GATEWAY TRUST
497, 2000-12-15
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                                THE GATEWAY TRUST

                                  Gateway Fund
                                       and
                          Gateway Small Cap Index Fund

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                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                             DATED DECEMBER 15, 2000

         This Statement is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction
with the current prospectuses of The Gateway Trust for the Gateway Fund and the
Gateway Small Cap Index Fund dated May 1, 2000, and any supplement thereto. A
copy of these prospectuses may be obtained from the Trust by written or
telephone request directed to the Trust at the address or the telephone number
shown below.

         The financial statements and independent auditors' report required to
be included in this SAI are incorporated herein by this reference to the annual
and semi-annual reports of the Funds for the fiscal year ended December 31,
1999, and year-to-date ended June 30, 1999, respectively.

         The prospectuses of the Gateway Fund and the Gateway Small Cap Index
Fund dated May 1, 2000, are also incorporated herein by reference.

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                                 P. O. BOX 5211
                           CINCINNATI, OHIO 45201-5211
                                 (800) 354-6339

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<TABLE>
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                                             TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                             -----------------
<S>                                                                                                         <C>
INTRODUCTION.................................................................................................3
     General Information About The Gateway Trust.............................................................3
INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRACTICES..........................................................................3
     Gateway Fund............................................................................................3
     Gateway Small Cap Index Fund............................................................................4
OPTION TRANSACTIONS..........................................................................................4
     Selling Covered Call Options............................................................................4
     Selling Covered Put Options.............................................................................4
     Purchase Of Put And Call Options........................................................................5
     Options On Securities Indexes...........................................................................5
     Covered Index Call Options Sold By The Gateway Fund.....................................................5
INVESTMENT PRACTICES, RISKS, AND RESTRICTIONS................................................................6
     Other Investment Practices..............................................................................6
     Certain Risks...........................................................................................6
     Investment Restrictions.................................................................................7
PERFORMANCE AND RISK INFORMATION............................................................................10
     Performance Information................................................................................10
         Total Return Calculations..........................................................................10
         Historical Results.................................................................................10
     Risk Information.......................................................................................11
         Comparative Indexes................................................................................11
         Standard Deviation.................................................................................12
         Beta...............................................................................................12
     Rankings And Comparative Performance Information.......................................................12
     Portfolio Holdings.....................................................................................12
SHAREHOLDER SERVICES........................................................................................12
     Open Account...........................................................................................12
     Automatic Investment Program...........................................................................13
     IRAs...................................................................................................13
     Systematic Withdrawal Program..........................................................................14
ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION..............................................................15
INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES......................................................................16
     Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P.......................................................................16
     Gateway Fund Management Agreement......................................................................16
     Gateway Small Cap Index Fund Investment Advisory Contract..............................................17
     Distribution Plan For The Gateway Fund.................................................................19
     Custodian..............................................................................................20
     Shareholder Servicing, Transfer, Dividend Disbursing, And Financial Servicing Agent....................20
BROKERAGE...................................................................................................21
</TABLE>



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<TABLE>

<S>                                                                                                       <C>
CODE OF ETHICS..............................................................................................23
ADDITIONAL TAX MATTERS......................................................................................23
     Federal Tax Matters....................................................................................23
     State And Local Tax Aspects............................................................................23
TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST..........................................................................24
     Shareholder Meetings And Voting........................................................................25
INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.....................................................26
PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF FUND SHARES............................................................................26
     Gateway Fund...........................................................................................26
     Small Cap Index Fund...................................................................................27
     Shares Held By Adviser.................................................................................27
</TABLE>




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                                  INTRODUCTION
                                  ------------

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GATEWAY TRUST

         The Gateway Trust (the "Trust") is an Ohio business trust which is
authorized to establish and operate one or more separate series of mutual funds
(herein referred to as "Funds" or individually as a "Fund"). Each Fund has its
own investment policies, restrictions, practices, assets, and liabilities. Each
Fund is represented by a separate series of shares of beneficial interest in the
Trust ("Shares"). The Trust's operation is governed by Chapter 1746 of the Ohio
Revised Code, by the Second Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as
of December 29, 1992, as amended, and by the Trust's bylaws, as amended.

         At present, there are three series of the Trust:

      NAME OF FUND                       DATE ORGANIZED

Gateway Fund                                   1977

Gateway Small Cap Index Fund                April 1993

Cincinnati Fund                            November 1994

         The Gateway Fund was known as the Gateway Index Plus Fund until April
30, 1998; as Gateway Option Index Fund until March 1990; as Gateway Option
Income Fund until February 1988; and as Gateway Option Income Fund, Inc. until
May 1986. Gateway Option Income Fund, Inc., the predecessor to the Trust, was
organized in 1977 as a Maryland corporation. It was reorganized to become the
Trust effective as of May 2, 1986, with the Gateway Option Income Fund as its
sole initial fund. As a result of the transaction, shareholders of the
corporation on May 2, 1986, became shareholders of the Option Income Fund.

         The Gateway Fund and the Gateway Small Cap Index Fund are offered in
two separate prospectuses. The Cincinnati Fund(R) is offered in a separate
prospectus and has a separate Statement of Additional Information. Gateway
Investment Advisers, L.P. (the "Adviser") acts as the Funds' investment adviser.

                       INVESTMENT OBJECTIVES AND PRACTICES
                       -----------------------------------

GATEWAY FUND

         The investment objective of the Gateway Fund is to capture the majority
of the higher returns associated with equity market investments, while exposing
investors to significantly less risk than other equity investments. Descriptions
of the Fund's current investment practices and strategies and certain risk
factors applicable to the Fund are set forth under the caption "INVESTMENT
OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL STRATEGIES" in the Fund's prospectus.

         The Gateway Fund invests in a portfolio of common stocks which
parallels the composition of the Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index (the "500
Index"). The Fund sells index call options on the S&P 100 Index, the S&P 500
Index and other stock indexes, and, when appropriate, the Fund enters into
closing purchase transactions with respect to such options. The Fund also
purchases put options on securities indexes.

         In addition, the Fund has authority to, and when deemed appropriate
may, invest in the stocks of other securities indexes, sell put options on
securities indexes, and purchase call options on securities indexes; however,
the Fund does not intend to enter into these types of transactions in the coming
year.

         The Gateway Fund is a diversified, open-end management investment
company.



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GATEWAY SMALL CAP INDEX FUND

         The investment objective of the Small Cap Index Fund is to achieve
long-term growth of capital. Descriptions of the Fund's current investment
practices and strategies and certain risk factors applicable to the Fund are set
forth under the caption "INVESTMENT OBJECTIVE AND PRINCIPAL STATEGIES" in the
Fund's prospectus.

         The Small Cap Index Fund primarily invests in a portfolio of common
stocks which parallels the composition of the Wilshire Small Cap Index (the "250
Index"). Because the 250 Index is comprised of 250 equity securities and the
Fund purchases such securities in round lots, the portfolio does not correlate
perfectly with the 250 Index. The Adviser monitors the composition of the equity
portion of the Fund's portfolio on a daily basis, and adjusts it as necessary in
order to maintain a correlation of 95% or greater with the 250 Index. The Fund's
overall portfolio composition may deviate from that of the 250 Index to the
extent that it can invest up to 5% of its total assets in index call or index
put options, and may also hold cash primarily for purposes of liquidity. Owing
to its ability to hold index put and call options and cash, the Fund's
performance may deviate significantly from that of the 250 Index. The median
market capitalization of the 250 companies is approximately $658 million.

         The Small Cap Index Fund may also purchase put and call options on
securities indexes such as the S&P 500 Index, the 250 Index, the Russell 2000
Index, and comparable small capitalization securities indexes. The Small Cap
Index Fund limits its aggregate investment in premiums on put and call options
to an amount not exceeding 5% of the Fund's net assets. Options on the 250 Index
are a relatively new investment vehicle and the secondary market for any
particular option on this index at a specific time may be limited.

         The Small Cap Index Fund is a diversified, open-end management
investment company.

                               OPTION TRANSACTIONS
                               -------------------

         This section contains a brief general description of various types of
options, certain option trading strategies, and some of the risks of option
trading. It is included to help a shareholder understand the investment
practices of the Funds. It is easier to understand index options if you
understand options on individual stocks. For this reason, the first three parts
of this section discuss individual stock options.

SELLING COVERED CALL OPTIONS

         A covered call option is an option sold on a security owned by the
seller of the option. If the option is exercised by the purchaser during the
option period, the seller is required to deliver the underlying security against
payment of the exercise price. The seller's obligation terminates upon
expiration of the option period or when the seller executes a closing purchase
transaction with respect to such option.

         The seller of a covered call option gives up, in return for the
premium, the opportunity to profit from an increase in the value of the
underlying security above the exercise price. At the same time, the seller
retains the risk of loss from a decline in the value of the underlying security
during the option period. Although the seller may terminate its obligation by
executing a closing purchase transaction, the cost of effecting such a
transaction may be greater than the premium received upon its sale, resulting in
a loss to the seller. If such an option expires unexercised, the seller realizes
a gain equal to the premium received. Such a gain may be offset or exceeded by a
decline in the market value of the underlying security during the option period.
If an option is exercised, the exercise price, the premium received, and the
market value of the underlying security determine the gain or loss realized by
the seller. The Gateway Fund is the only Trust fund authorized to sell covered
call options. A more complete description of the details and risks involved in
selling covered call options is set forth below under the caption "COVERED INDEX
CALL OPTIONS SOLD BY THE GATEWAY FUND."

SELLING COVERED PUT OPTIONS

         The seller of a covered put option has the obligation to buy, and the
purchaser the right to sell, the underlying security at the exercise price
during the option period. To cover a put option, a seller usually deposits U. S.
government securities (or other high-grade debt obligations) in a segregated
account at the seller's custodian. The value of the deposited securities is
equal to or greater than the exercise price of the underlying security. The
value of the deposited securities is marked to market daily and, if necessary,
additional assets are placed in the



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segregated account to maintain a value equal to or greater than the exercise
price. The seller maintains the segregated account so long as it is obligated as
the seller. The obligation of the seller is terminated when the purchaser
exercises the put option, when the option expires, or when a closing purchase
transaction is effected by the seller.

         The seller's gain on the sale of a put option is limited to the premium
received plus interest earned on its segregated account. The seller's potential
loss on a put option is determined by taking into consideration the exercise
price of the option, the market price of the underlying security when the put is
exercised, the premium received, and the interest earned on its segregated
account. Although a seller risks a substantial loss if the price of the stock on
which it has sold a put option drops suddenly, the seller can protect itself
against serious loss by entering into a closing purchase transaction. The degree
of loss will depend upon the seller's ability to detect the movement in the
stock's price and to execute a closing transaction at the appropriate time.

         The Gateway Fund is the only Trust fund authorized to sell covered put
options. To comply with state securities requirements, the Fund will not sell
any covered put option if, as a result, the Fund would have to invest more than
50% of its total assets (taken at current value) to meet its obligation upon the
exercise of put options.

PURCHASE OF PUT AND CALL OPTIONS

         Put options can be employed to protect against declines in the market
value of portfolio securities or to attempt to retain unrealized gains in the
value of portfolio securities. Put options might also be purchased to facilitate
the sale of portfolio securities. Call options can be purchased as a temporary
substitute for the purchase of individual stocks, which then could be purchased
in orderly fashion. Upon the purchase of the stocks, the purchaser would
normally terminate the call position.

         The purchase of both put and call options involves the risk of loss of
all or part of the premium paid. If the price of the underlying stock does not
rise (in the case of a call) or drop (in the case of a put) by an amount at
least equal to the premium paid for the option contract, the purchaser will
experience a loss on the option contract equal to the deficiency.

OPTIONS ON SECURITIES INDEXES

         The Gateway Fund and the Small Cap Index Fund each are authorized to
purchase index put and call options. Each fund limits its aggregate investment
in premiums on put and call options to an amount not exceeding 5% of its net
assets. An option on a securities index is generally similar to an option on an
individual stock, but an option on a securities index is settled only in cash.
The exercising holder of an index option, instead of receiving a security,
receives the difference between the closing price of the securities index and
the exercise price of the index option times a specified multiple ($100 in the
case of the S&P 100 Stock Index). The seller of index options may realize a gain
or loss according to movement in the level of securities prices in that index
and in the securities markets generally.

COVERED INDEX CALL OPTIONS SOLD BY THE GATEWAY FUND

         The Gateway Fund sells index call options. Frequently the Fund executes
a closing purchase transaction with respect to the option it has sold and sells
another option (with either a different exercise price or expiration date or
both). The Fund's objective in entering into such closing transactions is to
increase option premium income, to limit losses, or to protect anticipated gains
in underlying stocks. The cost of a closing transaction, while reducing the
premium income realized from the sale of the option, should be offset, at least
in part, by appreciation in the value of the underlying index, and by the
opportunity to realize additional premium income from selling a new option.

         When the Fund sells an index call option, it does not deliver the
underlying stocks or cash to the broker through whom the transaction is
effected. In the case of an exchange-traded option, the Fund establishes an
escrow account. The Trust's Custodian (or a securities depository acting for the
Custodian) acts as the Trust's escrow agent. The escrow agent enters into
documents known as escrow receipts with respect to the stocks included in the
Fund (or escrow receipts with respect to other acceptable securities). The
escrow agent releases the stocks from the escrow account when the call option
expires or the Fund enters into a closing purchase transaction. Until such
release, the underlying stocks cannot be sold by the Fund. The Fund may enter
into similar collateral arrangements with the counterparty when it sells
over-the-counter index call options.



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         When the Fund sells an index call option, it is also required to
"cover" the option pursuant to requirements enunciated by the staff of the
Securities and Exchange Commission ("the SEC"). The staff has indicated that a
mutual fund may "cover" an index call option by (1) owning and holding for the
term of the option a portfolio of stocks substantially replicating the movement
of the index underlying the call option; (2) purchasing an American-style call
option on the same index with an exercise price no greater than the exercise
price of the written option; or (3) establishing and maintaining for the term of
the option a segregated account consisting of cash, U. S. government securities,
or other high-grade debt securities, equal in value to the aggregate contract
price of the call option (the current index value times the specific multiple).
The Fund generally "covers" the index options it has sold by owning and holding
stocks substantially replicating the movement of the applicable index. As an
alternative method of "covering" the option, the Fund may purchase an
appropriate offsetting option.

         The purchaser of an index call option sold by the Fund may exercise the
option at a price fixed as of the closing level of the index on the date of
exercise. Unless the Fund has liquid assets sufficient to satisfy the exercise
of the index call option, the Fund would be required to liquidate portfolio
securities to satisfy the exercise. The market value of such securities may
decline between the time the option is exercised and the time the Fund is able
to sell the securities. If the Fund fails to anticipate an exercise, it may have
to borrow from a bank (in amounts not exceeding 5% of the Fund's total assets)
pending settlement of the sale of the portfolio securities and thereby incur
interest charges. If trading is interrupted on the index, the Fund would not be
able to close out its option positions.

                  INVESTMENT PRACTICES, RISKS, AND RESTRICTIONS
                  ---------------------------------------------

OTHER INVESTMENT PRACTICES

         Each fund may hold cash for purposes of liquidity. Each fund generally
will hold cash reserves for the purpose of paying expenses and share redemptions
and may hold cash received from the sale of its shares which has not yet been
invested.

         With respect to the Gateway Fund only, the Adviser may determine from
time to time that, for temporary defensive purposes, the Fund should reduce (and
in periods of unusual market conditions reduce substantially or liquidate
entirely) its investment in common stock. For temporary defensive purposes, the
Gateway Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in cash.

         Cash is normally invested in repurchase agreements. Cash may also be
invested in securities of the U. S. government or any of its agencies, bankers'
acceptances, commercial paper, or certificates of deposit (collectively "cash
instruments"). Commercial paper investments will be limited to investment grade
issues rated A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poor's or Prime-1 or Prime-2 by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. Certificates of deposit investments will be limited to
obligations of domestic banks with assets of $1 billion or more.

         Repurchase agreements are instruments under which a fund buys
securities suitable for investment under its policies and obtains the concurrent
agreement of the seller (usually a bank) to repurchase such securities at an
agreed-upon date, price, and interest rate. Investments in repurchase agreements
are subject to the risk that the selling bank may default in its repurchase
obligation. However, not more than 5% of any fund's total assets may be invested
in repurchase agreements which have a maturity longer than seven days.

CERTAIN RISKS

         The success of each fund's option strategy depends upon the ability of
the Adviser to identify an appropriate index in which to invest and the
Adviser's ability to enter into transactions involving index options at
appropriate times in the stock market cycle. In pursuing this course, the
Adviser is subject to the risks of change in general economic conditions,
adverse developments in specific industries, and factors affecting the
performance of individual stocks.

         The Gateway Fund is not sponsored, endorsed, sold or promoted by
Standard & Poor's, a division of The McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc. ("S&P"). S&P
makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, to the shareholders of
the Fund or any member of the public regarding the advisability of investing in
securities generally or in the Fund particularly or the ability of the S&P 500
Index to track general stock market performance. S&P's




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only relationship to the Gateway Trust is the licensing of certain trademarks
and trade names of S&P and of the S&P 500 Index which is determined, composed
and calculated by S&P without regard to the Trust or the Fund. S&P has no
obligation to take the needs of the Fund or its shareholders into consideration
in determining, composing or calculating the S&P 500 Index. S&P is not
responsible for and has not participated in the determination of the prices and
amount of the Fund or the timing of the issuance or sale of the Fund or in the
determination or calculation of the equation by which the Fund is to be
converted into cash. S&P has no obligation or liability in connection with the
administration, marketing or trading of the Fund.

         S&P DOES NOT GUARANTEE THE ACCURACY AND/OR THE COMPLETENESS OF THE S&P
500 INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN AND S&P SHALL HAVE NO LIABILITY FOR ANY
ERRORS, OMISSIONS, OR INTERRUPTIONS THEREIN. S&P MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR
IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE GATEWAY TRUST, SHAREHOLDERS OF THE
FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM THE USE OF THE S&P 500 INDEX OR ANY
DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. S&P MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND EXPRESSLY
DISCLAIMS ALL WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE
OR USE WITH RESPECT TO THE S&P 500 INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WITHOUT
LIMITING ANY OF THE FOREGOING, IN NO EVENT SHALL S&P HAVE ANY LIABILITY FOR ANY
SPECIAL, PUNITIVE, INDIRECT, OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES (INCLUDING LOST PROFITS),
EVEN IF NOTIFIED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES.

