LIBERTY STEIN ROE FUNDS INVESTMENT TRUST
485BPOS, 2000-07-27
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1933 Act Registration No. 33-11351
                                       1940 Act File No. 811-4978

               SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                    Washington, D. C.  20549

                            FORM N-1A

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933          [X]
   Post-Effective Amendment No. 68                               [X]

                              and/or

REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER THE INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT OF 1940  [X]
   Amendment No. 69                                              [X]

              LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS INVESTMENT TRUST
         (Exact Name of Registrant as Specified in Charter)

    One Financial Center, Boston, Massachusetts       02111
     (Address of Principal Executive Offices)      (Zip Code)

Registrant's Telephone Number, including Area Code:  1-800-338-2550

    Kevin M. Carome               Cameron S. Avery
    Exec. Vice-President          Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLC
    Liberty-Stein Roe Funds       Suite 3300
      Investment Trust            Three First National Plaza
    One Financial Center          70 W. Madison Street
    Boston, MA  02111             Chicago, Illinois  60602
           (Name and Address of Agents for Service)

It is proposed that this filing will become effective (check appropriate box):

[X]  immediately  upon  filing  pursuant to  paragraph  (b)

[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (b)

[ ] 60 days after filing pursuant to paragraph  (a)(1)

[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph  (a)(1)

[ ] 75 days after filing pursuant to paragraph (a)(2)

[ ] on (date) pursuant to paragraph (a)(2) of rule 485

Registrant  has  previously  elected  to  register  pursuant  to Rule  24f-2  an
indefinite  number of shares of  beneficial  interest of the  following  series:
Stein Roe Advisor Select Growth & Income Fund,  Stein Roe Balanced  Fund,  Stein
Roe Growth Stock Fund, Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund, Stein Roe         ,
Stein Roe  International  Fund,  Stein Roe Young Investor Fund, Stein Roe Midcap
Growth Fund,  Stein Roe Large Company  Focus Fund,  Stein Roe Asia Pacific Fund,
Stein Roe Small Company Growth Fund, Stein Roe Disciplined  Stock Fund and Stein
Roe Advisor Growth Investor Fund.

This amendment to the  Registration  Statement has also been signed by SR&F Base
Trust.

The prospectuses and statements of additional information relating to the series
of Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust designated Stein Roe Advisor Select Growth &
Income Fund,  Stein Roe Balanced  Fund,  Stein Roe Growth Stock Fund,  Stein Roe
Growth & Income  Fund,  Stein Roe  Disciplined  Stock  Fund,  Stein  Roe  Growth
Investor  Fund,  Stein Roe  International  Fund,  Stein Roe Young Investor Fund,
Stein Roe Asia Pacific  Fund,  and Stein Roe Advisor  Growth  Investor  Fund and
Stein  Roe            are not  affected  by the  filing  of this  Post-Effective
Amendment No. 68.


                                                                           -----


<PAGE>
LIBERTY MIDCAP GROWTH FUND        PROSPECTUS, AUGUST 1, 2000

CLASS A, B AND C SHARES

Advised by Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated



Although these  securities have been registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commission has not approved or disapproved any shares offered in
this  prospectus or determined  whether this prospectus is truthful or complete.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<S>
<C>
THE
FUND
2
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Goals
 .........................................................................................................       2

Principal Investment Strategies
 ..........................................................................................       2

Principal Investment Risks
 ...............................................................................................       2

Performance History
 ......................................................................................................       4

Your Expenses
 ............................................................................................................       5

YOUR
ACCOUNT
6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Buy Shares
 ........................................................................................................       6

Sales Charges
 ............................................................................................................       7

How to Exchange Shares
 ...................................................................................................      10

How to Sell Shares
 .......................................................................................................      11

Fund Policy on Trading of Fund Shares
 ....................................................................................      13

Distribution and Service Fees
 ............................................................................................      13

Other Information About Your Account
 .....................................................................................      14


MANAGING THE
FUND                                                                                                               16
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment Advisor
 .......................................................................................................      16

Portfolio Manager
 ........................................................................................................      16

OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES AND
RISKS                                                                                                            17
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------



FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
18
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

----------------------------------
| Not FDIC  |    May Lose Value  |
               -------------------
| insured   |  No Bank Guarantee |
----------------------------------

<PAGE>
THE FUND


INVESTMENT GOAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund seeks long-term growth.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under normal market  conditions,  the Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in
common  stocks of mid-cap  companies  that the portfolio  manager  believes have
long-term   growth   potential.   The  Fund  may  also   invest  in  small-  and
large-capitalization  companies.  The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in
foreign  stocks.  To select  investments  for the Fund,  the  portfolio  manager
considers  mid-cap  companies  that show the  potential  to generate and sustain
long-term earnings growth at above-average  rates. The portfolio manager selects
companies based on his view of long-term rather than short-term  earnings growth
prospects.

