveraged issuers of junk bond securities may experience financial stress and may not have sufficient revenues to meet their payment obligations. The risk of loss due to default by an issuer of these securities is significantly greater than by an issuer of higher rated securities because such securities are generally unsecured and are often subordinated to other creditors. Further, if the issuer of a junk bond security defaults, the Fund may incur additional expenses to seek recovery. Periods of economic uncertainty and changes would also generally result in increased volatility in the market prices of these and thus in the Fund’s net asset value.

The value of a junk bond security will generally decrease in a rising interest rate market and, accordingly, so will the Fund’s net asset value. If the Fund experiences unexpected net redemptions in such a market, it may be forced to liquidate a portion of its portfolio securities without regard to their investment merits. Due to the limited liquidity of certain junk bond securities, the Fund may be forced to liquidate these securities at a substantial discount. Any such liquidation would reduce the Fund’s asset base over which expenses could be allocated and could result in a reduced rate of return for the Fund.

(2) Payment Expectations. Junk bond securities typically contain redemption, call, or prepayment provisions that permit the issuer of securities containing such provisions to redeem the securities at its discretion. During periods of falling interest rates, issuers of these securities are likely to redeem or prepay the securities and refinance them with debt securities with a lower interest rate. To the extent an issuer is able to refinance the securities, or otherwise redeem them, the Fund may have to replace the securities with lower yielding securities, which could result in a lower return for the Fund.

(3) Credit Ratings. Credit ratings are issued by credit rating agencies and are indicative of the rated securities’ safety of principal and interest payments. They do not, however, evaluate the market value risk of junk bond securities and, therefore, may not fully reflect the true risks of such an investment. In addition, credit rating agencies may not make timely changes in a rating to reflect changes in the economy or in the condition of the issuer that affect the value of the security. Consequently, credit ratings are used only as a preliminary indicator of investment quality. Investments in junk bonds will depend more upon credit analysis by the Sub-Adviser than investments in investment grade debt securities. The Sub-Adviser employs its own credit research and analysis, which includes a study of the issuer’s existing debt, capital structure, ability to service debts and pay dividends, sensitivity to economic conditions, operating history, and current earnings trend. The Sub-Adviser continually monitors the Fund’s investments and

S-18


carefully evaluates whether to dispose of or to retain junk bond securities whose credit ratings or credit quality may have changed.

(4) Liquidity and Valuation. The Fund may have difficulty disposing of certain junk bond securities because there may be a thin trading market for such securities. Not all dealers maintain markets in all junk bond securities. As a result, there is no established retail secondary market for many of these securities. To the extent a secondary trading market does exist, it is generally not as liquid as the secondary market for higher rated securities. The lack of a liquid secondary market may have an adverse impact on the market price of the security. The lack of a liquid secondary market for certain securities may also make it more difficult for the Fund to obtain accurate market quotations for purposes of valuing its securities. Market quotations are generally available on many junk bond issues only from a limited number of dealers and may not necessarily represent firm bids of such dealers or prices for actual sales. During periods of thin trading, the spread between bid and asked prices is likely to increase significantly. In addition, adverse publicity and investor perceptions, whether or not based on fundamental analysis, may decrease the value and liquidity of junk bond securities, especially in a thinly traded market.

Other Investment Companies and Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including open-end funds, closed-end funds, unit investment trusts, and ETFs registered under the 1940 Act (“1940 Act ETFs”). Under the 1940 Act, the Fund’s investment in such securities is generally limited to 3% of the total voting stock of any one investment company; 5% of the Fund’s total assets with respect to any one investment company; and 10% of the Fund’s total assets in the aggregate. The Fund, however, may rely on Rule 12d1-4 under the 1940 Act to invest beyond these statutory limits, subject to certain conditions and pursuant to contractual arrangements between the Fund and the acquired 1940 Act ETFs. However, the Fund generally may not rely on Rule 12d1-4 to invest in an acquired fund beyond the statutory limits if the acquired fund also invests significantly in other investment companies in reliance on and compliance with the conditions set forth in Rule 12d1-4. The Fund will only invest in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles that invest primarily in Fund-eligible investments. The Fund’s investments in other investment companies may include money market mutual funds. Investments in money market funds are not subject to the percentage limitations set forth above.

The Fund may invest in index ETFs, which are index funds bought and sold on a securities exchange. An index ETF trades like common stock and represents a portfolio of securities designed to track a particular market index. ETFs can give exposure to all or a portion of the U.S. market, a foreign market, a region, a commodity, a currency, or to any other index that an ETF tracks. The risks of owning an ETF generally reflect the risks of owning the underlying securities they are designed to track, although lack of liquidity in an ETF could result in it being more volatile and ETFs have management fees that increase their costs. An ETF may fail to accurately track the returns of the market segment or index that it is designed to track, and the price of an ETF’s shares may fluctuate. In addition, because they, unlike traditional mutual funds, are traded on an exchange, ETFs are subject to the following risks: (i) the performance of the ETF may not replicate the performance of the underlying index that it is designed to track; (ii) the market price of the ETF’s shares may trade at a premium or discount to the ETF’s NAV; (iii) an active trading market for an ETF may not develop or be maintained; and (iv) there is no assurance that the requirements of the exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the ETF will continue to be met or remain unchanged. Trading in an ETF may be halted if the trading in one or more of the ETF’s underlying securities is halted, which could result in the ETF being more volatile. In the event substantial market or other disruptions affecting ETFs should occur in the future, the liquidity and value of the Fund’s shares could also be substantially and adversely affected.

If the Fund invests in other investment companies or pooled investment vehicles, Fund shareholders will bear not only their proportionate share of the Fund’s expenses, but also, indirectly, the similar expenses of the underlying investment companies or pooled investment vehicles. Shareholders would also be exposed to the risks associated not only to the Fund, but also to the portfolio investments of the underlying investment companies or pooled investment vehicles. Shares of certain closed-end funds may at times be acquired at market prices representing premiums to their NAVs. Shares acquired at a premium to their NAV may be more likely to subsequently decline in price, resulting in a loss to the Fund and its shareholders.

S-19


Over-the-Counter Market

The Fund may invest in over-the-counter securities. In contrast to the securities exchanges, the over-the-counter market is not a centralized facility that limits trading activity to securities of companies which initially satisfy certain defined standards. Generally, the volume of trading in an unlisted or over-the-counter security is less than the volume of trading in a listed security. This means that the depth of market liquidity of some securities in which the Fund invests may not be as great as that of other securities and, if the Fund were to dispose of such a security, it might have to offer the securities at a discount from recent prices, or sell the securities in small lots over an extended period of time.

U.S. Government Securities

U.S. government securities include securities that are issued or guaranteed by the United States Treasury, by various agencies of the U.S. government, or by various instrumentalities which have been established or sponsored by the U.S. government. U.S. Treasury securities are backed by the “full faith and credit” of the United States. Securities issued or guaranteed by federal agencies and U.S. government-sponsored instrumentalities may or may not be backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Some of the U.S. government agencies that issue or guarantee securities include the Export-Import Bank of the United States, Farmers Home Administration, Federal Housing Administration, Maritime Administration, Small Business Administration and The Tennessee Valley Authority. An instrumentality of the U.S. government is a government agency organized under Federal charter with government supervision. Instrumentalities issuing or guaranteeing securities include, among others, Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal Land Banks, Central Bank for Cooperatives, Federal Intermediate Credit Banks and FNMA. In the case of those U.S. government securities not backed by the full faith and credit of the United States, the investor must look principally to the agency or instrumentality issuing or guaranteeing the security for ultimate repayment, and may not be able to assert a claim against the United States itself in the event that the agency or instrumentality does not meet its commitment. The U.S. government, its agencies and instrumentalities do not guarantee the market value of their securities, and consequently, the value of such securities may fluctuate.

When-Issued or Delayed-Delivery Transactions

The Fund may from time to time purchase securities on a “when-issued” or other delayed-delivery basis. The price of securities purchased on a when-issued basis is fixed at the time the commitment to purchase is made, but delivery and payment for the securities take place at a later date. Normally, the settlement date occurs within 45 days of the purchase. During the period between the purchase and settlement, no payment is made by the Fund to the issuer and no interest is accrued on debt securities and no dividend income is earned on equity securities. Forward commitments involve a risk of loss if the value of the security to be purchased declines prior to the settlement date. This risk is in addition to the risk of decline in value of the Fund’s other assets. Although when-issued securities may be sold prior to the settlement date, the Fund intends to purchase such securities with the purpose of actually acquiring them. At the time the Fund makes the commitment to purchase a security on a when-issued basis, it will record the transaction and reflect the value of the security in determining its NAV. The Fund does not believe that NAV will be adversely affected by purchases of securities on a when-issued basis.

The Fund will designate on its books or maintain in a segregated account cash and liquid securities equal in value to commitments for when-issued securities. When the time comes to pay for when-issued securities, the Fund will meet its obligations from then-available cash flow, sale of the segregated securities, sale of other securities or, although it would not normally expect to do so, from the sale of the when-issued securities themselves (which may have a market value greater or less than the Fund’s payment obligation).

EXCHANGE LISTING AND TRADING

A discussion of exchange listing and trading matters associated with an investment in the Fund is contained in the Prospectus under “Purchase and Sale of Shares.” The discussion below supplements, and should be read in conjunction with, such section of the Prospectus.

The Fund’s shares trade on the Listing Exchange at prices that may differ to some degree from their NAV. There can be no assurance that the requirements of the Listing Exchange necessary to maintain the listing of the Fund’s shares will continue to be met.

The Listing Exchange will consider the suspension of trading in, and will initiate delisting proceedings of, Fund shares under any of the following circumstances: (1) if any of the requirements set

S-20


forth in the Listing Exchange rules are not continuously maintained; (2) if, where the Listing Exchange has filed a separate proposal under Section 19(b) of the 1940 Act, any of the statements regarding (a) the index composition; (b) the description of the Fund; (c) limitations on the Fund’s portfolio holdings or reference assets; or (d) the applicability of the Listing Exchange listing rules specified in such proposal are not continuously maintained; (3) if, following the initial twelve-month period after the commencement of trading of the Fund on the Listing Exchange, there are fewer than 50 beneficial holders of the shares of the Fund for 30 or more consecutive trading days; (4) if the value of the Fund’s underlying index is no longer calculated or available or an interruption to the dissemination of the value of the index persists past the trading day in which it occurred or the underlying index is replaced with a new index, unless the new underlying index meets certain Listing Exchange requirements; or (5) if such other event shall occur or condition exists that, in the opinion of the Listing Exchange, makes further dealings on the Listing Exchange inadvisable. In addition, the Listing Exchange will remove the shares from listing and trading upon termination of the Trust or the Fund.

The Trust reserves the right to adjust the share price of the Fund in the future to maintain convenient trading ranges for investors. Any adjustments would be accomplished through stock splits or reverse stock splits, which would have no effect on the net assets of the Fund.

As in the case of other publicly traded securities, brokers’ commissions on transactions in Fund shares will be based on negotiated commission rates at customary levels.

The base and trading currency of the Fund is the U.S. dollar. The base currency is the currency in which the Fund’s NAV per share is calculated and the trading currency is the currency in which shares of the Fund are listed and traded on the Listing Exchange.

MANAGEMENT

The management of the Trust, including general supervision of the duties performed for the Fund by the Adviser under the Management Agreement, is the responsibility of the Board. The number of trustees of the Trust is twelve, all of whom are not interested persons of the Fund as defined in Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act (referred to herein as “independent trustees”). None of the independent trustees has ever been a trustee, director or employee of, or consultant to, the Adviser or its affiliates. The names, business addresses and years of birth of the trustees and officers of the Fund, their principal occupations and other affiliations during the past five years, the number of portfolios each trustee oversees and other directorships they hold are set forth below. Except as noted in the table below, the trustees of the Trust are directors or trustees, as the case may be, of 216 Nuveen-sponsored registered investment companies (the “Nuveen Funds”), which include 147 open-end mutual funds (the “Nuveen Mutual Funds”), 46 closed-end funds and 23 Nuveen ETFs.

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Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

Independent Trustees:

 
           

Joseph A. Boateng*
730 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
1963

Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Chief Investment Officer, Casey Family Programs (since 2017), formerly, Director of U.S. Pension Plans Johnson & Johnson (2002-2006).

195

Board Member, Lumina Foundation (since 2018) and Waterside School (since 2021), Board Member (2012-2019); Emeritus Board Member (since 2020), Year-Up Puget Sound Investment Advisory Committee Member and Former Chair (since 2007), Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System; Investment Committee Member (since 2012), The Seattle Foundation; Trustee (2018-2023), the College Retirement Equities Fund; Manager (2019-2023), TIAA Separate Account VA-1.

           


Michael A. Forrester*

730 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
1967


Trustee


Term—Indefinite

Length of Service—
Since 2024.


Formerly, Chief Executive Officer (2014-2021) and Chief Operating Officer (2007-2014), Copper Rock Capital Partners, LLC.


195


Trustee (since 2019), Dexter Southfield School; Member (since 2020), Governing Council of the Independent Directors Counsel (IDC); Trustee, the College Retirement Equities Fund and Manager, TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (2007-2023).

           

S-22


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

Thomas J. Kenny
730 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
1963

Co-Chair of the Board and Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024. Co-Chair for term ending December 31, 2024.

Formerly, Advisory Director (2010-2011), Partner (2004-2010), Managing Director (1999-2004) and Co-Head of Global Cash and Fixed Income Portfolio Management Team (2002-2010), Goldman Sachs Asset Management.

216

Director (since 2015) and Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee (since 2018), Aflac Incorporated; Director (since 2018), ParentSquare, former Director (2012-2022) and Finance Committee Chair (2016-2022) Sansum Clinic; Former Advisory Board Member (2017-2019), B’Box Former Member (2011-2022), the University of California at Santa Barbara Arts and Lectures Advisory Council; Former Investment Committee Member (2012-2020), Cottage Health System; Board Member (2009-2019) and Former President of the Board (2014-2018) of Crane County Day School; Trustee (2011-2023) and Chairman (2017-2023), the College Retirement Equities Fund; Manager (2011-2023) and Chairman (2017-2023), TIAA Separate Account VA-1.


Amy B.R. Lancellotta

333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1959


Trustee


Term—Indefinite

Length of Service—
Since 2021


Formerly, Managing Director, IDC (supports the fund independent director community and is part of the Investment Company Institute (ICI), which represents regulated investment companies) (2006-2019); formerly, various positions with ICI (1989-2006).


216


President (since 2023) and Member (since 2020) of the Board of Directors, Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA).

S-23


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

           

Joanne T. Medero
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1954

Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2021

Formerly, Managing Director, Government Relations and Public Policy (2009-2020) and Senior Advisor to the Vice Chairman (2018-2020), BlackRock, Inc. (global investment management firm); formerly, Managing Director, Global Head of Government Relations and Public Policy, Barclays Group (IBIM) (investment banking, investment management businesses) (2006-2009); formerly, Managing Director, Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary, Barclays Global Investors (global investment management firm) (1996-2006); formerly, Partner, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP (law firm) (1993-1995); formerly, General Counsel, Commodity Futures Trading Commission (government agency overseeing U.S. derivatives markets) (1989-1993); formerly, Deputy Associate Director/Associate Director for Legal and Financial Affairs, Office of Presidential Personnel, The White House (1986-1989).

216

Member of the Board of Directors, Baltic-American Freedom Foundation (seeks to provide opportunities for citizens of the Baltic states to gain education and professional development through exchanges in the U.S.) (since 2019).


Albin F. Moschner

333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1952


Trustee


Term—Indefinite

Length of Service—
Since 2016


Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Northcroft Partners, LLC, (management consulting), (since 2012); formerly, held positions at Leap Wireless International, Inc., (consumer wireless service) including Consultant (2011-2012), Chief Operating Officer (2008-2011) and Chief Marketing Officer (2004-2008); formerly, President, Verizon Card Services division of Verizon Communications, Inc.(telecommunications services) (2000-2003); formerly, President, One Point Services at One Point Communications (telecommunications services) (1999-2000); formerly, Vice Chairman of the Board, Diba, Incorporated (internet technology provider) (1996-1997); formerly, various executive positions (1991-1996) and Chief Executive Officer (1995-1996) of Zenith Electronics Corporation (consumer electronics).


216


Formerly, Chairman (2019), Director (2012-2019), USA Technologies, Inc. (a provider of solutions and services to facilitate electronic payment transactions); formerly, Director, Wintrust Financial Corporation (1996-2016).

           

S-24


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

John K. Nelson
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1962

Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Formerly, senior external advisor to the Financial Services practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP (2012-2014); Chief Executive Officer of ABN AMRO Bank N.V., North America, and Global Head of the Financial Markets Division (2007-2008), with various executive leadership roles in ABN AMRO Bank N.V. between 1996 and 2007.

216

Formerly, Member of Board of Directors (2008-2023) of Core12 LLC (private firm which develops branding, marketing and communications strategies for clients); formerly, Member of the President’s Council (2010-2019) of Fordham University; formerly, Director (2009-2018) of the Curran Center for Catholic American Studies; formerly, Trustee and Chairman of The Board of Trustees of Marian University (2011-2013).

S-25


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

           

Loren M. Starr**
730 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
1961

Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Independent Consultant/Advisor (since 2021). Formerly, Vice Chair, Senior Managing Director (2020-2021), Chief Financial Officer, Senior Managing Director (2005-2020), Invesco Ltd.

215

Director (since 2023) and Audit Committee member (since 2024), AMG; formerly, Chair and Member of the Board of Directors (2014-2021), Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI); formerly, Chair and Member of the Board of Trustees (2014-2018), Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE); Trustee, the College Retirement Equities Fund and Manager, TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (2022-2023).


Matthew Thornton III

333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1958


Trustee


Term—Indefinite

Length of Service—
Since 2020


Formerly, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2018-2019), FedEx Freight Corporation, a subsidiary of FedEx Corporation (“
FedEx”) (provider of transportation, e-commerce and business services through its portfolio of companies); formerly, Senior Vice President, U.S. Operations (2006-2018), Federal Express Corporation, a subsidiary of FedEx.


216


Member of the Board of Directors (since 2014), The Sherwin-Williams Company (develops, manufactures, distributes and sells paints, coatings and related products); Director (since 2020), Crown Castle International (provider of communications infrastructure); formerly, Member of the Board of Directors (2012-2018), Safe Kids Worldwide
® (a non-profit organization dedicated to preventing childhood injuries).

S-26


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

           

Terence J. Toth
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1959

Co-Chair of the Board and Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016. Co-Chair for term ending June 30, 2024.

Formerly, Co-Founding Partner, Promus Capital (investment advisory firm) (2008-2017); formerly, Director of Quality Control Corporation (manufacturing) (2012-2021); formerly, Director, Fulcrum IT Service LLC (information technology services firm to government entities) (2010-2019); formerly, Director, LogicMark LLC (health services) (2012-2016); formerly, Director, Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. (asset management) (2008-2013); formerly, CEO and President, Northern Trust Global Investments (financial services) (2004-2007); Executive Vice President, Quantitative Management & Securities Lending (2000- 2004); prior thereto, various positions with Northern Trust Company (financial services) (since 1994).

216

Chair of the Board (since 2021) of the Kehrein Center for the Arts (philanthropy); Member of the Board of Directors (since 2008), Catalyst Schools of Chicago (philanthropy); Member of the Board of Directors (since 2012), formerly, Investment Committee Chair (2017-2022), Mather Foundation (philanthropy); formerly, Member (2005-2016), Chicago Fellowship Board (philanthropy); formerly, Member Northern Trust Mutual Funds Board (2005-2007), Northern Trust Global Investments Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Japan Board (2004-2007), Northern Trust Securities Inc. Board (2003-2007) and Northern Trust Hong Kong Board (1997-2004).

S-27


           

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Number of
Portfolios
in Fund
Complex
Overseen by
Trustee

Other
Directorships
Held by
Trustee
During Past
Five Years

           

Margaret L. Wolff
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1955

Trustee

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Formerly, Of Counsel (2005-2014), Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP (Mergers & Acquisitions Group) (legal services).

216

Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2005), New York-Presbyterian Hospital; Member of the Board of Trustees (since 2004) formerly, Chair (2015-2022), The John A. Hartford Foundation (philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults); formerly, Member (2005-2015) and Vice Chair (2011-2015) of the Board of Trustees of Mt. Holyoke College; formerly, Member of the Board of Directors (2013-2017) of Travelers Insurance Company of Canada and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (each, a part of Travelers Canada, the Canadian operation of The Travelers Companies, Inc.).


Robert L. Young

333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1963


Trustee


Term—Indefinite

Length of Service—
Since 2017, Co-Chair as of July 1, 2024 for term ending December 31, 2024.


Formerly, Chief Operating Officer and Director, J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (financial services) (2010-2016); formerly, President and Principal Executive Officer (2013-2016), and Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer (2005-2010), of J.P. Morgan Funds; formerly, Director and various officer positions for J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (formerly, JPMorgan Funds Management, Inc. and formerly, One Group Administrative Services) and JPMorgan Distribution Services, Inc. (financial services) (formerly, One Group Dealer Services, Inc.) (1999-2017).


216


None

*Mr. Boateng and Mr. Forrester were each elected or appointed as a board member of each of the Nuveen Funds except Nuveen Core Equity Alpha Fund, Nuveen Core Plus Impact Fund, Nuveen Credit Strategies Income Fund, Nuveen Dow 30SM Dynamic Overwrite Fund, Nuveen Floating Rate Income Fund, Nuveen Global High Income Fund, Nuveen Minnesota Quality Municipal Income Fund, Nuveen Missouri Quality Municipal Income Fund, Nuveen Mortgage and Income Fund, Nuveen Multi-Asset Income Fund, Nuveen Multi-Market Income Fund, Nuveen Municipal Credit Opportunities Fund, Nuveen NASDAQ 100 Dynamic Overwrite Fund, Nuveen Preferred and Income Term Fund, Nuveen Preferred & Income Opportunities Fund, Nuveen Real Asset Income and Growth Fund, Nuveen Real Estate Income Fund, Nuveen S&P 500 Dynamic Overwrite Fund, Nuveen S&P 500 Buy-Write Income Fund, Nuveen Variable Rate Preferred & Income Fund, and Nuveen Virginia Quality Municipal Income Fund, for which each serves as a consultant.

**Mr. Starr was elected or appointed as a board member of each of the Nuveen Funds except Nuveen Multi-Market Income Fund, for which he serves as a consultant.

S-28


         

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

Officers of the Trust:

 
       
     

Briton Ryan
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28262
1978

Chief Administrative Officer (Principal Executive Officer)

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Managing Director, Head, Product-Capital Markets, Nuveen (since 2016).

     
       
     

Brett E. Black
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1972

Vice President and
Chief Compliance
Officer

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2022

Managing Director, Chief Compliance Officer of Nuveen; formerly, Vice President (2014-2022), Chief Compliance Officer and Anti-Money Laundering Compliance Officer (2017-2022) of BMO Funds, Inc.

