<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0001019946
<NAME> THE PURISIMA FUNDS
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> PURISIMA TOTAL RETURN FUND
<MULTIPLIER> 1
<CURRENCY> US DOLLARS
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 12-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-START> SEP-01-1999
<PERIOD-END> AUG-31-2000
<EXCHANGE-RATE> 1
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 73812517
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 88480799
<RECEIVABLES> 8212994
<ASSETS-OTHER> 21788
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 33062
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 96748643
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 6941847
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 39353
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 6981200
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 74037725
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 4568585
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 3046638
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> 0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 1061436
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 14668282
<NET-ASSETS> 89767443
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1042304
<INTEREST-INCOME> 34002
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1108096
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (31790)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 1253990
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 6228361
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 7450561
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> 56328
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 2088552
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> 569538
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 2933
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 36567947
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 16171
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (144504)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 738805
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1195611
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 73828844
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 17.46
<PER-SHARE-NII> (0.01)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 2.22
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.02
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 19.65
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.50
</TABLE>