         Wilshire Associates, Inc. ("Wilshire") obtains information for
inclusion in or for use in the calculation of the Wilshire Small Cap Index from
sources which Wilshire considers reliable. WILSHIRE HAS ADVISED THE TRUST THAT
IT MAKES NO WARRANTY, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, AS TO RESULTS TO BE OBTAINED BY THE
TRUST OR OWNERS OF THE SMALL CAP INDEX FUND, OR ANY OTHER PERSON OR ENTITY FROM
THE USE OF THE WILSHIRE SMALL CAP INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN. WILSHIRE
MAKES NO EXPRESS OR IMPLIED WARRANTIES, AND HEREBY EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL SUCH
WARRANTIES, OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, FOR USE WITH
RESPECT TO THE WILSHIRE SMALL CAP INDEX OR ANY DATA INCLUDED THEREIN.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

         The investment objectives and investment restrictions applicable to
each fund are designated as fundamental policies of the fund. The Trust has
adopted other fundamental policies with respect to each of the funds.
Fundamental policies may not be changed without vote of shareholders of that
fund. Under these policies, the Gateway Fund and the Small Cap Index Fund each
are subject to the following restrictions:

         1.     A fund may not purchase any security if, as a result, the fund
                (or the funds in the Trust together) would then hold more than
                10% of any class of securities of an issuer (taking all common
                stock issues of an issuer as a single class, all preferred stock
                issues as a single class, and all debt issues as a single
                class), or more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of
                an issuer.

         2.     A fund may not purchase any security if, as a result, the fund
                would then have more than 5% of its total assets (taken at
                current value) invested in securities of companies (including
                predecessors) less than three years old and in equity securities
                for which market quotations are not readily available.

         3.     A fund may not purchase securities on margin (but a fund may
                obtain such short-term credits as may be necessary for the
                clearance of purchase and sales of securities).

         4.     A fund may not make short sales of securities or maintain a
                short position (a) unless, at all times when a short position is
                open, the fund owns an equal amount of such securities or
                securities convertible into or exchangeable (without payment of
                any further consideration) for securities of the same issue as,
                and equal in amount to, the securities sold short, and (b)
                unless not more than 10% of such fund's net assets (taken at
                current value) are held as collateral for such sales at any one
                time.

                It is the present intention of management to make such sales
                only for the purpose of deferring realization of gain or loss
                for federal income tax purposes. It is the present intention of
                management that short sales of securities subject to outstanding
                options will not be made.



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         5.     A fund may not borrow money except as a temporary measure for
                extraordinary or emergency purposes and then only from banks and
                only in amounts not in excess of 5% of the fund's total assets
                (except to meet redemption requests as discussed below), taken
                at the lower of cost or market.

                In order to meet redemption requests without immediately selling
                any portfolio securities, a fund may borrow an amount up to 25%
                of the value of its total assets including the amount borrowed.
                If, due to market fluctuations or other reasons, the value of
                such fund's assets falls below 400% of its borrowing, the fund
                will reduce its borrowing which may result in the fund being
                required to sell securities at a time when it may otherwise be
                disadvantageous to do so. This borrowing is not for investment
                leverage but solely to facilitate management of the portfolio by
                enabling the fund to meet redemption requests where the
                liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed to be inconvenient
                or disadvantageous. However, the fund might be deemed to be
                engaged in leveraging in that any such borrowing will enable the
                fund to continue to earn money on investments which otherwise
                may have been sold in order to meet redemption requests.

         6.     A fund may not pledge more than 10% of its total assets, taken
                at market value. The deposit in escrow of underlying securities
                in connection with the writing of call options is not deemed to
                be a pledge.

         7.     A fund may not purchase or retain securities of any company if,
                to the knowledge of the Trust, officers and trustees of the
                Trust or of the Adviser who individually own more than 1/2 of 1%
                of the securities of that company together own beneficially more
                than 5% of such securities.

         8.     A fund may not buy or sell commodities or commodities futures or
                options contracts, or real estate or interests in real estate,
                although it may purchase and sell (a) securities which are
                secured by real estate, and (b) securities of companies which
                invest or deal in real estate.

         9.     A fund may not act as underwriter except to the extent that, in
                connection with the disposition of portfolio securities, it may
                be deemed to be an underwriter under certain provisions of the
                federal securities laws.

         10.    A fund may not make investments for the purpose of exercising
                control or management.

         11.    A fund may not participate on a joint or joint and several basis
                in any trading account in securities.

         12.    A fund may not purchase any security restricted as to
                disposition under the federal securities laws.

         13.    A fund may not invest in securities of other investment
                companies, except as part of a merger, consolidation, or other
                acquisition.

         14.    A fund may not invest in interests in oil, gas, or other mineral
                exploration or development programs, although it may invest in
                the common stocks of companies which invest in or sponsor such
                programs.

         15.    A fund may not make loans, except through the purchase of bonds,
                debentures, commercial paper, corporate notes, and similar
                evidences of indebtedness of a type commonly sold privately to
                financial institutions (subject to the limitation in paragraph
                12 above), and except through repurchase agreements.

                No more than 5% of any fund's assets will be invested in
                repurchase agreements which have a maturity longer than seven
                days. In addition, the fund will not enter into repurchase
                agreements with a securities dealer if such transactions
                constitute the purchase of an interest in such dealer under the
                Investment Company Act of 1940. The purchase of a portion of an



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                issue of such securities distributed publicly, whether or not
                such purchase is made on the original issuance, is not
                considered the making of a loan.

         16.    A fund may not purchase any security (other than U. S.
                government obligations) if, as a result thereof, less than 75%
                of the value of the fund's total assets is represented by cash
                and cash items (including receivables), government securities,
                and other securities which, for purposes of this calculation,
                are limited in respect of any one issuer to an amount not
                greater in value than 5% of the value of the fund's total assets
                and to not more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of
                such issuer. All of the funds in the Trust taken as a group also
                must satisfy this 10% test.

         17.    A fund may not concentrate the investments of the fund in a
                single industry nor invest more than 25% of the current value of
                its total assets in a single industry.

         18.    A fund may not sell call or put options, or purchase call or put
                options, except that (a) the Gateway Fund may (i) sell covered
                call options with respect to all of its portfolio securities or
                with respect to securities indexes; (ii) purchase
                exchange-traded put and call options, provided that after any
                such purchase not more than 5% of the Fund's net assets would be
                invested in premiums on the purchase of put and call options or
                combinations thereof; (iii) sell covered put options, provided
                that after any such sale the Gateway Fund would not have more
                than 50% of its total assets (taken at current value) subject to
                being invested on the exercise of put options; and (iv) enter
                into closing purchase transactions with respect to such options,
                and (b) the Small Cap Index Fund may purchase exchange-traded
                puts and calls provided that after any such purchase not more
                than 5% of the Fund's assets would be invested in premiums on
                the purchase of such options.

         The Trust has no fundamental policy with respect to the issuance of
senior securities by any fund; however, the Investment Company Act of 1940
prohibits the Trust's issuance of any such securities.

         In addition to these fundamental policies:

        -     Each fund will limit its investment in warrants to no more than 5%
              of such fund's assets. The Adviser has no current intention of
              causing any fund to invest in warrants in the coming year.
        -     No fund will purchase additional portfolio securities while
              borrowings in excess of 5% of the fund's total assets are
              outstanding. The Adviser has no current intention of causing any
              fund to borrow in excess of 5% of the funds total assets in the
              coming year.



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                        PERFORMANCE AND RISK INFORMATION
                        --------------------------------

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

         The Funds may quote performance in various ways. All performance
information supplied by the Funds is based upon historical results and is not
intended to indicate future performance. Total returns and other performance
information may be shown numerically or in a table, graph, or similar
illustration. A fund's share prices and total returns fluctuate in response to
market conditions, interest rates, and other factors.

         TOTAL RETURN CALCULATIONS
         -------------------------
         Total returns reflect all aspects of a fund's return, including the
effect of reinvesting dividends and capital gain distributions, and any change
in a fund's net asset value per share (the "NAV") over the period.

         Average annual total returns are calculated by determining the average
annual compounded rates of return over one-, five-, and ten-year periods that
would equate an initial hypothetical investment to the ending redeemable value
calculated according to the following formula:

P (1 + T)n  = ERV where        T        =  Average annual total return
                               N        =  Number of years and portion of a year
                               ERV      =  Ending redeemable value (of an
                                           initial hypothetical
                                           $1,000 investment) at the end of the
                                           period
                               P        =  $1,000 (the hypothetical initial
                                           investment)

         If a fund has been in existence for less than one, five, or ten years,
the time period since the date it commenced operations will be substituted for
the periods stated.

         As a hypothetical example, a cumulative return of 100% growth on a
compounded basis in ten years would produce an average annual total return of
7.18%, which is the annual rate that would equal 100% growth on a compounded
basis in ten years. While average annual total returns are convenient means of
comparing investment alternatives, investors should realize that a fund's
performance is not constant over time, but changes from year to year, and that
average annual total returns represent averaged figures as opposed to the actual
year-to-year performance of the fund.

         Average annual total return is calculated as required by applicable
regulations promulgated by the SEC. In addition to average annual total returns,
a fund may quote year-by-year total returns and cumulative total returns
reflecting the simple change in value of any investment over a stated period.
Average annual, year-by-year, and cumulative total returns may be quoted as a
percentage or as a dollar amount.

         HISTORICAL RESULTS
         ------------------
         The following table shows each fund's average annual and cumulative
total returns for the period ended December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

     AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURN          ONE YEAR      FIVE YEARS     TEN YEARS      LIFE OF FUND

<S>                                         <C>           <C>             <C>             <C>
Gateway Fund                                12.97%        11.83%          10.48%          10.61%
Gateway Small Cap Index Fund                29.12%        16.49%          N/A             12.38%
</TABLE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


       CUMULATIVE TOTAL RETURN            ONE YEAR       FIVE YEARS    TEN YEARS      LIFE OF FUND
<S>                                         <C>           <C>            <C>              <C>
Gateway Fund                                12.97%        74.86%         170.91%          826.82%
Gateway Small Cap Index Fund                29.12%       114.54%          N/A             114.80%
</TABLE>



                                       10
<PAGE>   12


         The table below shows the redeemable value on December 31, 1999, for an
initial investment of $10,000 in the fund that was made at the beginning of the
one-, five-, and ten-year periods, or at the commencement of the fund's
operations. The table assumes all dividends and distributions have been
reinvested in additional fund shares.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                          ONE YEAR       FIVE YEARS    TEN YEARS      LIFE OF FUND

<S>                                       <C>             <C>           <C>              <C>
Gateway Fund                              $11,297         $17,486       $27,091          $92,682
Gateway Small Cap Index Fund              $12,912         $21,454         N/A            $21,148
</TABLE>

RISK INFORMATION


         In evaluating the performance of any investment including a Gateway
fund, it is important to understand the risks involved in the investment.
Information regarding the performance of an investment, while valuable in
itself, is more meaningful when it is related to the level of risk associated
with that investment. Thus, two different mutual funds that produce similar
average annual total returns may present markedly different investment
opportunities if the risk of loss associated with one mutual fund is greater
than that of the other mutual fund.

         For example, an investment in a mutual fund that invests in stocks
generally will present greater potential for variation in the share price of the
mutual fund, and hence a greater risk of gain or loss than an investment in a
mutual fund that invests in short-term U. S. government securities. Because the
potential for greater gain typically carries with it a greater degree of risk,
the advisability of an investment in a particular mutual fund for a given
investor will depend not only on historical performance of the fund but also on
the potential for gain and loss associated with that mutual fund.

         The Gateway Trust offers three different funds that produce different
total returns and present different risk potentials. The difference in risk
potential can be demonstrated by various statistical concepts. The following
statistical concepts can be used to measure some of the risks associated with an
investment in each fund.

         COMPARATIVE INDEXES
         -------------------
         The performance and risk of the Gateway Fund and the Small Cap Index
Fund may be compared to various broadly recognized indexes such as the S&P 500
Index or the Lehman Government/Corporate Bond Index. These comparative indexes
are used because they are the standard benchmarks of the stock market and bond
market respectively. A fund's performance and risk may also be compared to other
appropriate indexes. The following is a description of some of the indices that
may be used:
          The S&P 100 INDEX is an unmanaged index of 100 common stocks with a
market capitalization range of $980 million to $240 billion. The performance of
this index assumes reinvestment of all dividends paid on the stocks in the
index.
         The S&P 500 INDEX is a widely recognized measure of performance for the
stock market. The S&P 500 figures represent the prices of an unmanaged index of
500 common stocks and assume reinvestment of all dividends paid on the stocks in
the index.
         The WILSHIRE SMALL CAP INDEX is an unmanaged index of 250 common stocks
with a market capitalization range of $39 million to $3.2 billion. The
performance of this index assumes reinvestment of all dividends paid on the
stocks in the index.
         The LEHMAN GOVERNMENT/CORPORATE BOND INDEX is a widely recognized
measure of performance for the bond market representing an unmanaged index of
selected government and corporate bonds. The Lehman Index figures assume
reinvestment of all distributions paid on the bonds in the index. As of December
31, 1997, the average maturity of this index was 10.07 years.
         The SALOMON BROAD INVESTMENT-GRADE MEDIUM TERM (1-10) INDEX is an
unmanaged index which features a blend of U. S. Treasury, government-sponsored
(U. S. Agency and supranational), mortgage and corporate securities limited to a
maturity of no more than ten years.
         The CONSUMER PRICE INDEX is a widely recognized measure of inflation
calculated by the U. S. government.
         U. S. TREASURY BILLS are negotiable debt obligations of the U. S.
government. Since they are secured by the full faith and credit of the
government, they are regarded as risk-free investments. Treasury bills are
short-term securities with maturities of one year or less.



                                       11
<PAGE>   13


         STANDARD DEVIATION
         ------------------
         Standard deviation measures the volatility of the total return of a
fund. Standard deviation is one method of comparing the total return of a fund
to the average monthly total return of the fund. In general, a fund that has a
greater standard deviation is a fund that has displayed a greater tendency to
vary from its own average monthly total return. Standard deviation can also be
used to compare the total return of a fund to the total return of an index or
another mutual fund. By comparing the magnitude of the standard deviation of
each investment, an analyst is able to determine the relative volatility of each
investment.

         For example, as of December 31, 1999, the annual standard deviation for
the Gateway Fund over the past three years was 4.97% while the standard
deviation for the S&P 500 Index was 18.48%. Thus, the S&P 500 Index was
approximately four times as volatile as the Gateway Fund. An investment with an
expected return of 10% and a standard deviation of 15% would be expected to earn
a total return ranging from -5% to +25% about 68% of the time, a total return
ranging from -20% to +40% about 95% of the time, and a total return ranging from
-35% to +55% about 97% of the time.

         BETA
         ----
         Beta analyzes the market risk of a fund by showing how responsive the
fund is to the market as defined by an index. Beta is a comparative measure of a
fund's volatility in relation to an appropriate index. Generally, higher betas
represent riskier investments. By definition, the beta of the market is 1.00.
Thus, a fund with a beta higher than 1.00 is expected to perform better than the
market in up markets and worse than the market in down markets.

         For example, the beta of the Gateway Fund was 0.29 for the five-year
period ended December 31, 1999. The Gateway Fund would be expected to perform
approximately 1/3 as well as the market (as defined by S&P 500 Index) in up
markets and 1/3 as poorly as the market in down markets. Beta is the slope of
the "least square line" which compares the fund with an index.

RANKINGS AND COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

         Each fund may compare its performance to that of other mutual funds or
categories of mutual funds as reported by independent services such as
Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., and Value Line Mutual Fund
Survey, or by other financial publications with a circulation of 10,000 readers
or more. Performance comparisons may be expressed as ratings, such as the
proprietary ratings published by Morningstar, Inc., or rankings, such as the
rankings of funds in various categories published by Lipper Analytical Services,
Inc. Performance comparisons may also be expressed as designations (such as a
certain number of "stars") or descriptions (such as "best fund") assigned by
such services or publications.

PORTFOLIO HOLDINGS

         Each fund may list their portfolio holdings from time to time.

                              SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
                              --------------------

         Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. serves as the Trust's shareholder
servicing, transfer, dividend disbursing, and financial servicing agent (the
"Servicing Agent"). In this capacity, it performs various shareholder services
on behalf of the Trust.

OPEN ACCOUNT

         Each fund's regular account for investors who purchase its shares is
the Open Account. The Open Account facilitates regular purchases of fund shares
over a period of years and provides the option of receiving dividends and
distributions either in cash or in fund shares. Gateway does not charge for the
automatic reinvestment of dividends and distributions.



                                       12
<PAGE>   14


         The Servicing Agent maintains a record of the investor's purchases,
redemptions, and share balances in the investor's Open Account. Shortly after
each purchase, the Servicing Agent will mail a confirmation to the investor
showing the shares purchased, the exact price paid for the shares, and the total
number of shares owned. Share certificates will not be issued.

         Upon opening an account, the investor may elect either of the following
options: (1) reinvestment at net asset value of all distributions, or (2)
payment in cash of all distributions. If no election is made, all distributions
will be reinvested at net asset value. An election may be changed by a letter or
telephone call to the Servicing Agent. No annual maintenance fees are charged by
the Trust on any Open Account. The Trust reserves the right to charge annual
fees in the future. Shareholders will be notified of any change in the annual
fee arrangement.

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM

         Investors can arrange to use our Automatic Investment Program by either
making the election on the New Account Application or by contacting Shareholder
Services at (800) 354-6339 for the appropriate forms. With this service,
investors purchase additional shares by having a predetermined amount of $100 or
more automatically transferred from a bank account to the Trust on a monthly or
quarterly basis. Changes to an Automatic Investment Program, including
discontinuing participation, must be in writing and sent to The Gateway Trust,
Shareholder Services, P. O. Box 5211, Cincinnati, OH 45201-5211. All changes to
the Program must be received by Gateway at least five business days prior to the
next scheduled transfer.