     
       
     

Mark J. Czarniecki
901 Marquette Avenue
Minneapolis, MN 55402
1979

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Managing Director and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Securities, LLC and Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen; Managing Director, Assistant Secretary and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; has previously held various positions with Nuveen; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC.

       

Jeremy D. Franklin
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1983

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Managing Director and Assistant Secretary, Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Vice President Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; Vice President and Associate General Counsel, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America; Vice President and Assistant Secretary, TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA CREF Life Funds; Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary, TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and College Retirement Equities Fund; has previously held various positions with TIAA.

     
       
     

Diana R. Gonzalez
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1978

Vice President and Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2017

Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF investment Management, LLC; Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen.

     
       
     

Nathaniel T. Jones
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1979

Vice President and Treasurer

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Senior Managing Director of Nuveen; Senior Managing Director of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; has previously held various positions with Nuveen; Chartered Financial Analyst.

       

Brian H. Lawrence
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1982

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2023

Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen; Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; formerly, Corporate Counsel of Franklin Templeton (2018-2022).

     
       
     

Tina M. Lazar
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1961

Vice President

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Managing Director of Nuveen Securities, LLC.

     
       
     

Brian J. Lockhart
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1974

Vice President

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2019

Senior Managing Director and Head of Investment Oversight of Nuveen; Senior Managing Director of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; has previously held various positions with Nuveen; Chartered Financial Analyst and Certified Financial Risk Manager. 

     
       

S-29


       

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

     

John M. McCann
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1975

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term—Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2022

Managing Director, General Counsel and Secretary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Managing Director and Assistant Secretary of TIAA SMA Strategies LLC; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of College Retirement Equities Fund, TIAA Separate Account VA-1, TIAA-CREF Funds, TIAA-CREF Life Funds, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America, Teachers Advisors LLC, TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC and Nuveen Alternative Advisors LLC; has previously held various positions with Nuveen/TIAA.

     
       
     

Kevin J. McCarthy
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1966

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Executive Vice President, Secretary and General Counsel of Nuveen Investments, Inc.; Executive Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Securities, LLC and Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Executive Vice President and Secretary of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC, TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC and Nuveen Alternative Investments, LLC; Executive Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA-CREF Life Funds; has previously held various positions with Nuveen/TIAA; Vice President and Secretary of Winslow Capital Management, LLC; formerly, Vice President (2007-2021) and Secretary (2016-2021) of NWQ Investment Management Company, LLC and Santa Barbara Asset Management, LLC.

     
       
     

Jon Scott Meissner
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1973

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2019

Managing Director, Mutual Fund Tax and Expense Administration of Nuveen, TIAA-CREF Funds, TIAA-CREF Life Funds, TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and the CREF Accounts; Managing Director of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; has previously held various positions with Nuveen/TIAA.

       

James Nelson III
730 Third Avenue
New York, NY 10017
1976

Vice President

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Senior Managing Director, Global Head of Product, Publics, Nuveen; formerly, Head of North American Product Management & Pricing, Invesco (2018-2023).

       

Mary Beth Ramsay
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd
Charlotte, NC 28262
1965

Vice President

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2024

Chief Risk Officer, Nuveen and TIAA Financial Risk; Head of Nuveen Risk & Compliance; Executive Vice President, Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America; Executive Vice President, Risk, TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and the College Retirement Equities Fund; formerly, Senior Vice President, Head of Sales and Client Solutions (2019-2022) and U.S. Chief Pricing Actuary (2016-2019), SCOR Global Life Americas; Member of the Board of Directors of Society of Actuaries.

     
       
     

William A. Siffermann
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1975

Vice President

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2017

Managing Director of Nuveen.

     
       
     

E. Scott Wickerham
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1973

Vice President and Controller (Principal Financial Officer)

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2019

Senior Managing Director, Head of Public Investment Finance of Nuveen; Senior Managing Director of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Principal Financial Officer, Principal Accounting Officer and Treasurer of the TIAA-CREF Funds, the TIAA-CREF Life Funds, the TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and the CREF Accounts; has previously held various positions with TIAA.

     
       

S-30


       

Name, Business Address
and Year of Birth

Position(s) Held
with the Trust

Term of Office
and Length of
Time Served
with the Trust

Principal Occupation(s)
During Past Five Years

     

Mark L. Winget
333 West Wacker Drive
Chicago, IL 60606
1968

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term— Indefinite
Length of Service—
Since 2016

Vice President and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Securities, LLC and Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Vice President, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC, TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC and Nuveen Asset Management, LLC; Vice President and Associate General Counsel of Nuveen.

     
       
     

Rachael Zufall
8500 Andrew Carnegie Blvd.
Charlotte, NC 28262
1973

Vice President and Assistant Secretary

Term – Indefinite
Length of Service –
Since 2022

Managing Director and Assistant Secretary of Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of the CREF Accounts, TIAA Separate Account VA-1, TIAA-CREF Funds and TIAA-CREF Life Funds; Managing Director, Associate General Counsel and Assistant Secretary of Teachers Advisors, LLC and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC; Managing Director of Nuveen, LLC and of TIAA.

Board Leadership Structure and Risk Oversight

The Board oversees the operations and management of the Nuveen Funds, including the duties performed for the Nuveen Funds by the Adviser or its affiliates. The Board has adopted a unitary board structure. A unitary board consists of one group of trustees who serve on the board of every fund in the Nuveen Fund complex (except with respect to certain Nuveen Funds where certain trustees may instead serve as consultants, as indicated in the “Independent Trustees” table included herein). In adopting a unitary board structure, the trustees seek to provide effective governance through establishing a board, the overall composition of which will, as a body, possess the appropriate skills, diversity (including, among other things, gender, race and ethnicity), independence and experience to oversee the Nuveen Funds’ business. With this overall framework in mind, when the Board, through its Nominating and Governance Committee discussed below, seeks nominees for the Board, the trustees consider, not only the candidate’s particular background, skills and experience, among other things, but also whether such background, skills and experience enhance the Board’s diversity and at the same time complement the Board given its current composition and the mix of skills and experiences of the incumbent trustees. The Nominating and Governance Committee believes that the Board generally benefits from diversity of background (including, among other things, gender, race and ethnicity), skills, experience and views among its members, and considers this a factor in evaluating the composition of the Board, but has not adopted any specific policy on diversity or any particular definition of diversity.

The Board believes the unitary board structure enhances good and effective governance, particularly given the nature of the structure of the investment company complex. Funds in the same complex generally are served by the same service providers and personnel and are governed by the same regulatory scheme which raises common issues that must be addressed by the trustees across the fund complex (such as compliance, valuation, liquidity, brokerage, trade allocation or risk management). The Board believes it is more efficient to have a single board review and oversee common policies and procedures which increases the Board’s knowledge and expertise with respect to the many aspects of fund operations that are complex-wide in nature. The unitary structure also enhances the Board’s influence and oversight over the Adviser and other service providers.

In an effort to enhance the independence of the Board, the Board also has Co-Chairs that are independent trustees. The Board recognizes that a chair can perform an important role in setting the agenda for the Board, establishing the boardroom culture, establishing a point person on behalf of the Board for Fund management, and reinforcing the Board’s focus on the long-term interests of shareholders. The Board recognizes that a chair may be able to better perform these functions without any conflicts of interests arising from a position with Fund management. Accordingly, the trustees have elected (i) Thomas J. Kenny to serve as an independent Co-Chair of the Board for a one-year term expiring on December 31, 2024, (ii) Terence J. Toth to serve as an independent Co-Chair of the Board for a six-month term ending on June 30, 2024, and (iii) Robert L. Young to serve as an independent Co-Chair of the Board for a six-month term from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. Specific responsibilities of the Co-Chairs include: (i) coordinating with Fund management in the preparation of the agenda for each meeting of the Board; (ii) presiding at all meetings of the Board and of the shareholders; and (iii) serving as a liaison with other trustees, the Trust’s officers and other Fund management personnel, and

S-31


counsel to the independent trustees. The Co-Chairs perform such other duties as the Board may from time to time determine.

Although the Board has direct responsibility over various matters (such as advisory contracts and underwriting contracts), the Board also exercises certain of its oversight responsibilities through several committees that it has established and which report back to the full Board. The Board believes that a committee structure is an effective means to permit trustees to focus on particular operations or issues affecting the Nuveen Funds, including risk oversight. More specifically, with respect to risk oversight, the Board has delegated matters relating to valuation, compliance and investment risk to certain committees (as summarized below). In addition, the Board believes that the periodic rotation of trustees among the different committees allows the trustees to gain additional and different perspectives of a Nuveen Fund’s operations. The Board has established seven standing committees: the Executive Committee, the Dividend Committee, the Audit Committee, the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Investment Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee and the Open-End Funds Committee. The Board may also from time to time create ad hoc committees to focus on particular issues as the need arises. The membership and functions of the standing committees are summarized below. For more information on the Board, please visit www.nuveen.com/fundgovernance.

The Executive Committee, which may meet between regular meetings of the Board, is authorized to exercise all of the powers of the Board. The members of the Executive Committee are Mr. Kenny and Mr. Toth, Co-Chairs, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Young. On July 1, 2024, Mr. Young will replace Mr. Toth as Co-Chair of the Executive Committee. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Executive Committee did not meet.

The Audit Committee assists the Board in the oversight and monitoring of the accounting and financial reporting policies, processes and practices of the Nuveen Funds, and the audits of the financial statements of the Nuveen Funds; the quality and integrity of the financial statements of the Nuveen Funds; the Nuveen Funds’ compliance with legal and regulatory requirements relating to the Nuveen Funds’ financial statements; the independent auditors’ qualifications, performance and independence; and the Valuation Policy of the Nuveen Funds and the internal valuation group of the Adviser, as valuation designee for the Nuveen Funds. It is the responsibility of the Audit Committee to select, evaluate and replace any independent auditors (subject only to Board approval and, if applicable, shareholder ratification) and to determine their compensation. The Audit Committee is also responsible for, among other things, overseeing the valuation of securities comprising the Nuveen Funds’ portfolios. The Audit Committee is also primarily responsible for the oversight of the Valuation Policy and actions taken by the Adviser, as valuation designee of the Fund, through its internal valuation group, which provides regular reports to the committee, reviews any issues relating to the valuation of the Nuveen Funds’ securities brought to its attention and considers the risks to the Nuveen Funds in assessing the possible resolutions to these matters. The Audit Committee may also consider any financial risk exposures for the Nuveen Funds in conjunction with performing its functions.

To fulfill its oversight duties, the Audit Committee regularly meets with Fund management to discuss the Nuveen Funds’ annual and semi-annual reports and has regular meetings with the external auditors for the Nuveen Funds and the Adviser’s internal audit group. In assessing financial risk disclosure, the Audit Committee also may review in a general manner the processes the Board or other Board committees have in place with respect to risk assessment and risk management as well as compliance with legal and regulatory matters relating to the Nuveen Funds’ financial statements. The Audit Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. Members of the Audit Committee shall be independent (as set forth in the charter) and free of any relationship that, in the opinion of the trustees, would interfere with their exercise of independent judgment as an Audit Committee member. The members of the Audit Committee are Mr. Nelson, Chair, Mr. Boateng, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Starr, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young, each of whom is an independent trustee of the Nuveen Funds. Mr. Boateng, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Starr and Mr. Young have each been designated as an “audit committee financial expert” as defined by the rules of the SEC. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Audit Committee met fourteen times.

The Nominating and Governance Committee is responsible for seeking, identifying and recommending to the Board qualified candidates for election or appointment to the Board. In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee oversees matters of corporate governance, including the evaluation of Board performance and processes, the assignment and rotation of committee members, and the establishment of corporate governance guidelines and procedures, to the extent necessary or desirable, and matters related thereto. The committee recognizes that as demands on the Board evolve

S-32


over time (such as through an increase in the number of funds overseen or an increase in the complexity of the issues raised), the committee must continue to evaluate the Board and committee structures and their processes and modify the foregoing as may be necessary or appropriate to continue to provide effective governance. Accordingly, the Nominating and Governance Committee has a separate meeting each year to, among other things, review the Board and committee structures, their performance and functions, and recommend any modifications thereto or alternative structures or processes that would enhance the Board’s governance of the Nuveen Funds.

In addition, the Nominating and Governance Committee, among other things, makes recommendations concerning the continuing education of trustees; monitors performance of legal counsel; establishes and monitors a process by which security holders are able to communicate in writing with members of the Board; and periodically reviews and makes recommendations about any appropriate changes to trustee compensation. In the event of a vacancy on the Board, the Nominating and Governance Committee receives suggestions from various sources, including shareholders, as to suitable candidates. Suggestions should be sent in writing to William Siffermann, Manager of Fund Board Relations, Nuveen, LLC, 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606. The Nominating and Governance Committee sets appropriate standards and requirements for nominations for new trustees and reserves the right to interview any and all candidates and to make the final selection of any new trustees. In considering a candidate’s qualifications, each candidate must meet certain basic requirements, including relevant skills and experience, time availability (including the time requirements for due diligence meetings with sub-advisers and service providers) and, if qualifying as an independent trustee candidate, independence from the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and other service providers, including any affiliates of these entities. These skill and experience requirements may vary depending on the current composition of the Board, since the goal is to ensure an appropriate range of skills, diversity and experience, in the aggregate. Accordingly, the particular factors considered and weight given to these factors will depend on the composition of the Board and the skills and backgrounds of the incumbent trustees at the time of consideration of the nominees. All candidates, however, must meet high expectations of personal integrity, independence, governance experience and professional competence. All candidates must be willing to be critical within the Board and with Fund management and yet maintain a collegial and collaborative manner toward other Board members. The Nominating and Governance Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. This committee is composed of the independent trustees of the Nuveen Funds. Accordingly, the members of the Nominating and Governance Committee are Mr. Kenny and Mr. Toth, Co-Chairs, Mr. Boateng, Mr. Forrester, Ms. Lancellotta, Ms. Medero, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Starr, Mr. Thornton, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young. On July 1, 2024, Mr. Young will replace Mr. Toth as Co-Chair of the Nominating and Governance Committee. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Nominating and Governance Committee met six times.

The Dividend Committee is authorized to declare distributions (with subsequent ratification by the Board) on the Nuveen Funds’ shares, including, but not limited to, regular and special dividends, capital gains and ordinary income distributions. The Dividend Committee operates under a written charter adopted by the Board. The members of the Dividend Committee are Mr. Thornton, Chair, Ms. Lancellotta, Mr. Nelson and Mr. Starr. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Dividend Committee met four times.

The Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee (the “Compliance Committee”) is responsible for the oversight of compliance issues, risk management and other regulatory matters affecting the Nuveen Funds that are not otherwise the jurisdiction of the other committees. The Board has adopted and periodically reviews policies and procedures designed to address the Nuveen Funds’ compliance and risk matters. As part of its duties, the Compliance Committee reviews the policies and procedures relating to compliance matters and recommends modifications thereto as necessary or appropriate to the full Board; develops new policies and procedures as new regulatory matters affecting the Nuveen Funds arise from time to time; evaluates or considers any comments or reports from examinations from regulatory authorities and responses thereto; and performs any special reviews, investigations or other oversight responsibilities relating to risk management, compliance and/or regulatory matters as requested by the Board.

In addition, the Compliance Committee is responsible for risk oversight, including, but not limited to, the oversight of general risks related to investments which are not reviewed by other committees, such as liquidity and derivatives usage; risks related to product structure elements, such as leverage; techniques that may be used to address the foregoing risks, such as hedging and swaps and Fund

S-33


operational risk and risks related to the overall operation of the TIAA/Nuveen enterprise and, in each case, the controls designed to address or mitigate such risks. In assessing issues brought to the Compliance Committee’s attention or in reviewing a particular policy, procedure, investment technique or strategy, the Compliance Committee evaluates the risks to the Nuveen Funds in adopting a particular approach compared to the anticipated benefits to the Nuveen Funds and their shareholders. In fulfilling its obligations, the Compliance Committee meets on a quarterly basis. The Compliance Committee receives written and oral reports from the Nuveen Funds’ Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”) and meets privately with the CCO at each of its quarterly meetings. The CCO also provides an annual report to the full Board regarding the operations of the Nuveen Funds’ and service providers’ compliance programs as well as any recommendations for modifications thereto. Certain matters not addressed at the committee level may be addressed by another committee or directly by the full Board. The Compliance Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. The members of the Compliance Committee are Ms. Wolff, Chair, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny, Ms. Lancellotta, Ms. Medero, Mr. Thornton and Mr. Toth. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Compliance Committee met five times.

The Investment Committee is responsible for the oversight of Nuveen Fund performance, investment risk management and other portfolio-related matters affecting the Nuveen Funds which are not otherwise the jurisdiction of the other Board committees. As part of such oversight, the Investment Committee reviews each Nuveen Fund’s investment performance and investment risks, which may include, but is not limited to, an evaluation of Nuveen Fund performance relative to investment objectives, benchmarks and peer group; a review of risks related to portfolio investments, such as exposures to particular issuers, market sectors, or types of securities, as well as consideration of other factors that could impact or are related to Nuveen Fund performance; and an assessment of Nuveen Fund objectives, policies and practices as such may relate to Nuveen Fund performance. In assessing issues brought to the Investment Committee’s attention or in reviewing an investment policy, technique or strategy, the Investment Committee evaluates the risks to the Nuveen Funds in adopting or recommending a particular approach or resolution compared to the anticipated benefits to the Nuveen Funds and their shareholders.

In fulfilling its obligations, the Investment Committee receives quarterly reports from the investment oversight and the investment risk groups at Nuveen. Such groups also report to the full Board on a quarterly basis and the full Board participates in further discussions with Fund management at its quarterly meetings regarding matters relating to Nuveen Fund performance and investment risks, including with respect to the various drivers of performance and Nuveen Fund use of leverage and hedging. Accordingly, the Board directly and/or in conjunction with the Investment Committee oversees the investment performance and investment risk management of the Nuveen Funds. The Investment Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. This Investment Committee is composed of the independent trustees of the Nuveen Funds. Accordingly, the members of the Investment Committee are Mr. Boateng and Ms. Lancellotta, Co-Chairs, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny, Ms. Medero, Mr. Moschner, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Starr, Mr. Thornton, Mr. Toth, Ms. Wolff and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Investment Committee met four times.

The Open-End Funds Committee is responsible for assisting the Board in the oversight and monitoring of the Nuveen Funds that are registered as open-end management investment companies (“Open-End Funds”). The committee may review and evaluate matters related to the formation and the initial presentation to the Board of any new Open-End Fund and may review and evaluate any matters relating to any existing Open-End Fund. The Open-End Funds Committee operates under a written charter adopted and approved by the Board. The members of the Open-End Funds Committee are Mr. Forrester and Ms. Medero, Co-Chairs, Mr. Boateng, Mr. Kenny, Mr. Thornton, Mr. Toth and Mr. Young. During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Open-End Funds Committee met four times.

Board Diversification and Trustee Qualifications

In determining that a particular trustee was qualified to serve on the Board, the Board has considered each trustee’s background, skills, experience and other attributes in light of the composition of the Board with no particular factor controlling. The Board believes that trustees need to have the ability to critically review, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, and to interact effectively with Fund management, service providers and counsel, in order to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties, and the Board believes each trustee satisfies this standard. An effective trustee may achieve this ability through his or her educational background; business, professional training or practice; public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member or executive of investment funds, public companies or significant private or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; and/or other life experiences. Accordingly, set forth below is a summary of the

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experiences, qualifications, attributes, and skills that led to the conclusion, as of the date of this document, that each trustee should continue to serve in that capacity. References to the experiences, qualifications, attributes and skills of trustees are pursuant to requirements of the SEC, do not constitute holding out of the Board or any trustee as having any special expertise or experience and shall not impose any greater responsibility or liability on any such person or on the Board by reason thereof.

Joseph A. Boateng

 Since 2007, Mr. Boateng has served as the Chief Investment Officer for Casey Family Programs. He was previously Director of U.S. Pension Plans for Johnson & Johnson from 2002 to 2006. Mr. Boateng is a board member of the Lumina Foundation and Waterside School, an emeritus board member of Year Up Puget Sound, member of the Investment Advisory Committee and former Chair for the Seattle City Employees’ Retirement System, and an Investment Committee Member for The Seattle Foundation. Mr. Boateng previously served on the Board of Trustees for the College Retirement Equities Fund (2018-2023) and on the Management Committee for TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (2019-2023). Mr. Boateng received a B.S. from the University of Ghana and an M.B.A. from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Michael A. Forrester

 From 2007 to 2021, Mr. Forrester held various positions with Copper Rock Capital Partners, LLC (“Copper Rock”), including Chief Executive Officer (2014-2021), Chief Operating Officer (“COO”) (2007-2014) and Board Member (2007-2021). Mr. Forrester is currently a member of the Independent Directors Council Governing Council of the Investment Company Institute. He also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Dexter Southfield School. Mr. Forrester previously served on the Board of Trustees for the College Retirement Equities Fund and on the Management Committee for TIAA Separate Account V A-1 (2007-2023). Mr. Forrester has a B.A. from Washington and Lee University.

Thomas J. Kenny

 Mr. Kenny, the Nuveen Funds’ Independent Co-Chair for a one-year term expiring on December 31, 2024, served as an Advisory Director (2010-2011), Partner (2004-2010), Managing Director (1999-2004) and Co-Head (2002-2010) of Goldman Sachs Asset Management’s Global Cash and Fixed Income Portfolio Management team, having worked at Goldman Sachs since 1999. Mr. Kenny is a Director and the Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee of Aflac Incorporated and a Director of ParentSquare. He is a Former Director and Finance Committee Chair for the Sansum Clinic; Former Advisory Board Member, B’Box; Former Member of the University of California at Santa Barbara Arts and Lectures Advisory Council; Former Investment Committee Member, Cottage Health System; and Former President of the Board of Crane Country Day School. Mr. Kenny previously served on the Board of Trustees (2011-2023) and as Chairman (2017-2023) for the College Retirement Equities Fund and on the Management Committee (2011-2023) and as Chairman (2017-2023) for TIAA Separate Account VA-1. He received a B.A. from the University of California, Santa Barbara, and an M.S. from Golden Gate University. He also is a Chartered Financial Analyst.

Amy B.R. Lancellotta

After 30 years of service, Ms. Lancellotta retired at the end of 2019 from the Investment Company Institute (ICI), which represents regulated investment companies on regulatory, legislative and securities industry initiatives that affect funds and their shareholders. From November 2006 until her retirement, Ms. Lancellotta served as Managing Director of ICI’s Independent Directors Council (IDC), which supports fund independent directors in fulfilling their responsibilities to promote and protect the interests of fund shareholders. At IDC, Ms. Lancellotta was responsible for all ICI and IDC activities relating to the fund independent director community. In conjunction with her responsibilities, Ms. Lancellotta advised and represented IDC, ICI, independent directors and the investment company industry on issues relating to fund governance and the role of fund directors. She also directed and coordinated IDC’s education, communication, governance and policy initiatives. Prior to serving as Managing Director of IDC, Ms. Lancellotta held various other positions with ICI beginning in 1989. Before joining ICI, Ms. Lancellotta was an associate at two Washington D.C. law firms. In addition, she has been President, since 2023, and a member, since 2020, of the Board of Directors of the Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA), an organization that seeks to end power-based violence, empower survivors and ensure safe communities. Ms. Lancellotta received a B.A. degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1981 and a J.D. degree from the National Law Center, George Washington University (currently known as George Washington University Law School) in 1984.