The portfolio  manager may sell a portfolio  holding if the security reaches the
portfolio  manager's  price  target or if the  company  has a  deterioration  of
fundamentals  such as failing to meet key  operating  benchmarks.  The portfolio
manager may also sell a portfolio holding to fund redemptions.

Additional strategies that are not principal investment strategies and the risks
associated  with  them are  described  later  in this  prospectus  under  "Other
Investment Strategies and Risks."

Defining  Capitalization.  A company's market capitalization is simply its stock
price multiplied by the number of shares of stock it has issued and outstanding.
In the  financial  markets,  companies  generally  are sorted  into one of three
capitalization-based   categories:  large  capitalization  (large  cap);  medium
capitalization  (mid cap) or small  capitalization  (small  cap).  In defining a
company's market capitalization,  we use capitalization-based categories as they
are defined by Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar  ranks stocks as follows:  the top 5% of the 5000  largest  domestic
stocks in  Morningstar's  equity  database are classified as large cap, the next
15% of the 5000 are  classified  as mid cap, and the  remaining  80% (as well as
companies that fall outside the largest 5000) are classified as small cap. As of
June 30, 2000 large cap companies had market capitalizations  greater than $10.5
billion,  mid cap  companies had market  capitalizations  between $1.7 and $10.5
billion,  and small cap  companies  had  market  capitalizations  less than $1.7
billion. These amounts are subject to change.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. There are many
circumstances  (including  additional  risks that are not described  here) which
could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal. You may lose money by
investing in the Fund.

Management  risk means that the advisor's  stock and bond  selections  and other
investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when
compared to other funds with similar  investment  goals.  Market risk means that
security  prices  in a  market,  sector  or  industry  may move  down.  Downward
movements will
                                                                               2

<PAGE>
THE FUND

reduce the value of your  investment.  Because of  management  and market  risk,
there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment  goal or perform
favorably compared with competing funds.


Since it purchases equity  securities,  the Fund is subject to equity risk. This
is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended  periods of time.
Although the stock market has historically outperformed other asset classes over
the long term,  the equity market tends to move in cycles and  individual  stock
prices may  fluctuate  drastically  from  day-to-day.  Individual  companies may
report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends
and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a
decline in response.  These price  movements  may result from factors  affecting
individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole.



Growth  stock  prices may be more  sensitive  to changes in current or  expected
earnings than the prices of other stocks.  Growth stocks may not perform as well
as value stocks or the stock market in general.



The securities  issued by  mid-capitalization  companies may have more risk than
those of larger  companies.  These  securities may be more susceptible to market
downturns, and their prices could be more volatile.


Foreign  securities are subject to special  risks.  Foreign stock markets can be
extremely volatile. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact the value
of  foreign  securities  without  a  change  in the  intrinsic  value  of  those
securities.  The  liquidity  of  foreign  securities  may be more  limited  than
domestic securities,  which means that the Fund may, at times, be unable to sell
foreign securities at desirable prices.  Brokerage  commissions,  custodial fees
and other  fees are  generally  higher for  foreign  investments.  In  addition,
foreign  governments may impose  withholding taxes which would reduce the amount
of income and capital gains available to distribute to shareholders. Other risks
include the following:  possible delays in the settlement of transactions or the
notification of income; less publicly available information about companies; the
impact  of  political,  social  or  diplomatic  events;  and  possible  seizure,
expropriation or nationalization of the company or its assets.


Smaller  companies are more likely than larger companies to have limited product
lines,  operating  histories,  markets or financial  resources.  They may depend
heavily on a small management team.  Stocks of smaller  companies may trade less
frequently, may trade in smaller volumes and may fluctuate more sharply in price
than stocks of larger companies. In addition, they may not be widely followed by
the investment community, which can lower the demand for their stock.



