Trusted Insight for Independent Oversight

MFDF is an independent association for independent directors of mutual funds, ETFs, closed-end funds, and other registered investment companies.

MFDF helps independent directors navigate an evolving regulatory environment and steward shareholders’ investments. MFDF provides tailored educational resources and facilitates peer-to-peer networking, with offerings that include webinars, white papers, and interactive conferences. As an independent association, MFDF’s membership includes a wide range of fund boards and represents a diverse community of directors.

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Educational Offerings

MFDF provides comprehensive and high-quality educational resources tailored to independent directors. Explore upcoming programs, including webinars, single-day in-person seminars, multi-day conferences, and informal networking discussions.

Insights for the Field

The nature of the work of independent directors is ever-evolving. Read the latest news, practical guidance, comment letters to regulators, and other viewpoints.

Become a Member

Your goal is to steward your investors’ resources. We promise to steward yours. We take our role as your trusted partner seriously. And we pride ourselves on accessible membership dues and meaningful opportunities to learn and connect.

November 21, 2024 SEC Hosts Virtual Compliance Outreach Seminar

The seminar covered topics including information security, registered funds, private funds, marketing, registered advisers and hot topics. Much of the discussion focused on items pulled from recent headlines and regulatory focus areas, including off-channel communications enforcement actions, cybersecurity, vendor oversight, private credit, share-class selection and conflicts of interest.

November 20, 2024 MFDF Webinar: Mutual Fund CCO Compensation: The MPI Annual Survey Update

The webinar will highlight results from the latest survey which includes aggregate compensation data received through confidential questionnaires from fund CCOs and other industry executives.

November 19, 2024 SEC Charges Invesco for Making Misleading Statements about ESG Investment Considerations

The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) charged Invesco Advisers for making misleading statements regarding the total percentage of ESG integrated investments held in company-wide assets under management. Additionally, the Commission found that Invesco had no written policies as to what constitutes ESG integration.

November 18, 2024 MFDF Webinar: The Power of Custom In-Kind Baskets

As part of MFDF's ETF webinar series, Scott will walk the audience through in-kind transactions, custom in-kind baskets, and how ETF portfolio managers leverage these transactions to create the tax efficiencies that distinguish ETFs from their mutual fund counterparts.

November 14, 2024 SEC Releases Risk Alert for Registered Investment Companies

The risk alert covers areas related to board oversight of advisory and sub-advisory contracts, compliance programs, disclosure documents, and other matters. Regarding compliance policies and procedures, the Commission staff noted weaknesses with enforcing stated policies and procedures, examining the effectiveness of policies and procedures, and CCOs that did not provide the required written annual compliance reports to fund boards.

Upcoming Events

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December 10, 2024
BDC Board Service 101
Cindy Beyea, Harry Pangas, and Darius Ravangard of Dechert LLP will discuss key topics and considerations for BDC independent directors, including valuation, co-investment, and other affiliated transactions. This webinar will broadcast live from 2 pm - 3 pm (ET).
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December 11, 2024
ETF Product Trends: Board Implications
As part of MFDF's ETF webinar series, K&L Gates partners Stacy Fuller and Kevin Gustafson will discuss ETF products and trends in the current landscape and how the product type and exposures can affect the board's oversight responsibilitites. This webinar will broadcast live from 2 pm - 3 pm (ET).
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December 18, 2024
Visually Mapping Board Composition: Skills Matrices in Fund Board Rooms
Join MFDF's Leslie Beckbridge as she discusses with Gwen Williamson, Partner at Faegre Drinker, and James Polisson, Nominating and Governance Committee Chair on the Allspring Funds’ board, the applications of skills matrices in fund board rooms. This webinar will broadcast live from 2 pm - 3 pm (ET).
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Newest Resources

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MFDF Member Series - Leveraging MFDF Membership to Locate Future Directors

Leslie Beckbridge, MFDF's Operations and Member Services Manager, highlighted MFDF's Director Candidate Database, a service that provides curated candidate lists in response to member boards' requirements. The webinar provided an overview of the Database, discussed how members can use it as part of succession planning efforts, and shared insights to get the best results from your inquiry.

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DEI Resources for Fund Boards

Explore news and resources relating to diversity, equity and inclusion on fund boards.

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