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Joanne T. Medero

Ms. Medero has over 30 years of financial services experience and, most recently, from December 2009 until her retirement in July, 2020, she was a Managing Director in the Government Relations and Public Policy Group at BlackRock, Inc. (BlackRock). From July 2018 to July 2020, she was also a Senior Advisor to BlackRock’s Vice Chairman, focusing on public policy and corporate governance issues. In 1996, Ms. Medero joined Barclays Global Investors (BGI), which merged with BlackRock in 2009. At BGI, she was a Managing Director and served as Global General Counsel and Corporate Secretary until 2006. Then, from 2006 to 2009, Ms. Medero was a Managing Director and Global Head of Government Relations and Public Policy at Barclays Group (IBIM), where she provided policy guidance and directed legislative and regulatory advocacy programs for the investment banking, investment management and wealth management businesses. Before joining BGI, Ms. Medero was a Partner at Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP from 1993 to 1995, where she specialized in derivatives and financial markets regulation issues. Additionally, she served as General Counsel of the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) from 1989 to 1993 and, from 1986 to 1989, she was Deputy Associate Director/Associate Director for Legal and Financial Affairs at The White House Office of Presidential Personnel. Further, from 2006 to 2010, Ms. Medero was a member of the CFTC Global Markets Advisory Committee and she has been actively involved in financial industry associations, serving as Chair of the Steering Committee of the SIFMA (Securities Industry and Financial Markets Association) Asset Management Group (2016-2018) and Chair of the CTA (Commodity Trading Advisor), CPO (Commodity Pool Operator) and Futures Committee of the Managed Funds Association (2010-2012). Ms. Medero also chaired the Corporations, Antitrust and Securities Practice Group of The Federalist Society for Law and Public Policy (from 2010 to 2022 and 2000 to 2002). In addition, since 2019, she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the Baltic-American Freedom Foundation, which seeks to provide opportunities for citizens of the Baltic States to gain education and professional development through exchanges in the United States. Ms. Medero received a B.A. degree from St. Lawrence University in 1975 and a J.D. degree from the National Law Center, George Washington University (currently known as George Washington University Law School) in 1978.

Albin F. Moschner

Mr. Moschner is a consultant in the wireless industry and, in July 2012, founded Northcroft Partners, LLC, a management consulting firm that provides operational, management and governance solutions. Prior to founding Northcroft Partners, LLC, Mr. Moschner held various positions at Leap Wireless International, Inc., a provider of wireless services, where he was a consultant from February 2011 to July 2012, Chief Operating Officer from July 2008 to February 2011, and Chief Marketing Officer from August 2004 to June 2008. Before he joined Leap Wireless International, Inc., Mr. Moschner was President of the Verizon Card Services division of Verizon Communications, Inc. from 2000 to 2003, and President of One Point Services at One Point Communications from 1999 to 2000. Mr. Moschner also served at Zenith Electronics Corporation as Director, President and Chief Executive Officer from 1995 to 1996, and as Director, President and Chief Operating Officer from 1994 to 1995. Mr. Moschner was Chairman of the Board (2019) and a member of the Board of Directors (2012-2019) of USA Technologies, Inc. and, from 1996 until 2016, he was a member of the Board of Directors of Wintrust Financial Corporation. In addition, he is emeritus (since 2018) of the Advisory Boards of the Kellogg School of Management (1995-2018) and the Archdiocese of Chicago Financial Council (2012-2018). Mr. Moschner received a Bachelor of Engineering degree in Electrical Engineering from The City College of New York in 1974 and a Master of Science degree in Electrical Engineering from Syracuse University in 1979.

John K. Nelson

Mr. Nelson formerly served on the Board of Directors of Core12, LLC from 2008 to 2023, a private firm that develops branding, marketing, and communications strategies for clients. Mr. Nelson has extensive experience in global banking and markets, having served in several senior executive positions with ABN AMRO Holdings N.V. and its affiliated entities and predecessors, including LaSalle Bank Corporation from 1996 to 2008, ultimately serving as Chief Executive Officer of ABN AMRO N.V. North America. During his tenure at the bank, he also served as Global Head of its Financial Markets Division, which encompassed the bank's Currency, Commodity, Fixed Income, Emerging Markets, and Derivatives businesses. He was a member of the Foreign Exchange Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of the United States and during his tenure with ABN AMRO served as the bank’s representative on various committees of The Bank of Canada, European Central Bank, and The Bank of England. Mr. Nelson previously served as a senior, external advisor to the financial services practice of Deloitte Consulting LLP. (2012-2014). At Fordham University, he served as a director of The President’s Council (2010-

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2019) and previously served as a director of The Curran Center for Catholic American Studies (2009-2018). He served as a trustee and Chairman of The Board of Trustees of Marian University (2011-2013). Mr. Nelson is a graduate of Fordham University, holding a BA in Economics and an MBA in Finance.

Loren M. Starr

 Mr. Starr was Vice Chair, Senior Managing Director from 2020 to 2021, and Chief Financial Officer, Senior Managing Director from 2005 to 2020, for Invesco, Ltd. Mr. Starr is also a Director and member of the Audit Committee for AMG. He is former Chair and member of the Board of Directors, Georgia Leadership Institute for School Improvement (GLISI); former Chair and member of the Board of Trustees, Georgia Council on Economic Education (GCEE). Mr. Starr previously served on the Board of Trustees for the College Retirement Equities Fund and on the Management Committee for TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (2022-2023). Mr. Starr received a B.A. and a B.S. from Columbia College, an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School, and an M.S. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Matthew Thornton III

Mr. Thornton has over 40 years of broad leadership and operating experience from his career with FedEx Corporation (“FedEx”), which, through its portfolio of companies, provides transportation, e-commerce and business services. In November 2019, Mr. Thornton retired as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of FedEx Freight Corporation (FedEx Freight), a subsidiary of FedEx, where, from May 2018 until his retirement, he had been responsible for day-to-day operations, strategic guidance, modernization of freight operations and delivering innovative customer solutions. From September 2006 to May 2018, Mr. Thornton served as Senior Vice President, U.S. Operations at Federal Express Corporation (FedEx Express), a subsidiary of FedEx. Prior to September 2006, Mr. Thornton held a range of positions of increasing responsibility with FedEx, including various management positions. In addition, Mr. Thornton currently (since 2014) serves on the Board of Directors of The Sherwin-Williams Company, where he is a member of the Audit Committee and the Nominating and Corporate Governance Committee, and the Board of Directors of Crown Castle International (since 2020), where he is a member of the Strategy Committee and the Compensation Committee. Formerly (2012-2018), he was a member of the Board of Directors of Safe Kids Worldwide®, a non-profit organization dedicated to the prevention of childhood injuries. Mr. Thornton is a member (since 2014) of the Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the nation’s premier organization of global black senior executives. He is also a member of the National Association of Corporate Directors (NACD). Mr. Thornton has been recognized by Black Enterprise on its 2017 list of the Most Powerful Executives in Corporate America and by Ebony on its 2016 Power 100 list of the world’s most influential and inspiring African Americans. Mr. Thornton received a B.B.A. degree from the University of Memphis in 1980 and an M.B.A. from the University of Tennessee in 2001.

Terence J. Toth

Mr. Toth, the Nuveen Funds’ Independent Co-Chair for a six-month term ending on June 30, 2024, was a Co-Founding Partner of Promus Capital (2008-2017). From 2012 to 2021, he was a Director of Quality Control Corporation, from 2010 to 2019, he was a Director of Fulcrum IT Service LLC and from 2012 to 2016, he was a Director of LogicMark LLC. From 2008 to 2013, he was a Director of Legal & General Investment Management America, Inc. From 2004 to 2007, he was Chief Executive Officer and President of Northern Trust Global Investments, and Executive Vice President of Quantitative Management & Securities Lending from 2000 to 2004. He also formerly served on the Board of the Northern Trust Mutual Funds. He joined Northern Trust in 1994 after serving as Managing Director and Head of Global Securities Lending at Bankers Trust (1986 to 1994) and Head of Government Trading and Cash Collateral Investment at Northern Trust from 1982 to 1986. He currently serves as Chair of the Board of the Kehrein Center for the Arts (since 2021) and is on the Board of Catalyst Schools of Chicago (since 2008). He is on the Mather Foundation Board (since 2012) and was Chair of its Investment Committee from 2017 to 2022. Mr. Toth graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Illinois, and received his M.B.A. from New York University. In 2005, he graduated from the CEO Perspectives Program at Northwestern University.

Margaret L. Wolff

Ms. Wolff retired from Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher & Flom LLP in 2014 after more than 30 years of providing client service in the Mergers & Acquisitions Group. During her legal career, Ms. Wolff devoted significant time to advising boards and senior management on U.S. and international corporate, securities, regulatory and strategic matters, including governance, shareholder, fiduciary, operational and management issues. From 2013 to 2017, she was a Board member of Travelers Insurance Company of Canada and The Dominion of Canada General Insurance Company (each of which is a part of Travelers

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Canada, the Canadian operation of The Travelers Companies, Inc.). Ms. Wolff has been a trustee of New York-Presbyterian Hospital since 2005 and, since 2004, she has served as a trustee of The John A. Hartford Foundation (a philanthropy dedicated to improving the care of older adults) where she formerly served as Chair from 2015 to 2022. From 2005 to 2015, she was a trustee of Mt. Holyoke College and served as Vice Chair of the Board from 2011 to 2015. Ms. Wolff received her Bachelor of Arts from Mt. Holyoke College and her Juris Doctor from Case Western Reserve University School of Law.

Robert L. Young

Mr. Young, the Nuveen Funds’ Independent Co-Chair for a six-month term from July 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, has more than 30 years of experience in the investment management industry. From 1997 to 2017, he held various positions with J.P. Morgan Investment Management Inc. (“J.P. Morgan Investment”) and its affiliates (collectively, “J.P. Morgan”). Most recently, he served as Chief Operating Officer and Director of J.P. Morgan Investment (from 2010 to 2016) and as President and Principal Executive Officer of the J.P. Morgan Funds (from 2013 to 2016). As Chief Operating Officer of J.P. Morgan Investment, Mr. Young led service, administration and business platform support activities for J.P. Morgan’s domestic retail mutual fund and institutional commingled and separate account businesses, and co-led these activities for J.P. Morgan’s global retail and institutional investment management businesses. As President of the J.P. Morgan Funds, Mr. Young interacted with various service providers to these funds, facilitated the relationship between such funds and their boards, and was directly involved in establishing board agendas, addressing regulatory matters, and establishing policies and procedures. Before joining J.P. Morgan, Mr. Young, a former Certified Public Accountant (CPA), was a Senior Manager (Audit) with Deloitte & Touche LLP (formerly, Touche Ross LLP), where he was employed from 1985 to 1996. During his tenure there, he actively participated in creating, and ultimately led, the firm’s midwestern mutual fund practice. Mr. Young holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting from the University of Dayton and, from 2008 to 2011, he served on the Investment Committee of its Board of Trustees.

Board Compensation

The following table shows, for each independent trustee, (1) the aggregate compensation (including deferred amounts), as well as any amounts related to special ad hoc committees that are temporary in nature and not expected to be long-term, ongoing compensation, paid by the Fund for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, (2) the amount of total compensation paid by the Fund that has been deferred, and (3) the total compensation (including deferred amounts), as well as any amounts related to special, ad hoc committees that are temporary in nature and not expected to be long-term, ongoing compensation, paid to each trustee by the Nuveen Funds during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Pursuant to the Board’s deferred compensation plan, a portion of the independent trustees’ compensation may be deferred and treated as though an equivalent dollar amount has been invested in shares of one or more eligible Nuveen Funds. The amount of total compensation that has been deferred provided below represents the total deferred fees (including the return from the assumed investment in the eligible Nuveen Funds) payable from the Fund.

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Name of Trustee

 


Aggregate
Compensation
From Fund

 

Amount of Total
Compensation
That Has Been Deferred

 

Total
Compensation
From Nuveen
Funds Paid to
Trustee

 
 

Joseph A. Boateng1,2  

$

 

$

 

$

455,000

 
 

Michael A. Forrester1,2  

 

   

   

465,000

 
 

Thomas J. Kenny1,2  

 

   

   

606,000

 
 

Jack B. Evans3 

 

245

   

36

   

465,109

 
 

William C. Hunter3 

 

232

   

   

432,750

 
 

Amy B.R. Lancellotta 

 

219

   

68

   

437,838

 
 

Joanne T. Medero 

 

214

   

103  

   

428,445

 
 

Albin F. Moschner 

 

257

   

   

487,000

 
 

John K. Nelson 

 

238

   

   

458,600

 
 

Loren M. Starr1,2 

 

   

   

425,000

 
 

Judith M. Stockdale4 

 

92

   

57

   

129,926

 
 

Carole E. Stone4 

 

130

   

20

   

181,128

 
 

Matthew Thornton III 

 

223

   

   

430,000

 
 

Terence J. Toth 

 

315

   

   

590,850

 
 

Margaret L. Wolff 

 

241

   

117

   

483,967

 
 

Robert L. Young 

 

234

   

162

   

496,760

 

1. Mr. Boateng, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Starr were not Trustees of the Nuveen Funds during the fiscal year presented, and therefore did not receive any compensation from the Fund during the period.

2. “Total Compensation From Nuveen Funds Paid to Trustee” for Mr. Boateng, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Starr for the period presented includes compensation from College Retirement Equities Fund (“CREF”) and TIAA Separate Account VA-1 (“VA-1”), as each was a member of the board and management committee of CREF and VA-1, respectively, during the period.

3. Mr. Evans and Dr. Hunter retired as Trustees of the Nuveen Funds on December 31, 2023.

4. Ms. Stockdale and Ms. Stone retired as Trustees of the Nuveen Funds on December 31, 2022.

Prior to January 1, 2024, independent trustees received a $210,000 annual retainer, plus they received (a) a fee of $7,250 per day for attendance at regularly scheduled meetings of the Board; (b) a fee of $4,000 per meeting for attendance at special, non-regularly scheduled Board meetings; (c) a fee of $2,500 per meeting for attendance at Audit Committee meetings, Open-End Funds Committee meetings and Investment Committee Meetings; (d) a fee of $5,000 per meeting for attendance at Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee meetings; (e) a fee of $1,250 per meeting for attendance at Dividend Committee meetings; and (f) a fee of $500 per meeting for attendance at all other committee meetings, and $100 per meeting when the Executive Committee acted as pricing committee for IPOs, plus, in each case, expenses incurred in attending such meetings, provided that no fees were received for meetings held on days on which regularly scheduled Board meetings were held. In addition to the payments described above, the Chair of the Board received $140,000, and the chairpersons of the Audit Committee, the Dividend Committee, the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, the Nominating and Governance Committee, the Open-End Funds Committee and the Investment Committee received $20,000 each as additional retainers. Independent trustees also received a fee of $5,000 per day for site visits to entities that provide services to the Nuveen Funds on days on which no Board meeting was held. Per meeting fees for unscheduled Committee meetings or meetings of Ad Hoc or Special Assignment Committees were determined by the Chair of such Committee based on the complexity or time commitment associated with the particular meeting. The annual retainer, fees and expenses were allocated among the Nuveen Funds on the basis of relative net assets, although management may have, in its discretion, established a minimum amount to be allocated to each fund. In certain instances, fees and expenses were allocated only to those Nuveen Funds that were discussed at a given meeting.

Effective January 1, 2024, independent trustees receive a $350,000 annual retainer, plus they receive (a) an annual retainer of $30,000 for membership on the Audit Committee and Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee, respectively; (b) an annual retainer of $20,000 for membership on the Dividend Committee, Investment Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee and Open-End Funds Committee, respectively. In addition to the payments described above, the Chair and/or Co-Chair of the Board receives $140,000 annually; the chair and/or co-chair of the Audit

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Committee and the Compliance, Risk Management and Regulatory Oversight Committee receive $30,000 annually; and the chair and/or co-chair of the Dividend Committee, Investment Committee, Nominating and Governance Committee and the Open-End Funds Committee receive $20,000 annually. Trustees will be paid either $1,000 or $2,500 for any ad hoc meetings of the Board or its standing committees depending upon the meeting’s length and immediacy. For any special assignment committees, the chair and/or co-chair will be paid a quarterly fee of $1,250 and members will be paid a quarterly fee of $5,000. The annual retainers, fees and expenses of the Board are allocated among the funds in the Nuveen Fund Complex on the basis of relative net assets, although a minimum amount may be established to be allocated to each fund. In certain instances, fees and expenses will be allocated only to those funds that are discussed at a given meeting.

The Trust does not have a retirement or pension plan. The Trust is a participant in a deferred compensation plan (the “Deferred Compensation Plan”) that permits any independent trustee to elect to defer receipt of all or a portion of his or her compensation as an independent trustee. The deferred compensation of a participating trustee is credited to a book reserve account of the participating Nuveen Funds when the compensation would otherwise have been paid to the trustee. The value of the trustee’s deferral account at any time is equal to the value that the account would have had if contributions to the account had been invested and reinvested in shares of one or more of the eligible Nuveen Funds. An independent trustee may elect to receive distributions in a lump sum or over a period of five years. No participating Nuveen Fund will be liable for any other fund’s obligations to make distributions under the Deferred Compensation Plan.

The Trust has no employees. Each officer of the Trust serves without any compensation from the Fund. The CCO’s compensation, which is composed of base salary and incentive compensation, is paid by the Adviser, with review and input by the Board. The Fund reimburses the Adviser for an allocable portion of the Adviser’s cost of the CCO’s incentive compensation.

Share Ownership

The information in the table below discloses the dollar ranges of (i) each trustee’s beneficial ownership in the Fund, and (ii) each trustee’s aggregate beneficial ownership in all Nuveen Funds, including in each case the value of Fund shares elected by the trustee in the trustees’ deferred compensation plan, as of December 31, 2023, based on the value of Fund shares as of that same date.

           

Name of Trustee

 

Dollar Range of      
Equity Securities      
In the Fund      

 

Aggregate Dollar Range
Of Equity
Securities in All Registered
Investment Companies
Overseen by Trustee in
Family of
Investment Companies1

Joseph A. Boateng2 

N

/A

 

N/A

Michael A. Forrester2 

N

/A

 

N/A

Thomas J. Kenny2 

N

/A

 

N/A

Amy B.R. Lancellotta 

$

0

 

$50,001-$100,000

Joanne T. Medero 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

Albin F. Moschner 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

John K. Nelson 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

Loren M. Starr2 

N

/A

 

N/A

Matthew Thornton III 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

Terence J. Toth 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

Margaret L. Wolff 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

Robert L. Young 

$

0

 

Over $100,000

1. “Aggregate Dollar Range of Equity Securities in All Registered Investment Companies Overseen by Trustee in Family of Investment Companies” for Mr. Boateng, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Starr includes holdings in CREF and/or VA-1, as each was a member of the board and management committee of CREF and VA-1, respectively, as of December 31, 2023.

2. Mr. Boateng, Mr. Forrester, Mr. Kenny and Mr. Starr were elected to the Board of Trustees of the Nuveen Funds effective January 1, 2024. Information regarding their holdings in the Fund is not presented because each was not a trustee of the Trust as of December 31, 2023.

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The table below presents information on Trustees who owned securities in companies (other than registered investment companies) that are advised by entities that are under common control with the Fund’s investment adviser as of December 31, 2023:

                             

Name of Trustee

 

Name of Owners/Relationships to Trustee

 

Companies(1)

 

Title of
Class

 

Value of
Securities(2)

 

 

     Percent of
     Class(3)

 

           

Thomas J.
Kenny

 

Thomas Joseph Kenny 2021 Trust (Mr. Kenny is Initial Trustee and Settlor.)

 

Global Timber Resources LLC

 

None   

 

$

64,792

 

 

0.01

           
 

 

KSHFO, LLC4

 

Global Timber Resources Investor Fund, LP

 

None   

 

$

973,390

 

 

6.01

           

 

 

KSHFO, LLC4

 

Global Agriculture II Investor Fund LP

 

None   

 

$

1,511,340

 

 

10.10

__________

(1) The Adviser, as well as the investment advisers to these Companies, are indirectly commonly controlled by Nuveen, LLC.

(2) These amounts reflect the current value of holdings as of December 31, 2023. As of the date of this SAI, that is the most recent information available regarding the Companies.

(3) These percentages reflect the overall amount committed to invest in the Companies, not current ownership percentages.

(4) Mr. Kenny owns 6.6% of KSHFO, LLC.

As of April 1, 2024, the officers and trustees of the Trust, in the aggregate, owned less than 1% of the shares of the Fund.

Other than as noted in the table above, as of April 1, 2024, none of the independent trustees or their immediate family members owned, beneficially, or of record, any securities in (i) an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund or (ii) a person (other than a registered investment company) directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with an investment adviser or principal underwriter of the Fund.

SERVICE PROVIDERS

Investment Adviser

Nuveen Fund Advisors, LLC, the Fund’s investment adviser, has overall responsibility for management of the Fund, oversees the management of the Fund’s portfolio, manages the Fund’s business affairs and provides certain clerical, bookkeeping and other administrative services. In addition, the Adviser arranges for sub-advisory, transfer agency, custody, fund administration and all other non-distribution related services necessary for the Fund to operate. The Adviser is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nuveen, LLC (“Nuveen”), the investment management arm of Teachers Insurance and Annuity Association of America (“TIAA”). TIAA is a life insurance company founded in 1918 by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching and is the companion organization of College Retirement Equities Fund (“CREF”). The Adviser is located at 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

For the management services and facilities furnished by the Adviser under the Management Agreement, the Fund has agreed to pay an annual management fee based on a percentage of the Fund’s average daily net assets, payable monthly, at a rate set forth in the Prospectus under “Fund Management—Management Fees.” From time to time, the Adviser may waive all or a portion of its fee. The Adviser is responsible for substantially all other expenses of the Fund, except any future distribution and/or service fees, interest expenses, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, fees incurred in acquiring and disposing of portfolio securities, fees and expenses of the independent trustees (including any trustees’ counsel fees), certain compensation expenses of the Fund’s chief compliance officer, litigation expenses, and extraordinary expenses. The following table sets forth the management fees paid by the Fund for the last three fiscal years ended December 31.

     

Amount of Management Fees

01/01/21-12/31/21

01/01/22-12/31/22

01/01/23-12/31/23

$201,986

$401,125

$188,287

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Sub-Adviser

The Adviser has selected Teachers Advisors, LLC to serve as sub-adviser to the Fund, with primary responsibility for managing the Fund’s portfolio. TAL is a wholly owned subsidiary of Nuveen and an affiliate of the Adviser. TAL also manages the investments of the TIAA-CREF Funds, the TIAA-CREF Life Funds and the TIAA Separate Account VA-1 and serves as sub-adviser to certain other funds managed by Nuveen Fund Advisors. TAL is located at 730 Third Avenue, New York, New York 10017-3206. The Adviser pays TAL a portfolio management fee out of the advisory fee paid to the Adviser for its services to the Fund equal to 50% of the remainder of (a) the management fee payable by the Fund to the Adviser based on average daily net assets pursuant to the Management Agreement, less (b) any management fee waivers, expense reimbursement payments, revenue sharing payments and operating expenses of the Fund borne by the Adviser with respect to the Fund.