IRAS

         Investors may purchase shares of any Gateway fund through Individual
Retirement Accounts ("IRAs") which are permitted to invest in shares of a mutual
fund. The Trust itself sponsors a traditional IRA (the "Gateway Traditional
IRA") and a Roth IRA (the "Gateway Roth IRA") (or jointly as a "Gateway IRA"). A
Gateway IRA can be adopted by an investor and is specifically designed to permit
the investor to invest in shares of any Gateway fund selected by the investor.
The custodian of the Gateway IRA is Firstar Bank, N.A. Investors can obtain
forms to establish a Gateway IRA by calling Shareholder Services at (800)
354-6339.

         An IRA is a special program with certain tax benefits that generally
permits an investor to establish and contribute to his or her own retirement
plan. For detailed information about a Gateway IRA, please refer to the
Agreement and Disclosure Statement for the appropriate Gateway IRA. Agreements
and Disclosure Statements can be obtained by calling Shareholder Services at
(800) 354-6339.

         An investor may make a direct transfer of assets from one IRA to a
Gateway IRA by directing the existing IRA custodian or trustee to transfer
directly to a Gateway IRA the amount held in that prior IRA, without directly
receiving those funds or being taxed on the transfer. There is no minimum
holding period for a direct transfer of IRA assets from one custodian or trustee
to another. Call Shareholder Services at (800) 354-6339 to obtain the
appropriate transfer form.

         A Gateway Traditional IRA is eligible to receive direct rollovers of
distributions from a qualified employer plan. An investor can make a direct
rollover by instructing the employer's plan to wire the distribution to Firstar
Bank, N.A. as custodian for the Gateway Traditional IRA. The distribution should
be wired to:

                  The Gateway Trust c/o Firstar Bank, N.A.
                  ABA #042-0000-13
                  Cincinnati, OH
                  Name (insert investor name)
                  Gateway Account No. (insert investor account number)
                  Name of Gateway fund(s) in which you wish to invest



                                       13
<PAGE>   15


         An investor can also make a direct rollover to a Gateway Traditional
IRA by instructing the employer's plan to prepare a check for the amount to be
rolled over payable to "Firstar Bank, N.A., as Custodian of Individual
Retirement Account of (insert investor name)," and sending that check to
Gateway. The check can also be delivered in person to Gateway, or mailed to:

                  The Gateway Trust
                  Shareholder Services
                  P. O. Box 5211
                  Cincinnati, OH  45201-5211

         An investor can make a 60-day rollover of a distribution from a
qualified employer plan by instructing the employer's plan to prepare a check
payable to the investor and by endorsing or cashing the check and depositing
some or all of the proceeds in a Gateway Traditional IRA. The deposit must be
delivered in person to Gateway, or mailed to The Gateway Trust at the above
address within 60 days of when the investor receives the distribution. The
employer's plan must withhold 20% of the taxable amount for federal income tax
if the investor chooses a 60-day rollover for the distribution.

         Some portions of distributions from other IRAs or from tax-qualified
profit sharing, stock bonus, pension, or annuity plans are not eligible for
regular or direct rollovers. For instance, distributions of nontaxable after-tax
employee contributions or required minimum payments made after an individual
reaches age 70 1/2 cannot be rolled over.

         To make a withdrawal from a Gateway IRA, an investor should contact
Shareholder Services at (800) 354-6339.

         The rules for contributing to, investing under, and distributing from
IRAs are complex, and any investor should consult with his or her own tax
adviser if he or she has any questions with respect to IRAs and to determine if
there have been any recent changes to the rules. At the time an IRA is
established, the custodian or trustee of the IRA is required by law to provide a
disclosure statement to the individual setting forth important information
concerning IRAs.

         Further information concerning IRAs can be obtained from any district
office of the Internal Revenue Service. In particular, Publication 590 of the
Internal Revenue Service provides general information as to IRAs.

         No annual maintenance fees are charged by the Trust for any account,
including IRAs, SEP-IRAs, retirement, and pension or profit-sharing plans,
including 401(k) plans. The Trust reserves the right to charge annual fees in
the future. Shareholders will be notified of any change in the annual fee
arrangement.

SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PROGRAM

         If the value of a shareholder's account is at least $5,000, the
shareholder can request withdrawals on either a monthly or a quarterly basis in
the minimum amount of $100. The Trust makes no recommendation as to the minimum
amount to be periodically withdrawn by a shareholder. A sufficient number of
shares in the shareholder's account will be sold periodically (normally one
business day prior to each withdrawal payment date) to meet the requested
withdrawal payments.

         If a shareholder participates in the Systematic Withdrawal Program, all
dividends and distributions on shares held in the account will be reinvested in
additional shares at net asset value. Since the withdrawal payments represent
the proceeds from sales of the fund shares, there will be a reduction, and there
could even be an eventual depletion, of the amount invested in the funds to the
extent that withdrawal payments exceed the dividends and distributions paid and
reinvested in shares. Withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Program should
not, therefore, be considered a yield on investment. A shareholder can make
arrangements to use the Systematic Withdrawal Program (or discontinue
participation) by contacting Shareholder Services at (800) 354-6339.



                                       14
<PAGE>   16


                 ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
                 ----------------------------------------------

         Shares of all funds are purchased and redeemed at their net asset value
as next determined following receipt of the purchase order or redemption notice.
Redemptions under the Systematic Withdrawal Program and installment
distributions from IRAs are effected at the net asset value next determined on
or after the date designated for the redemption or distribution.

         In addition to orders received directly by the Trust's Servicing Agent,
The Trust has authorized various third party brokers to accept on its behalf
purchase and redemption orders. These brokers are authorized to designate other
intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Trust's behalf.
In instances where orders are taken by these brokers, the Trust will be deemed
to have received a purchase or redemption order when the authorized broker or,
if applicable, a broker's authorized designee, accepts the order. This order
will be priced at the applicable fund's net asset value next computed after it
is accepted by the authorized broker or the broker's authorized designee.

         Certificates for shares of any fund will not be issued.

         The minimum initial investment is $1,000 ($500 for IRAs). The minimum
additional investment is $100, subject to certain exceptions such as investments
by the Adviser's employees, by participants in an SEP-IRA program, and by
participants in the Automatic Investment Program. The Trust reserves the right
to accept or reject any purchase order of any fund.

         There is no minimum or maximum applicable to redemption of shares of
any fund. The Trust, however, reserves the right to redeem a shareholder's
account(s) under certain circumstances. The shareholder will receive at least 60
days' written notice prior to the redemption of the account(s).

         The Trust may redeem a shareholder's account(s) in any fund when the
aggregate value of the shareholder's account(s) falls below $800 (other than as
a result of market action). The shareholder may prevent such redemption by
increasing the value of the account(s) to $1,000 or more within the 60-day
period.

         The Trust will redeem a shareholder's account if the shareholder does
not provide a valid U. S. social security number or taxpayer identification
number or other requested documents. The shareholder may prevent such redemption
by providing the requested information within the 60-day period.

         The Trust reserves the right to terminate temporarily or permanently
the exchange privilege for any shareholder who makes an excessive number of
exchanges between funds. The shareholder will receive written notice that the
Trust intends to limit the shareholder's use of the exchange privilege.
Generally the Trust limits a shareholder to twelve exchange transactions per
calendar year. Accounts under common ownership or control, including accounts
with the same taxpayer identification number, normally will be counted as one
account for purposes of the exchange limit.

         The Trust also reserves the right to terminate or modify the exchange
privilege or to refuse an exchange if the exchange would adversely affect a fund
involved in the exchange.

         Signature guarantees are required for all redemptions, (on the date of
receipt by the servicing agent of all necessary documents), regardless of the
amount involved, when the proceeds are to be paid to someone other than the
registered owner(s). The signature guarantee requirement may be waived by the
Trust in certain instances. The Trust also reserves the right to require a
signature guarantee on any instructions or redemptions given to the Trust for
any reason. The purpose of signature guarantees is to prevent fraudulent
redemptions which could result in losses to the Trust, the servicing agent, or
shareholders. A signature guarantee will be accepted from banks, brokers,
dealers, municipal securities dealers or brokers, government securities dealers
or brokers, credit unions (if authorized by state law), national securities
exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies, and savings
associations. Notary publics are unacceptable guarantors. The signature
guarantees must appear either (a) on the written request for redemption; (b) on
a stock power which should specify the total number of shares to be redeemed; or
(c) on all stock certificates tendered for redemption.

         The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment
postponed (a) for any periods during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed
(other than for customary weekend and holiday closings); (b) when



                                       15
<PAGE>   17

trading in any of the markets which a fund normally utilizes is restricted as
determined by the SEC; (c) if any emergency exists as defined by the SEC so that
disposal of investments or determination of a fund's net asset value is not
reasonably practicable; or (d) for such other periods as the SEC by order may
permit for protection of the Trust's shareholders.

         The Trust has elected to be governed by Rule18f-1 of the Investment
Company Act which obligates each fund to redeem shares in cash with respect to
any one shareholder during any 90-day period up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1%
of the assets of the fund. Although payment for redeemed shares generally will
be made in cash, under abnormal circumstances the Board of Trustees of the Trust
may determine to make payment in securities owned by the fund. In such event,
the securities will be selected in such manner as the Board of Trustees deems
fair and equitable, in which case brokerage and other costs may be incurred by
such redeeming shareholders in the sale or disposition of their securities. To
date, all redemptions have been made in cash.

         The Trust reserves the right to modify or terminate any purchase,
redemption, or other shareholder service procedure upon notice to shareholders.

         Purchases and redemptions generally may be effected only on days when
the stock and options exchanges are open for trading. These exchanges are closed
on Saturdays and Sundays and the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin
Luther King, Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence
Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.

                     INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
                     --------------------------------------

GATEWAY INVESTMENT ADVISERS, L.P.

         Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P., (the "Adviser"), a Delaware limited
partnership, has acted as the investment adviser for the funds since December
15, 1995. Gateway Investment Advisers, Inc. ("GIA") provided investment advisory
services to the funds from their formation until December 15, 1995. The Adviser
became the successor in interest to the assets, business, and personnel of GIA
which was organized in June 1977. GIA is the general partner of the Adviser with
a 76% ownership interest, while Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated ("ABII") is
a limited partner with a 15% ownership interest. ABII is an affiliate of DB
Alex. Brown LLC, a nationally known investment banking firm and registered
broker/dealer located in Baltimore, Maryland. Walter G. Sall, Chairman and a
Trustee of the Trust, and J. Patrick Rogers, the portfolio manager of the Funds,
and President and a Trustee of the Trust, together own of record and
beneficially 99.85% of the outstanding shares of GIA and thereby control the
Adviser. Mr. Sall is Chairman and a director of GIA and Mr. Rogers is its
President and a director. The third director of GIA is Margaret-Mary V. Preston
who is employed by DB Alex. Brown LLC as a Managing Director.

GATEWAY FUND MANAGEMENT AGREEMENT

         The Trust has retained the Adviser under an investment advisory
contract (the "Management Agreement") to act as investment manager and in such
capacity supervise the investments of the Gateway Fund, subject to the policies
and control of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Management Agreement for the
Gateway Fund became effective January 1, 1999. Services were provided by the
Adviser under an investment advisory contract beginning December 15, 1995, and
previously by GIA under a similar contract prior to December 15, 1995.

         Pursuant to the Management Agreement, the Adviser, at its sole expense,
provides the Fund with (i) investment recommendations regarding such fund's
investments; (ii) office space, telephones, and other office equipment; and
(iii) clerical and secretarial staff and the services, without additional
compensation, of all officers of the Trust. In addition, the Adviser has agreed
to bear (i) expenses incurred in connection with association membership dues,
except the annual dues of the Trust for its membership in the Investment Company
Institute, which shall be paid by the Trust; (ii) expenses of printing and
distributing all Fund registration statements, prospectuses and reports to
current Fund shareholders; (iii) costs of printing and transmitting reports to
governmental agencies; and (iv) printing and mailing costs. The Management
Agreement further provides that under certain circumstances the Adviser may
cause each fund to pay brokerage commissions in order to enable the Adviser to
obtain brokerage and research services for its use in advising such fund and the
Adviser's other clients, provided that the amount of commission is determined by
the Adviser, in good faith and in the best interests of the Fund, to be
reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided.



                                       16
<PAGE>   18

         The Management Agreement provides that all expenses not specifically
assumed by the Adviser which may be incurred in the operation of the Trust and
the offering of its shares will be borne by the Trust. Such expenses will be
allocated among the Funds in the Trust by direction of the Board of Trustees,
most frequently on the basis of expenses incurred by each fund, but where that
is not practicable on such basis as the Trustees determine to be appropriate.
Expenses to be borne by the Trust include:

   -        expenses of continuing the Trust's existence;
   -        fees and expenses of trustees not employed by the Adviser;
   -        expenses incurred by the Fund pursuant to the Fund's Distribution
            Plan;
   -        expenses of registering or qualifying the Trust or its shares under
            federal and various state laws and maintaining and updating such
            registrations and qualifications on a current basis;
   -        interest expenses, taxes, fees, and commissions of every kind;
            expenses of issue, including cost of share certificates;
   -        repurchases and redemption of shares;
   -        charges and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, fund
            accountants, shareholder servicing agents, dividend disbursing
            agents, and registrars;
   -        expenses of valuing shares of each fund;
   -        auditing, accounting, and legal expenses;
   -        expenses of shareholder meetings and proxy solicitations therefore;
   -        insurance expenses;
   -        membership fees of the Investment Company Institute;
   -        and all "extraordinary expenses" as may arise, including all losses
            and liabilities in administrating the Trust; expenses incurred in
            connection with litigation proceedings and claims and the legal
            obligations of the Trust to indemnify its officers, trustees, and
            agents with respect thereto.

         A majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the
trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940) of any party to the Adviser Contracts, voting separately, shall
determine which expenses shall be characterized as "extraordinary expenses."

         In return for the services and facilities furnished by the Adviser
under the Management Agreement, the Gateway Fund pays the Adviser a management
fee (the "Management Fee") at (a) the annual rate of 0.925% of the average value
of the daily net assets of the Fund; minus (b) the amount of the Fund's expenses
incurred pursuant to its Distribution Plan. In addition, as long as the Adviser
is providing transfer agency, fund accounting, and other services pursuant to
the Services Agreement with the Trust dated January 1, 1998, the Adviser shall
receive no separate compensation for such services with respect to the Gateway
Fund during the term of the Management Agreement.

         If total expenses of the Fund for any fiscal year (including the
Adviser's compensation, but exclusive of taxes, interest, brokerage commissions,
and any "extraordinary expenses" determined as above described) exceed the
specified percentage of the Fund's average daily net asset value for such year,
the Management Agreement requires the Adviser to bear all such excess expenses
up to the amount of the Management Fee. The applicable expense limitation
percentage for the Fund is 1.50% of the Fund's average daily net asset value.
Each month the Management Fee is determined and the Fund's expenses are
projected. If the Fund's projected expenses are in excess of the above-stated
expense limitations, the Management Fee paid to the Adviser will be reduced by
the amount of the excess expenses, subject to an annual adjustment; provided,
however, that the aggregate annual reduction from the Adviser to the Fund shall
not exceed the aggregate Management Fee paid by the Fund to the Adviser for the
year.

GATEWAY SMALL CAP INDEX FUND INVESTMENT ADVISORY CONTRACT

         The Trust has retained the Adviser under an investment advisory
contract (the "Adviser Contract") to act as investment manager and in such
capacity supervise the investments of the Gateway Small Cap Index Fund, subject
to the policies and control of the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser
Contract for the Small Cap Index Fund became effective December 15, 1995.
Services were provided by GIA under a substantially identical contract prior to
this date.

         Pursuant to the Adviser Contract, the Adviser, at its sole expense,
provides the Fund with (i) investment recommendations regarding such fund's
investments; (ii) office space, telephones, and other office equipment; and




                                       17
<PAGE>   19

(iii) clerical and secretarial staff and the services, without additional
compensation, of all officers of the Trust. In addition, the Adviser has agreed
to bear (i) advertising and other marketing expenses in connection with the sale
of the shares of the funds; (ii) expenses of printing and distributing
prospectuses and related documents to prospective shareholders; and (iii)
association membership dues (other than for the Investment Company Institute).
The Adviser Contract further provides that under certain circumstances the
Adviser may cause each fund to pay brokerage commissions in order to enable the
Adviser to obtain brokerage and research services for its use in advising such
fund and the Adviser's other clients, provided that the amount of commission is
determined by the Adviser, in good faith and in the best interests of the Fund,
to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided.

         The Adviser Contract provides that all expenses not specifically
assumed by the Adviser which may be incurred in the operation of the Trust and
the offering of its shares will be borne by the Trust. Such expenses will be
allocated among the funds in the Trust by direction of the Board of Trustees,
most frequently on the basis of expenses incurred by each fund, but where that
is not practicable on such basis as the Trustees determine to be appropriate.
Expenses to be borne by the Trust include:

   -        fees and expenses of trustees not employed by the Adviser;
   -        expenses of printing and distributing prospectuses to current
            shareholders of the Trust;
   -        expenses pertaining to registering or qualifying the Trust or its
            shares under various federal and state laws, and maintaining and
            updating such registrations and qualifications;
   -        interest expense, taxes, fees, and commissions (including brokerage
            commissions) of every kind;
   -        expenses related to repurchases and redemptions of shares;
   -        charges and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, dividend
            disbursing agents, and registrars;
   -        expenses of valuing shares of each fund;
   -        printing and mailing costs other than those expressly assumed by the
            Adviser;
   -        auditing, accounting, and legal expenses;
   -        expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of reports to
            shareholders and governmental agencies;
   -        expenses of shareholder meetings and proxy solicitations;
   -        insurance expenses;
   -        all "extraordinary expenses" which may arise, including all losses
            and liabilities incurred in connection with litigation proceedings
            and claims, and the legal obligations of the Trust to indemnify its
            officers, trustees, and agents with respect thereto.