An  investment  in the Fund is not a  deposit  in a bank and is not  insured  or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation or any other government
agency.


                                                                               3

<PAGE>
THE FUND

UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR  YEAR TOTAL RETURNS shows the Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class
S  share  performance  for  each  complete  calendar  year  since  it  commenced
operations. It includes the effects of Fund expenses.

AVERAGE  ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS is a measure of the Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth
Fund Class S share  performance  over the past one-year and the life of the Fund
periods. It includes the effects of Fund expenses.


The Fund's  return is  compared to the  Standard & Poor's 400 Midcap  Index (S&P
Index),  an unmanaged index that tracks the performance of a selection of widely
held common stocks.  Unlike the Fund, indices are not investments,  do not incur
fees or  expenses  and are not  professionally  managed.  It is not  possible to
invest directly in indices.


PERFORMANCE HISTORY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bar chart below shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year by
illustrating  the Fund's  calendar  year total  returns for its Stein Roe Midcap
Growth  Fund Class S shares.  The Fund did not have  separate  classes of shares
prior to August 1,  2000;  on that  date,  the Fund's  outstanding  shares  were
reclassified  as Stein Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S shares.  The  performance
table  following the bar chart shows how the Fund's  average  annual returns for
Stein Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S compare  with those of a broad  measure of
market  performance for 1 year and the life of the Fund. The chart and table are
intended to illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the
changes in the Fund's  performance.  All  returns  include the  reinvestment  of
dividends and distributions.  Performance  results include the effect of expense
reduction  arrangements,  if any. If these  arrangements were not in place, then
the performance  results would have been lower.  As with all mutual funds,  past
performance does not predict the Fund's future performance.


CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS (STEIN ROE MIDCAP GROWTH FUND CLASS S)(1)

[BAR GRAPH OMITTED]

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>


1998            1999
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>             <C>
15.24%          42.73%
</TABLE>


The Fund's year-to-date total return through June 30, 2000 was +2.03%.

For period shown in bar chart: Best quarter: 4th quarter 1999, +44.10%
                               Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 1998, -18.35%

AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS -- FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999(1)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                     INCEPTION                    LIFE OF THE
                                       DATE           1 YEAR          FUND
                                     ---------        ------      -----------
<S>                                  <C>              <C>         <C>
Stein Roe Midcap Growth
Fund Class S (%)                     6/30/97           42.73        26.57
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
S&P Index (%)                        N/A               14.72        20.67(2)
</TABLE>

(1)   Because  the Class A, B and C shares have not  completed  a full  calendar
      year the bar chart and average  annual total  returns  shown are for Stein
      Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class S shares, the oldest existing Fund class.


(2)   Performance information is from June 30, 1997.

                                                                               4

<PAGE>
THE FUND

UNDERSTANDING EXPENSES


SALES CHARGES are paid directly by shareholders to Liberty Funds Distributor,
Inc., the Fund's distributor.


ANNUAL  FUND  OPERATING  EXPENSES  are  deducted  from the  Fund.  They  include
management  fees,  12b-1 fees and  administrative  costs  including  pricing and
custody services.

EXAMPLE  EXPENSES help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost
of  investing  in  other  mutual  funds.  It  uses  the  following  hypothetical
conditions:

- $10,000 initial investment

- 5% total return for each year

- Fund operating expenses remain
  the same

- Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions

- Assumes Class B shares convert to Class A shares after eight years


YOUR EXPENSES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expenses  are one of several  factors to consider  before you invest in a mutual
fund.  The tables below describe the fees and expenses you may pay when you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund.


SHAREHOLDER FEES (3) (PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     CLASS A     CLASS B     CLASS C
<S>                                                  <C>         <C>         <C>
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchases (%)
(as a percentage of the offering price)                5.75        0.00        0.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) on
redemptions (%) (as a percentage of the
lesser of purchase price or redemption price)         1.00(4)      5.00        1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (%) (as a percentage of
amount redeemed, if applicable)                        (5)         (5)         (5)
</TABLE>


ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (DEDUCTED DIRECTLY FROM FUND ASSETS)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                     CLASS A     CLASS B     CLASS C
<S>                                                  <C>         <C>         <C>
Management fee  (%)                                    0.90        0.90        0.90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees (%)              0.35(6)     1.00        1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses (7) (%)                                 0.55        0.55        0.55
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses  (%)              1.80        2.45        2.45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Expense reimbursement (8) (%)                    (0.20)      (0.20)      (0.20)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Net expenses (%)                                  1.60        2.25        2.25
</TABLE>

  EXAMPLE EXPENSES (YOUR ACTUAL COSTS MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

 CLASS                                    1 YEAR     3 YEARS     5 YEARS     10 YEARS

<S>                                       <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>
 CLASS A                                   $728       $1,091      $1,476      $2,554
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 CLASS B: did not sell your shares         $728       $1,044      $1,488      $2,586


          sold all your shares at
          the end of the period            $228        $744       $1,288      $2,586
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 CLASS C: did not sell your shares         $328        $744       $1,288      $2,771

          sold all your shares at
          the end of the period            $228        $744       $1,288      $2,771
</TABLE>

(3)   A $10 annual fee is deducted from accounts of less than $1,000 and paid to
      the transfer agent.

(4)   This  charge  applies  only to certain  Class A shares  bought  without an
      initial sales charge that are sold within 18 months of purchase.


(5)   There is a $7.50 charge for wiring sale proceeds to your bank.


(6)   The Fund's  distributor has  voluntarily  agreed to waive a portion of the
      12b-1 fee for Class A shares. As a result,  the actual 12b-1 fee for Class
      A shares would be 0.25% and the total annual fund  operating  expenses for
      Class A shares would be 1.50%.  This  arrangement may be terminated by the
      distributor at any time.


(7) Other expenses are based on Stein Roe MidCap Growth Fund Class S shares.



(8)   The Fund's  advisor has agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain  expenses
      so  that  the  total  annual  fund   operating   expenses   (exclusive  of
      distribution and service fees, brokerage commissions,  interest, taxes and
      extraordinary  expenses,  if any) will not exceed 1.25%. As a result,  the
      actual management fee for each share class would be 0.70% and total annual
      fund operating  expenses for Class A, B and C shares would be 1.60%, 2.25%
      and 2.25%,  respectively.  This arrangement expires on January 31, 2001. A
      reimbursement  lowers the expense  ratio and increases  overall  return to
      investors.


                                                                               5

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

INVESTMENT MINIMUMS
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>                               <C>
Initial Investment .......        $1,000
Subsequent Investments ...        $   50
Automatic Investment Plan*        $   50
Retirement Plans* ........        $   25
</TABLE>

* The initial investment minimum of $1,000 is waived on this plan.

The Fund reserves the right to change these investment  minimums.  The Fund also
reserves  the right to refuse a purchase  order for any reason,  including if it
believes  that  doing  so  would  be in the  best  interest  of the Fund and its
shareholders.

HOW TO BUY SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor  can  help  you  establish  an  appropriate  investment
portfolio, buy shares and monitor your investments.  When the Fund receives your
purchase  request  in  "good  form,"  your  shares  will be  bought  at the next
calculated  public offering price.  "Good form" means that you placed your order
with your brokerage firm or your payment has been received and your  application
is complete, including all necessary signatures.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR BUYING SHARES:

METHOD                      INSTRUCTIONS

Through  your Your  financial  advisor  can help you  establish  your  financial
advisor account and buy Fund shares on your behalf.
                            Your  financial  advisor  may  charge  you  fees for
                            executing the purchase for you.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check                    For new accounts, send a completed application and
(new account)               check made payable to the Fund to the transfer
                            agent, SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds
                            Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA
                            02105-1722.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check                    For existing accounts, fill out and return
(existing account)          the additional investment stub included in
                            your quarterly statement, or send a letter of
                            instruction including your Fund name and account
                            number with a check made payable to the Fund to
                            SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services,
                            Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By exchange                 You or your financial advisor may acquire shares by
                            exchanging shares you own in one fund for shares of
                            the same class of the Fund at no additional cost.
                            There may be an additional charge if exchanging from
                            a money market fund. To exchange by telephone, call
                            1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By                          wire You may  purchase  shares by wiring  money from
                            your  bank  account  to your fund  account.  To wire
                            funds to your fund account,  call  1-800-422-3737 to
                            obtain a control number and the wiring instructions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