As a result of their common ownership by Nuveen and, ultimately, TIAA, Nuveen Fund Advisors and TAL are considered affiliated persons under common control, and the registered investment companies managed by each are considered to be part of the same group of investment companies.

Portfolio Managers

The following individuals have primary responsibility for the day-to-day implementation of the investment strategies of the Fund.

     
 

Teachers Advisors, LLC

 
 

Philip James (Jim) Campagna CFA, Managing Director

 
 

Lei Liao CFA, Managing Director

 

Potential Conflicts of Interest of the Sub-Adviser and Portfolio Managers

Certain portfolio managers of the Fund also manage other registered investment companies or unregistered investment pools and investment accounts, including accounts for TIAA, its affiliated investment advisers or other client or proprietary accounts (collectively, “Accounts”), which may raise potential conflicts of interest. The Sub-Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers have put in place policies and procedures designed to mitigate any such conflicts. Additionally, TIAA or its affiliates may be involved in certain investment opportunities that have the effect of restricting or limiting Fund participation in such investment opportunities. Such conflicts and mitigating policies and procedures include the following:

Conflicting Positions. Investment decisions made for the Fund may differ from, and may conflict with, investment decisions made by the Sub-Adviser or any of its affiliated investment advisers for Accounts due to differences in investment objectives, investment strategies, account benchmarks, client risk profiles and other factors. As a result of such differences, if an Account were to sell a significant position in a security while the Fund maintained its position in that security, the market price of such security could decrease and adversely impact the Fund’s performance. In the case of a short sale, the selling Account would benefit from any decrease in price.

Conflicts may also arise in cases where one or more Funds or Accounts are invested in different parts of an issuer’s capital structure. For example, the Fund (or an Account) could acquire debt obligations of a company while an Account (or the Fund) acquires an equity investment in the same company. In negotiating the terms and conditions of any such investments, the Sub-Adviser (or, in the case of an Account, an affiliated investment adviser) may find that the interests of the debt-holding Fund (or Account) and the equity-holding Account (or Fund) may conflict. If that issuer encounters financial problems, decisions over the terms of the workout could raise conflicts of interest (including, for example, conflicts over proposed waivers and amendments to debt covenants). For example, debt-holding Funds (or Accounts) may be better served by a liquidation of an issuer in which they could be paid in full, while equity-holding Accounts (or Funds) might prefer a reorganization of the issuer that would have the potential to retain value for the equity holders. As another example, holders of an issuer’s senior securities may be able to act to direct cash flows away from junior security holders, and both the junior and senior security holders may be the Fund (or an Account). Any of the foregoing conflicts of interest will be discussed and resolved on a case-by-case basis pursuant to policies and procedures designed to mitigate any such conflicts. Any such discussions will factor in the interests of the relevant parties and applicable laws and regulations. The Sub-Adviser may seek to avoid such conflicts, and, as a result, the Sub-Adviser may choose not to make such investments on behalf of the Fund, which may adversely affect the Fund’s performance if similarly attractive opportunities are not available or identified.

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Allocation of Investment Opportunities. Even where Accounts have similar investment mandates as the Fund, the Sub-Adviser or its affiliated investment advisers may determine that investment opportunities, strategies or particular purchases or sales are appropriate for one or more Accounts, but not for the Fund, or are appropriate for the Fund but in different amounts, terms or timing than is appropriate for an Account. As a result, the amount, terms or timing of an investment by the Fund may differ from, and performance may be lower than, investments and performance of an Account.

Aggregation and Allocation of Orders. The Sub-Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers may aggregate orders of the Fund and Accounts, in each case consistent with the applicable adviser’s policy to seek best execution for all orders. Although aggregating orders is a common means of reducing transaction costs for participating Accounts and Funds, the Sub-Adviser or its affiliated investment advisers may be perceived as causing one Fund or Account to participate in an aggregated transaction in order to increase the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliated investment advisers’ overall allocation of securities in that transaction or future transactions. Allocations of aggregated trades may also be perceived as creating an incentive for the Sub-Adviser to disproportionately allocate securities expected to increase in value to certain Accounts at the expense of the Fund. In addition, the Fund may bear the risk of potentially higher transaction costs if aggregated trades are only partially filled or if orders are not aggregated at all.

The Sub-Adviser and its affiliated investment advisers have adopted procedures designed to mitigate the foregoing conflicts of interest by treating the Fund and Account they advise fairly and equitably over time in the allocation of investment opportunities and the aggregation and allocation of orders. The procedures also are designed to mitigate conflicts in potentially inconsistent trading and provide guidelines for trading priority. Moreover, the Sub-Adviser’s or its affiliated investment advisers’ trading activities are subject to supervisory review and compliance monitoring to help address and mitigate conflicts of interest and ensure that Funds and Accounts are being treated fairly and equitably over time.

For example, in allocating investment opportunities, a portfolio manager considers an Account’s or Fund’s investment objectives, investment restrictions, cash position, need for liquidity, sector concentration and other objective criteria. In addition, orders for the same single security are generally aggregated with other orders for the same single security received at the same time. If aggregated orders are fully executed, each participating Account or Fund is allocated its pro rata share on an average price and trading cost basis. In the event the order is only partially filled, each participating Account or Fund receives a pro rata share. Portfolio managers are also subject to restrictions on potentially inconsistent trading of single securities, although a portfolio manager may sell a single security short if the security is included in an Account’s or Fund’s benchmark and the portfolio manager is underweight in that security relative to the applicable Account’s or Fund’s benchmark. Moreover, the procedures set forth guidelines under which trading for long sales of single securities over short sales of the same or closely related securities are monitored to ensure that the trades are treated fairly and equitably. Additionally, the Fund’s portfolio managers’ decisions for executing those trades are also monitored.

The Sub-Adviser’s procedures also address basket trades (trades in a wide variety of securities—on average approximately 100 different issuers) used in quantitative strategies. However, basket trades are generally not aggregated or subject to the same types of restrictions on potentially inconsistent trading as single-security trades because basket trades are tailored to a particular index or model portfolio based on the risk profile of a particular Account or Fund pursuing a particular quantitative strategy. In addition, basket trades are not subject to the same monitoring as single-security trades because an automated and systematic process is used to execute trades; however, the Fund’s portfolio managers’ decisions for executing those trades are monitored.

Research. The Sub-Adviser allocates brokerage commissions to brokers who provide execution and research services for the Fund and some or all of the Sub-Adviser’s other clients. Such research services may not always be utilized in connection with the Fund or other client Accounts that may have provided the commission or a portion of the commission paid to the broker providing the services. The Sub-Adviser is authorized to pay, on behalf of the Fund, higher brokerage fees than another broker might have charged in recognition of the value of brokerage or research services provided by the broker. The Sub-Adviser has adopted procedures with

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respect to these so-called “soft dollar” arrangements, including the use of brokerage commissions to pay for brokers’ in-house and non-proprietary research, the process for allocating brokerage, and the Sub-Adviser’s practices regarding the use of third-party soft dollars.

IPO Allocation. The Sub-Adviser has adopted procedures designed to ensure that it allocates initial public offerings (“IPOs”) to the Fund and the Sub-Adviser’s other clients in a fair and equitable manner, consistent with its fiduciary obligations to its clients.

Compensation. The compensation paid to the Sub-Adviser for managing the Fund, as well as certain other clients, is based on a percentage of assets under management, whereas the compensation paid to the Sub-Adviser for managing certain other clients is based on cost. However, no client currently pays the Sub-Adviser a performance-based fee. Nevertheless, the Sub-Adviser may be perceived as having an incentive to allocate securities that are expected to increase in value to accounts in which the Sub-Adviser has a proprietary interest or to certain other accounts in which the Sub-Adviser receives a larger asset-based fee.

TIAA. TIAA or its affiliates, including Nuveen, sponsor an array of financial products for retirement and other investment goals, and provide services worldwide to a diverse customer base. Accordingly, from time to time, the Fund may be restricted from purchasing or selling securities, or from engaging in other investment activities because of regulatory, legal or contractual restrictions that arise due to an Account’s investments and/or the internal policies of TIAA or its affiliates designed to comply with such restrictions. As a result, there may be periods, for example, when the Sub-Adviser will not initiate or recommend certain types of transactions in certain securities or instruments with respect to which investment limits have been reached.

The investment activities of TIAA or its affiliates may also limit the investment strategies and rights of the Fund. For example, in certain circumstances where the Fund invests in securities issued by companies that operate in certain regulated industries, in certain emerging or international markets, or are subject to corporate or regulatory ownership definitions, or invest in certain futures and derivative transactions, there may be limits on the aggregate amount invested by TIAA or its affiliates for the Fund and Accounts that may not be exceeded without the grant of a license or other regulatory or corporate consent. If certain aggregate ownership thresholds are reached or certain transactions undertaken, the ability of the Sub-Adviser, on behalf of the Fund or Accounts, to purchase or dispose of investments or exercise rights or undertake business transactions may be restricted by regulation or otherwise impaired. As a result, the Sub-Adviser, on behalf of the Fund or Accounts, may limit purchases, sell existing investments, or otherwise restrict or limit the exercise of rights (including voting rights) when the Sub-Adviser, in its sole discretion, deems it appropriate in light of potential regulatory or other restrictions on ownership or other consequences resulting from reaching investment thresholds.

Structure of Compensation for the Portfolio Managers

Portfolio managers are compensated through a combination of base salary, annual performance awards, long-term compensation awards and, for certain portfolio managers, equity-like performance based plans. Currently, the annual performance awards and long-term compensation awards are determined using both quantitative (75%) and qualitative factors (25%) including, but not limited to, Investment Ratio, ranking versus Morningstar peers, risk-adjusted variation in return vs. benchmark, and management/peer reviews.

The variable component of a portfolio manager’s compensation is remunerated as: (1) a current year cash bonus; (2) a long-term performance award, which is on a 3-year cliff vesting cycle and (3) an equity-like profits interest plan. Fifty percent (50%) of the long-term award is based on the Fund(s) managed by the portfolio manager during the 3-year vesting period, while the value of the remainder of the long-term award is based on the performance of the TIAA organization as a whole. The equity-like profits interest vests over time and entitles participants to a percentage of Advisors’ annual profits and the profits of its affiliate Nuveen Asset Management. The equity-like profits interest is allocated to individual portfolio managers based on such person’s overall contribution to Advisors and Nuveen Asset Management.

Risk-adjusted investment performance is calculated, where records are available, over one, three and five years, each ending December 31. For each year, the gross excess return (on a before-tax basis) of a portfolio manager’s mandate(s) is calculated versus each mandate’s assigned benchmark. Please see the Fund’s Prospectus for more information regarding its benchmark indices. An Information Ratio is then calculated utilizing the gross excess return in the numerator and the greater of the 52-week realized

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Active Risk (tracking error) or a minimum targeted risk level (typically 300 basis points) in the denominator to generate risk-adjusted investment performance.

Performance relative to peers is evaluated using Morningstar percentile rankings for the 1-, 3- and 5-year ratings, when applicable. For managers with less than a 5-year track record, a 0.25 Investment Ratio and a peer ranking at the middle of the Morningstar grouping is used.

Utilizing the quantitative and qualitative factors discussed above, total compensation is calculated and then compared to the compensation data obtained from surveys that include comparable investment firms. It should be noted that the total compensation can be increased or decreased based on the performance of the equity group as a unit and the relative success of the TIAA organization in achieving its financial and operational objectives.

Other Accounts Managed by the Portfolio Managers

In addition to the Fund, as of December 31, 2023, the portfolio managers were also primarily responsible for the day-to-day portfolio management of the following accounts:

 

             
           

Portfolio Manager

 

       Type of Account Managed

 

Number
of Accounts 

 

          Assets
          (millions) 

 

Number of
Accounts with
Performance-
Based Fees 

 

Assets of
Accounts with
Performance-
Based Fees 

 

Philip James (Jim) Campagna 

Registered Investment Companies

28

$165,597.17  

0

$0

 

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

6

2,829.84  

0

0

 

Other Accounts

  7

1,841.52  

0

0

Lei Liao 

Registered Investment Companies

28

$165,597.17  

0

$0

 

Other Pooled Investment Vehicles

6

2,829.84  

0

0

 

Other Accounts

 7

1,841.52  

0

0

Beneficial Ownership of Securities by the Portfolio Managers

As of the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the portfolio managers did not beneficially own any shares of the Fund.

Administrator, Custodian, and Transfer Agent

Citibank, N.A. (“Citi”), located at 111 Wall Street, New York, NY 10005, is the administrator, custodian and transfer agent for the Fund. As custodian, Citi performs custodial, fund accounting and portfolio accounting services.

Distributor

Nuveen Securities, LLC, 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606, serves as the principal underwriter of the Nuveen ETFs, including the Fund, pursuant to a Distribution Agreement dated August 2, 2016 (the “Distribution Agreement”). The Distributor is an affiliate of the Adviser and a subsidiary of Nuveen. The Distributor also serves as the principal underwriter for the Nuveen Mutual Funds and has served as co-managing underwriter for the shares of the Nuveen Closed-End Funds.

Pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, the Fund has appointed the Distributor to be its agent for the distribution of the Fund’s shares on a continuous offering basis. Shares are continuously offered for sale by the Trust through the Distributor only in Creation Units, as described in the Prospectus and below under “Purchase and Redemption of Creation Units.” Shares in less than Creation Units are not distributed by the Distributor. The Distributor will deliver the Prospectus to persons purchasing Creation Units and will maintain records of both orders placed with it and confirmations of acceptance furnished by it. The Distributor is a broker-dealer registered under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the “1934 Act”), and a member of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (“FINRA”). The Distributor has no role in determining the investment policies of the Trust or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the Trust.

The Adviser and/or its affiliates may make payments to broker-dealers, registered investment advisers, banks or other intermediaries (collectively, “intermediaries”) related to marketing activities and presentations, educational training programs, conferences, the development of technology platforms and reporting systems, data provision services, or their making shares of the Fund and certain other Nuveen ETFs available to their customers generally and in certain investment programs. Such payments, which may be significant to the intermediary, are not made by the Fund. Rather, such payments are made by the Adviser and/or its affiliates from their own resources, which come directly or indirectly in part from fees paid by the Nuveen ETF complex. Payments of this type are sometimes referred to as “revenue-sharing

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payments.” A financial intermediary may make decisions about which investment options it recommends or makes available, or the level of services provided, to its customers based on the payments it is eligible to receive. Therefore, such payments to an intermediary create conflicts of interest between the intermediary and its customers and may cause the intermediary to recommend the Fund or other Nuveen ETFs over another investment.

Distribution and Service Plan

The Fund has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the 1940 Act. Rule 12b-1 provides in substance that an open-end management investment company may not engage directly or indirectly in financing any activity which is primarily intended to result in the sale of shares, except pursuant to a plan adopted under the Rule. The Plan authorizes the Fund to pay up to 0.25% in distribution fees to the Distributor. No payments pursuant to the Plan will be made during the next twelve (12) months of operation.

The Plan may be terminated at any time with respect to any class of shares, without the payment of any penalty, by a vote of a majority of the independent trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan or by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of such class. The Plan may be renewed from year to year if approved by a vote of the Board and a vote of the independent trustees who have no direct or indirect financial interest in the Plan cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of voting on the Plan. The Plan may be continued only if the trustees who vote to approve such continuance conclude, in the exercise of reasonable business judgment and in light of their fiduciary duties under applicable law, that there is a reasonable likelihood that the Plan will benefit the Fund and its shareholders. The Plan may not be amended to increase materially the cost which a class of shares may bear under the Plan without the approval of shareholders, and any other material amendments of the Plan must be approved by the independent trustees by a vote cast in person at a meeting called for the purpose of considering such amendments. During the continuance of the Plan, the selection and nomination of the independent trustees of the Trust will be committed to the discretion of the independent trustees then in office. With the exception of the Distributor and its affiliates, no “interested person” of the Fund, as that term is defined in the 1940 Act, and no trustee of the Fund has a direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or any related agreement.

Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm

KPMG LLP (“KPMG”), 200 East Randolph Street, Suite 5500, Chicago, Illinois 60601, independent registered public accounting firm, has been selected as auditors for the Fund. 

Securities Lending Agent

State Street Bank and Trust Company (“State Street”) serves as the securities lending agent to the Fund. Pursuant to a Securities Lending Agreement and in accordance with procedures established by the Board, State Street effects loans of Fund securities to any firm on a list of approved borrowers, negotiates loan terms, monitors the value of the loaned securities and collateral, requests additional collateral as necessary, manages reinvestment of collateral in a pooled cash collateral reinvestment vehicle, arranges for the return of loaned securities to the Fund, and maintains records and prepares reports regarding loans that are made and the income derived therefrom.

The Fund did not engage in securities lending transactions during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023. Consequently, the Fund did not earn any income or pay any fees related to securities lending activities for this period.

CODES OF ETHICS

The Fund, the Adviser, the Sub-Adviser, the Distributor and the Board’s independent trustees have adopted codes of ethics pursuant to Rule 17j-1 under the 1940 Act and, with respect to the Adviser and the Sub-Adviser, Rule 204A-1 under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended, addressing personal securities transactions and other conduct by investment personnel and other persons who may have access to information about the Fund’s securities transactions. The codes are intended to address potential conflicts of interest that can arise in connection with personal trading activities of such persons. Persons subject to the codes are generally permitted to engage in personal securities transactions, including investing in securities eligible for investment by the Fund, subject to certain prohibitions, which may include prohibitions on investing in certain types of securities, pre-clearance requirements, blackout periods, annual and quarterly reporting of personal securities holdings and limitations on personal trading

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of initial public offerings. Violations of the codes are subject to review by the Board and could result in severe penalties.

PROXY VOTING POLICIES

The Fund has delegated authority to the Adviser to vote proxies for securities held by the Fund, and the Adviser has in turn delegated that responsibility to the Sub-Adviser. The Adviser’s proxy voting policy establishes minimum standards for the exercise of proxy voting authority by the Sub-Adviser.

The Sub-Adviser votes proxies of the Fund’s portfolio companies in accordance with the guidelines articulated in the Nuveen Proxy Voting Policies, attached as Appendix A of this SAI.

The Sub-Adviser has a dedicated team of professionals responsible for reviewing and voting proxies. In analyzing a proposal, in addition to exercising their professional judgment, these professionals utilize various sources of information to enhance their ability to evaluate the proposal. These sources may include research from third party proxy advisory firms and other consultants, various corporate governance-focused organizations, related publications and TIAA investment professionals. Based on their analysis of proposals and guided by the Nuveen Proxy Voting Policy, these professionals then vote in a manner intended solely to advance the best interests of the Fund’s shareholders.

The Sub-Adviser has implemented policies, procedures and processes designed to prevent conflicts of interest from influencing proxy voting decisions. These include (i) a clear separation of proxy voting functions from external client relationship and sales functions; and (ii) the active monitoring by the Sub-Adviser’s legal and compliance professionals of required annual disclosures of potential conflicts of interest by individuals who have direct roles in executing or influencing the Fund’s proxy voting (e.g., the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting professionals, or a senior executive of the Sub-Adviser or the Sub-Adviser’s affiliates).

There could be rare instances in which an individual who has a direct role in executing or influencing the Fund’s proxy voting (e.g., the Sub-Adviser’s proxy voting professionals or a senior executive of the Sub-Adviser or the Sub-Adviser’s affiliates) is either a director or executive of a portfolio company or may have some other association with a portfolio company. In such cases, this individual is required to recuse himself or herself from all decisions related to proxy voting for that portfolio company.

Voted Proxies. Information regarding how the Fund voted proxies relating to portfolio securities during the most recent period ended June 30 will be available without charge by calling (800) 257-8787 or by accessing the SEC’s website at http://www.sec.gov.

BROKERAGE TRANSACTIONS

The Sub-Adviser is responsible for decisions to buy and sell securities for the Fund as well as for selecting brokers and, where applicable, negotiating the amount of the commission rate paid. It is the intention of the Sub-Adviser to place brokerage orders with the objective of obtaining the best execution. In evaluating best execution for transactions, the Sub-Adviser considers a number of factors, including, without limitation, the following: best price; the nature of the security being traded; the nature and character of the markets for the security to be purchased or sold; the likely market impact of the transaction based on the nature of the transaction; the skill of the executing broker; the liquidity being provided by the broker; the broker-dealer’s settlement and clearance capability; the reputation and financial condition of the broker-dealer; the costs of processing information; the nature of price discovery in different markets; and the laws and regulations governing investment advisers; and other factors deemed appropriate by Advisors. When purchasing or selling securities traded on the over-the-counter market, the Sub-Adviser generally will execute the transactions with a broker engaged in making a market for such securities. When the Sub-Adviser deems the purchase or sale of a security to be in the best interests of one or more Funds, its personnel may, consistent with its fiduciary obligations, decide either to buy or to sell a particular security for the Fund at the same time as for other funds that it may be managing, or that may be managed by its affiliated investment advisers. In that event, allocation of the securities purchased or sold, as well as the expenses incurred in the transaction, will be made in an equitable manner.

Transactions on equity exchanges, commodities markets and other agency transactions involve the payment of negotiated brokerage commissions. Such commissions vary among different brokers. Transactions in foreign investments also have negotiated commission rates and they are for the most part

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the same for all brokers in a particular country with a few exceptions. Trades are regularly monitored for best execution purposes by the equity trading desk.

The Sub-Adviser’s fixed-income traders select the broker-dealers (sell-side) with whom they do business independent of any research, strategy pieces or trade recommendations provided to the Sub-Adviser. The vast majority of institutional fixed-income trading is conducted over-the-counter rather than on exchanges, with set prices plus commissions. Fixed-income trading is based on the risk-taking practice of market making by sell-side firms, which attempt to capture the bid/ask spread on trades where capital is committed (principal model) or on a pre-negotiated spread concession for riskless principal trades (agency model).

The fixed-income marketplace does not use a voting system to rate broker-dealers with the intent of using those rankings to direct or allocate trades. The directive to the Sub-Adviser’s fixed-income traders, and the conventional trading construct within the fixed-income market, is based on the practice of fiduciary efforts to achieve best execution. The research, credit opinions and relative value trade recommendations provided by the Sub-Adviser’s sell-side counterparts are evaluated, but there is no direct linkage between that evaluation and the Sub-Adviser’s selection of a particular broker-dealer for trade execution. When selecting a broker, the traders follow established trading protocols for data aggregation, price discovery, inventory mining and information protection and conduct an assessment of counterparty performance. The protocol incorporates the Sub-Adviser’s knowledge of and experience with select broker-dealers with respect to providing liquidity, namely the highest bid price or lowest offer price for a particular security.