         A majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the
trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940) of any party to the Adviser Contracts, voting separately, shall
determine which expenses shall be characterized as "extraordinary expenses."

         In return for the services and facilities furnished by the Adviser
under the Adviser Contract, the Small Cap Index Fund pays the Adviser an
advisory fee (the "Advisory Fee") computed at an annual rate of 0.90% of the
first $50 million of the average daily net asset value of such fund, 0.70% of
such asset value in excess of $50 million and less than $100 million, and 0.60%
of such asset value in excess of $100 million.

         If total expenses of the Fund for any fiscal year (including the
Adviser's compensation, but exclusive of taxes, interest, brokerage commissions,
and any "extraordinary expenses" determined as above described) exceed the
specified percentage of the Fund's average daily net asset value for such year,
the Adviser Contract requires the Adviser to bear all such excess expenses up to
the amount of the Advisory Fee. The applicable expense limitation percentage for
the Fund is 2.00% of the Fund's average daily net asset value. Each month the
Advisory Fee is determined and the Fund's expenses are projected. If the Fund's
projected expenses are in excess of the above-stated expense limitations, the
Advisory Fee paid to the Adviser will be reduced by the amount of the excess
expenses, subject to an annual adjustment; provided, however, that the aggregate
annual reduction from the Adviser to the Fund shall not exceed the aggregate
Advisory Fee paid by the Fund to the Adviser for such year.




                                       18
<PAGE>   20


         The following table shows the Advisory Fees earned by the Adviser (or
GIA) for providing services to the funds under the then-current investment
advisory contracts. It also shows the amount of the fees waived by the Adviser
for the years ended December 31, 1999, 1998 and 1997.

      FEE AND WAIVER            GATEWAY FUND          SMALL CAP INDEX FUND

     1999 Fee Earned             $4,048,147                  $129,346
     1999 Fee Waived                      0                    81,545
                                 ----------                  ---------
     1999 Fee Paid               $4,048,147                  $ 47,801
                                 ==========                  =========
     1998 Fee Earned             $2,382,457                  $140,709
     1998 Fee Waived                      0                    63,744
                                 ----------                  ---------
     1998 Fee Paid               $2,382,547                  $ 76,965
                                 ==========                  =========
     1997 Fee Earned             $1,530,637                  $118,875
     1997 Fee Waived                      0                    73,783
                                 ----------                  ---------
     1997 Fee Paid               $1,530,637                  $ 45,092
                                 ==========                  =========

         The Management Agreement and the Adviser Contract further provide that
in the absence of willful misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless
disregard of its duties or obligations thereunder, the Adviser is not liable to
the Trust or any of its shareholders for any act or omission by the Adviser. The
Management Agreement and the Adviser Contract contemplate that the Adviser may
act as an investment manager or adviser for others.

         The Management Agreement and the Adviser Contract may be amended at any
time by the mutual consent of the parties thereto, provided that such consent on
the part of the Trust shall have been approved by the vote of a majority of the
Trust's Board of Trustees, including the vote cast in person by a majority of
the trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment
Company Act of 1940) of any party to the Adviser Contracts, and by vote of the
shareholders of the applicable fund.

         The Management Agreement and the Adviser Contract may be terminated,
upon 60 days' written notice (which notice may be waived) at any time without
penalty (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Trust; (ii) by the vote of a
majority of the outstanding voting securities of the applicable fund; or (iii)
by the Adviser. Both the Management Agreement and the Adviser Contract terminate
automatically in the event of assignment (as that term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940) by the Adviser.

         The Management Agreement continues in effect until December 31, 2000
and the Adviser Contract continues in effect until December 31, 2000, and
thereafter, provided that their continuance for the funds for each renewal year
is specifically approved in advance (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or
by vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Funds, and
(ii) by vote of a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Adviser
Contracts or "interested persons" of any party to the Management Agreement or
the Adviser Contract (other than as Trustees of the Trust) by votes cast in
person at a meeting specifically called for such purposes.

DISTRIBUTION PLAN FOR THE GATEWAY FUND

         A Distribution Plan pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company
Act (the "Plan") became effective on January 1, 1999 for the Gateway Fund. Under
the Plan, the Trust may, directly or indirectly, engage in any activities
related to the distribution of shares of the Fund, which activities may include,
but are not limited to, the following: (a) payments to securities dealers and
others that are engaged in the sale of shares, that may be advising shareholders
of the Fund regarding the Fund, that hold shares for shareholders in omnibus
accounts or as shareholders of record, or that provide shareholder support or
administrative services to the Fund and its shareholders; (b) expenses of
maintaining personnel who engage in or support distribution; (c) costs of
preparing, printing, and distributing prospectuses and statements of additional
information and reports of the Fund for recipients other than existing
shareholders of the Fund; (d) costs of formulating and implementing marketing
and



                                       19
<PAGE>   21

promotional activities; and (e) costs of preparing, printing, and distributing
sales literature. The expenditures to be made by the Trust pursuant to the
Distribution Plan and the basis upon which payment of such expenditures will be
made is determined by the Trustees, but in no event may such expenditures exceed
in any fiscal year an amount calculated at the rate of 0.50% of the average
daily net asset value of the Fund. For 1999, expenses under the Plan amounted to
0.31% of the average daily net asset value of the Fund.

         Any amendment that materially increases the amount of expenditures
permitted under the Plan must be approved by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding voting securities of the Gateway Fund. The Plan may be terminated at
any time by the vote of a majority of (i) the Trustees who are not "interested
persons" of the Trust (as defined in the Investment Company Act) and who have no
direct or indirect financial interest in the operation of the Plan or (ii) the
outstanding voting securities of the Gateway Fund. The Adviser, and Walter G.
Sall, J. Patrick Rogers and the other officers of the Trust (because of their
respective associations with the Adviser), may indirectly benefit from any
payments made pursuant to the Plan.

         It is anticipated that the Plan will significantly enhance the Fund's
ability to expand distribution which, in turn, will increase the overall assets
of the Fund, thus realizing further economies of scale which ultimately benefit
Fund shareholders.

CUSTODIAN

         Firstar Bank, N.A., 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, acts as
custodian of the Trust's assets (the "Custodian"). Under Custody Agreements with
the Funds, the Custodian holds the Funds' securities and keeps all necessary
accounts and records The Custodian has no part in determining the investment
policies of any fund or which securities are to be purchased or sold by any
fund.

SHAREHOLDER SERVICING, TRANSFER, DIVIDEND DISBURSING, AND FINANCIAL SERVICING
AGENT

         The Adviser is the Trust's Shareholder Servicing, Transfer, Dividend
Disbursing, and Financial Servicing Agent (the "Servicing Agent"). The Adviser's
mailing address for its activities as Servicing Agent is The Gateway Trust,
Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600, Cincinnati, OH 45209. As Transfer
Agent for the Trust, the Servicing Agent's general duties include transferring
shares, processing applications for new accounts, depositing the payments for
the purchase of fund shares with the Custodian, and notifying the Trust and
Custodian of such deposits. The Servicing Agent opens and maintains a bookshare
account for each shareholder as set forth in the subscription application,
maintains records of each shareholder account, and sends confirmation of shares
purchased to each shareholder. The Servicing Agent also receives and processes
requests by shareholders for redemption of shares. If the shareholder request
complies with the redemption standards of the Trust, the Servicing Agent will
direct the Custodian to pay the appropriate redemption price. If the redemption
request does not comply with such standards, the Servicing Agent will promptly
notify the shareholder of the reasons for rejecting the redemption request.

         As the Dividend Disbursing Agent for the Trust, the Servicing Agent,
upon notification of the declaration of a dividend or distribution, will
determine the total number of shares issued and outstanding as of the record
date for the dividend or distribution and the amount of cash required to satisfy
such dividend or distribution. The Servicing Agent will prepare and mail to
shareholders dividend checks in the amounts to which they are entitled. In the
case of shareholders participating in the dividend reinvestment plan, the
Servicing Agent will make appropriate credits to their bookshare accounts.
Shareholders will be notified by the Servicing Agent of any dividends or
distributions to which they are entitled, including any amount of additional
shares purchased with their dividends. In addition, the Servicing Agent will
prepare and file with the Internal Revenue Service and with any state, as
directed by the Trust, returns for reporting dividends and distributions paid by
such fund.

         The Servicing Agent, as the Shareholder Servicing Agent, will open and
maintain any plan or program for shareholders in accordance with the terms of
such plans or programs (see "SHAREHOLDER SERVICES" herein). With regard to the
Systematic Withdrawal Program, the Servicing Agent will process such Systematic
Withdrawal Program orders as are duly executed by shareholders and will direct
appropriate payments to be made by the Custodian to the shareholder. In
addition, the Servicing Agent will process such accumulation plans, group
programs, and other plans or programs for investing shares as provided in the
Funds' current prospectuses.

         The Small Cap Index Fund reimburses the Servicing Agent for printing,
mailing, and compliance expenses. The Gateway Fund reimburses the Servicing
Agent for compliance expenses. The Small Cap Index Fund



                                       20
<PAGE>   22

compensates the Servicing Agent for these services at a fixed rate of $4,000 per
month, plus the greater of $2,500 per month or an annual rate of 0.20% of the
Fund's average net assets. Beginning January 1, 1999, pursuant to the Gateway
Fund Management Agreement, the Servicing Agent receives no compensation for its
services to Gateway Fund. For the year ended December 31, 1999, the Adviser was
paid $173,196 in its capacity as Servicing Agent to the Gateway Small Cap Index
Fund and the Cincinnati Fund.

                                    BROKERAGE
                                    ---------

         Transactions on stock and option exchanges involve the payment of
negotiated brokerage commissions. In the case of securities traded in the
over-the-counter market, there is generally no stated commission but the price
usually includes an undisclosed commission or mark-up.

         In effecting portfolio transactions for each fund, the Adviser is
obligated to seek best execution, which is to execute a fund's transaction where
the most favorable combination of price and execution services are available
("best execution"), except to the extent that it may be permitted to pay higher
brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as described below. In
seeking best execution, the Adviser, in each fund's best interest, considers all
relevant factors, including:

   -        price;
   -        the size of the transaction;
   -        the nature of the market for the security;
   -        the amount of commission;
   -        the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and
            trends;
   -        the reputation, experience, and financial stability of the
            broker-dealer involved;
   -        the quality of service rendered by the broker-dealer in other
            transactions.

         Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. and subject to seeking best execution and such other
factors as the Trustees may determine, the Adviser may consider sales of shares
of a fund as a factor in the selection of broker-dealers to execute securities
transactions for such fund. Closing option transactions are usually effected
through the same broker-dealer that executed the opening transaction.

         The Trust has no obligation to deal with any broker or dealer in the
execution of its transactions. However DB Alex. Brown LLC, or any of its
affiliates ("Alex. Brown"), in its capacity as a registered broker-dealer, has,
from time to time, and will effect securities transactions which are executed on
a national securities exchange and over-the-counter transactions conducted on an
agency basis. Such transactions are executed at competitive commission rates.

         Transactions in the over-the-counter market can be placed directly with
market makers who act as principals for their own account and include mark-ups
in the prices charged for over-the-counter securities. Transactions in the
over-the-counter market can also be placed with broker-dealers who act as agents
and charge brokerage commissions for effecting over-the-counter transactions.
The Trust may place its over-the-counter transactions either directly with
principal market makers, or with broker-dealers if that is consistent with the
Adviser's obligation to obtain best qualitative execution. Under the Investment
Company Act of 1940, persons affiliated with an affiliate of the Adviser (such
as Alex. Brown) may be prohibited from dealing with the Trust as a principal in
the purchase and sale of securities. Therefore, Alex. Brown will not serve as
the Trust's dealer in connection with over-the-counter transactions. However,
Alex. Brown may serve as the Trust's broker in over-the-counter transactions
conducted on an agency basis and will receive brokerage commissions in
connection with such transactions.

         The Trust will not effect any brokerage transactions in its portfolio
securities with Alex. Brown if such transactions would be unfair or unreasonable
to the Trust's shareholders, and the commissions will be paid solely for the
execution of trades and not for any other services. In determining the
commissions to be paid to Alex. Brown, it is the policy of the Trust that such
commissions will, in the judgment of the Trust's Board of Trustees, be (a) at
least as favorable to the Trust as those which would be charged by other
qualified brokers having comparable execution capability, and (b) at least as
favorable to the Trust as commissions contemporaneously charged by Alex. Brown
on comparable transactions for its most favored unaffiliated customers, except
for customers of Alex. Brown considered by a majority of the Trust's
disinterested trustees not to be comparable to the Trust. The disinterested
trustees from time to time review, among other things, information relating to
the commissions charged by Alex. Brown to a fund and its other customers, and
other information concerning the commissions charged by other qualified brokers.
It is



                                       21
<PAGE>   23

not contemplated that brokerage transactions will be effected exclusively
through Alex. Brown. The Adviser may from time to time use other brokers,
including brokers that provide research services as discussed below.

         While the Adviser does not intend to limit the placement of orders to
any particular broker or dealer, the Adviser generally gives preference to those
brokers or dealers who are believed to give best execution at the most favorable
prices and who also provide research, statistical, or other services to the
Adviser and/or the Trust. Commissions charged by brokers who provide these
services may be higher than commissions charged by those who do not provide
them. Higher commissions are paid only if the Adviser determines that they are
reasonable in relation to the value of the services provided, and it has
reported to the Board of Trustees of the Trust on a periodic basis to that
effect. The availability of such services was taken into account in establishing
the Advisory Fee. Specific research services furnished by brokers through whom
the Trust effects securities transactions may be used by the Adviser in
servicing all of its accounts. Similarly, specific research services furnished
by brokers who execute transactions for other Adviser clients may be used by the
Adviser for the benefit of the Trust.

         The Adviser has an agreement with Bridge Information Systems, Inc.
("Bridge") and an agreement with S&P Securities to direct brokerage transactions
to them in exchange for research services provided to the Adviser. For the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Trust paid brokerage commissions to
Bridge of $171,451 for effecting brokerage transactions totaling $201,929,650.
During the same period, the Trust paid brokerage commissions to S&P Securities
of $25,840 for effecting brokerage transactions totaling $47,266,728. The
Adviser may from time to time enter into similar agreements with other brokers.
         The Adviser Contracts provide that, subject to such policies as the
Trustees may determine, the Adviser may cause a fund to pay a broker-dealer who
provides brokerage and research services to the Adviser an amount of commission
for effecting a securities transaction for such fund in excess of the amount of
commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for effecting that
transaction. As provided in Section 28(e) of the Securities Exchange Act of
1934, "brokerage and research services" include:

   -        advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing
            in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of
            securities, or purchasers, or sellers of securities;
   -        furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries,
            securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and
            performance of accounts;
   -        effecting securities transactions and performing functions
            incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement);
   -        services that provide lawful and appropriate assistance to the
            Adviser in the performance of its investment decision-making
            responsibilities.

         The following table shows the brokerage commissions paid by the funds
in the years ended December 31, 1999, 1998 and 1997.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

       NAME OF FUND           1999 COMMISSIONS       1998 COMMISSIONS       1997 COMMISSIONS

<S>                                 <C>                 <C>                       <C>
Gateway Fund                        $936,090            $1,052,719                $570,068
Small Cap Index Fund               $  33,366          $     22,665               $  24,496
</TABLE>


         The increased level paid by the Gateway Fund from 1997 through 1999 is
attributable to an overall increase in total assets during those years.

         The Gateway Fund paid a total of $53,971 of brokerage commissions to DB
Alex. Brown LLC for the year ended December 31, 1999 or 5.8% of the entire
amount of commissions paid to all brokers for this Fund. The aggregate amount of
transactions involving the payment of these commissions is $67,259,823, or 6.5%
of the entire amount of transactions effected through all brokers combined for
this Fund. For the same year, The Gateway Fund paid a total of $300,760 of
brokerage commissions to Deutsche Bank or 32.1% of the entire amount of
commissions paid to all brokers for this Fund. The aggregate amount of
transactions involving the payment of these commissions is $256,087,206, or
24.7% of the entire amount of transactions effected through all brokers combined
for this Fund. The Gateway Fund paid a total of $258,373 of brokerage
commissions to BT Alex. Brown Incorporated for the year ended December 31, 1998
or 24.5% of the entire amount of commissions paid to all brokers for this Fund.
The aggregate amount of transactions involving the payment of these commissions
is $215,686,511, or 31% of the entire amount of transactions effected through
all brokers combined for this Fund. For the year ended December 31, 1997, the
Fund paid a total of $1,750 of brokerage commissions to BT Alex. Brown
Incorporated or 0.30% of the entire



                                       22
<PAGE>   24

amount of commissions paid to all brokers for the Fund. The aggregate amount of
transactions involving the payment of these commissions was $1,339,775, or 0.21%
of the entire amount of transactions effected through all brokers combined for
this Fund.

                                 CODE OF ETHICS
                                 --------------

         The Gateway Trust and Gateway Investment Advisers L.P. have each
adopted a Code of Ethics which permit employees subject to the codes to invest
in securities, including securities that may be purchased or held by the Gateway
Fund or Gateway Small Cap Index Fund, on a limited basis.

                             ADDITIONAL TAX MATTERS
                             ----------------------

         The tax discussion set forth below and in the prospectuses is included
for general information only. Prospective investors should consult their own tax
advisers concerning the tax consequences of an investment in a fund.

FEDERAL TAX MATTERS

         Each of the funds is treated as a separate association taxable as a
corporation. The following information, therefore, applies to each fund
separately unless otherwise specifically stated.

