Delaware Ivy Small Cap Growth Fund seeks to achieve its objective by investing, under normal circumstances, at least 80% of its net assets in common stocks of small-capitalization companies. For purposes of this Fund, small-capitalization companies typically are companies with market capitalizations similar to those of issuers included in the Russell 2000® Growth Index over the last 13 months at the time of acquisition. As of July 1, 2024, this range of market capitalizations was between approximately $18 million and $10.5 billion. The Fund emphasizes smaller companies positioned in new or emerging industries where the Manager believes there is opportunity for higher growth than in established companies or industries. The Fund’s investments in equity securities may include common stocks that are offered in initial public offerings (IPOs).

The Manager utilizes a bottom-up (researching individual issuers) stock-picking process that considers quality of management and superior financial characteristics (e.g., return on assets, return on equity, operating margin) in its search for companies, thereby focusing on what it believes are higher-quality companies with sustainable growth prospects. The Manager seeks companies that it believes exhibit successful and scalable business models by having one or more of the following characteristics: serving markets that are growing at rates substantially in excess of the average industry and/or the general economy; a company that is a leader in its industry and that possesses an identifiable competitive advantage; that features strong and effective management; that demonstrates a strong commitment to shareholders; that is serving a large and/or fast-growing market opportunity; that is experiencing upward margin momentum, a growth in earnings, growth in revenue and sales and/or positive cash flows; that is increasing market share and/or creating increasing barriers to entry either through technological advancement, marketing, distribution or some other innovative means; or that emphasizes organic growth. The Manager believes that such companies generally have a replicable business model that allows for sustained growth.

Generally, in determining whether to sell a security, the Manager uses the same type of analysis that it uses in buying securities. For example, the Manager may sell a security if it believes that the stock no longer offers significant growth potential, which may be due to a change in the business or management of the company or a change in the industry or sector of the company. The Manager also may sell a security to reduce the Fund’s holding in that security, if its analysis reveals evidence of a meaningful deterioration in operating trends, if it anticipates a decrease in the company’s ability to grow, if it loses confidence in the management of the company and/or the company’s founder departs, to take advantage of what it believes are more attractive investment opportunities or to raise cash.

The Manager may permit its affiliate, Macquarie Investment Management Global Limited (MIMGL), to execute Fund security trades on behalf of the Manager. The Manager may also seek quantitative support from MIMGL.