Every broker is formally approved by the Equity or Fixed-Income Best Execution Committee, as appropriate, which is comprised of representatives from trading, portfolio management, compliance and law. Risk management also reviews the creditworthiness of all brokers.

Consistent with best execution, the Sub-Adviser may place orders with brokers providing research and statistical data services even if lower commissions may be available from brokers not providing such services. With respect to equity securities, the Sub-Adviser has adopted a policy embodying the concepts of Section 28(e) under the 1934 Act, which provides a safe harbor allowing an investment adviser to cause a client to pay a higher commission to a broker that also provides research services than the commission another broker would charge (generally referred to as the use of “soft dollars”). To utilize soft dollars, the Adviser must determine in good faith that the commission paid is reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services provided and that, over time, each client paying soft dollars receives some benefit from the research obtained through the use of soft dollars. An adviser may make such a determination based upon either the particular transaction involved or the overall responsibilities of the adviser with respect to the accounts over which it exercises investment discretion. Therefore, specific research may not necessarily benefit all accounts paying commissions to such broker. Research obtained through soft dollars may be developed by the broker or a third party, where the obligation to pay is between the broker and the third party. In such cases the research will be paid for through a Commission Sharing Arrangement (“CSA”) or similar arrangement.

Fixed-income trades on behalf of the Fund are not allocated to generate soft dollar credits, but, at times, a broker may send the Sub-Adviser unsolicited proprietary research that was based on their assessment of the fixed-income trading volume executed with that broker. Similarly, trades on behalf of the Fund that follow an index or quantitative strategy, or execution-only trades, will not generate soft dollars, but, at times, a broker may send the Sub-Adviser unsolicited proprietary research that is based, in part, on such trading volume.

Research or services obtained for the Fund may be used by the Sub-Adviser in managing other Funds and the accounts of other investment company clients and advisory clients of the Sub-Adviser. Research or services obtained for the Trust also may be used by the Sub-Adviser’s affiliated investment advisers, including TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”), for the benefit of their respective clients, and vice versa.

In accordance with the 1940 Act, the Fund has adopted a policy prohibiting the Fund from compensating brokers or dealers for the sale or promotion of Fund shares by the direction of portfolio securities transactions for the Fund to such brokers or dealers. In addition, the Sub-Adviser has instituted policies and procedures so that the Sub-Adviser’s personnel do not violate this policy of the Fund.

The following table sets forth the aggregate brokerage commissions paid by the Fund during the last three fiscal years.

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Aggregate Brokerage Commissions Paid by the Fund

01/01/21-12/31/21

01/01/22-12/31/22

01/01/23-12/31/23

 

$805

$2,330

$1,760

 

During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023, the Fund did not pay commissions to brokers in return for their research services.

The Fund did not acquire the securities of its regular brokers or dealers as defined in Rule 10b-1 under the 1940 Act or of the parents of the brokers or dealers during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2023.

From time to time, the Sub-Adviser may effect purchases and sales of securities between the Fund and other funds or clients advised by the Sub-Adviser or an affiliate (such transactions referred to herein as “cross trades”) if it believes that such transactions are beneficial for each party and consistent with each party’s investment objectives and guidelines, subject to applicable law and regulation. Cross trades may give rise to potential conflicts of interest for the Sub-Adviser. On any occasion when the Fund participates in a cross trade, the Sub-Adviser and the Fund will comply with procedures adopted pursuant to Rule 17a-7 under the 1940 Act and applicable SEC guidance.

DISCLOSURE OF PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

The Trust has adopted policies that govern the dissemination of the Fund’s portfolio holdings. The Fund and its service providers may not receive compensation or any other consideration (which includes any agreement to maintain assets in the Fund or in other investment companies or accounts managed by the Adviser or any affiliated person of the Adviser) in connection with the disclosure of portfolio holdings information of the Fund. The policies adopted by the Trust are implemented and overseen by the Chief Compliance Officer of the Fund, subject to the oversight of the Board. Compliance officers of the Fund, the Adviser and Sub-Adviser periodically monitor overall compliance with the policies to ascertain whether portfolio holdings information is disclosed in a manner that is consistent with the policies. Periodic reports regarding these policies will be provided to the Board. The Board must approve all material amendments to these policies. Prior to the commencement of trading on each day that the Fund is open for business, (1) the Fund’s portfolio holdings are publicly disseminated on the Fund’s publicly accessible website, www.nuveen.com/etf, and through financial reporting and news services, and (2) the composition of the basket of securities and/or cash that will constitute a Creation Unit is publicly disseminated via the National Securities Clearing Corporation, a clearing agency registered with the SEC (“NSCC”).

The Trust, the Adviser and/or Sub-Adviser, and the Distributor will generally not disseminate non-public portfolio holdings information concerning the Fund. However, non-public portfolio holdings information may be provided to certain parties if approved by the Fund’s Chief Administrative Officer or Secretary upon a determination that there is a legitimate business purpose for doing so, the disclosure is consistent with the interests of the Fund, and the recipient is obligated to maintain the confidentiality of the information and not misuse it.

There is no assurance that the Trust’s policies on portfolio holdings disclosure will protect the Fund from the potential misuse of portfolio holdings information by individuals or firms in possession of such information.

BOOK ENTRY ONLY SYSTEM

The following information supplements and should be read in conjunction with the section in the Prospectus entitled “Purchase and Sale of Shares.”

The Depository Trust Company (“DTC”) acts as securities depositary for the shares. Shares of the Fund are represented by securities registered in the name of DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., and deposited with, or on behalf of, DTC. Except in the limited circumstance provided below, certificates will not be issued for shares.

DTC, a limited-purpose trust company, was created to hold securities of its participants (the “DTC Participants”) and to facilitate the clearance and settlement of securities transactions among the DTC Participants in such securities through electronic book-entry changes in accounts of the DTC Participants, thereby eliminating the need for physical movement of securities certificates. DTC Participants include securities brokers and dealers, banks, trust companies, clearing corporations and certain other organizations, some of whom (and/or their representatives) own DTC. More specifically, DTC is owned by

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a number of its DTC Participants and by the New York Stock Exchange (“NYSE”) and FINRA. Access to the DTC system is also available to other banks, brokers, dealers and trust companies that clear through or maintain a custodial relationship with a DTC Participant, either directly or indirectly (the “Indirect Participants”).

Beneficial ownership of shares is limited to DTC Participants, Indirect Participants and persons holding interests through DTC Participants and Indirect Participants. Ownership of beneficial interests in shares (owners of such beneficial interests are referred to herein as “Beneficial Owners”) is shown on, and the transfer of ownership is effected only through, records maintained by DTC (with respect to DTC Participants) and on the records of DTC Participants (with respect to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners that are not DTC Participants). Beneficial Owners will receive from or through the DTC Participant a written confirmation relating to their purchase of shares.

Conveyance of all notices, statements and other communications to Beneficial Owners is effected as follows. Pursuant to the Depositary Agreement between the Trust and DTC, DTC is required to make available to the Trust upon request and for a fee to be charged to the Trust a listing of the shares of the Fund held by each DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall inquire of each such DTC Participant as to the number of Beneficial Owners holding shares, directly or indirectly, through such DTC Participant. The Trust, either directly or through a third party service, shall provide each such DTC Participant with copies of such notice, statement or other communication, in such form, number and at such place as such DTC Participant may reasonably request, in order that such notice, statement or communication may be transmitted by such DTC Participant, directly or indirectly, to such Beneficial Owners. In addition, the Trust shall pay to each such DTC Participant and/or third party service a fair and reasonable amount as reimbursement for the expenses attendant to such transmittal, all subject to applicable statutory and regulatory requirements.

Share distributions shall be made to DTC or its nominee, Cede & Co., as the registered holder of all shares. DTC or its nominee, upon receipt of any such distributions, shall credit immediately DTC Participants’ accounts with payments in amounts proportionate to their respective beneficial interests in shares of the Fund as shown on the records of DTC or its nominee. Payments by DTC Participants to Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners of Shares held through such DTC Participants will be governed by standing instructions and customary practices, as is now the case with securities held for the accounts of customers in bearer form or registered in a “street name,” and will be the responsibility of such DTC Participants.

The Trust has no responsibility or liability for any aspects of the records relating to or notices to Beneficial Owners, or payments made on account of beneficial ownership interests in such shares, or for maintaining, supervising or reviewing any records relating to such beneficial ownership interests or for any other aspect of the relationship between DTC and the DTC Participants or the relationship between such DTC Participants and the Indirect Participants and Beneficial Owners owning through such DTC Participants.

DTC may determine to discontinue providing its service with respect to shares at any time by giving reasonable notice to the Trust and discharging its responsibilities with respect thereto under applicable law. Under such circumstances, the Trust shall take action either to find a replacement for DTC to perform its functions or, if such a replacement is unavailable, to issue and deliver printed certificates representing ownership of shares, unless the Trust makes other arrangements with respect thereto satisfactory to the Listing Exchange.

CONTROL PERSONS AND PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF SECURITIES

The following table sets forth the percentage ownership of each person, who, as of April 1, 2024, owned of record, or is known by the Adviser to have owned beneficially, 5% or more of the Fund’s shares.

     

Name and Address of Owner

 

Percentage of Ownership

National Financial Services LLC
200 Liberty Street
New York, NY 70281

 

15.45%

     

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Name and Address of Owner

 

Percentage of Ownership

Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, Inc.
250 Vesey Street
New York, NY 10080

 

21.50%


Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA 94104

 


37.03%

     

An Authorized Participant may hold of record more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Fund. From time to time, Authorized Participants may be a beneficial and/or legal owner of the Fund, may be affiliated with an index provider, may be deemed to have control of the Fund and/or may be able to affect the outcome of matters presented for a vote of the shareholders of the Fund. Authorized Participants may execute an irrevocable proxy granting the Distributor or an affiliate of the Distributor (the “Agent”) power to vote or abstain from voting such Authorized Participant’s beneficially or legally owned shares of the Fund. When granted the power to vote, the Agent shall mirror vote such shares in the same proportion as all other beneficial owners of the Fund.

It is also possible that, from time to time, Nuveen or its affiliates may, subject to compliance with applicable law, purchase and hold shares of the Fund. Nuveen and its affiliates reserve the right, subject to compliance with applicable law, to sell at any time some or all of the shares of the Fund acquired for their own accounts. A large sale of shares of the Fund by Nuveen or its affiliates could significantly reduce the asset size of the Fund, which might have an adverse effect on the Fund’s market price.

PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION OF CREATION UNITS

The Fund issues and redeems shares on a continuous basis, at NAV, only in a large specified number of shares called a “Creation Unit.” Creation Units are typically purchased and redeemed in-kind, but they may also be purchased and redeemed, in whole or in part, for cash in the Adviser’s discretion. The Fund’s NAV is determined once each day the NYSE is open for business (a “Business Day”), as described under “Determination of Net Asset Value.”

Only Authorized Participants may purchase and redeem Creation Units directly from the Fund at NAV. To become an Authorized Participant, a firm must execute an Authorized Participant Agreement (the “Participant Agreement”) that has been agreed to by the Distributor and Citi, in a form approved by the Trust. Among other things, the Participant Agreement requires that an Authorized Participant be (i) a broker-dealer or other participant in the clearing process through the Continuous Net Settlement System of the NSCC or (ii) a DTC Participant.

The Fund issues and redeems Creation Units through the Distributor at their NAV next determined after receipt of an order in proper form on any Business Day. All orders to purchase or redeem Creation Units directly from the Fund, including non-standard orders (as defined below), must be placed in the manner and by the time specified by the Fund on each Business Day (generally, 4 p.m., Eastern time) (the “Cut-Off Time”). The date on which an order to purchase or redeem Creation Units is received in proper form and is accepted by the Distributor is referred to as the “Order Placement Date.” An order is generally considered to be in “proper form” if all procedures set forth in the Participant Agreement, the AP Handbook and this SAI are properly followed.

An Authorized Participant submitting a creation or redemption order is deemed to make certain representations to the Trust as set forth in the Participant Agreement. The Distributor reserves the right to verify these representations in its discretion. If the Authorized Participant, upon receipt of a verification request, does not provide sufficient verification of its representations as determined by the Distributor in its sole discretion, the order will not be considered to have been received in proper form and may be rejected by the Distributor.

Purchase (Creation)

Fund Deposit. The consideration for purchase of a Creation Unit of the Fund generally consists of (a) either (i) the in-kind deposit of a designated portfolio of securities (the “Deposit Securities”) per each Creation Unit or (ii) the cash value of the Deposit Securities (“Deposit Cash”) and (b) the Cash Component, defined and computed as described below. Together, the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the Cash Component constitute the “Fund Deposit,” the value of which equals

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the NAV of a Creation Unit of the Fund on any given Order Placement Date. In addition to the Fund Deposit, Authorized Participants will be charged a standard fixed transaction fee and, for purchases effected in whole or in part with Deposit Cash, a variable transaction fee intended to cover the costs the Fund incurs in acquiring portfolio securities with such Deposit Cash. See “Transaction Fees” below for additional information.

The “Cash Component” is an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the shares (per Creation Unit) and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. The Cash Component serves the function of compensating for any differences between the NAV per Creation Unit and the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable. The Cash Component may include a “Dividend Equivalent Payments,” which enables the Fund to make a complete distribution of dividends on the day preceding the next dividend payment date, and is an amount equal, on a per Creation Unit basis, to the dividends on all the portfolio securities of the Fund (“Dividend Securities”) with ex-dividend dates within the accumulation period for such distribution (the “Accumulation Period”), net of expenses and liabilities for such period, as if all of the Dividend Securities had been held by the Fund for the entire Accumulation Period. The Accumulation Period begins on the ex-dividend date for the Fund and ends on the day preceding the next ex-dividend date. If the Cash Component is a positive number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit exceeds the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such positive amount. If the Cash Component is a negative number (i.e., the NAV per Creation Unit is less than the market value of the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable), the Cash Component shall be such negative amount and the Authorized Participant will be entitled to receive cash in an amount equal to the Cash Component. Computation of the Cash Component excludes any stamp duty or other similar fees and expenses payable upon transfer of beneficial ownership of the Deposit Securities, if applicable, which shall be the sole responsibility of the Authorized Participant.

Citi, through NSCC, makes available on each Business Day, prior to the opening of business on the NYSE (currently 9:30 a.m., Eastern time) (the “NYSE Open”), the list of the names and the required number of shares of each Deposit Security or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, to be included in the Fund Deposit (based on information at the end of the previous Business Day) for the Fund on such day. Such Fund Deposit is subject to any applicable adjustments, as described below, in order to effect purchases of Creation Units of the Fund until such time as the next-announced composition of the Deposit Securities or the required amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, is made available.

The identity and number of shares of the Deposit Securities or the amount of Deposit Cash, as applicable, required for a Fund Deposit for the Fund may be changed from time to time by the Adviser with a view to achieving the investment objective of the Fund. Information regarding the Fund Deposit necessary for the purchase of a Creation Unit is made available to Authorized Participants and other market participants seeking to transact in Creation Unit aggregations. The composition of the Deposit Securities may also change in response to rebalancing adjustments, interest payments, corporate action events and adjustments to the weighting or composition of the component securities of the Fund’s underlying Index.

The Trust reserves the right to permit or require the substitution of Deposit Cash to replace any or all Deposit Securities, including, without limitation, in situations where a Deposit Security: (i) may not be available in sufficient quantity for delivery; (ii) may not be eligible for transfer through the systems of DTC for corporate securities and municipal securities or the Federal Reserve System for U.S. Treasury securities; (iii) may not be eligible for trading by an Authorized Participant or the investor for which it is acting; (iv) would be restricted under the securities laws; or (v) in certain other situations (collectively, “non-standard orders”). The Trust also reserves the right to: (i) permit or require the substitution of Deposit Securities in lieu of Deposit Cash and (ii) include or remove Deposit Securities from the Fund Deposit in anticipation of Index rebalancing changes.

Procedures for Purchase of Creation Units. Fund Deposits must be delivered by an Authorized Participant through the Federal Reserve System (for cash and U.S. government securities), through DTC (for corporate securities and municipal securities), through a subcustody agent (for foreign securities) and/or through such other arrangements allowed by the Trust or its agents. Foreign Deposit Securities must be delivered to an account maintained on behalf of the Fund at its applicable local subcustodian. Transfer of the Fund Deposit and all applicable transaction fees must be ordered by the Authorized Participant in a timely fashion so as to ensure delivery to the account of the Fund or its agents by no later than 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on the date on which the Creation Units are to be delivered (the “Settlement Date”), which for purchases is generally the second Business Day after the Order Placement Date. All

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questions as to the number of Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash to be delivered, as applicable, and the validity, form and eligibility (including time of receipt) for the deposit of any securities or cash, as applicable, will be determined by the Distributor, whose determination shall be final and binding. If the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, are not received in a timely manner by the Settlement Date, the purchase order may be cancelled and the Authorized Participant shall be liable to the Fund for losses, if any, resulting therefrom. Any such cancelled order may be resubmitted the following Business Day using the Fund Deposit required for such Business Day.

Investors placing orders through an Authorized Participant should allow sufficient time to permit proper submission of the purchase order by the Cut-Off Time on such Business Day. An Authorized Participant may require an investor to make certain representations or enter into agreements with respect to the order (e.g., to provide for payments of cash, when required). Investors should be aware that their particular broker may not be an Authorized Participant, in which case orders to purchase shares directly from the Fund in Creation Units would have to be placed by the investor’s broker through an Authorized Participant. In such cases, the Authorized Participant may impose additional charges on such investor. At any given time, there may be only a limited number of Authorized Participants, and only a small number of such Authorized Participants may have international capabilities.

Except as provided below, Creation Units will not be issued until the transfer of good title to the Fund of the Deposit Securities or payment of Deposit Cash, as applicable, and the payment of the Cash Component and all applicable transaction fees have been completed. In instances where the Fund accepts Deposit Securities for the purchase of a Creation Unit, the Creation Unit may be delivered in advance of receipt by the Fund of all or a portion of the applicable Deposit Securities as described below. In these circumstances, in addition to available Deposit Securities, cash must be deposited in an amount equal to the sum of (i) the Cash Component, (ii) all applicable transaction fees and (iii) an additional amount of cash equal to a percentage of the market value, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the undelivered Deposit Securities (the “Cash Collateral”), which shall be maintained by Citi in a general non-interest bearing collateral account. An additional amount of cash shall be required to be deposited with the Fund, pending delivery of the missing Deposit Securities, to the extent necessary to maintain the Cash Collateral with the Fund in an amount at least equal to the applicable percentage, as set forth in the Participant Agreement, of the daily marked to market value of the missing Deposit Securities. The Fund may use such Cash Collateral to buy the missing Deposit Securities at any time. Authorized Participants will be liable to the Fund for all costs, expenses, dividends, income and taxes associated with missing Deposit Securities, including the costs incurred by the Fund in connection with any such purchases. These costs will be deemed to include the amount by which the actual purchase price of the Deposit Securities exceeds the market value of such Deposit Securities on the Order Placement Date plus the brokerage and related transaction costs associated with such purchases. The Fund will return any unused portion of the Cash Collateral once all of the missing Deposit Securities have been properly received by Citi. The delivery of Creation Units so created generally will occur no later than the Settlement Date.

The Distributor reserves the right to reject a purchase order in its discretion, including, without limitation, if (a) the order is not in proper form; (b) the Deposit Securities or Deposit Cash, as applicable, delivered by the Authorized Participant do not match those disseminated through the facilities of NSCC for that date; (c) the investor(s), upon obtaining the shares ordered, would own 80% or more of the currently outstanding shares of the Fund; (d) the acceptance of the Fund Deposit would, in the opinion of counsel, be unlawful; (e) the acceptance or receipt of the order for a Creation Unit would, in the opinion of counsel to the Fund, be unlawful; or (f) in the event that circumstances outside the control of the Fund, the Distributor, Citi and/or the Adviser make it for all practical purposes not feasible to process orders for Creation Units (examples of such circumstances include acts of God or public service or utility problems such as fires, floods, extreme weather conditions and power outages resulting in telephone, telecopy and computer failures; market conditions or activities causing trading halts; systems failures involving computer or other information systems affecting the Fund, the Distributor, Citi, DTC, NSCC, Federal Reserve System, or any other participant in the creation process; and other extraordinary events). The Fund or its agents shall communicate to the Authorized Participant the rejection of an order. The Fund, the Distributor and Citi are under no duty, however, to give notification of any defects or irregularities in any order or in the delivery of Fund Deposits, nor shall any of them incur any liability for the failure to give any such notification. The Fund, the Distributor and Citi shall not be liable for the rejection of any purchase order for Creation Units.

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Redemption

Shares may be redeemed only in Creation Units at their NAV next determined after receipt of a redemption request in proper form on a Business Day. EXCEPT UPON LIQUIDATION OF THE FUND, THE FUND WILL NOT REDEEM SHARES IN AMOUNTS LESS THAN CREATION UNITS. Investors must accumulate enough Fund shares in the secondary market to constitute a Creation Unit in order to have such shares redeemed by the Fund. There can be no assurance, however, that there will be sufficient liquidity in the public trading market at any time to permit assembly of a Creation Unit. Investors should expect to incur brokerage and other costs in connection with assembling a sufficient number of Fund shares to constitute a redeemable Creation Unit.

Redemption proceeds for a Creation Unit will be paid either in-kind or in cash, or a combination thereof, as disclosed by Citi prior to the NYSE Open. With respect to in-kind redemptions, Citi, through NSCC, makes available prior to the NYSE Open on each Business Day the list of the names and share quantities of the Fund’s portfolio securities (subject to possible amendment or correction) that will be distributed upon the receipt of redemption requests in proper form prior to the Cut-Off Time on that day (“Fund Securities”).

In connection with any in-kind redemptions, Authorized Participants will also pay or receive cash in an amount equal to the difference between the NAV of the Creation Units being redeemed and the value of the Fund Securities received (the “Cash Redemption Component”). In the event that the Fund Securities have a value greater than the NAV of the Creation Units, a Cash Redemption Component equal to the differential is required to be paid to the Fund by the Authorized Participant. In the event that the Fund Securities have a value less than the NAV of the Creation Units, a Cash Redemption Component equal to the differential will be paid by the Fund to the Authorized Participant. Notwithstanding the foregoing, at the Fund’s discretion, an Authorized Participant may receive the corresponding cash value of all or a portion of the Fund Securities.

Procedures for Redemption of Creation Units. After an order for redemption in proper form has been received, the Fund will initiate procedures to transfer the requisite Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Component to the Authorized Participant by the Settlement Date. With respect to in-kind redemptions of the Fund, the calculation of the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Component to be delivered upon redemption will be made by Citi according to the procedures set forth under “Determination of Net Asset Value,” computed on the Order Placement Date. Therefore, if a redemption order in proper form is submitted by an Authorized Participant by the Cut-Off Time on the Order Placement Date, and the requisite number of shares of the Fund are delivered to Citi prior to 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Settlement Date, then the value of the Fund Securities and the Cash Redemption Component to be delivered will be determined on such Order Placement Date. If the requisite number of shares of the Fund are not delivered by 3:00 p.m. Eastern time on the Settlement Date, the Fund will not release the Fund Securities for delivery unless collateral is posted in such percentage amount of missing shares as set forth in the Participant Agreement (marked to market daily).