         Each fund has met, and each of the funds in the future intends to meet,
the requirements of the Internal Revenue Code, applicable to regulated
investment companies so as to qualify for the special tax treatment afforded to
such companies. Under Subchapter M of the Code, a regulated investment company
is not subject to federal income tax on the portion of its net investment income
and net realized capital gains which it distributes currently to its
shareholders, provided that certain distribution requirements are met, including
the requirement that at least 90% of the sum of its net investment income and
net short-term capital gains in any fiscal year is so distributed. In addition
to this distribution requirement, one of the principal tests which each fund
must meet in each fiscal year in order to qualify as a regulated investment
company is the "90% Test." The 90% Test requires that at least 90% of a fund's
gross income must be derived from dividends, interest, and gains from the sale
or other disposition of securities, including gains from options.

         Gains realized from transactions on put and call options (other than
options on securities indexes) generally will be long term or short term,
depending on the nature of the option transaction and on the length of time the
option is owned by the fund.

         Long-term capital gain distributions (i.e., the excess of any net
long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), after utilization
of available capital loss carryforwards, are taxable as long-term capital gains
whether received in cash or additional shares, regardless of how long the
shareholder has held his or her shares, and are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction for corporations. Distributions of long-term
capital gains which are offset by available loss carryforwards, however, may be
taxable as ordinary income.

         Distributions on shares of any fund received shortly after their
purchase, although substantially in effect a return of capital, are subject to
federal income taxes.

         The tax status of distributions made by each fund during the fiscal
year will be sent to shareholders shortly after the end of such year. Each
prospective investor is advised to consult his or her own tax adviser.
Distributions of net investment income are taxable as ordinary income subject to
allowable exclusions and deductions. Distributions of capital gains are taxable
at either ordinary or long-term capital gains rates, as appropriate, except that
all such gains are normally taxable as ordinary income to the extent they are
offset by capital loss carryforwards.

STATE AND LOCAL TAX ASPECTS

         The laws of several state and local taxing authorities vary with
respect to taxation, and each prospective investor is advised to consult his or
her own tax adviser as to the status of his or her shares and distributions in
respect of those shares under state and local tax laws.




                                       23
<PAGE>   25

                       TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
                       ----------------------------------

         The Board of Trustees is generally responsible for management of the
business and affairs of the Trust. The Trustees formulate the general policies
of the Trust, approve contracts, and authorize the Trust officers to carry out
the decisions of the Board.

         Under the Trust's Second Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, no
annual or regular meetings of shareholders are required. As a result, the
Trustees will continue in office until resignation, retirement, death, or
removal. Trustee vacancies normally are filled by vote of the remaining
Trustees. If at any time less than a majority of the Trustees in office have
been elected by the shareholders, the Trustees must call a shareholder meeting
for the purpose of electing Trustees.

         The Trustees and officers of the Trust, together with information as to
their positions with the Trust and its predecessor, Gateway Option Income Fund,
Inc. (the "Company") and their principal occupations during at least the past
five years, are listed below.

         *WALTER GENE SALL, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH 45209; Chairman and Trustee of the Trust; Chairman of the
Adviser; various senior management positions and offices held with the Trust,
the Company, and the Adviser since 1977. Age 55.

         *J. PATRICK ROGERS, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH 45209; Trustee of the Trust since December 1998; President of the
Trust since 1997; President of the Adviser since 1995; portfolio manager of the
Funds since 1997; co-portfolio manager of the Funds from 1995 to 1997; various
senior management positions and offices held with the Trust and the Adviser
since 1989. Age 36.

         JAMES M. ANDERSON, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet
Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229; Trustee of the Trust since April 1997; Children's
Hospital Medical Center, President and Chief Executive Officer since November
1996, Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1992 through 1996, and Trustee
since 1979; Taft Stettinius & Hollister (law firm), Partner from 1982 to
November 1996; Access Corporation (software distributor), Secretary from 1985 to
1996, Consultant from 1996 to 1997, and Director 1997 to 1998; Cincinnati Stock
Exchange, Trustee since 1978; River City Insurance Limited, Director since 1991.
Age 58.

         STEFEN F. BRUECKNER, 12010 Colliers Reserve Drive, Naples, FL 34110;
Trustee of the Trust since October 1992; President and Chief Executive Officer,
ProMutual Group (a professional liability insurance company) from 1998 to 2000;
Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Anthem Companies, Inc. (health
insurer) 1995 to 1998; Director and President of Community Mutual Insurance
Company (health insurer) from 1991 to 1995, and various management positions
from 1986 to 1991. Age 50.

         KENNETH A. DRUCKER, Sequa Corp., 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166;
Director of the Company from January 1984 to May 1986; Trustee of the Trust
since April 1986; Vice President and Treasurer, Sequa Corporation (gas turbine
and industrial equipment) since November 1987. Age 54.

         BEVERLY J. FERTIG, 8591 Woodbriar Drive, Sarasota, FL 34238; Trustee of
the Trust since September 1988; arbitrator, National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., since January 1992; Vice President, Marketing and Communications,
Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange from January 1989 to December 1991; Executive
Director, National Institutional Options and Futures Society, March 1988 to
December 1988; prior thereto, Vice President, Institutional Marketing, Chicago
Board Options Exchange. Age 69.

         R. S. (DICK) HARRISON, 4040 Mt. Carmel Road, Cincinnati, OH 45244;
Director of the Company from 1977 to 1982; Trustee of the Trust since April
1996; Director/Chairman of the Board, Baldwin Piano & Organ Company from 1994 to
1997; Chairman of the Board/CEO, Baldwin Piano & Organ Company from 1983 to
1994. Prior thereto, various management positions with Baldwin Piano & Organ
Company, Cincinnati, OH. Director of Anderson Bank of Cincinnati, OH and Trustee
of Kenyon College. Age 67.

         WILLIAM HARDING SCHNEEBECK, 251 Indian Harbor Road, Vero Beach, FL
32963; Director of the Company from September 1977 to May 1986; Trustee of the
Trust since April 1986; retired, formerly Chairman of Midwestern Fidelity Corp.
Age 70.



                                       24
<PAGE>   26

         JAMES E. SCHWAB, XTEK, Inc., 11451 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH
45241-2283; Trustee of the Trust since December 1998; President of XTEK, Inc. (a
manufacturing company), from November 1995 to present, Vice President of XTEK,
Inc. from October 1994 to November 1995; various executive positions with
American Financial Corporation and its affiliates from 1985 to 1994, including
Senior Vice President of General Cable Corporation from 1992 to 1994 and Senior
Vice President of the Penn Central Corporation (now called the American
Financial Group) from 1989 to 1992. Age 56.

         *GARY H. GOLDSCHMIDT, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH 45209, Vice President and Treasurer of the Trust since April
2000; Controller, Gateway Investment Advisers L.P. since December 1999, Vice
President/Financial Reporting Manager for Countrywide Fund Services, Inc., a
mutual fund service provider, from December 1993 to December 1999. Age 37

         *GEOFFREY KEENAN, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH 45209; Vice President of the Trust since April 1996; Chief
Operating Officer, Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. since December 1995;
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Gateway Investment
Advisers, Inc. since 1995; Vice President, Gateway Investment Advisers, Inc.
from 1991 to 1995. Age 41.

         *DONNA M. SQUERI, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH 45209; Secretary of the Trust since October 1995; Secretary and
General Counsel of the Adviser since September 1995; in-house counsel of
Bartlett & Co., a registered investment adviser, from October 1984 to September
1993. Age 40.

         *Messrs. Sall, Rogers, Keenan, Goldschmidt, and Ms. Squeri are
affiliated persons of the Trust and the Adviser as defined by the Investment
Company Act of 1940. Mr. Sall and Mr. Rogers are "interested persons" of the
Trust as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940.

         Messrs. Sall, Rogers, Keenan, Goldschmidt, and Ms. Squeri, each of whom
is employed by the Adviser, receive no remuneration from the Trust. Each Trustee
of the Trust other than Mr. Sall and Mr. Rogers receive fees as follows: (a) an
annual fee of $3,000, payable in equal quarterly installments for services
during each fiscal quarter; (b) a $500 base fee plus $100 per fund for each
regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees attended; and (c) $200 per
fund ($1,000 per fund for the Chairman) for each Audit Committee meeting
attended. The Trust also reimburses each Trustee for any reasonable and
necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with attendance at such
meetings. In addition, Trustees may receive attendance fees for service on other
committees.

         The following table provides information about the compensation
received by each Trustee from the Trust for the year ended December 31, 1999.

     NAME OF TRUSTEE            TOTAL COMPENSATION
                                    FROM TRUST

James M. Anderson                   $  4,600

Stefen F. Brueckner                 $  6,200

Kenneth A. Drucker                  $ 12,200

Beverly J. Fertig                   $  6,200

R. S. Harrison                      $  6,600

J. Patrick Rogers                   $      0

Walter G. Sall                      $      0

William H. Schneebeck               $  7,400

James E. Schwab                     $  6,200


SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS AND VOTING

         A meeting of shareholders must be called if shareholders holding at
least 10% of the Trust's shares



                                       25
<PAGE>   27

(or shareholders holding at least 10% of any fund's shares as to any matter
affecting only such fund) file a written request for a meeting.

         On any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders, shares are voted by
fund, unless an aggregate vote is required by the Investment Company Act of
1940. Shares are voted by fund with respect to the approval or amendment of such
fund's advisory contract. As of April 4, 2000, the Adviser held, in a fiduciary
capacity, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Small Cap Index Fund.
Thus, the Adviser may be deemed to be a control person of this Fund as of that
date. As of April 4, 2000, DB Alex. Brown LLC held more than 25% of the
outstanding shares of the Gateway Fund. Thus, DB Alex. Brown LLC may be deemed
to be a control person of this Fund as of that date.

         As of April 3, 2000, the shareholders of the Gateway Fund controlled
approximately 95.64% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. Therefore, in the
foreseeable future, when the shareholders of the Trust elect the Trustees or
vote in the aggregate on any other issue, the shareholders of the Gateway Fund
will be able to elect the Trustees or to decide the issue. Shareholders do not
have cumulative voting rights as to the election of Trustees. As a result, if a
shareholder meeting is called to elect Trustees, a majority of the shares voting
at the meeting can elect all of the Trustees.

             INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
             -------------------------------------------------------

         Arthur Andersen LLP, 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, serves as
independent public accountants of the Trust. Arthur Andersen LLP performs an
annual audit of each fund's financial statements, reviews each fund's tax
returns, and provides financial, tax, and accounting consulting services as
requested.

         The financial statements and independent auditors' report required to
be included in this SAI are incorporated herein by this reference to the Trust's
Annual Report to Shareholders for the fiscal year ended December 31, 1999.

                        PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF FUND SHARES
                        --------------------------------

GATEWAY FUND

         As of April 3, 2000, the Gateway Fund had 47,369,340.149 shares
outstanding. As of such date, each of the following persons or groups was known
by Trust management to be the record and/or beneficial owner (as defined below)
of the indicated amounts of the Fund's outstanding shares.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                 NAME AND ADDRESS                      NUMBER OF SHARES        PERCENT OF CLASS

<S>                                                       <C>                       <C>
DB Alex. Brown LLC Mutual Funds Dept.                     22,284,777                47.04%
P. O. Box 1346
Baltimore, MD  21203

Charles Schwab and Company, Inc.                           8,506,897                17.96%
Reinvest Account Special Custody Account for
Mutual Fund Department
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA  94104

Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group                269,008               Less than 1%

Adviser officers and directors as a group                     75,854               Less than 1%
</TABLE>




                                       26
<PAGE>   28

SMALL CAP INDEX FUND

         As of April 3, 2000, the Small Cap Index Fund had 1,333,594.194 shares
outstanding. As of such date, each of the following persons or groups was known
by Trust management to be the record and/or beneficial owner (as defined below)
of the indicated amounts of the Fund's outstanding shares.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

            NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER                  NUMBER OF SHARES        PERCENT OF CLASS

<S>                                                         <C>                      <C>
Andrew Wyeth                                                185,372                  13.90%
Chadds Ford, PA  19317

Up East, Inc.                                               183,958                  13.79%
c/o Betsy J. Wyeth
P. O. Box 48
Chadds Ford, PA  19317

Betsy Wyeth                                                 115,224                   8.64%
Chadds Ford, PA  19317

Charles Schwab and Company, Inc.                            101,554                   7.62%

Reinvest Account Special Custody Account for
Mutual Fund Dept.
101 Montgomery Street
San Francisco, CA

DB Alex. Brown LLC Mutual Funds Dept.                       82,082                    6.87%
P. O. Box 1346
Baltimore, MD  21203

Betsy Wyeth Growth                                          98,222                    7.37%
Chadds Ford, PA  19317

Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group               33,937                   2.54%

Adviser officers and directors as a group                    6,520               Less than 1%
</TABLE>


         The SEC has defined "beneficial owner" of a security to include any
person who has voting power or investment power with respect to any such
security, any person who shares voting power or investment power with respect to
any such security, or any person who has the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of any such security within 60 days.

SHARES HELD BY ADVISER

         As of April 3, 2000, the Adviser held in a fiduciary capacity the
indicated amounts of the outstanding shares of each fund. The Adviser has
investment and voting power over all shares held by it in a fiduciary capacity.


       NAME OF FUND            NUMBER OF SHARES       PERCENTAGE OF SHARES

Gateway Fund                       336,974                Less than 1%
Small Cap Index Fund               637,240                    47.78%



                                       27
<PAGE>   29

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                THE GATEWAY TRUST

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






                               CINCINNATI FUND(R)

                       STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
                             DATED DECEMBER 15, 2000

         This Statement is not a prospectus but should be read in conjunction
with the supplement dated May 1, 2000 to the current Prospectus of the
Cincinnati Fund dated May 1, 1999. A copy of the prospectus and supplement may
be obtained from the Fund by written or telephone request directed to the Fund
at the address or the telephone number shown below.

         The financial statements and independent auditors' report required to
be included in this SAI are incorporated herein by this reference to the annual
and semi-annual reports of the Cincinnati Fund for the fiscal year ended
December 31, 1999 and the year-to-date ended June 30, 1999, respectively.

         The prospectus of the Cincinnati Fund dated May 1, 1999 and supplement
to the prospectus dated May 1, 2000 are also incorporated herein by reference.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------






                                 P. O. BOX 5211
                           CINCINNATI, OHIO 45201-5211
                                 (800) 354-5525




--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<PAGE>   30

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                         TABLE OF CONTENTS
                                         -----------------
<S>                                                                                                            <C>
TABLE OF CONTENTS................................................................................................1

INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................2

  General Information About The Gateway Trust....................................................................2

INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS............................................................................2

  General........................................................................................................2

  Investment Restrictions........................................................................................3

PERFORMANCE AND RISK INFORMATION.................................................................................5

  Performance Information........................................................................................5

  Total Return Calculations......................................................................................5

      Historical Results.........................................................................................6

  Risk Information...............................................................................................6

      Comparative Indexes........................................................................................6

      Standard Deviation.........................................................................................7

      Beta.......................................................................................................7

  Rankings And Comparative Performance Information...............................................................7

SHAREHOLDER SERVICES.............................................................................................7

  Open Account...................................................................................................7

  Automatic Investment Program...................................................................................8

  IRAs   8

  Systematic Withdrawal Program..................................................................................9

ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION...................................................................9

INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES..........................................................................11

  Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P..............................................................................11

  Investment Advisory Contract..................................................................................11

  Custodian.....................................................................................................13

  Shareholder Servicing, Transfer, Dividend Disbursing, And Financial Servicing Agent...........................13

BROKERAGE.......................................................................................................14

  Additional Tax Matters........................................................................................15

  Federal Tax Matters...........................................................................................15

  State And Local Tax Aspects...................................................................................16

CODE OF ETHICS..................................................................................................16

TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST..............................................................................16

  Shareholder Meetings And Voting...............................................................................18

INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.........................................................18

PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF CINCINNATI FUND SHARES.....................................................................19

SCHEDULE A......................................................................................................19
</TABLE>



<PAGE>   31


                                  INTRODUCTION
                                  ------------

GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE GATEWAY TRUST

         The Gateway Trust (the "Trust") is an Ohio business trust which is
authorized to establish and operate one or more separate series of mutual funds
(herein referred to as "funds" or individually as a "fund"). Each fund has its
own investment policies, restrictions, practices, assets, and liabilities. Each
fund is represented by a separate series of shares of beneficial interest in the
Trust ("Shares"). The Trust's operation is governed by Chapter 1746 of the Ohio
Revised Code, by a Second Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated as of
December 29, 1992, as amended, and by the Trust's bylaws, as amended.

         At present, there are three series of the Trust:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                         NAME OF FUND                     DATE ORGANIZED                      FORMER NAMES

<S>                                                    <C>                     <C>
           Gateway Fund                                 1977                    Gateway Index Plus Fund until April 30,
                                                                                1998; Gateway Option Index Fund until
                                                                                March 1990; Gateway Option Income Fund
                                                                                until February 1988; Gateway Option
                                                                                Income Fund, Inc. until May 1986

           Gateway Small Cap Index Fund                 April 1993              None

           Cincinnati Fund(R)                           November 1994           None
</TABLE>


         Gateway Option Income Fund, Inc., the predecessor to the Trust, was
organized in 1977 as a Maryland corporation. It was reorganized to become the
Trust effective as of May 2, 1986, with the Gateway Option Income Fund as its
sole initial fund. As a result of the transaction, shareholders of the
corporation on May 2, 1986, became shareholders of the Option Income Fund.

         The Gateway Fund and the Gateway Small Cap Index Fund are offered in
two separate prospectuses (the "Prospectuses"). The Cincinnati Fund is offered
in a separate prospectus (the "Cincinnati Prospectus"). The Cincinnati Fund has
a separate Statement of Additional Information. The other two funds have a
combined Statement of Additional Information.

         Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. (the "Adviser") acts as the funds'
investment adviser.


                      INVESTMENT PRACTICES AND RESTRICTIONS
                      -------------------------------------

GENERAL

         The investment objective of the Cincinnati Fund (the "Fund") is to
achieve capital appreciation through investment in the common stock of companies
with an important presence in the Greater Cincinnati Area ("Cincinnati
Companies"). The Cincinnati Fund is a diversified, open-end management
investment company.