In order to take delivery of Fund Securities upon redemption of Creation Units, an Authorized Participant must maintain appropriate custody arrangements with a qualified broker-dealer, bank or other custody providers in each jurisdiction in which any of the Fund Securities are customarily traded (or such other arrangements as allowed by the Fund or its agents), to which account such Fund Securities will be delivered. Deliveries of redemption proceeds generally will be made within two Business Days of the Order Placement Date.

If it is not possible to effect deliveries of the Fund Securities, the Fund may, in its sole discretion, exercise its option to redeem shares in cash, and the redeeming Authorized Participant will be required to receive its redemption proceeds in cash. In addition, an Authorized Participant may request a redemption in cash that the Fund may, in its sole discretion, permit. In either case, the Authorized Participant will receive a cash payment equal to the NAV of its shares on the Order Placement Date, minus a fixed transaction fee and an additional variable transaction fee, each as described in further detail below under “Transaction Fees,” to offset the Trust’s brokerage and other transaction costs associated with the disposition of portfolio securities necessary to fund the redemption in cash.

Redemptions of shares for Fund Securities will be subject to compliance with applicable federal and state securities laws, and the Fund (whether or not it otherwise permits cash redemptions) reserves the right to redeem Creation Units for cash to the extent that it could not lawfully deliver specific Fund Securities or could not do so without first registering the Fund Securities under such laws. An Authorized Participant (or a client for which it is acting) subject to a legal restriction with respect to a particular

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security included in the Fund Securities may be paid an equivalent amount of cash. The Authorized Participant may request a redeeming client to complete certain documentation with respect to such matters. Further, an Authorized Participant that is not a “qualified institutional buyer” (“QIB”), as such term is defined under Rule 144A of the 1933 Act, will not be able to receive Fund Securities that are restricted securities eligible for resale under Rule 144A. An Authorized Participant may be required by the Fund to provide a written confirmation with respect to QIB status in order to receive Fund Securities. Redemptions effected in cash will be subject to applicable transaction fees.

The right of redemption may be suspended or the Settlement Date postponed with respect to the Fund (1) for any period during which the Listing Exchange is closed (other than customary weekend and holiday closings); (2) for any period during which trading on the Listing Exchange is suspended or restricted; (3) for any period during which an emergency exists as a result of which redemption of shares of the Fund or determination of the NAV of the shares is not reasonably practicable; or (4) in such other circumstance as is permitted by the SEC.

Transaction Fees

Transaction fees, as set forth in the table below, are imposed to cover transaction costs associated with the purchase or redemption of Creation Units, as applicable. Authorized Participants will be required to pay a fixed creation transaction fee and/or a fixed redemption transaction fee, as applicable, on a given day that does not vary with the number of Creation Units created or redeemed on that day. Additional variable transaction fees will be applied to certain creation and redemption transactions, including non-standard orders and whole or partial cash purchases or redemptions. The following table shows, as of the date of this SAI, the approximate value of one Creation Unit and the standard fixed and maximum additional variable transaction fees for creations and redemptions (as described above):

         

Approximate Value
of a Creation Unit

Creation
Unit Size

Standard
Creation/Redemption
Transaction Fee

Maximum
Additional Charge
for Creations*

Maximum
Additional Charge
for Redemptions*

$1,524,500

50,000           

$500                 

3.0%               

2.0%              

* As a percentage of the NAV per Creation Unit, inclusive, in the case of redemptions, of the standard redemption transaction fee.

The Fund may adjust the transaction fees from time to time upon notice to Authorized Participants. The Adviser may also from time to time cover the cost of any transaction fees if it determines it is in the Fund’s best interest.

In addition, with respect to creation orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the securities constituting the Deposit Securities to the Fund and with respect to redemption orders, Authorized Participants are responsible for the costs of transferring the Fund Securities from the Fund to their account or as otherwise specified on their order. Investors who use the services of a broker or other such intermediary may also be charged a fee by such intermediary for such services.

DETERMINATION OF NET ASSET VALUE

The Fund’s NAV is determined as set forth in the Prospectus under “General Information—Net Asset Value.” Notwithstanding anything to the contrary in the Prospectus, the Fund’s determination of net asset value will comply with Rule 2a-5 under the 1940 Act.

CAPITAL STOCK

The Fund issues shares of beneficial interest, par value $.01 per share. The Board has the right to establish additional series in the future, to determine the preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges thereof and to modify such preferences, voting powers, rights and privileges without shareholder approval.

The Trust is not required to and does not intend to hold annual meetings of shareholders. The Trust’s Declaration of Trust (the “Declaration”) requires a shareholder vote only on those matters where the 1940 Act requires a vote of shareholders and otherwise permits the Trustees to take actions without seeking the consent of shareholders. For example, the Declaration gives the Trustees the authority to approve reorganizations between the Fund and another entity, such as another ETF, or the sale of all or substantially all of the Fund’s assets, or the termination of the Trust or the Fund without shareholder approval if the 1940 Act would not require such approval. Each share has one vote with respect to

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matters upon which a shareholder vote is required, consistent with the requirements of the 1940 Act and the rules promulgated thereunder. Shares of all series of the Trust vote together as a single class except as otherwise required by the 1940 Act, or if the matter being voted on affects only a particular series; and, if a matter affects a particular series differently from other series, the shares of that series will vote separately on such matter.

The Trustees establish the number of Trustees and may fill vacancies on the Board, except when election of Trustees by the shareholders is required under the 1940 Act. Trustees are then elected by a plurality of votes cast by shareholders at a meeting at which a quorum is present. The Declaration also provides that Trustees may be removed, with cause, by a vote of shareholders holding at least two-thirds of the voting power of the Trust, or by a vote of two-thirds of the remaining Trustees. “Cause” requires willful misconduct, dishonesty, fraud or a felony conviction. The provisions of the Declaration relating to the election and removal of Trustees may not be amended without the approval of two-thirds of the Trustees.

Under the Declaration, by becoming a shareholder of the Fund, each shareholder is expressly held to have agreed to be bound by the provisions of the Declaration and the Trust’s By-laws. The Declaration may, except in limited circumstances, be amended by the Trustees in any respect without a shareholder vote. Shareholders may be required to disclose information on direct or indirect ownership of Fund shares in order to comply with various laws applicable to the Fund or as the Trustees may determine, and ownership of Fund shares may be disclosed by the Fund if so required by law or regulation. In addition, pursuant to the Declaration, 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.

In order to permit legitimate inquiries and claims while avoiding the time, expense, distraction and other harm that can be caused to the Fund or its shareholders as a result of spurious shareholder claims, demands and derivative actions, the Declaration provides a detailed process for the bringing of derivative actions by shareholders, and provides that actions that are derivative in nature may not be brought directly. Consistent with applicable Massachusetts law, prior to bringing a derivative action, a demand must first be made on the Trustees. The Declaration details various information, certifications, undertakings and acknowledgements that must be included in the demand. If a majority of the Trustees who are considered independent for the purposes of considering the demand determine that maintaining the suit would not be in the best interests of the Fund, the Trustees are required to reject the demand and the complaining shareholder may not proceed with the derivative action unless the shareholder is able to sustain the burden of proof to a 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 Fund. In making such a determination, a Trustee is not considered to have a personal financial interest by virtue of being compensated for his or her services as a Trustee. If a demand is rejected, the complaining shareholder may be responsible for the Fund’s costs and expenses if a court determines that a derivative action was made without reasonable cause or for an improper purpose, if a derivative or direct action is dismissed on the basis of a failure to comply with the procedural provisions relating to shareholder actions as set forth in the Declaration or if a direct action is dismissed by a court for failure to state a claim. Any shareholder bringing an action against the Fund waives the right to trial by jury to the fullest extent permitted by law and any action commenced by a shareholder may be brought only in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts (Boston Division) or if any such action may not be brought in that court, then in the Business Litigation Session of Suffolk Superior Court in Massachusetts (the “Chosen Courts”), under the terms of the Declaration. Except as prohibited by law, if a shareholder commences an applicable action in a court other than a Chosen Court, the shareholder may be obligated to reimburse the Fund and any applicable Trustee or officer of the Fund made party to such proceeding for the costs and expenses (including attorneys’ fees) incurred in connection with any successful motion to dismiss, stay or transfer of the action.

The Declaration specifically provides, however, that no provision of the Declaration is effective to require a waiver of compliance with any provision of, or restrict any shareholder rights expressly granted by, the 1933 Act, the 1934 Act, or the 1940 Act, or any rule, regulation or order of the Securities and Exchange Commission thereunder. The provisions of the Declaration are severable, and if the Trustees determine, with the advice of counsel, that any such provision, in whole or in part, conflict with applicable laws and regulations, the conflicting provisions, or part or parts thereof, will be deemed to be not part of the Declaration (provided, that any such determination will not render any of the remaining provisions invalid or improper).

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Under Massachusetts law applicable to Massachusetts business trusts, shareholders of such a trust may, under certain circumstances, be held personally liable as partners for its obligations. However, the Declaration contains an express disclaimer of shareholder liability for acts or obligations of the Trust and requires that notice of this disclaimer be given in each agreement, obligation or instrument entered into or executed by the Trust or the Trustees. The Declaration further provides for indemnification out of the assets and property of the Trust for all losses and expenses of any shareholder held personally liable for the obligations of the Trust. Thus, the risk of a shareholder incurring financial loss on account of shareholder liability is limited to circumstances in which both inadequate insurance existed and the Trust or the Fund itself was unable to meet its obligations. The Trust believes the likelihood of the occurrence of these circumstances is remote.

The Declaration further provides that a Trustee acting in his or her capacity as Trustee is not personally liable to any person other than the Trust or its series, in connection with the affairs of the Trust or for any act, omission, or obligation of the Trust. A Trustee is liable only for his or her own bad faith, willful misfeasance, gross negligence or reckless disregard of his or her duties involved in the conduct of his or her office. The Declaration requires the Trust to indemnify any persons who are or who have been Trustees, officers or employees of the Trust for any liability for actions or failure to act except to the extent prohibited by applicable federal law. In making any determination as to whether any person is entitled to the advancement of expenses in connection with a claim for which indemnification is sought, such person is entitled to a rebuttable presumption that he or she did not engage in conduct for which indemnification is not available. The Declaration provides that any Trustee who serves as chair of the Board or of a committee of the Board, lead independent Trustee, or audit committee financial expert, or in any other similar capacity will not be subject to any greater standard of care or liability because of such position.

Shareholder inquiries may be made by writing to the Trust, c/o the Distributor, Nuveen Securities, LLC, at 333 West Wacker Drive, Chicago, Illinois 60606.

TAX MATTERS

Federal Income Tax Matters

The following discussion of certain U.S. federal income tax consequences of investing in the Fund is based on the Code, U.S. Treasury regulations, and other applicable authority, all as in effect as of the date of the filing of this SAI. These authorities are subject to change by legislative or administrative action, possibly with retroactive effect. The following discussion is only a summary of some of the important U.S. federal income tax considerations generally applicable to investments in the Fund. Unless you are a tax-exempt entity or your investment in the Fund is made through a tax-deferred retirement account, such as an individual retirement account, you need to be aware of the possible tax consequences when the Fund makes distributions or you sell Fund shares. There may be other tax considerations applicable to particular shareholders. Shareholders should consult their own tax advisors regarding their particular situation and the possible application of foreign, state, and local tax laws.

Qualification as a Regulated Investment Company (RIC)

The Fund has elected or intends to elect to be treated, and intends to qualify each year, as a RIC under Subchapter M of the Code. In order to qualify for the special tax treatment accorded RICs and their shareholders, the Fund must, among other things:

(a) derive at least 90% of its gross income each year from (i) dividends, interest, payments with respect to certain securities loans, gains from the sale or other disposition of stock or securities or foreign currencies, or other income (including but not limited to gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, and (ii) net income derived from interests in “qualified publicly traded partnerships” (as defined below);

(b) diversify its holdings so that, at the end of each quarter of its taxable year, (i) at least 50% of the market value of the Fund’s total assets consists of cash and cash items, U.S. government securities, securities of other RICs and other securities, with investments in such other securities limited with respect to any one issuer to an amount not greater than 5% of the value of the Fund’s total assets and not greater than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer, and (ii) not more than 25% of the value of the Fund’s total assets is invested, including through corporations in which the Fund owns a 20% or more voting stock interest, in (1) the securities (other than those of the U.S. government or other RICs) of any one issuer or two or more issuers that are controlled by the Fund and that are engaged in the same, similar or

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related trades or businesses or (2) the securities of one or more qualified publicly traded partnerships; and

(c) distribute with respect to each taxable year an amount equal to or greater than the sum of 90% of its investment company taxable income (as that term is defined in the Code without regard to the deduction for dividends paid—generally taxable ordinary income and the excess, if any, of net short-term capital gains over net long-term capital losses) and 90% of its net tax-exempt interest income.

In general, for purposes of the 90% qualifying income test described in (a) above, income derived from a partnership will be treated as qualifying income only to the extent such income is attributable to items of income of the partnership that would be qualifying income if realized directly by the Fund. However, 100% of the net income derived from an interest in a “qualified publicly traded partnership” (generally, a partnership (i) interests in which are traded on an established securities market or are readily tradable on a secondary market or the substantial equivalent thereof, and (ii) that derives less than 90% of its income from the qualifying income described in clause (a)(i) of the description of the 90% qualifying income test applicable to RICs, above) will be treated as qualifying income.

Taxation of the Fund

If the Fund qualifies for treatment as a RIC, the Fund will generally not be subject to federal income tax on income and gains that are distributed in a timely manner to its shareholders in the form of dividends. The Board reserves the right not to maintain the qualification of the Fund as a RIC if it determines such course of action to be beneficial to shareholders.

If, for any taxable year, the Fund was to fail to qualify as a RIC or was to fail to meet the distribution requirement described above, it would be taxed in the same manner as an ordinary corporation and distributions to its shareholders would not be deductible by the Fund in computing its taxable income. In addition, the Fund’s distributions, to the extent derived from the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits, including any distributions of net long-term capital gains, would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary dividend income for federal income tax purposes. However, such dividends would be eligible, subject to any generally applicable limitations, (i) to be treated as qualified dividend income in the case of shareholders taxed as individuals and (ii) for the dividends-received deduction in the case of corporate shareholders. Moreover, the Fund would be required to pay out its earnings and profits accumulated in that year in order to qualify for treatment as a RIC in a subsequent year. Under certain circumstances, the Fund may be able to cure a failure to qualify as a RIC, but in order to do so the Fund may incur significant Fund-level taxes and may be forced to dispose of certain assets. If the Fund failed to qualify as a RIC for a period greater than two taxable years, the Fund would generally be required to recognize any net built-in gains with respect to certain of its assets upon a disposition of such assets within five years of qualifying as a RIC in a subsequent year.

The Fund intends to distribute at least annually to its shareholders substantially all of its investment company taxable income (computed without regard to the dividends-paid deduction) and net capital gain (the excess of the Fund’s net long-term capital gain over its net short-term capital loss). Investment income that is retained by the Fund will generally be subject to tax at regular corporate rates. If the Fund retains any net capital gain, that gain will be subject to tax at corporate rates, but the Fund may designate the retained amount as undistributed capital gains in a notice to its shareholders who (i) will be required to include in income for federal income tax purposes, as long-term capital gain, their shares of such undistributed amount, (ii) will be deemed to have paid their proportionate shares of the tax paid by the Fund on such undistributed amount against their federal income tax liabilities, if any, and (iii) will be entitled to claim refunds on a properly filed U.S. tax return to the extent the credit exceeds such liabilities. For federal income tax purposes, the tax basis of shares owned by a shareholder of the Fund will be increased by an amount equal to the difference between the amount of undistributed capital gains included in the shareholder’s gross income and the tax deemed paid by the shareholder.

If the Fund fails to distribute in a calendar year an amount at least equal to the sum of 98% of its ordinary income for such year and 98.2% of its capital gain net income for the one-year period ending October 31 of such year, plus any retained amount from the prior year, the Fund will be subject to a non-deductible 4% excise tax on the undistributed amount. For these purposes, the Fund will be treated as having distributed any amount on which it has been subject to corporate income tax for the taxable year ending within the calendar year. The Fund intends to declare and pay dividends and distributions in the amounts and at the times necessary to avoid the application of the 4% excise tax, although there can be no assurance that it will be able to do so. The Fund may in certain circumstances be required to liquidate

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Fund investments in order to make sufficient distributions to avoid federal excise tax liability at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so, and liquidation of investments in such circumstances may affect the ability of the Fund to satisfy the requirement for qualification as a RIC.

The Fund may elect to treat part or all of any “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in determining the Fund’s taxable income, net capital gain, net short-term capital gain, and earnings and profits. The effect of this election is to treat any such “qualified late year loss” as if it had been incurred in the succeeding taxable year in characterizing Fund distributions for any calendar year. A “qualified late year loss” generally includes net capital loss, net long-term capital loss, or net short-term capital loss incurred after October 31 of the current taxable year, and certain other late-year losses.

If the Fund has a “net capital loss” (that is, capital losses in excess of capital gains), the excess of the Fund’s net short-term capital losses over its net long-term capital gains is treated as a short-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year, and the excess (if any) of the Fund’s net long-term capital losses over its net short-term capital gains is treated as a long-term capital loss arising on the first day of the Fund’s next taxable year.

“Net capital losses” are not permitted to be deducted against a RIC’s net investment income. Instead, for U.S. federal income tax purposes, potentially subject to certain limitations, a RIC may carry net capital losses from any taxable year forward to offset capital gains in future years. The Fund is permitted to carry net capital losses forward indefinitely. To the extent subsequent capital gains are offset by such losses, they will not result in U.S. federal income tax liability to the Fund and may not be distributed as capital gains to shareholders. Generally, the Fund may not carry forward any losses other than net capital losses. The carryover of capital losses may be limited under the general loss limitation rules if the Fund experiences an ownership change as defined in the Code.

Distributions

Distributions are generally taxable whether shareholders receive them in cash or reinvest them in additional shares. Moreover, distributions on the Fund’s shares are generally subject to federal income tax as described herein to the extent they do not exceed the Fund’s realized income and gains, even though such distributions may economically represent a return of a particular shareholder’s investment. Investors may therefore wish to avoid purchasing shares at a time when the Fund’s NAV reflects gains that are either unrealized, or realized but not distributed. Realized income and gains must generally be distributed even when the Fund’s NAV also reflects unrealized losses.

Dividends and other distributions by the Fund are generally treated under the Code as received by the shareholders at the time the dividend or distribution is made. However, if any dividend or distribution is declared by the Fund in October, November or December of any calendar year and payable to its shareholders of record on a specified date in such a month but is actually paid during the following January, such dividend or distribution will be deemed to have been received by each shareholder on December 31 of the year in which the dividend was declared.

Distributions by the Fund of investment income are generally taxable as ordinary income. Taxes on distributions of capital gains are determined by how long the Fund owned the assets that generated those gains, rather than how long a shareholder has owned his or her Fund shares. Sales of assets held by the Fund for more than one year generally result in long-term capital gains and losses, and sales of assets held by the Fund for one year or less generally result in short-term capital gains and losses. Distributions from the Fund’s net capital gain that are properly reported by the Fund as capital gain dividends (“Capital Gain Dividends”) will be taxable as long-term capital gains. For individuals, long-term capital gains are subject to tax at a maximum tax rate currently set at 20% (lower rates apply to individuals in lower tax brackets). Distributions of gains from the sale of investments that the Fund owned for one year or less will be subject to tax at ordinary income rates.

For non-corporate shareholders, distributions of investment income reported by the Fund as derived from “qualified dividend income” will be taxed at rates of up to 20%, provided holding period and other requirements are met at both the shareholder and Fund level. In order for some portion of the dividends received by the Fund shareholder to be “qualified dividend income,” the Fund making the distribution must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to some portion of the dividend-paying stocks in its portfolio and the shareholder must meet holding period and other requirements with respect to the Fund’s shares. A dividend will not be treated as qualified dividend income (at either the Fund or shareholder level) (1) if the dividend is received with respect to any share of stock held for fewer than 61 days during the 121-day period beginning on the date that is 60 days before

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the date on which such share becomes ex-dividend with respect to such dividend (or, in the case of certain preferred stock, 91 days during the 181-day period beginning 90 days before the ex-dividend date), (2) to the extent that the recipient is under an obligation (whether pursuant to a short sale or otherwise) to make related payments with respect to positions in substantially similar or related property, (3) if the recipient elects to have the dividend income treated as investment income for purposes of the limitation on deductibility of investment interest, or (4) if the dividend is received from a foreign corporation that is (a) not eligible for the benefits of a comprehensive income tax treaty with the United States (with the exception of dividends paid on stock of such a foreign corporation that is readily tradable on an established securities market in the United States) or (b) treated as a passive foreign investment company. Distributions that the Fund received from a REIT are generally not expected to qualify to be treated as "qualified dividend income."

To the extent that the Fund makes a distribution of income received by the Fund in lieu of dividends (a “substitute payment”) with respect to securities on loan pursuant to a securities lending transaction, such income will not constitute qualified dividend income to individual shareholders and will not be eligible for the dividends received deduction for corporate shareholders.

Dividends and distributions from the Fund and capital gain on the sale of Fund shares are generally taken into account in determining a shareholder’s “net investment income” for purposes of the Medicare contribution tax applicable to certain individuals, estates and trusts.

If the Fund makes distributions in excess of the Fund’s current and accumulated earnings and profits in any taxable year, the excess distribution to each shareholder will be treated as a return of capital to the extent of the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares, and will reduce the shareholder’s tax basis in its shares. After the shareholder’s basis has been reduced to zero, any such distributions will result in a capital gain, assuming the shareholder holds his or her shares as capital assets. A reduction in a shareholder’s tax basis in its shares will reduce any loss or increase any gain on a subsequent taxable disposition by the shareholder of its shares.

Sale or Exchange of Shares

A sale or exchange of shares in the Fund may give rise to a gain or loss. In general, any gain or loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares and will be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares have been held for more than 12 months and short-term capital gain or loss if held for 12 months or less. However, any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares held for six months or less will be treated as long-term, rather than short-term, to the extent of any long-term capital gain distributions received (or deemed received) by the shareholder with respect to the shares. All or a portion of any loss realized upon a taxable disposition of shares will be disallowed if substantially identical shares of the Fund are purchased within 30 days before or after the disposition. In such a case, the basis of the newly purchased shares will be adjusted to reflect the disallowed loss.

Backup Withholding

The Fund (or financial intermediaries, such as brokers, through which a shareholder holds Fund shares) generally is required to withhold and to remit to the U.S. Treasury a percentage of the taxable distributions and sale or redemption proceeds paid to any shareholder who fails to properly furnish a correct taxpayer identification number, who has under-reported dividend or interest income, or who fails to certify that he, she or it is not subject to such withholding. The backup withholding tax rate is 24%. Backup withholding is not an additional tax. Any amounts withheld may be credited against the shareholder’s U.S. federal income tax liability, provided the appropriate information is furnished to the Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”).

Federal Tax Treatment of Certain Fund Investments

Transactions of the Fund in options, futures contracts, hedging transactions, forward contracts, swap agreements, straddles and foreign currencies may be subject to various special and complex tax rules, including mark-to-market, constructive sale, straddle, wash sale and short sale rules. These rules could affect the Fund’s ability to qualify as a RIC, affect whether gains and losses recognized by the Fund are treated as ordinary income or capital gain, accelerate the recognition of income to the Fund, and/or defer the Fund’s ability to recognize losses. These rules may in turn affect the amount, timing or character of the income distributed to shareholders by the Fund. These provisions also may require the Fund to mark to market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out) which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the RIC distribution requirement and for avoiding excise taxes. Accordingly,

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in order to avoid certain income and excise taxes, the Fund may be required to liquidate its investments at a time when the investment adviser might not otherwise have chosen to do so. The Fund intends to monitor its transactions, intends to make appropriate tax elections, and intends to make appropriate entries in its books and records in order to mitigate the effect of these rules and preserve its qualification for treatment as a RIC.

The Fund is required, for federal income tax purposes, to mark to market and recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses as of the end of such year on certain regulated futures contracts, foreign currency contracts and options that qualify as Section 1256 contracts in addition to the gains and losses actually realized with respect to such contracts during the year. Gain or loss from Section 1256 contracts that are required to be marked to market annually will generally be 60% long-term and 40% short-term capital gain or loss. Application of this rule may alter the timing and character of distributions to shareholders. The Fund may be required to defer the recognition of losses on futures contracts, options contracts and swaps to the extent of any unrecognized gains on offsetting positions held by the Fund. These provisions may also require the Fund to mark-to-market certain types of positions in its portfolio (i.e., treat them as if they were closed out), which may cause the Fund to recognize income without receiving cash with which to make distributions in amounts necessary to satisfy the Distribution Requirement and for avoiding the excise tax discussed above.

Additional Tax Information Concerning REITs

The Fund invests primarily in REITs. Investments in REIT equity securities may require the Fund to accrue and distribute income not yet received. To generate sufficient cash to make the requisite distributions, the Fund may be required to sell securities in its portfolio (including when it is not advantageous to do so) that it otherwise would have continued to hold. The Fund’s investments in REIT equity securities may at other times result in the Fund’s receipt of cash in excess of the REIT’s earnings; if the Fund distributes these amounts, these distributions could constitute a return of capital to the Fund’s shareholders for federal income tax purposes. Dividends paid by a REIT, other than capital gain distributions, will be taxable as ordinary income up to the amount of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits. Capital gain dividends paid by a REIT to the Fund will be treated as long-term capital gains by the Fund and, in turn, may be distributed by the Fund to its shareholders as a capital gain distribution. Dividends received by the Fund from a REIT generally will not constitute qualified dividend income or qualify for the dividends received deduction. If a REIT is operated in a manner such that it fails to qualify as a REIT, an investment in the REIT would become subject to double taxation, meaning the taxable income of the REIT would be subject to federal income tax at regular corporate rates without any deduction for dividends paid to shareholders and the dividends would be taxable to shareholders as ordinary income (or possibly as qualified dividend income) to the extent of the REIT’s current and accumulated earnings and profits.

The Fund may invest in REITs that hold residual interests in real estate mortgage investment conduits (“REMICs”) or which are, or have certain wholly-owned subsidiaries that are, “taxable mortgage pools” (“TMPs”). Under certain Treasury guidance, a portion of the Fund’s income from a REIT that is attributable to the REIT’s residual interest in a REMIC or equity interests in a TMP (referred to in the Code as an “excess inclusion”) will be subject to federal income tax in all events. This guidance provides that excess inclusion income of a RIC, such as the Fund, must generally be allocated to shareholders of the RIC in proportion to the dividends received by such shareholders, with the same consequences as if the shareholders held the related REMIC residual interest or TMP interests directly. In general, excess inclusion income allocated to shareholders (i) cannot be offset by net operating losses (subject to a limited exception for certain thrift institutions), (ii) will constitute unrelated business taxable income to entities (including a qualified pension plan, an individual retirement account, a 401(k) plan, a Keogh plan or other tax-exempt entity) subject to tax on unrelated business income, thereby potentially requiring such an entity, which otherwise might not be required to file a tax return, to file a tax return and pay tax on such income (see “Taxes—Tax-Exempt Shareholders” below), and (iii) in the case of a foreign shareholder, will not qualify for any reduction in U.S. federal withholding tax. The Fund does not intend to invest a substantial portion of its assets in REITs which generate excess inclusion income.

REITs in which the Fund invests often do not provide complete and final tax information to the Fund until after the time that the Fund issues a tax reporting statement. As a result, the Fund may at times find it necessary to reclassify the amount and character of its distributions after it issues a tax reporting statement. If this were to occur, the financial intermediary with whom you hold your shares will send you a corrected, final Form 1099-DIV to reflect the reclassified information. If you receive a

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corrected Form 1099-DIV, use the information on this corrected form, and not the information on the previously issued tax reporting statement, in completing your tax returns.

Foreign Investments

If the Fund acquires any equity interest in certain foreign investment entities (i) that receive at least 75% of their annual gross income from passive sources (such as interest, dividends, certain rents and royalties, or capital gains) or (ii) where at least 50% of the corporation’s assets (computed based on average fair market value) either produce or are held for the production of passive income (“passive foreign investment companies or “PFICs”), the Fund will generally be subject to one of the following special tax regimes: (i) the Fund may be liable for U.S. federal income tax, and an additional interest charge, on a portion of any “excess distribution” from such foreign entity or any gain from the disposition of such shares, even if the entire distribution or gain is paid out by the Fund as a dividend to its shareholders; (ii) if the Fund were able and elected to treat a PFIC as a “qualified electing fund” or “QEF”, the Fund would be required each year to include in income, and distribute to shareholders in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above, the Fund’s pro rata share of the ordinary earnings and net capital gains of the PFIC, whether or not such earnings or gains are distributed to the Fund; or (iii) the Fund may be entitled to mark-to-market annually shares of the PFIC, and in such event would be required to distribute to shareholders any such mark-to-market gains in accordance with the distribution requirements set forth above. The Fund intends to make the appropriate tax elections, if possible, and take any additional steps that are necessary to mitigate the effect of these rules. The Fund may limit and/or manage its holdings in passive foreign investment companies to limit its tax liability or maximize its return from these investments.

Income received by the Fund from sources within foreign countries (including, for example, dividends or interest on stock or securities of the non-U.S. issuers) may be subject to withholding and other taxes imposed by such countries. Tax treaties between such countries and the U.S. may reduce or eliminate such taxes.

Tax-Exempt Shareholders

Under current law, income of a RIC that would be treated as unrelated business taxable income (“UBTI”) if earned directly by a tax-exempt entity generally will not be attributed as UBTI to a tax-exempt entity that is a shareholder in the RIC. Notwithstanding this “blocking” effect, a tax-exempt shareholder could realize UBTI by virtue of its investment in the Fund if: (i) shares in the Fund constitute debt-financed property in the hands of the tax-exempt shareholder within the meaning of Code Section 514(b), (ii) if the Fund invests in REITs that hold residual interests in REMICs, (iii) the Fund invests in a REIT that is a taxable mortgage pool (“TMP”) or in a REIT that has a subsidiary that is a TMP, or (iv) if the Fund holds residual interests in REMICs. The IRS has issued guidance with respect to these issues and prospective shareholders, especially charitable remainder trusts, are strongly encouraged to consult their tax advisors regarding these issues.

Non-U.S. Investors

In general, dividends, other than Capital Gain Dividends paid by the Fund to a shareholder that is not a “U.S. person” within the meaning of the Code are subject to withholding of U.S. federal income tax at a rate of 30% (or lower applicable treaty rate) on distributions derived from taxable ordinary income. The Fund may, under certain circumstances, report all or a portion of a dividend as an “interest-related dividend” or a “short-term capital gain dividend,” which would generally be exempt from this 30% U.S. withholding tax, provided certain other requirements are met. Short-term capital gain dividends received by a nonresident alien individual who is present in the U.S. for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the taxable year are not exempt from this 30% withholding tax.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person is not, in general, subject to U.S. federal income tax on gains (and is not allowed a U.S. income tax deduction for losses) realized on a sale of shares of the Fund or on Capital Gain Dividends unless (i) such gain or dividend is effectively connected with the conduct of a trade or business carried on by such holder within the United States or (ii) in the case of an individual holder, the holder is present in the United States for a period or periods aggregating 183 days or more during the year of the sale or the receipt of the Capital Gain Dividend and certain other conditions are met.

Unless certain non-U.S. entities that hold Fund shares comply with IRS requirements that generally require them to report information regarding U.S. persons investing in, or holding accounts with, such entities, a 30% withholding tax may apply to Fund distributions payable to such entities and may

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apply to redemptions and certain capital gain dividends payable to such entities after December 31, 2018. A non-U.S. shareholder may be exempt from the withholding described in this paragraph under an applicable intergovernmental agreement between the U.S. and a foreign government, provided that the shareholder and the applicable foreign government comply with the terms of the agreement.

A beneficial holder of shares who is a non-U.S. person may be subject to state and local tax and to the U.S. federal estate tax in addition to the federal income tax consequences referred to above. If a shareholder is eligible for the benefits of a tax treaty, any income or gain effectively connected with a U.S. trade or business will generally be subject to U.S. federal income tax on a net basis only if it is also attributable to a permanent establishment maintained by the shareholder in the United States.

Creation and Redemption of Creation Units

An Authorized Participant having the U.S. dollar as its functional currency for U.S. federal income tax purposes that exchanges securities for Creation Units generally will recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between (i) the sum of the market value of the Creation Units at the time of the exchange and any cash received by the Authorized Participant in the exchange, and (ii) the sum of the exchanger’s aggregate basis in the securities surrendered and any cash paid for such Creation Units. Any gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year and were held as capital assets in the hands of the exchanging Authorized Participant. All or a portion of any gain or loss recognized by an Authorized Participant exchanging a currency other than its functional currency for Creation Units may be treated as ordinary income or loss. A person who redeems Creation Units will generally recognize a gain or loss equal to the difference between the exchanger’s basis in the Creation Units and the sum of the aggregate U.S. dollar market value of any securities received plus the amount of any cash received for such Creation Units. The ability of Authorized Participants to receive a full or partial cash redemption of Creation Units of the Fund may limit the tax efficiency of the Fund. The IRS, however, may assert that a loss that is realized upon an exchange of securities for Creation Units may not be currently deducted under the rules governing “wash sales” (for a person who does not mark-to-market its holdings), or on the basis that there has been no significant change in economic position. All or some portion of any capital gain or loss realized upon the creation of Creation Units in exchange for securities will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if securities exchanged for such Creation Units have been held for more than one year.

Any capital gain or loss realized upon the redemption of Creation Units will generally be treated as long-term capital gain or loss if the shares comprising the Creation Units have been held for more than one year. Otherwise, such capital gains or losses will be treated as short-term capital gains or losses.

Persons exchanging securities for Creation Units should consult their own tax advisors with respect to the tax treatment of any creation or redemption transaction and whether the wash sales rule applies and when a loss might be deductible.

Section 351

The Trust on behalf of the Fund has the right to reject an order for a purchase of shares of the Fund if the purchaser (or any group of purchasers) would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund and if, pursuant to Section 351 of the Code, the Fund would have a basis in the securities different from the market value of such securities on the date of deposit. The Trust also has the right to require information necessary to determine beneficial share ownership for purposes of the 80% determination. If the Fund does issue Creation Units to a purchaser (or a group of purchasers) that would, upon obtaining the shares so ordered, own 80% or more of the outstanding shares of the Fund, the purchaser (or a group of purchasers) may not recognize gain or loss upon the exchange of securities for Creation Units.

Certain Reporting Regulations

Under U.S. Treasury regulations, generally, if a shareholder recognizes a loss of $2 million or more for an individual shareholder or $10 million or more for a corporate shareholder (or certain greater amounts over a combination of years), the shareholder must file with the IRS a disclosure statement on IRS Form 8886. Direct shareholders of portfolio securities are in many cases excepted from this reporting requirement, but under current guidance, shareholders of a RIC are not excepted. Significant penalties may be imposed for the failure to comply with the reporting regulations. The fact that a loss is reportable under these regulations does not affect the legal determination of whether the taxpayer’s treatment of the

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loss is proper. Shareholders should consult their tax advisors to determine the applicability of these regulations in light of their individual circumstances.

Cost Basis Reporting

The cost basis of shares acquired by purchase will generally be based on the amount paid for the shares and then may be subsequently adjusted for other applicable transactions as required by the Code. The difference between the selling price and the cost basis of shares generally determines the amount of the capital gain or loss realized on the sale or exchange of shares. Contact the broker through whom you purchased your shares to obtain information with respect to the available cost basis reporting methods and elections for your account.

Capital Loss Carry-Forward

When the Fund has a capital loss carry-forward, it does not make capital gain distributions until the loss has been offset or expired. As of December 31, 2023, the Fund had the following capital loss carry-forwards available for federal income tax purposes. The capital losses are not subject to expiration.

             

Fund

 

Short-Term

 

Long-Term

 

Total

Nuveen Short-Term REIT ETF 

$3,926,743

 

$5,202,008

 

$9,128,751

General Considerations

The federal income tax discussion set forth above is for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their tax advisors regarding the specific federal income tax consequences of purchasing, holding and disposing of shares of the Fund, as well as the effect of state, local and foreign tax law and any proposed tax law changes.

Qualified Business Income

A large portion of the Fund’s portfolio holdings consist of REITs. For tax years beginning after December 31, 2017, the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act generally would allow a non-corporate taxpayer a deduction equal to the investor’s combined qualified business income, which would include 20% of the investor’s qualified REIT dividends. Treasury has issued proposed regulations that allow regulated investment companies (“RICs”) such as the Fund to report a portion of their distributions that relate to dividends received from REITs as qualified REIT dividends eligible for the 20% deduction. The total amount of Fund distributions that qualify for this deduction is disclosed to investors on their Forms 1099-DIV, which are made available in February after the close of a calendar year.

DIVIDENDS AND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund intends to pay out dividends, if any, on a quarterly basis but in any event no less frequently than annually. Nonetheless, the Fund might not make a dividend payment every month. The Fund intends to distribute its net realized capital gains, if any, to investors annually. The Fund may occasionally be required to make supplemental distributions at some other time during the year. Distributions in cash may be reinvested automatically in additional whole shares only if the broker through whom you purchased shares makes such option available. Your broker is responsible for distributing the income and capital gain distributions to you.

The Trust reserves the right to declare special distributions if, in its reasonable discretion, such action is necessary or advisable to preserve the status of the Fund as a RIC or to avoid imposition of income or excise taxes on undistributed income.

FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

The audited financial statements for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year appear in the Fund’s Annual Report dated December 31, 2023. The Fund’s Annual Report is incorporated by reference into this SAI and is available without charge by calling (800) 257-8787.

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Appendix A
Nuveen proxy voting policies

 

Nuveen proxy voting guidelines

Applicability

These Guidelines apply to employees of Nuveen acting on behalf of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“NAM”), Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL”) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”) (each an “Adviser” and collectively referred to as the “Advisers”)

I. Introduction

Our voting practices are guided by our fiduciary obligations to our clients.

These Guidelines set forth the manner in which the Advisers intend to vote on proxy matters involving publicly traded portfolio companies held in client portfolios, and serve to assist clients, portfolio companies and other interested parties in understanding how the Advisers intend to vote on proxy-related issues.

We vote proxies in accordance with what we believe is in the best interest of our clients. In making those decisions, we are principally guided by enhancing long-term shareholder value, and may take into account many factors, including input from our investment teams and third-party research.

As indicated in these Guidelines, we monitor portfolio companies’ environmental, social and governance (ESG) practices in an effort to ensure that boards consider these factors in the context of their strategic deliberations consistent with the aim of preserving and enhancing long-term shareholder value. It is our belief that a one-size-fits-all approach to proxy voting is not appropriate and we may vote differently on the same proposal given the portfolio company’s individual circumstances. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not necessarily dictate how the Advisers will ultimately vote with respect to any proposal or resolution.

The Guidelines are implemented by Nuveen’s Stewardship Group and applied in consideration of the facts and circumstances of the particular resolution. The Stewardship Group relies on its professional judgment, informed by proprietary research and reports provided by various third-party research providers. The portfolio managers of the Advisers maintain the ultimate decision-making authority with respect to how proxies will be voted and may determine to vote contrary to the Guidelines if such portfolio manager determines it is in the best interest of the respective Adviser’s clients to do so. The rationale for votes submitted contrary to the Guidelines will be documented and maintained.

II. Accountability and transparency

Board of directors

Elect directors

General Policy: We generally vote in favor of the board’s nominees but will consider withholding or voting against some or all directors in the following circumstances:

When we conclude that the actions of directors are unlawful, unethical, negligent, or do not meet fiduciary standards of care and loyalty, or are otherwise not in the best interest of shareholders. Such actions would include:

Egregious compensation practices

Lack of responsiveness to a failed vote

Unequal treatment of shareholders

Adoption of inappropriate antitakeover devices

When a director has consistently failed to attend board and committee meetings without an appropriate rationale being provided

Independence

When board independence is not in line with local market regulations or best practices

When a member of executive management sits on a key board committee that should be composed of only independent directors

When directors have failed to disclose, resolve or eliminate conflicts of interest that affect their decisions

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Board refreshment

When there is insufficient diversity on the board and the company has not demonstrated its commitment to making the board more diverse

When we determine that director tenure is excessive and there has been no recent board refreshment

Contested elections

General Policy: We will support the candidates we believe will represent the best interests of shareholders.

Majority vote for the election of directors

General Policy: We generally support shareholder resolutions asking that companies amend their governance documents to provide for director election by majority vote.

Establish specific board committees

General Policy: We generally vote against shareholder resolutions asking the company to establish specific board committees unless we believe specific circumstances dictate otherwise.

Annual election of directors

General Policy: We generally support shareholder resolutions asking that each member of the board of a publicly traded operating company stand for re-election annually.

Cumulative voting

General Policy: We generally do not support proposals asking that shareholders be allowed to cumulate votes in director elections, as this practice may encourage the election of special interest directors.

Separation of Chairman and Chief Executive Officer

General Policy: We will consider supporting shareholder resolutions asking that the roles of chairman and CEO be separated when we believe the company’s board structure and operation has insufficient features of independent board leadership, such as the lack of a lead independent director. In addition, we may also support resolutions on a case-by-case basis where we believe, in practice, that there is not a bona fide lead independent director acting with robust responsibilities or the company’s ESG practices or business performance suggest a material deficiency in independent influence into the company’s strategy and oversight.

Shareholder rights

Proxy access

General Policy: We will consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder proposals asking that the company implement a form of proxy access. In making our voting decision, we will consider several factors, including, but not limited to: current performance of the company, minimum filing thresholds, holding periods, number of director nominees that can be elected, existing governance issues and board/management responsiveness to material shareholder concerns.

Ratification of auditor

General Policy: We will generally support the board’s choice of auditor and believe that the auditor should be elected annually. However, we will consider voting against the ratification of an audit firm where non-audit fees are excessive, where the firm has been involved in conflict of interest or fraudulent activities in connection with the company’s audit, where there has been a material restatement of financials or where the auditor’s independence is questionable.

Supermajority vote requirements

General Policy: We will generally support shareholder resolutions asking for the elimination of supermajority vote requirements.

Dual-class common stock and unequal voting rights

General Policy: We will generally support shareholder resolutions asking for the elimination of dual classes of common stock or other forms of equity with unequal voting rights or special privileges.

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Right to call a special meeting

General Policy: We will generally support shareholder resolutions asking for the right to call a special meeting. However, we believe a 25% ownership level is reasonable and generally would not be supportive of proposals to lower the threshold if it is already at that level.

Right to act by written consent

General Policy: We will consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder resolutions requesting the right to act by written consent.

Antitakeover devices (poison pills)

General Policy: We will consider on a case-by-case basis proposals relating to the adoption or rescission of antitakeover devices with attention to the following criteria:

Whether the company has demonstrated a need for antitakeover protection

Whether the provisions of the device are in line with generally accepted governance principles

Whether the company has submitted the device for shareholder approval

Whether the proposal arises in the context of a takeover bid or contest for control

We will generally support shareholder resolutions asking to rescind or put to a shareholder vote antitakeover devices that were adopted without shareholder approval.

Reincorporation

General Policy: We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis proposals for reincorporation taking into account the intention of the proposal and the established laws of the new domicile and jurisprudence of the target domicile. We will not support the proposal if we believe the intention is to take advantage of laws or judicial interpretations that provide antitakeover protection or otherwise reduce shareholder rights.

Corporate political influence

General Policies:

We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s direct political contributions, including board oversight procedures.

We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s charitable contributions and other philanthropic activities.

We may consider not supporting shareholder resolutions that appear to promote a political agenda that is contrary to the long-term health of the corporation.

We will evaluate on a case-by-case basis shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure of a company’s lobbying expenditures.

Closed-end funds

We recognize that many exchange-listed closed-end funds (“CEFs”) have adopted particular corporate governance practices that deviate from certain policies set forth in the Guidelines. We believe that the distinctive structure of CEFs can provide important benefits to investors, but leaves CEFs uniquely vulnerable to opportunistic traders seeking short-term gains at the expense of long-term shareholders. Thus, to protect the interests of their long-term shareholders, many CEFs have adopted measures to defend against attacks from short-term-oriented activist investors. As such, in light of the unique nature of CEFs and their differences in corporate governance practices from operating companies, we will consider on a case-by-case basis proposals involving the adoption of defensive measures by CEFs. This is consistent with our approach to proxy voting that recognizes the importance of case-by-case analysis to ensure alignment with investment team views, and voting in accordance with the best interest of our shareholders.

Compensation issues

Advisory votes on executive compensation (say on pay)

General Policy: We will consider on a case-by-case basis the advisory vote on executive compensation (say on pay). We expect well-designed plans that clearly demonstrate the alignment between pay and performance, and we encourage companies to be responsive to low levels of support by engaging with shareholders. We also prefer that companies offer an annual non-binding vote on executive compensation. In absence of an annual vote, companies should clearly articulate the rationale behind offering the vote less frequently.

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We generally note the following red flags when evaluating executive compensation plans:

Undisclosed or Inadequate Performance Metrics: We believe that performance goals for compensation plans should be disclosed meaningfully. Performance hurdles should not be too easily attainable. Disclosure of these metrics should enable shareholders to assess whether the plan will drive long-term value creation.

Excessive Equity Grants: We will examine a company’s past grants to determine the rate at which shares are being issued. We will also seek to ensure that equity is being offered to more than just the top executives at the company. A pattern of excessive grants can indicate failure by the board to properly monitor executive compensation and its costs.

Lack of Minimum Vesting Requirements: We believe that companies should establish minimum vesting guidelines for senior executives who receive stock grants. Vesting requirements help influence executives to focus on maximizing the company’s long-term performance rather than managing for short-term gain.