INVESTMENT PRACTICES

         The Fund attempts to achieve its objective by investing in the common
stocks of Cincinnati Companies that meet certain criteria included in a
proprietary model developed by the Adviser. These criteria include level of
employment and nature of operations in the Greater Cincinnati Area. The Adviser
has also incorporated certain industry diversification, liquidity, market
capitalization, and listing criteria into the model. The Adviser uses the
proprietary model to select the Fund's portfolio of stocks and to determine the
proportion of the Fund's assets that are invested in each stock.



                                       2
<PAGE>   32


         To be eligible for inclusion in the Fund's portfolio, a stock currently
must meet the following model criteria: (1) the stock must be issued either by a
company that employs at least fifty persons in the Greater Cincinnati Area or by
a company that maintains its corporate headquarters in the Greater Cincinnati
Area; (2) the stock must be issued by a company with a market capitalization of
$5 million or more; and, (3) the stock must be listed on a national securities
exchange, such as the New York Stock Exchange, the American Stock Exchange, or
the National Market System of the NASDAQ. The Greater Cincinnati Area, for
purposes of the model, is defined as the Cincinnati and Hamilton-Middletown
Consolidated Metropolitan Statistical Area (the "CMSA"). The CMSA includes
Hamilton, Clermont, Warren, and Butler counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, and
Kenton counties in Kentucky; and Dearborn County in Indiana.

         The Adviser rebalances the portfolio and makes appropriate adjustments
in the portfolio to reflect changes in the underlying corporate data. In
addition, the Adviser may modify the proprietary model, or the selection
criteria incorporated in the model, in response to market and economic
developments. Such modifications could result in changes to the composition of
the Fund's portfolio.

The Cincinnati Fund may hold cash for purposes of liquidity or for temporary
defensive purposes. The Fund generally will hold cash reserves for the purpose
of paying expenses and share redemptions and may hold cash received from the
sale of the Fund's shares which has not yet been invested. In addition, the
Adviser may determine from time to time that, for temporary defensive purposes,
the Fund should reduce (and in periods of unusual market conditions reduce
substantially or liquidate entirely) its investment in common stock. For
temporary defensive purposes, the Fund may hold up to 100% of its assets in
cash.

         Cash is normally invested in repurchase agreements. Cash may also be
invested in securities of the U. S. government or any of its agencies, bankers'
acceptances, commercial paper, or certificates of deposit (collectively "cash
instruments"). Commercial paper investments will be limited to investment grade
issues rated A-1 or A-2 by Standard & Poor's or Prime-1 or Prime-2 by Moody's
Investors Service, Inc. Certificates of deposit investments will be limited to
obligations of domestic banks with assets of $1 billion or more. Under normal
conditions, the Adviser does not intend to invest more than 5% of the Fund's net
assets in any cash instruments other than repurchase agreements.

         Repurchase agreements are instruments under which the Fund buys
securities suitable for investment under its policies and obtains the concurrent
agreement of the seller (usually a bank) to repurchase such securities at an
agreed-upon date, price, and interest rate. Investments in repurchase agreements
are subject to the risk that the selling bank may default in its repurchase
obligation. However, not more than 5% of the Fund's total assets may be invested
in repurchase agreements which have a maturity longer than seven days.

INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

         The Trust has adopted certain fundamental policies with respect to the
Fund that may not be changed without a vote of shareholders of the Fund. Under
these policies, the Fund may not:

         1.     purchase any security if, as a result, the Fund (or the funds in
                the Trust together) would then hold more than 10% of any class
                of securities of an issuer (taking all common stock issues of an
                issuer as a single class, all preferred stock issues as a single
                class, and all debt issues as a single class), or more than 10%
                of the outstanding voting securities of an issuer.

         2.     purchase any security if, as a result, the Fund would then have
                more than 5% of its total assets (taken at current value)
                invested in securities of companies (including predecessors)
                less than three years old and in equity securities for which
                market quotations are not readily available.

         3.     purchase securities on margin (but the Fund may obtain such
                short-term credits as may be necessary for the clearance of
                purchase and sales of securities).



                                       3
<PAGE>   33

         4.     make short sales of securities or maintain a short position (a)
                unless, at all times when a short position is open, the Fund
                owns an equal amount of such securities or securities
                convertible into or exchangeable (without payment of any further
                consideration) for securities of the same issue as, and equal in
                amount to, the securities sold short, and (b) unless not more
                than 10% of the Fund's net assets (taken at current value) are
                held as collateral for such sales at any one time.

         It is the present intention of management to make such sales only for
                the purpose of deferring realization of gain or loss for federal
                income tax purposes.

         5.     borrow money except as a temporary measure for extraordinary or
                emergency purposes and then only from banks and only in amounts
                not in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets (except to meet
                redemption requests as discussed below), taken at the lower of
                cost or market.

                It is the present intention of management that the Fund will not
                purchase additional portfolio securities at any time when its
                borrowing exceeds 5% of its total assets. In order to meet
                redemption requests without immediately selling any portfolio
                securities, the Fund may borrow an amount up to 25% of the value
                of its total assets including the amount borrowed. If, due to
                market fluctuations or other reasons, the value of the Fund's
                assets falls below 400% of its borrowing, the Fund will reduce
                its borrowing which may result in the Fund being required to
                sell securities at a time when it may otherwise be
                disadvantageous to do so. This borrowing is not for investment
                leverage but solely to facilitate management of the portfolio by
                enabling the Fund to meet redemption requests where the
                liquidation of portfolio securities is deemed to be inconvenient
                or disadvantageous. However, the Fund might be deemed to be
                engaged in leveraging in that any such borrowing will enable the
                Fund to continue to earn money on investments which otherwise
                may have been sold in order to meet redemption requests.

         6.     pledge more than 10% of its total assets, taken at market value.

         7.     purchase or retain securities of any company if, to the
                knowledge of the Trust, officers and trustees of the Trust or of
                the Adviser who individually own more than 1/2 of 1% of the
                securities of that company together own beneficially more than
                5% of such securities.

         8.     buy or sell commodities or commodities futures or options
                contracts, or real estate or interests in real estate, although
                it may purchase and sell (a) securities which are secured by
                real estate, and (b) securities of companies which invest or
                deal in real estate.

         9.     act as underwriter except to the extent that, in connection with
                the disposition of portfolio securities, it may be deemed to be
                an underwriter under certain provisions of the federal
                securities laws.

         10.    make investments for the purpose of exercising control or
                management.

         11.    participate on a joint or joint and several basis in any trading
                account in securities.

         12.    purchase any security restricted as to disposition under the
                federal securities laws.

         13.    invest in securities of other investment companies, except as
                part of a merger, consolidation, or other acquisition.

         14.    invest in interests in oil, gas, or other mineral exploration or
                development programs, although it may invest in the common
                stocks of companies which invest in or sponsor such programs.



                                       4
<PAGE>   34

         15.    make loans, except through the purchase of bonds, debentures,
                commercial paper, corporate notes, and similar evidences of
                indebtedness of a type commonly sold privately to financial
                institutions (subject to the limitation in paragraph 12 above),
                and except through repurchase agreements.

                No more than 5% of the Fund's assets will be invested in
                repurchase agreements which have a maturity longer than seven
                days. In addition, the Fund will not enter into repurchase
                agreements with a securities dealer if such transactions
                constitute the purchase of an interest in such dealer under the
                Investment Company Act of 1940. The purchase of a portion of an
                issue of such securities distributed publicly, whether or not
                such purchase is made on the original issuance, is not
                considered the making of a loan.

         16.    purchase any security (other than U. S. government obligations)
                if, as a result thereof, less than 75% of the value of the
                Fund's total assets is represented by cash and cash items
                (including receivables), government securities, and other
                securities which, for purposes of this calculation, are limited
                in respect of any one issuer to an amount not greater in value
                than 5% of the value of the Fund's total assets and to not more
                than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of such issuer.

                All of the funds in the Trust taken as a group also must satisfy
                this 10% test.

         17.    concentrate the investments of the Fund in a single industry.

         18.    write, purchase, or sell puts, calls, or combinations thereof.

         19.    buy or sell commodities, commodities futures contracts, or
                commodities options contracts.

         The Trust has no fundamental policy with respect to the issuance of
senior securities by the Fund; however, the Investment Company Act of 1940
prohibits the Trust's issuance of any such securities.

         In addition to these fundamental policies, the Fund will not purchase
additional portfolio securities while borrowings in excess of 5% of the Fund's
total assets are outstanding. The Adviser has no current intention of causing
the Fund to borrow in excess of 5% of the Fund's total assets in the coming
year.

                        PERFORMANCE AND RISK INFORMATION
                        --------------------------------

PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

         The Fund may quote performance in various ways. All performance
information supplied by the Fund is based upon historical results and is not
intended to indicate future performance. Total returns and other performance
information may be shown numerically or in a table, graph, or similar
illustration. The Fund's share prices and total returns fluctuate in response to
market conditions, interest rates, and other factors.

TOTAL RETURN CALCULATIONS

         Total returns reflect all aspects of a fund's return, including the
effect of reinvesting dividends and capital gains distributions, and any change
in a fund's net asset value per share (the "NAV") over the period. Average
annual total returns are calculated by determining the average annual compounded
rates of return over one-, five-, and ten-year periods that would equate an
initial hypothetical investment to the ending redeemable value calculated
according to the following formula:

   P (1 + T)n = ERV where           T         =     Average annual total return
                                    N         =     Number of years and portion
                                                    of a year
                                    ERV       =     Ending redeemable value (of
                                                    an initial hypothetical
                                                    $1,000 investment) at the
                                                    end of the period
                                    P         =     $1,000 (the hypothetical
                                                    initial investment)



                                       5
<PAGE>   35

         If a fund has been in existence for less than one, five, or ten years,
the time period since the date it commenced operations will be substituted for
the periods stated.

         As a hypothetical example, a cumulative return of 100% growth on a
compounded basis in ten years would produce an average annual total return of
7.18%, which is the annual rate that would equal 100% growth on a compounded
basis in ten years. While average annual total returns are convenient means of
comparing investment alternatives, investors should realize that a fund's
performance is not constant over time, but changes from year to year, and that
average annual total returns represent averaged figures as opposed to the actual
year-to-year performance of the fund.

         Average annual total return is calculated as required by applicable
regulations promulgated by the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC").
In addition to average annual total returns, the Fund may quote year-by-year
total returns and cumulative total returns reflecting the simple change in value
of any investment over a stated period. Average annual, year-by-year, and
cumulative total returns may be quoted as a percentage or as a dollar amount.

         HISTORICAL RESULTS
         ------------------
         The following table shows the Fund's average annual and cumulative
total returns for the period ended December 31, 1999:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             ONE YEAR        FIVE YEARS         LIFE OF FUND
<S>                                            <C>                  <C>          <C>
Average Annual Total Return                   -4.13%            17.57%             16.82%

Cumulative Total Return                       -4.13%           124.63%            122.61%

</TABLE>

         The table below shows the redeemable value on December 31, 1999, for an
initial investment of $10,000 in the Fund that was made at the beginning on the
one- and five-year periods, and the commencement of the Fund's operations. The
table assumes all dividends and distributions have been reinvested in additional
shares.

       ONE YEAR            FIVE YEARS         LIFE OF FUND

        $9,587              $22,463             $22,261


RISK INFORMATION

         In evaluating the performance of any investment including the Fund, it
is important to understand the risks involved in the investment. Information
regarding the performance of an investment, while valuable in itself, is more
meaningful when it is related to the level of risk associated with that
investment. Thus, two different mutual funds that produce similar average annual
total returns may present markedly different investment opportunities if the
risk of loss associated with one mutual fund is greater than that of the other
mutual fund.

         For example, an investment in a mutual fund that invests in stocks
generally will present greater potential for variation in the share price of the
mutual fund, and hence a greater risk of gain or loss than an investment in a
mutual fund that invests in short-term U. S. government securities. Because the
potential for greater gain typically carries with it a greater degree of risk,
the advisability of an investment in a particular mutual fund for a given
investor will depend not only on historical performance of the fund but also on
the potential for gain and loss associated with that mutual fund.

         The Gateway Trust offers three different funds that produce different
total returns and present different risk potentials. The difference in risk
potential can be demonstrated by various statistical concepts. The following
statistical concepts can be used to measure some of the risks associated with an
investment in the Fund.

         COMPARATIVE INDEXES
         -------------------
         The performance and risk of the Fund may be compared to various broadly
recognized indexes such as the S&P 500 Index or the Lehman Government/Corporate
Bond Index. These comparative indexes are used because



                                       6
<PAGE>   36

they are the standard benchmarks of the stock market and bond market
respectively. The Fund's performance and risk may also be compared to other
appropriate indexes.

         STANDARD DEVIATION
         ------------------
         Standard deviation measures the volatility of the total return of the
Fund. Standard deviation is one method of comparing the total return of a fund
to the average monthly total return of the Fund. In general, a fund that has a
greater standard deviation is a fund that has displayed a greater tendency to
vary from its own average monthly total return. Standard deviation can also be
used to compare the total return of a fund to the total return of an index or
another mutual fund. By comparing the magnitude of the standard deviation of
each investment, an analyst is able to determine the relative volatility of each
investment. An investment with an expected return of 10% and a standard
deviation of 15% would be expected to earn a total return ranging from -5% to
+25% about 68% of the time, a total return ranging from -20% to +40% about 95%
of the time, and a total return ranging from -35% to +55% about 97% of the time.

         BETA
         ----
         Beta analyzes the market risk of the Fund by showing how responsive the
Fund is to the market as defined by an index. Beta is a comparative measure of
the Fund's volatility in relation to an appropriate index. Generally, higher
betas represent riskier investments. By definition, the beta of the market is
1.00. Thus, a fund with a beta higher than 1.00 is expected to perform better
than the market in up markets and worse than the market in down markets. Beta is
the slope of the "least square line" which compares the Fund with an index.

RANKINGS AND COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE INFORMATION

         The Fund may compare its performance to that of other mutual funds or
categories of mutual funds as reported by independent services such as
Morningstar, Inc., Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., and Value Line Mutual Fund
Survey, or by other financial publications with a circulation of 10,000 readers
or more.

Performance comparisons may be expressed as ratings, such as the proprietary
ratings published by Morningstar, Inc., or rankings, such as the rankings of
funds in various categories published by Lipper Analytical Services, Inc.
Performance comparisons may also be expressed as designations (such as a certain
number of "stars") or descriptions (such as "best fund") assigned by such
services or publications.

                              SHAREHOLDER SERVICES
                              --------------------

         Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. serves as the Trust's shareholder
servicing, transfer, dividend disbursing, and financial servicing agent (the
"Servicing Agent"). In this capacity, it performs various shareholder services
on behalf of the Trust.

OPEN ACCOUNT

         The Fund's regular account for investors who purchase its shares is the
Open Account. The Open Account facilitates regular purchases of Fund shares over
a period of years and provides the option of receiving dividends and
distributions either in cash or in Fund shares. Gateway does not charge for the
automatic reinvestment of dividends and distributions.

         The Servicing Agent maintains a record of the investor's purchases,
redemptions, and share balances in the investor's Open Account. Shortly after
each purchase, the Servicing Agent will mail a confirmation to the investor
showing the shares purchased, the exact price paid for the shares, and the total
number of shares owned. Share certificates will not be issued.

         Upon opening an account, the investor may elect either of the following
options: (1) reinvestment at net asset value of all distributions, or (2)
payment in cash of all distributions. If no election is made, all distributions
will be reinvested at net asset value. An election may be changed by a letter or
telephone call to the Servicing Agent. No annual maintenance fees are charged by
the Trust on any Open Account. The Trust reserves the right to charge annual
fees in the future. Shareholders will be notified of any change in the annual
fee arrangement.




                                       7
<PAGE>   37

AUTOMATIC INVESTMENT PROGRAM

         Investors can arrange to use our Automatic Investment Program by either
making the election on the New Account Application or by contacting Shareholder
Services at (800) 354-5525 for the appropriate forms. With this service,
investors purchase additional shares by having a predetermined amount of $100 or
more automatically transferred from a bank account to the Trust on a monthly or
quarterly basis. Changes to an Automatic Investment Program, including
discontinuing participation, must be in writing and sent to The Gateway Trust,
Shareholder Services, P. O. Box 5211, Cincinnati, OH 45201-5211. All changes to
the Program must be received by Gateway at least five business days prior to the
next scheduled transfer.

IRAS

         Investors may purchase shares of the Fund through Individual Retirement
Accounts ("IRAs") which are permitted to invest in shares of a mutual fund. The
Trust itself sponsors a traditional IRA (the "Gateway Traditional IRA") and a
Roth IRA (the "Gateway Roth IRA") or jointly as a "Gateway IRA". A Gateway IRA
can be adopted by an investor and is specifically designed to permit the
investor to invest in shares of any Gateway fund selected by the investor. The
custodian of the Gateway IRA is Firstar Bank, N.A. Investors can obtain forms to
establish a Gateway IRA by calling Shareholder Services at (800) 354-5525.

         An IRA is a special program with certain tax benefits that generally
permits an investor to establish and contribute to his or her own retirement
plan. For detailed information about a Gateway IRA, please refer to the
Agreement and Disclosure Statement for the appropriate Gateway IRA. Agreements
and Disclosure Statements can be obtained by calling Shareholder Services at
(800) 354-5525.

         An investor may make a direct transfer of assets from one IRA to a
Gateway IRA by directing the existing IRA custodian or trustee to transfer
directly to the Gateway IRA the amount held in that prior IRA, without directly
receiving those funds or being taxed on the transfer. There is no minimum
holding period for a direct transfer of IRA assets from one custodian or trustee
to another. Call Shareholder Services at (800) 354-5525 to obtain the
appropriate transfer form.

         A Gateway Traditional IRA is eligible to receive direct rollovers of
distributions from a qualified employer plan. An investor can make a direct
rollover by instructing the employer's plan to wire the distribution to Firstar
Bank, N.A. as custodian for a Gateway Traditional IRA. The distribution should
be wired to:

                  The Gateway Trust c/o Firstar Bank, N.A.
                  ABA #042-0000-13
                  Cincinnati, OH
                  Name (insert investor name)
                  Gateway Account No. (insert investor account number)
                  Name of Gateway fund(s) in which you wish to invest.

         An investor can also make a direct rollover to a Gateway Traditional
IRA by instructing the employer's plan to prepare a check for the amount to be
rolled over payable to "Firstar Bank, N.A., as Custodian of Individual
Retirement Account of (insert investor name)," and sending that check to
Gateway. The check can also be delivered in person to Gateway, or mailed to:

                  The Gateway Trust
                  Shareholder Services
                  P. O. Box 5211
                  Cincinnati, OH 45201-5211

         An investor can make a 60-day rollover of a distribution from a
qualified employer plan by instructing the employer's plan to prepare a check
payable to the investor and by endorsing or cashing the check and depositing
some or all of the proceeds in a Gateway Traditional IRA. The deposit must be
delivered in person to Gateway, or mailed to The Gateway Trust at the above
address within 60 days of when the investor receives the distribution. The
employer's plan must withhold 20% of the taxable amount for federal income tax
if the investor chooses a 60-day rollover for the distribution.



                                       8
<PAGE>   38

         Some portions of distributions from other IRAs or from tax-qualified
profit sharing, stock bonus, pension, or annuity plans are not eligible for
regular or direct rollovers. For instance, distributions of nontaxable after-tax
employee contributions or required minimum payments made after an individual
reaches age 70 1/2 cannot be rolled over.

         To make a withdrawal from a Gateway IRA, an investor should contact
Shareholder Services at (800) 354-5525.

         The rules for contributing to, investing under, and distributing from
IRAs are complex, and any investor should consult with his or her own tax
adviser if he or she has any questions with respect to IRAs and to determine if
there have been any recent changes to the rules. At the time an IRA is
established, the custodian or trustee of the IRA is required by law to provide a
disclosure statement to the individual setting forth important information
concerning IRAs.

         Further information concerning IRAs can be obtained from any district
office of the Internal Revenue Service. In particular, Publication 590 of the
Internal Revenue Service provides general information as to IRAs.

         No annual maintenance fees are charged by the Trust for any account,
including IRAs, SEP-IRAs, retirement, and pension or profit-sharing plans,
including 401(k) plans. The Trust reserves the right to charge annual fees in
the future. Shareholders will be notified of any change in the annual fee
arrangement.

SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PROGRAM

         If the value of a shareholder's account is at least $5,000, the
shareholder can request withdrawals on either a monthly or a quarterly basis in
the minimum amount of $100. The Trust makes no recommendation as to the minimum
amount to be periodically withdrawn by a shareholder. A sufficient number of
shares in the shareholder's account will be sold periodically (normally one
business day prior to each withdrawal payment date) to meet the requested
withdrawal payments.

         If a shareholder participates in the Systematic Withdrawal Program, all
dividends and distributions on shares held in the account will be reinvested in
additional shares at net asset value. Since the withdrawal payments represent
the proceeds from sales of fund shares, there will be a reduction, and there
could even be an eventual depletion, of the amount invested in the Fund to the
extent that withdrawal payments exceed the dividends and distributions paid and
reinvested in shares. Withdrawals under the Systematic Withdrawal Program should
not, therefore, be considered a yield on investment. A shareholder can make
arrangements to use the Systematic Withdrawal Program (or discontinue
participation) by contacting Shareholder Services at (800) 354-5525.

                 ADDITIONAL PURCHASE AND REDEMPTION INFORMATION
                 ----------------------------------------------

         Shares of the Fund are purchased and redeemed at their net asset value
as next determined following receipt of the purchase order or redemption notice.
Redemptions under the Systematic Withdrawal Program and installment
distributions from IRAs are effected at the net asset value next determined on
or after the date designated for the redemption or distribution. Information as
to the method of calculating the net asset value of shares of the Fund is
included in the Cincinnati Prospectus under the caption "How Fund Shares Are
Priced."

In addition to orders received directly by the Fund's Servicing Agent, The Fund
has authorized various third party brokers to accept on its behalf purchase and
redemption orders. These brokers are authorized to designate other
intermediaries to accept purchase and redemption orders on the Fund's behalf. In
instances where orders are taken by these brokers, the Fund will be deemed to
have received a purchase or redemption order when the authorized broker or, if
applicable, a broker's authorized designee, accepts the order. This order will
be priced at the Fund's net asset value next computed after it is accepted by
the authorized broker or the broker's authorized designee.

         Certificates for shares of the Fund will not be issued.

         The minimum initial investment is $1,000 ($500 for IRAs). The minimum
additional investment is $100, subject to certain exceptions such as investments
by the Adviser's employees, by participants in an SEP-IRA program, and by
participants in the Automatic Investment Program. The Trust reserves the right
to reject any purchase order of the Fund.




                                       9
<PAGE>   39

         There is no minimum or maximum applicable to redemption of shares of
the Fund. The Trust, however, reserves the right to redeem a shareholder's
account(s) under certain circumstances. The shareholder will receive at least 60
days' written notice prior to the redemption of the account(s).

         The Trust may redeem a shareholder's account(s) in the Fund when the
aggregate value of the shareholder's account(s) falls below $800 (other than as
a result of market action). The shareholder may prevent such redemption by
increasing the value of the account(s) to $1,000 or more within the 60-day
period.

         The Trust will redeem a shareholder's account if the shareholder does
not provide a valid U. S. social security number or taxpayer identification
number or other requested documents. The shareholder may prevent such redemption
by providing the requested information within the 60-day period.

         The Trust reserves the right to terminate temporarily or permanently
the exchange privilege for any shareholder who makes an excessive number of
exchanges between funds. The shareholder will receive written notice that the
Trust intends to limit the shareholder's use of the exchange privilege.
Generally the Trust limits a shareholder to twelve exchange transactions per
calendar year. Accounts under common ownership or control, including accounts
with the same taxpayer identification number, normally will be counted as one
account for purposes of the exchange limit.

         The Trust also reserves the right to terminate or modify the exchange
privilege or to refuse an exchange if the exchange would adversely affect a fund
involved in the exchange.

         Signature guarantees are required for all redemptions (on the date of
receipt by the Servicing Agent of all necessary documents), regardless of the
amount involved, when the proceeds are to be paid to someone other than the
registered owner(s). The signature guarantee requirement may be waived by the
Trust in certain instances. The Trust also reserves the right to require a
signature guarantee on any instructions or redemptions given to the Trust for
any reason. The purpose of signature guarantees is to prevent fraudulent
redemptions which could result in losses to the Trust, the Servicing Agent, or
shareholders. A signature guarantee will be accepted from banks, brokers,
dealers, municipal securities dealers or brokers, government securities dealers
or brokers, credit unions (if authorized by state law), national securities
exchanges, registered securities associations, clearing agencies, and savings
associations. Notary publics are unacceptable guarantors. The signature
guarantees must appear either (a) on the written request for redemption; (b) on
a stock power which should specify the total number of shares to be redeemed; or
(c) on all stock certificates tendered for redemption.

         The right of redemption may be suspended or the date of payment
postponed (a) for any periods during which the New York Stock Exchange is closed
(other than for customary weekend and holiday closings); (b) when trading in any
of the markets which the Fund normally utilizes is restricted as determined by
the SEC; (c) if any emergency exists as defined by the SEC so that disposal of
investments or determination of the Fund's net asset value is not reasonably
practicable; or (d) for such other periods as the SEC by order may permit for
protection of the Trust's shareholders.

         The Trust has elected to be governed by Rule 18f-1 of the Investment
Company Act which obligates the Fund to redeem shares in cash with respect to
any one shareholder during any 90-day period up to the lesser of $250,000 or 1%
of the assets of the Fund. Although payment for redeemed shares generally will
be made in cash, under abnormal circumstances the Board of Trustees of the Trust
may determine to make payment in securities owned by the Fund. In such event,
the securities will be selected in such manner as the Board of Trustees deems
fair and equitable, in which case brokerage and other costs may be incurred by
such redeeming shareholders in the sale or disposition of their securities. To
date, all redemptions have been made in cash.

         The Trust reserves the right to modify or terminate any purchase,
redemption, or other shareholder service procedure upon written notice to
shareholders.

         Purchases and redemptions generally may be effected only on days when
the stock exchanges are open for trading. These exchanges are closed on
Saturdays and Sundays and the following holidays: New Year's Day, Martin Luther
King Jr. Day, Presidents' Day, Good Friday, Memorial Day, Independence Day,
Labor Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.



                                       10
<PAGE>   40

                     INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES
                     --------------------------------------

GATEWAY INVESTMENT ADVISERS, L.P.

         Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. (the "Adviser"), a Delaware limited
partnership, has acted as the investment adviser for the Fund since December 15,
1995. Gateway Investment Advisers, Inc. ("GIA") provided investment advisory
services to the Fund from its formation until December 15, 1995. The Adviser
became the successor in interest to the assets, business, and personnel of GIA
which was organized in June 1977. GIA is the general partner of the Adviser with
a 76% ownership interest, while Alex. Brown Investments Incorporated ("ABII") is
a limited partner with a 15% ownership interest. ABII is an affiliate of DB
Alex. Brown LLC, a nationally known investment banking firm and registered
broker/dealer located in Baltimore, Maryland. Walter G. Sall, Chairman and a
Trustee of the Trust, and J. Patrick Rogers, the portfolio manager of the Funds
and President and a Trustee of the Trust, together own of record and
beneficially 99.85% of the outstanding shares of GIA and thereby control the
Adviser. Mr. Sall is Chairman and a director of GIA and Mr. Rogers is its
President and a director. The third director of GIA is Margaret-Mary V. Preston
who is employed by DB Alex. Brown LLC as a Managing Director.

INVESTMENT ADVISORY CONTRACT

         The Trust has retained the Adviser under an investment advisory
contract ("Adviser Contract") to act as investment manager and in such capacity
supervise the investments of the Fund, subject to the policies and control of
the Trust's Board of Trustees. The Adviser Contract for the Fund became
effective on December 15, 1995. Services were provided by GIA under a
substantially identical contract prior to this date.

         Pursuant to the Adviser Contract, the Adviser, at its sole expense,
provides the Fund with (i) investment recommendations regarding the Fund's
investments; (ii) office space, telephones, and other office equipment; and
(iii) clerical and secretarial staff and the services, without additional
compensation, of all officers of the Trust. In addition, the Adviser has agreed
to bear (i) advertising and other marketing expenses in connection with the sale
of the shares of the Fund; (ii) expenses of printing and distributing the Fund's
prospectus and related documents to prospective shareholders; and (iii)
association membership dues (other than for the Investment Company Institute).
The Adviser Contract further provides that under certain circumstances the
Adviser may cause the Fund to pay brokerage commissions in order to enable the
Adviser to obtain brokerage and research services for its use in advising the
Fund and the Adviser's other clients, provided that the amount of commission is
determined by the Adviser, in good faith and in the best interests of the Fund,
to be reasonable in relation to the value of the brokerage and research services
provided.

         The Adviser Contract provides that all expenses not specifically
assumed by the Adviser which may be incurred in the operation of the Trust and
the offering of its shares will be borne by the Trust. Such expenses will be
allocated among the funds in the Trust by direction of the Board of Trustees,
most frequently on the basis of expenses incurred by each fund, but where that
is not practicable on such basis as the Trustees determine to be appropriate.
Expenses to be borne by the Trust include:

   -        fees and expenses of trustees not employed by the Adviser;
   -        expenses of printing and distributing prospectuses to current
            shareholders of the Trust;
   -        expenses pertaining to registering or qualifying the Trust or its
            shares under various federal and state laws, and maintaining and
            updating such registrations and qualifications;
   -        interest expense, taxes, fees, and commissions (including brokerage
            commissions) of every kind;
   -        expenses related to repurchases and redemptions of shares;
   -        charges and expenses of custodians, transfer agents, dividend
            disbursing agents, and registrars;
   -        expenses of valuing shares of each fund;
   -        printing and mailing costs other than those expressly assumed by the
            Adviser;
   -        auditing, accounting, and legal expenses;
   -        expenses incurred in connection with the preparation of reports to
            shareholders and governmental agencies;
   -        expenses of shareholder meetings and proxy solicitations;
   -        insurance expenses;
   -        all "extraordinary expenses" which may arise, including all losses
            and liabilities incurred in connection with litigation proceedings
            and claims, and the legal obligations of the Trust to indemnify its
            officers, trustees, and agents with respect thereto.



                                       11
<PAGE>   41

         A majority of the Board of Trustees of the Trust and a majority of the
trustees who are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940) of any party to the Adviser Contract of the Fund, voting
separately, shall determine which expenses shall be characterized as
"extraordinary expenses."

         In return for the services and facilities furnished by the Adviser
under the Adviser Contract, the Fund pays the Adviser an advisory fee ("the
Advisory Fee") computed at an annual rate of 0.50% of the average daily net
asset value of the Fund.

         If total expenses of the Fund for any fiscal year (including the
Adviser's compensation, but exclusive of taxes, interest, brokerage commissions,
and any "extraordinary expenses" determined as described above) exceed 2.00% of
the Fund's average daily net asset value for such year, the Adviser Contract
requires the Adviser to bear all such excess expenses up to the amount of the
Advisory Fee. Each month the Advisory Fee is determined and the Fund's expenses
are projected. If the Fund's projected expenses are in excess of the
above-stated expense limitation, the Advisory Fee paid to the Adviser will be
reduced by the amount of the excess expenses, subject to an annual adjustment;
provided, however, that the aggregate annual reduction from the Adviser to the
Fund shall not exceed the aggregate Advisory Fee paid by the Fund to the Adviser
for such year.

         The Adviser Contract further provides that in the absence of willful
misfeasance, bad faith, gross negligence, or reckless disregard of its duties or
obligations thereunder, the Adviser is not liable to the Trust or any of its
shareholders for any act or omission by the Adviser. The Adviser Contract
contemplates that the Adviser may act as an investment manager or adviser for
others.

         The Adviser Contract may be amended at any time by the mutual consent
of the parties thereto, provided that such consent on the part of the Trust
shall have been approved by the vote of a majority of the Trust's Board of
Trustees, including the vote cast in person by a majority of the trustees who
are not "interested persons" (as defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940)
of any party to the Adviser Contract, and by vote of the shareholders of the
Fund.

         The Adviser Contract may be terminated, upon 60 days' written notice
(which notice may be waived) at any time without penalty (i) by the Board of
Trustees of the Trust; (ii) by the vote of a majority of the outstanding voting
securities of the Fund; or (iii) by the Adviser. The Adviser Contract terminates
automatically in the event of its assignment (as that term is defined in the
Investment Company Act of 1940) by the Adviser.

         The Adviser Contract continues in effect until December 31, 2000, and
thereafter, provided that its continuance for the Fund for each renewal year is
specifically approved in advance (i) by the Board of Trustees of the Trust or by
vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund, and (ii) by
vote of a majority of the trustees who are not parties to the Adviser Contract
or "interested persons" of any party to the Adviser Contract (other than as
Trustees of the Trust), by votes cast in person at a meeting specifically called
for such purpose.



                                       12
<PAGE>   42

         The following table shows the Advisory Fees earned by the Adviser (or
GIA) for providing services to the Cincinnati Fund. It also shows the amount of
the fees waived by the Adviser for the year ended December 31, 1999, 1998 and
1997.


  FEE AND WAIVER          CINCINNATI FUND

 1999 Fee Earned             $117,111
 1999 Fee Waived                    0
                             --------
 1999 Fee Paid               $117,111

 1998 Fee Earned             $118,179
 1998 Fee Waived                    0
                             --------
 1998 Fee Paid               $118,179
                             ========

 1997 Fee Earned             $65,378
 1997 Fee Waived               1,281
                             --------
 1997 Fee Paid               $64,097
                             ========


CUSTODIAN

         Firstar Bank, N.A., 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, acts as
custodian of the Trust's assets (the "Custodian"). Under a Custody Agreement
with the Fund, the Custodian holds the Fund's securities and keeps all necessary
accounts and records. The Custodian has no part in determining the investment
policies of the Fund or which securities are to be purchased or sold by the
Fund.

SHAREHOLDER SERVICING, TRANSFER, DIVIDEND DISBURSING, AND FINANCIAL SERVICING
AGENT

         The Adviser is the Trust's Shareholder Servicing, Transfer, Dividend
Disbursing, and Financial Servicing Agent (the "Servicing Agent"). The Adviser's
mailing address for its activities as Servicing Agent is The Gateway Trust,
Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600, Cincinnati, OH, 45209. As Transfer
Agent for the Trust, the Servicing Agent's general duties include transferring
shares, processing applications for new accounts, depositing the payments for
the purchase of Fund shares with the Custodian, and notifying the Trust and
Custodian of such deposits. The Servicing Agent opens and maintains a bookshare
account for each shareholder as set forth in the subscription application,
maintains records of each shareholder account, and sends confirmation of shares
purchased to each shareholder. The Servicing Agent also receives and processes
requests by shareholders for redemption of shares. If the shareholder request
complies with the redemption standards of the Trust, the Servicing Agent will
direct the Custodian to pay the appropriate redemption price. If the redemption
request does not comply with such standards, the Servicing Agent will promptly
notify the shareholder of the reasons for rejecting the redemption request.

         As the Dividend Disbursing Agent for the Trust, the Servicing Agent,
upon notification of the declaration of a dividend or distribution, will
determine the total number of shares issued and outstanding as of the record
date for the dividend or distribution and the amount of cash required to satisfy
such dividend or distribution. The Servicing Agent will prepare and mail to
shareholders dividend checks in the amounts to which they are entitled. In the
case of shareholders participating in the dividend reinvestment plan, the
Servicing Agent will make appropriate credits to their bookshare accounts.
Shareholders will be notified by the Servicing Agent of any dividends or
distributions to which they are entitled, including any amount of additional
shares purchased with their dividends. In addition, the Servicing Agent will
prepare and file with the Internal Revenue Service and with any state, as
directed by the Trust, returns for reporting dividends and distributions paid by
such fund.