Misalignment of Interests: We support equity ownership requirements for senior executives and directors to align their interests with those of shareholders.

Special Award Grants: We will generally not support mega-grants. A company’s history of such excessive grant practices may prompt us to vote against the stock plans and the directors who approve them. Mega-grants include equity grants that are excessive in relation to other forms of compensation or to the compensation of other employees and grants that transfer disproportionate value to senior executives without relation to their performance. We also expect companies to provide a rationale for any other one-time awards such as a guaranteed bonus or a retention award.

Excess Discretion: We will generally not support plans where significant terms of awards—such as coverage, option price, or type of awards—are unspecified, or where the board has too much discretion to override minimum vesting or performance requirements.

Lack of Clawback Policy: We believe companies should establish clawback policies that permit recoupment from any senior executive who received compensation as a result of defective financial reporting, or whose behavior caused financial harm to shareholders or reputational risk to the company.

Equity-based compensation plans

General Policy: We will review equity-based compensation plans on a case-by-case basis, giving closer scrutiny to companies where plans include features that are not performance-based or where potential dilution or burn rate total is excessive. As a practical matter, we recognize that more dilutive broad-based plans may be appropriate for human-capital intensive industries and for small- or mid-capitalization firms and start-up companies.

We generally note the following red flags when evaluating equity incentive plans:

Evergreen Features: We will generally not support option plans that contain evergreen features, which reserve a specified percentage of outstanding shares for award each year and lack a termination date.

Reload Options: We will generally not support reload options that are automatically replaced at market price following exercise of initial grants.

Repricing Options: We will generally not support plans that authorize repricing. However, we will consider on a case-by-case basis management proposals seeking shareholder approval to reprice options. We are likely to vote in favor of repricing in cases where the company excludes named executive officers and board members and ties the repricing to a significant reduction in the number of options.

Undisclosed or Inappropriate Option Pricing: We will generally not support plans that fail to specify exercise prices or that establish exercise prices below fair market value on the date of grant.

Golden parachutes

General Policy: We will vote on a case-by-case basis on golden parachute proposals, taking into account the structure of the agreement and the circumstances of the situation. However, we would prefer to see a double trigger on all change-of-control agreements and no excise tax gross-up.

Shareholder resolutions on executive compensation

General Policy: We will consider on a case-by-case basis shareholder resolutions related to specific compensation practices. Generally, we believe specific practices are the purview of the board.

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III. Guidelines for ESG shareholder resolutions

We generally support shareholder resolutions seeking reasonable disclosure of the environmental or social impact of a company’s policies, operations or products. We believe that a company’s management and directors should determine the strategic impact of environmental and social issues and disclose how they are dealing with these issues to mitigate risk and advance long-term shareholder value.

Environmental issues

Global climate change

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions, the impact of climate change on a company’s business activities and products and strategies designed to reduce the company’s long-term impact on the global climate.

Use of natural resources

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s use of natural resources, the impact on its business of declining resources and its plans to improve the efficiency of its use of natural resources.

Impact on ecosystems

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s initiatives to reduce any harmful impacts or other hazards to local, regional or global ecosystems that result from its operations or activities.

Animal welfare

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions asking for reports on the company’s impact on animal welfare.

Issues related to customers

Product responsibility

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure relating to the quality, safety and impact of a company’s goods and services on the customers and communities it serves.

Predatory lending

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions asking companies for disclosure about the impact of lending activities on borrowers and about policies designed to prevent predatory lending practices.

Issues related to employees and suppliers

Diversity and nondiscrimination

General Policies:

We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s nondiscrimination policies and practices, or seeking to implement such policies, including equal employment opportunity standards.

We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to a company’s workforce, board diversity, and gender pay equity policies and practices.

Global labor standards

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking a review of a company’s labor standards and enforcement practices, as well as the establishment of global labor policies based upon internationally recognized standards.

Issues related to communities

Corporate response to global health risks

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking disclosure or reports relating to significant public health impacts resulting from company operations and products, as well as the impact of global health pandemics on the company’s operations and long-term growth.

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Global human rights codes of conduct

General Policy: We will generally support reasonable shareholder resolutions seeking a review of a company’s human rights standards and the establishment of global human rights policies, especially regarding company operations in conflict zones or areas of weak governance.

Disclosures

Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, Teachers Advisors, LLC, and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC are SEC registered investment advisers and subsidiaries of Nuveen, LLC

 

Nuveen proxy voting policy

Applicability

This Policy applies to employees of Nuveen acting on behalf of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC, (“NAM”), Teachers Advisors, LLC, (“TAL”) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”), (each an “Adviser” and, collectively, referred to as the “Advisers”)

Policy purpose and statement

Proxy voting is the primary means by which shareholders may influence a publicly traded company’s governance and operations and thus create the potential for value and positive long-term investment performance. When an SEC registered investment adviser has proxy voting authority, the adviser has a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of its clients and must not subrogate its clients’ interests to its own. In their capacity as fiduciaries and investment advisers, Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“NAM”), Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL”) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”) (each an “Adviser” and collectively, the “Advisers”) vote proxies for the Portfolio Companies held by their respective clients, including investment companies and other pooled investment vehicles, institutional and retail separate accounts, and other clients as applicable. The Advisers have adopted this Policy, the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines, and the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy for voting the proxies of the Portfolio Companies they manage. The Advisers leverage the expertise and services of an internal group referred to as Nuveen’s Stewardship Group to administer the Advisers’ proxy voting. The Stewardship Group adheres to the Advisers’ Proxy Voting Guidelines which are reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisers vote client securities in the best interests of the Advisers’ clients.

Policy statement

Proxy voting is a key component of a Portfolio Company’s corporate governance program and is the primary method for exercising shareholder rights and influencing the Portfolio Company’s behavior. Nuveen makes informed voting decisions in compliance with Rule 206(4)-6 (the “Rule”) of the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, as amended (the “Advisers Act”), and applicable laws and regulations (e.g., the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974, “ERISA”).

Enforcement

As provided in the TIAA Code of Business Conduct, all employees are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations, as well as the relevant policies, procedures and compliance manuals that apply to Nuveen’s business activities. Violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Terms and definitions

Advisory Personnel includes the Advisers’ portfolio managers and research analysts.

Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are a set of pre-determined principles setting forth the manner in which the Advisers intend to vote on specific voting categories, and serve to assist clients, Portfolio Companies, and other interested parties in understanding how the Advisers intend to vote on proxy-related matters. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not necessarily dictate how the Advisers will ultimately vote with respect to any proposal or resolution. While the Guidelines are developed, maintained, and implemented by the Stewardship Group, and reviewed by the Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee, the portfolio managers of the Advisers maintain the ultimate decision-making authority with respect to how proxies will be voted.

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Portfolio Company includes any publicly traded company held in an account that is managed by an Adviser.

Policy requirements

Investment advisers, in accordance with the Rule, are required to (i) adopt and implement written policies and procedures that are reasonably designed to ensure that proxies are voted in the best interest of clients, and address resolution of material conflicts that may arise, (ii) describe their proxy voting procedures to their clients and provide copies on request, and (iii) disclose to clients how they may obtain information on how the Advisers voted their proxies.

The Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), the Advisers, the Stewardship Group and Nuveen Compliance are subject to the respective requirements outlined below under “Roles and Responsibilities.”

Although it is the general policy to vote all applicable proxies received in a timely fashion with respect to securities selected by an Adviser for current clients, the Adviser may refrain from voting in certain circumstances where such voting would be disadvantageous, materially burdensome or impractical, or otherwise inconsistent with the overall best interest of clients.

Roles and responsibilities

Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee

The purpose of the Committee is to establish a governance framework to oversee the proxy voting activities of the Advisers in accordance with the Policy. The Committee’s voting members will be comprised from Research, the Advisers, and Nuveen’s Stewardship Group. Non-voting members will be comprised from Nuveen Legal, Nuveen Compliance, Nuveen Advisory Product, and Nuveen Investment Risk. The Committee may invite others on a standing, routine and/or ad hoc basis to attend Committee meetings. The CCOs of CREF/TC Funds and the Nuveen Funds shall be standing, non-voting invitees. The Committee has delegated responsibility for the implementation and ongoing administration of the Policy to the Stewardship Group, subject to the Committee’s ultimate oversight and responsibility as outlined in the Committee’s Proxy Voting Charter.

Advisers

1. Advisory Personnel maintain the ultimate decision-making authority with respect to how proxies will be voted, unless otherwise instructed by a client, and may determine to vote contrary to the Guidelines and/or a vote recommendation of the Stewardship Group if such Advisory Personnel determines it is in the best interest of the Adviser’s clients to do so. The rationale for all such contrary vote determinations will be documented and maintained.

2. When voting proxies for different groups of client accounts, Advisory Personnel may vote proxies held by the respective client accounts differently depending on the facts and circumstances specific to such client accounts. The rationale for all such vote determinations will be documented and maintained.

3. Advisory Personnel must comply with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy with respect to potential material conflicts of interest.

Nuveen Stewardship Group

1. Performs day-to-day administration of the Advisers’ proxy voting processes.

2. Seeks to vote proxies in adherence to the Guidelines, which have been constructed in a manner intended to align with the best interests of clients. In applying the Guidelines, the Stewardship Group, on behalf of the Advisers, takes into account several factors, including, but not limited to:

Input from Advisory Personnel

Third-party research

Specific Portfolio Company context, including environmental, social and governance practices, and financial performance.

3. Assists in the development of securities lending recall protocols in cooperation with the Securities Lending Committee.

4. Performs Form N-PX filings in accordance with regulatory requirements.

5. Delivers copies of the Advisers’ Policy to clients and prospective clients upon request in a timely manner, as appropriate.

6. Assists with the disclosure of proxy votes as applicable on corporate websites and elsewhere as required by applicable regulations.

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7. Prepares reports of proxies voted on behalf of the Advisers’ investment company clients to their Boards or committees thereof, as applicable.

8. Performs an annual vote reconciliation for review by the Committee.

9. Arranges the annual service provider due diligence, including a review of the service provider’s potential conflicts of interests, and presents the results to the Committee.

10. Facilitates quarterly Committee meetings, including agenda and meeting minute preparation.

11. Complies with the Nuveen Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy with respect to potential material conflicts of interest.

12. Creates and retains certain records in accordance with Nuveen’s Record Management program.

13. Oversees the proxy voting service provider with respect to its responsibilities, including making and retaining certain records as required under applicable regulation.

Nuveen Compliance

1. Seeks to ensure proper disclosure of the Advisers’ Policy to clients as required by regulation or otherwise.

2. Seeks to ensure proper disclosure to clients of how they may obtain information on how the Advisers voted their proxies.

3. Assists the Stewardship Group with arranging the annual service provider due diligence and presenting the results to the Committee.

4. Monitors for compliance with this Policy and retains records relating to its monitoring activities pursuant to Nuveen’s Records Management program.

Nuveen Legal

1. Provides legal guidance as requested.

Governance

Review and approval

This Policy will be reviewed at least annually and will be updated sooner if substantive changes are necessary. The Policy Owner, the Committee and the NEFI Compliance Committee are responsible for the review and approval of this Policy.

Implementation

Nuveen has established the Committee to provide centralized management and oversight of the proxy voting process administered by the Stewardship Group for the Advisers in accordance with its Proxy Voting Committee Charter and this Policy.

Exceptions

Any request for a proposed exception or variation to this Policy will be submitted to the Committee for approval and reported to the appropriate governance committee(s), where appropriate.

Nuveen proxy voting conflicts of interest policy and procedures

Applicability

This Policy applies to employees of Nuveen (“Nuveen”) acting on behalf of Nuveen Asset Management, LLC (“NAM”), Teachers Advisors, LLC (“TAL”) and TIAA-CREF Investment Management, LLC (“TCIM”) (each an “Adviser” and collectively referred to as the “Advisers”).

Policy purpose and statement

Proxy voting by investment advisers is subject to U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”) rules and regulations, and for accounts subject to ERISA, U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) requirements. These rules and regulations require policies and procedures reasonably designed to ensure proxies are voted in the best interest of clients and that such procedures set forth how the adviser addresses material conflicts that may arise between the Adviser’s interests and those of its clients. The purpose of this Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Policy and Procedures (“Policy”) is to describe how the Advisers monitor and address the risks

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associated with Material Conflicts of Interest arising out of business and personal relationships that could affect proxy voting decisions.

Nuveen’s Stewardship Group is responsible for providing vote recommendations, based on the Nuveen Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”), to the Advisers and for administering the voting of proxies on behalf of the Advisers. When determining how to vote proxies, the Stewardship Group adheres to the Guidelines, which are reasonably designed to ensure that the Advisers vote proxies in the best interests of the Advisers’ clients.

Advisers may face certain potential Material Conflicts of Interest when voting proxies. The procedures set forth below have been reasonably designed to identify, monitor, and address potential Material Conflicts of Interest to ensure that the Advisers’ voting decisions are based on the best interest of their clients and are not the product of a conflict.

Policy statement

The Advisers have a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of their clients and must not subrogate the interests of their clients to their own.

Enforcement

As provided in the TIAA Code of Business Conduct, all employees are expected to comply with applicable laws and regulations, as well as the relevant policies, procedures and compliance manuals that apply to Nuveen’s business activities. Violation of this Policy may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.

Terms and definitions

Advisory Personnel includes the Advisers’ portfolio managers and research analysts.

Conflicts Watch List (“Watch List”) refers to a list maintained by the Stewardship Group based on the following:

1. The positions and relationships of the following categories of individuals are evaluated to assist in identifying a potential Material Conflict with a Portfolio Company:

i. The TIAA CEO,

ii. The Nuveen Executive Leadership Team and the Nuveen Senior Leadership Team,

iii. Stewardship Group members who provide proxy voting recommendations on behalf of the Advisers,

iv. Advisory Personnel, and

v. Household Members of the parties listed above in Nos. 1(i)–1(iv).

 The following criteria constitute a potential Material Conflict:

· Any individual identified above in 1(i)–1(v) who serves on a Portfolio Company’s board of directors; and/or

· Any individual identified above in 1(v) who serves as a senior executive* of a Portfolio Company.

2. In addition, the following circumstances have been determined to constitute a potential Material Conflict:

i. Voting proxies for Funds sponsored by any Adviser and/or a Nuveen Affiliated Entity (i.e., registered investment funds and other funds that require proxy voting) held in client accounts,

ii. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that are direct advisory clients of the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities,

iii. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that have a material distribution relationship* with regard to the products or strategies of the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities,

iv. Voting proxies for Portfolio Companies that are institutional investment consultants with which the Advisers and/or the Nuveen Affiliated Entities have engaged for any material business opportunity and

v. Any other circumstance where the Stewardship Group, the Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee (the “Committee”), the Advisers, Nuveen Legal or Nuveen Compliance are aware of in which the Adviser’s duty to serve its clients’ interests could be materially compromised.

In addition, certain conflicts may arise when a Proxy Service Provider or its affiliate(s) have determined and/or disclosed that a relationship exists with i) a Portfolio Company ii) an entity acting as a primary shareholder proponent with respect to a Portfolio Company or iii) another party. Such relationships include, but are not limited to, the products and services provided to, and the revenue obtained from, such Portfolio Company or its affiliates. The Proxy Service Provider is required to disclose such relationships to the Advisers, and the

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Stewardship Group reviews and evaluates the Proxy Service Provider’s disclosed conflicts of interest and associated controls annually and reports its assessment to the Committee.

Household Member includes any of the following who reside or are expected to reside in your household for at least 90 days a year: i) spouse or Domestic Partner, ii) sibling, iii) child, stepchild, grandchild, parent, grandparent, stepparent, and in-laws (mother, father, son, daughter, brother, sister).

Domestic Partner is defined as an individual who is neither a relative of, or legally married to, a Nuveen employee but shares a residence and is in a mutual commitment similar to marriage with such Nuveen employee.

Material Conflicts of Interest (“Material Conflict”) A conflict of interest that reasonably could have the potential to influence a recommendation based on the criteria described in this Policy.

Nuveen Affiliated Entities refers to TIAA and entities that are under common control with the Advisers and that provide investment advisory services. TIAA and the Advisers will undertake reasonable efforts to identify and manage any potential TIAA-related conflicts of interest.

Portfolio Company refers to any publicly traded company held in an account that is managed by an Adviser or a Nuveen Affiliated Entity.

Proxy Service Provider(s) refers to any independent third-party vendor(s) who provides proxy voting administrative, research and/or recordkeeping services to Nuveen.

Proxy Voting Guidelines (the “Guidelines”) are a set of pre-determined principles setting forth the manner in which the Advisers generally intend to vote on specific voting categories and serve to assist clients, Portfolio Companies, and other interested parties in understanding how the Advisers generally intend to vote proxy-related matters. The Guidelines are not exhaustive and do not necessarily dictate how the Advisers will ultimately vote with respect to any proposal or resolution.

Proxy Voting Conflicts of Interest Escalation Form (“Escalation Form”) Used in limited circumstances as described below to formally document certain requests to deviate from the Guidelines, the rationale supporting the request, and the ultimate resolution.

____

* Senior executives are defined as “C-suite” positions such as CEO, CFO, COO, CAO, CMO, CIO, CTO, etc.

 Such criteria are defined in a separate standard operating procedure.

Policy requirements

The Advisers have a fiduciary duty to vote proxies in the best interests of their clients and must not subrogate the interests of their clients to their own.

The Stewardship Group and Advisory Personnel are prohibited from being influenced in their proxy voting decisions by any individual outside the established proxy voting process. The Stewardship Group and Advisory Personnel are required to report to Nuveen Compliance any individuals or parties seeking to influence proxy votes outside the established proxy voting process.

The Stewardship Group generally seeks to vote proxies in adherence to the Guidelines. In the event that a potential Material Conflict has been identified, the Committee, the Stewardship Group, Advisory Personnel and Nuveen Compliance are required to comply with the following:

Proxies are generally voted in accordance with the Guidelines. In instances where a proxy is issued by a Portfolio Company on the Watch List, and the Stewardship Group’s vote direction is in support of company management and either contrary to the Guidelines or the Guidelines require a case-by-case review, then the Stewardship Group vote recommendation is evaluated using established criteria to determine whether a potential conflict exists. In instances where it is determined a potential conflict exists, the vote direction shall default to the recommendation of an independent third-party Proxy Service Provider based on such provider’s benchmark policy. To the extent the Stewardship Group believes there is a justification to vote contrary to the Proxy Service Provider’s benchmark recommendation in such an instance, then such requests are evaluated and mitigated pursuant to an Escalation Form review process as described in the Roles and Responsibilities section below. In all cases votes are intended to be in line with the Guidelines and in the best interests of clients.

The Advisers are required to adhere to the baseline standards and guiding principles governing client and personnel conflicts as outlined in the TIAA Conflicts of Interest Policy to assist in identifying, escalating and addressing proxy voting conflicts in a timely manner.

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 Such criteria are defined in a separate standard operating procedure.

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Roles and responsibilities

Nuveen Proxy Voting Committee

1. Annually, review and approve the criteria constituting a Material Conflict involving the individuals and entities named on the Watch List.

2. Review and approve the Policy annually, or more frequently as required.

3. Review Escalation Forms as described above to determine whether the rationale of the recommendation is clearly articulated and reasonable relative to the potential Material Conflict.

4. Review Stewardship Group Material Conflicts reporting.

5. Review and consider any other matters involving the Advisers’ proxy voting activities that are brought to the Committee.

Nuveen Stewardship Group

1. Promptly disclose Stewardship Group members’ Material Conflicts to Nuveen Compliance.

2. Stewardship Group members must recuse themselves from all decisions related to proxy voting for the Portfolio Company seeking the proxy for which they personally have disclosed, or are required to disclose, a Material Conflict.

3. Compile, administer and update the Watch List promptly based on the Watch List criteria described herein as necessary.

4. Evaluate vote recommendations for Portfolio Companies on the Watch List, based on established criteria to determine whether a vote shall default to the third-party Proxy Service Provider, or whether an Escalation Form is required.

5. In instances where an Escalation Form is required as described above, the Stewardship Group member responsible for the recommendation completes and submits the form to a Stewardship Group manager and the Committee. The Stewardship Group will specify a response due date from the Committee typically no earlier than two business days from when the request was delivered. While the Stewardship Group will make reasonable efforts to provide a two-business-day notification period, in certain instances the required response date may be shortened. The Committee reviews the Escalation Form to determine whether a Material Conflict exists and whether the rationale of the recommendation is clearly articulated and reasonable relative to the existing conflict. The Committee will then provide its response in writing to the Stewardship Group member who submitted the Escalation Form.

6. Provide Nuveen Compliance with established reporting.

7. Prepare Material Conflicts reporting to the Committee and other parties, as applicable.

8. Retain Escalation Forms and responses thereto and all other relevant documentation in conformance with Nuveen’s Record Management program.

Advisory Personnel

1. Promptly disclose Material Conflicts to Nuveen Compliance.

2. Provide input and/or vote recommendations to the Stewardship Group upon request. Advisory Personnel are prohibited from providing the Stewardship Group with input and/or recommendations for any Portfolio Company for which they have disclosed, or are required to disclose, a Material Conflict.

3. From time to time as part of the Adviser’s normal course of business, Advisory Personnel may initiate an action to override the Guidelines for a particular proposal. For a proxy vote issued by a Portfolio Company on the Watch List, if Advisory Personnel request a vote against the Guidelines and in favor of Portfolio Company management, then the request will be evaluated by the Stewardship Group in accordance with their established criteria and processes described above. To the extent an Escalation Form is required, the Committee reviews the Escalation Form to determine whether the rationale of the recommendation is clearly articulated and reasonable relative to the potential Material Conflict.

Nuveen Compliance

1. Determine criteria constituting a Material Conflict involving the individuals and entities named on the Watch List.

2. Determine parties responsible for collection of, and providing identified Material Conflicts to, the Stewardship Group for inclusion on the Watch List.

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3. Perform periodic reviews of votes where Material Conflicts have been identified to determine whether the votes were cast in accordance with this Policy.

4. Develop and maintain, in consultation with the Stewardship Group, standard operating procedures to support the Policy.

5. Perform periodic monitoring to determine adherence to the Policy.

6. Administer training to the Advisers and the Stewardship Group, as applicable, to ensure applicable personnel understand Material Conflicts and disclosure responsibilities.

7. Assist the Committee with the annual review of this Policy.

Nuveen Legal

1. Provide legal guidance as requested.

Governance

Review and approval

This Policy will be reviewed at least annually and will be updated sooner if changes are necessary. The Policy Owner, the Committee and the NEFI Compliance Committee are responsible for the review and approval of this Policy.

Implementation

Nuveen has established the Committee to provide centralized management and oversight of the proxy voting process administered by the Stewardship Group for the Advisers in accordance with its Proxy Voting Committee Charter and this Policy.

Exceptions

Any request for a proposed exception or variation to this Policy will be submitted to the Committee for approval and reported to the appropriate governance committee(s), where appropriate.

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NAI-NURE-0524P