                                       13
<PAGE>   43

         The Servicing Agent, as the Shareholder Servicing Agent, will open and
maintain any plan or program for shareholders in accordance with the terms of
such plans or programs (see "SHAREHOLDER SERVICES" herein). With regard to the
Systematic Withdrawal Program, the Servicing Agent will process such Systematic
Withdrawal Program orders as are duly executed by shareholders and will direct
appropriate payments to be made by the Custodian to the shareholder. In
addition, the Servicing Agent will process such accumulation plans, group
programs, and other plans or programs, for investing shares as provided in the
Fund's current prospectus.

         The Fund reimburses the Servicing Agent for printing, mailing, and
compliance expenses. The Fund compensates the Servicing Agent for these
services, at a fixed rate of $4,000 per month, plus the greater of $2,500 per
month, or an annual rate of 0.20% of the Fund's average net assets. For the year
ended December 31, 1999, the Adviser was paid $173,196 in its capacity as
Servicing Agent to the Gateway Small Cap Index Fund and the Cincinnati Fund.

                                    BROKERAGE
                                    ---------

         Transactions on stock exchanges involve the payment of negotiated
brokerage commissions. In the case of securities traded in the over-the-counter
market, there is generally no stated commission but the price usually includes
an undisclosed commission or mark-up.

         In effecting portfolio transactions for the Fund, the Adviser is
obligated to seek best execution, which is to execute the Fund's transaction
where the most favorable combination of price and execution services are
available ("best execution"), except to the extent that it may be permitted to
pay higher brokerage commissions for brokerage and research services as
described below. In seeking the best execution, the Adviser, in the Fund's best
interest, considers all relevant factors, including:

   -        price;
   -        the size of the transaction;
   -        the nature of the market for the security;
   -        the amount of commission;
   -        the timing of the transaction taking into account market prices and
            trends;
   -        the reputation, experience, and financial stability of the
            broker-dealer involved;
   -        the quality of service rendered by the broker-dealer in other
            transactions.

         Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. and subject to seeking best execution and such other
factors as the Trustees may determine, the Adviser may consider sales of shares
of the Fund as a factor in the selection of broker-dealers to execute securities
transactions for the Fund.

         While the Adviser does not intend to limit the placement of orders to
any particular broker or dealer, the Adviser generally gives preference to those
brokers or dealers who are believed to give best execution at the most favorable
prices and who also provide research, statistical, or other services to the
Adviser and/or the Trust. Commissions charged by brokers who provide these
services may be higher than commissions charged by those who do not provide
them. Higher commissions are paid only if the Adviser determines that they are
reasonable in relation to the value of the services provided, and it has
reported to the Board of Trustees of the Trust on a periodic basis to that
effect. The availability of such services was taken into account in establishing
the Advisory Fee. Specific research services furnished by brokers through whom
the Trust effects securities transactions may be used by the Adviser in
servicing all of its accounts. Similarly, specific research services furnished
by brokers who execute transactions for other Adviser clients may be used by the
Adviser for the benefit of the Trust.

         The Adviser has an agreement with Bridge Information Systems, Inc.
("Bridge") and an agreement with S&P Securities to direct brokerage transactions
to them in exchange for research services provided to the Adviser. For the
fiscal year ended December 31, 1999, the Trust paid brokerage commissions to
Bridge of $171,451 for effecting brokerage transactions totaling $201,929,680.
During the same period, the Trust paid brokerage commissions to S&P Securities
of $25,840 for effecting brokerage transactions totaling $47,266,728. The
Adviser may from time to time enter into similar agreements with other brokers.



                                       14
<PAGE>   44

         The Adviser Contract provides that, subject to such policies as the
Trustees may determine, the Adviser may cause the Fund to pay a broker-dealer
who provides brokerage and research services to the Adviser an amount of
commission for effecting a securities transaction for the Fund in excess of the
amount of commission which another broker-dealer would have charged for
effecting that transaction. As provided in Section 28(e) of the Securities
Exchange Act of 1934, "brokerage and research services" include:

   -        advice as to the value of securities, the advisability of investing
            in, purchasing, or selling securities, and the availability of
            securities, or purchasers, or sellers of securities;
   -        furnishing analyses and reports concerning issuers, industries,
            securities, economic factors and trends, portfolio strategy, and
            performance of accounts;
   -        effecting securities transactions and performing functions
            incidental thereto (such as clearance and settlement);
   -        services that provide lawful and appropriate assistance to the
            Adviser in the performance of its investment decision-making
            responsibilities.

         For the years ended December 31, 1999, 1998, and 1997., the Fund paid
$22,301, $11,635, and $10,885, respectively, in brokerage commissions. Total
commissions paid in 1999 had increased relative to previous years due to an
increase in shareholder redemption requests for 1999.

ADDITIONAL TAX MATTERS

         The tax discussion set forth below and in the Cincinnati Prospectus is
included for general information only. Prospective investors should consult
their own tax advisers concerning the tax consequences of an investment in the
Fund.

FEDERAL TAX MATTERS

         The Fund is treated as a separate association taxable as a corporation.

         The Fund has met and intends to meet the requirements of the Internal
Revenue Code, applicable to regulated investment companies so as to qualify for
the special tax treatment afforded to such companies. Under Subchapter M of the
Code, a regulated investment company is not subject to federal income tax on the
portion of its net investment income and net realized capital gains which it
distributes currently to its shareholders, provided that certain distribution
requirements are met, including the requirement that at least 90% of the sum of
its net investment income and net short-term capital gains in any fiscal year is
so distributed. In addition to this distribution requirement, one of the
principal tests which the Fund must meet in each fiscal year in order to qualify
as a regulated investment company is the "90% Test." The 90% Test requires that
at least 90% of a fund's gross income must be derived from dividends, interest,
and gains from the sale or other disposition of securities.

         Long-term capital gains distributions (i.e., the excess of any net
long-term capital gains over net short-term capital losses), after utilization
of available capital-loss carryforwards, are taxable as long-term capital gains
whether received in cash or additional shares, regardless of how long the
shareholder has held his or her shares, and are not eligible for the
dividends-received deduction for corporations. Distributions of long-term
capital gains which are offset by available loss carryforwards, however, may be
taxable as ordinary income.

         Distributions on shares of the Fund received shortly after their
purchase, although substantially in effect a return of capital, are subject to
federal income taxes.

         The tax status of distributions made by the Fund during the fiscal year
will be sent to shareholders shortly after the end of such year. Each
prospective investor is advised to consult his or her own tax adviser.
Distributions of net investment income are taxable as ordinary income subject to
allowable exclusions and deductions. Distributions of capital gains are taxable
at either ordinary or long-term capital gains rates, as appropriate, except that
all such gains are normally taxable as ordinary income to the extent they are
offset by capital- loss carryforwards.



                                       15
<PAGE>   45

STATE AND LOCAL TAX ASPECTS

         The laws of several state and local taxing authorities vary with
respect to taxation, and each prospective investor is advised to consult his or
her own tax adviser as to the status of his or her shares and distributions in
respect of those shares under state and local tax laws.

                                 CODE OF ETHICS
                                 --------------

The Gateway Trust and Gateway Investment Advisers L.P. have each adopted a Code
of Ethics which permit employees subject to the codes to invest in securities,
including securities that may be purchased or held by the Cincinnati Fund, on a
limited basis.

                       TRUSTEES AND OFFICERS OF THE TRUST
                       ----------------------------------

         The Board of Trustees is generally responsible for management of the
business and affairs of the Trust. The Trustees formulate the general policies
of the Trust, approve contracts, and authorize the Trust officers to carry out
the decisions of the Board.

         Under the Trust's Second Amended Agreement and Declaration of Trust, no
annual or regular meetings of shareholders are required. As a result, the
Trustees will continue in office until resignation, retirement, death, or
removal. Trustee vacancies normally are filled by vote of the remaining
Trustees. If at any time less than a majority of the Trustees in office have
been elected by the shareholders, the Trustees must call a shareholder meeting
for the purpose of electing Trustees.

         The Trustees and officers of the Trust, together with information as to
their positions with the Trust and its predecessor, Gateway Option Income Fund,
Inc. (the "Company") and their principal occupations during at least the past
five years, are listed below.

         *Walter Gene Sall, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH, 45209, Chairman and Trustee of the Trust; Chairman of the
Adviser; various senior management positions and offices held with the Trust,
the Company, and the Adviser since 1977. Age 55.

         *J. Patrick Rogers, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH, 45209; Trustee of the Trust since December 1998; President of
the Trust since 1997; President of the Adviser since 1995; portfolio manager of
the Funds since 1997; co-portfolio manager of the Funds from 1995 to 1997;
various senior management positions and offices held with the Trust and the
Adviser since 1989. Age 36.

         James M. Anderson, Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet
Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229; Trustee of the Trust since April 1997; Children's
Hospital Medical Center, President and Chief Executive Officer since November
1996, Chairman of the Board of Trustees from 1992 through 1996, and Trustee
since 1979; Taft Stettinius & Hollister (law firm), Partner from 1982 to
November 1996; Access Corporation (software distributor), Secretary from 1985 to
1996, Consultant from 1996 to 1997, and Director 1997 to 1998; Cincinnati Stock
Exchange, Trustee since 1978; River City Insurance Limited, Director since 1991.
Age 58.

         Stefen F. Brueckner,12010 Colliers Reserve Drive, Naples, FL 34110;
Trustee of the Trust since October 1992; President and Chief Executive Officer,
ProMutual Group (a professional liability insurance company) from 1998 to 2000;
Director, President, and Chief Executive Officer, Anthem Companies, Inc. (health
insurer) 1995 to 1998; Director and President of Community Mutual Insurance
Company (health insurer) from 1991 to 1995, and various management positions
from 1986 to 1991. Age 50.

         Kenneth A. Drucker, Sequa Corp., 200 Park Avenue, New York, NY 10166;
Director of the Company from January 1984 to May 1986; Trustee of the Trust
since April 1986; Vice President and Treasurer, Sequa Corporation (gas turbine
and industrial equipment) since November 1987. Age 54.



                                       16
<PAGE>   46

         Beverly J. Fertig, 8591 Woodbriar Drive, Sarasota, FL 34238; Trustee of
the Trust since September 1988; arbitrator, National Association of Securities
Dealers, Inc., since January 1992; Vice President, Marketing and Communications,
Coffee, Sugar and Cocoa Exchange from January 1989 to December 1991; Executive
Director, National Institutional Options and Futures Society, March 1988 to
December 1988; prior thereto, Vice President, Institutional Marketing, Chicago
Board Options Exchange. Age 69.

         R. S. (Dick) Harrison, 4040 Mt. Carmel Road, Cincinnati, OH 45244;
Director of the Company from 1977 to 1982; Trustee of the Trust since April
1996; Director/Chairman of the Board, Baldwin Piano & Organ Company from 1994 to
1997; Chairman of the Board/CEO, Baldwin Piano & Organ Company from 1983 to
1994. Prior thereto, various management positions with Baldwin Piano & Organ
Company, Cincinnati, OH. Director of Anderson Bank of Cincinnati, OH and Trustee
of Kenyon College. Age 67.

         William Harding Schneebeck, 251 Indian Harbor Road, Vero Beach, FL
32963; Director of the Company from September 1977 to May 1986; Trustee of the
Trust since April 1986; retired, formerly Chairman of Midwestern Fidelity Corp.
Age 70.

         James E. Schwab, XTEK, Inc., 11451 Reading Road, Cincinnati, OH
45241-2283; Trustee of the Trust since December 1998; President of XTEK, Inc. (a
manufacturing company), from November 1995 to present, Vice President of XTEK,
Inc. from October 1994 to November 1995; various executive positions with
American Financial Corporation and its affiliates from 1985 to 1994, including
Senior Vice President of General Cable Corporation from 1992 to 1994 and Senior
Vice President of the Penn Central Corporation (now called the American
Financial Group) from 1989 to 1992. Age 56.

         *Gary H. Goldschmidt, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH, 45209, Vice President and Treasurer of the Trust since April
2000; Controller, Gateway Investment Advisers L.P. since December 1999, Vice
President/Financial Reporting Manager for Countrywide Fund Services, Inc., a
mutual fund service provider, from December 1993 to December 1999. Age 37

         *Geoffrey Keenan, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH, 45209; Vice President of the Trust since April 1996; Chief
Operating Officer, Gateway Investment Advisers, L.P. since December 1995;
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, Gateway Investment
Advisers, Inc. since 1995; Vice President, Gateway Investment Advisers, Inc.
from 1991 to 1995. Age 41.

         *Donna M. Squeri, Rookwood Tower, 3805 Edwards Road, Suite 600,
Cincinnati, OH, 45209; Secretary of the Trust since October 1995; Secretary and
General Counsel of the Adviser since September 1995; in-house counsel of
Bartlett & Co., a registered investment adviser, from October 1984 to September
1993. Age 40.

         *Messrs. Sall, Rogers, Keenan, Goldschmidt, and Ms. Squeri are
affiliated persons of the Trust and the Adviser as defined by the Investment
Company Act of 1940. Mr. Sall and Mr. Rogers are "interested persons" of the
Trust as defined by the Investment Company Act of 1940.

         Messrs. Sall, Rogers, Keenan, Goldschmidt, and Ms. Squeri each of whom
is employed by the Adviser, receive no remuneration from the Trust. Each Trustee
of the Trust other than Mr. Sall and Mr. Rogers receive fees as follows: (a) an
annual fee of $3,000, payable in equal quarterly installments for services
during each fiscal quarter; (b) a $500 base fee plus $100 per fund for each
regular or special meeting of the Board of Trustees attended; and (c) $200 per
fund ($1,000 per fund for the Chairman) for each Audit Committee meeting
attended. The Trust also reimburses each Trustee for any reasonable and
necessary travel expenses incurred in connection with attendance at such
meetings. In addition, Trustees may receive attendance fees for service on other
committees.



                                       17
<PAGE>   47

         The following table provides information about the compensation
received by each Trustee from the Trust for the year ended December 31, 1999.

      NAME OF TRUSTEE           TOTAL COMPENSATION
                                    FROM TRUST

James M. Anderson                     $  4,600

Stefen F. Brueckner                   $  6,200

Kenneth A. Drucker                    $ 12,200

Beverly J. Fertig                     $  6,200

R. S. Harrison                        $  6,600

J. Patrick Rogers                     $      0

Walter G. Sall                        $      0

William H. Schneebeck                 $  7,400

James E. Schwab                       $  6,200

SHAREHOLDER MEETINGS AND VOTING

         A meeting of shareholders must be called if shareholders holding at
least 10% of the Trust's shares (or shareholders holding at least 10% of any
fund's shares as to any matter affecting only such fund) file a written request
for a meeting.

         On any matter submitted to a vote of shareholders, shares are voted by
fund, unless an aggregate vote is required by the Investment Company Act of
1940. Shares are voted by fund with respect to the approval or amendment of such
fund's advisory contract. As of April 4, 2000, the Adviser held, in a fiduciary
capacity, more than 25% of the outstanding shares of the Small Cap Index Fund.
Thus, the Adviser may be deemed to be a control person of this Fund as of that
date. As of April 4, 2000, DB Alex. Brown LLC held more than 25% of the
outstanding shares of the Gateway Fund. Thus, DB Alex. Brown LLC may be deemed
to be a control person of this Fund as of that date.

         As of April 3, 2000, the shareholders of the Gateway Fund controlled
approximately 95.64% of the outstanding shares of the Trust. Therefore, in the
foreseeable future, when the shareholders of the Trust elect the Trustees or
vote in the aggregate on any other issue, the shareholders of the Gateway Fund
will be able to elect the Trustees or to decide the issue. Shareholders do not
have cumulative voting rights as to the election of Trustees. As a result, if a
shareholder meeting is called to elect Trustees, a majority of the shares voting
at the meeting can elect all of the Trustees.

             INDEPENDENT PUBLIC ACCOUNTANTS AND FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
             -------------------------------------------------------

         Arthur Andersen LLP, 425 Walnut Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202, will
serve as independent public accountants of the Trust. Arthur Andersen LLP
performs an annual audit of the Fund's financial statements, reviews the Fund's
tax returns, and provides financial, tax, and accounting consulting services as
requested.



                                       18
<PAGE>   48


                   PRINCIPAL HOLDERS OF CINCINNATI FUND SHARES
                   -------------------------------------------

         As of April 4, 2000, the Fund had 824,455.922 shares outstanding, out
of an unlimited number of authorized shares. As of such date, each of the
following persons or groups was known by Trust management to be the record
and/or beneficial owner (as defined below) of the indicated amounts of the
Fund's outstanding shares.

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                NAME AND ADDRESS OF OWNER                         NUMBER OF SHARES            PERCENT OF CLASS

<S>                                                                  <C>                              <C>
BAND and Co. Firstar Bank, N.A.                                      113,763                          13.80%
P. O. Box 640229
Cincinnati, OH  45264

Up East, Inc.                                                         42,291                           5.25%
c/o Betsy J. Wyeth
P. O. Box 48
Chadds Ford, PA  19317

Trustees and officers of the Trust as a group                         36,051                           4.37%

Adviser officers & directors as a group                               11,219                           1.36%
</TABLE>


         The SEC has defined "beneficial owner" of a security to include any
person who has voting power or investment power with respect to any such
security, any person who shares voting power or investment power with respect to
any such security, or any person who has the right to acquire beneficial
ownership of any such security within 60 days.

         As of April 3, 2000, the Adviser held in a fiduciary capacity 48,422
(5.87%) of the outstanding shares of the Fund. The Adviser has investment and
voting power over all shares held by it in a fiduciary capacity.

                                   SCHEDULE A
                                   ----------

         The beta measurements that may be used in the Cincinnati Prospectus
were calculated by using Microsoft Excel spreadsheets and the statistical
function slope available in Microsoft Excel. The SLOPE function returns the
slope of the linear regression line through data points in known y's and known
x's. The slope is the vertical distance divided by the horizontal distance
between any two points on the line, which is the rate of change along the
regression line.

         The equation for beta (slope) is shown below.


        Beta = n (sigma xy - (sigma x) (sigma y)
               ---------------------------------
                 n (sigma x to the 2 power - (sigma x)to the 2 power


Where    y  =  the Fund's monthly total returns in the period
         x  =  the benchmark index's monthly total returns in the period




                                       19


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