By  electronic              You may purchase shares by electronically
funds transfer              transferring money from your bank account to your
                            fund account by calling  1-800-422-3737.  Electronic
                            funds  transfers may take up to two business days to
                            settle and be  considered  in "good  form." You must
                            set up this feature prior to your telephone request.
                            Be sure to complete the  appropriate  section of the
                            application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Automatic                   You can make monthly or quarterly investments
investment plan             automatically from your bank account to your fund
                            account. You can select a pre-authorized amount to
                            be sent via electronic funds transfer. Be sure to
                            complete the appropriate section of the application
                            for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By dividend                 You may automatically invest dividends distributed
diversification             by one fund into the same class of shares of the
                            Fund at no additional  sales charge.  To invest your
                            dividends in another fund, call 1-800-345-6611.



                                                                               6

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS


The Fund offers three classes of shares in this  prospectus -- CLASS A, B and C.
Each share  class has its own sales  charge and expense  structure.  Determining
which share class is best for you depends on the dollar amount you are investing
and the number of years for which you are willing to invest.  If your  financial
advisor firm does not participate in the Class B discount  program  purchases in
excess of $250,000 must be for Class A or Class C shares only. Purchases of over
$1 million can be made only in Class A shares. Based on your personal situation,
your investment advisor can help you decide which class of shares makes the most
sense for you.


The Fund also offers additional classes of shares,  Class S and Z shares and are
made  available  through  separate  prospectuses.  Class Z  shares  are  offered
exclusively to certain institutional and other investors.



SALES CHARGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may be subject to an initial sales charge when you purchase, or a contingent
deferred  sales  charge  (CDSC) when you sell,  shares of the Fund.  These sales
charges are described below. In certain  circumstances,  these sales charges are
waived, as described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.

CLASS A SHARES  Your  purchases  of Class A shares  generally  are at the public
offering  price.  This price includes a sales charge that is based on the amount
of your initial  investment  when you open your account.  A portion of the sales
charge is the commission paid to the financial advisor firm on the sale of Class
A shares.  The sales charge you pay on  additional  investments  is based on the
total amount of your purchase and the current value of your account.  The amount
of the sales charge  differs  depending on the amount you invest as shown in the
table below.


  CLASS A SALES CHARGES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             % OF
                                                                           OFFERING
                                              AS A % OF                      PRICE
                                             THE PUBLIC       AS A %      RETAINED BY
                                              OFFERING       OF YOUR       FINANCIAL
AMOUNT OF PURCHASE                              PRICE       INVESTMENT   ADVISOR FIRM
<S>                                          <C>            <C>          <C>

LESS THAN $50,000                               5.75           6.10          5.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$50,000 to less than $100,000                   4.50           4.71          3.75
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 to less than $250,000                  3.50           3.63          2.75
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 to less than $500,000                  2.50           2.56          2.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000                2.00           2.04          1.75
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1,000,000 or more(9)                           0.00           0.00          0.00
</TABLE>

For Class A share purchases of $1 million or more,  financial advisors receive a
commission from the distributor as follows:


PURCHASES OVER $1 MILLION
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

AMOUNT PURCHASED                                           COMMISSION %

<S>                                                        <C>
First $3 million                                               1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next $2 million                                                0.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over $5 million                                                0.25(10)
</TABLE>

(9)   Class A  shares  bought  without  an  initial  sales  charge  in  accounts
      aggregating  $1 million to $5 million at the time of purchase  are subject
      to a 1.00%  CDSC if the  shares  are sold  within 18 months of the time of
      purchase. Subsequent Class A share purchases that bring your account value
      above $1 million are subject to a 1.00% CDSC if redeemed  within 18 months
      of their purchase date.  Purchases in accounts aggregating over $5 million
      are  subject to a 1.00%  CDSC only to the  extent  that the sale of shares
      within 18 months of  purchase  causes  the value of the  accounts  to fall
      below the $5 million level. The 18-month period begins on the first day of
      the month following each purchase.

(10) Paid over 12 months but only to the extent the shares remain outstanding.


                                                                               7

<PAGE>

YOUR ACCOUNT

UNDERSTANDING CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES


Certain  investments  in Class A, B and C shares are subject to a CDSC,  a sales
charge  applied at the time you sell your shares.  You will pay the CDSC only on
shares  you sell  within a  certain  amount  of time  after  purchase.  The CDSC
generally  declines each year until there is no charge for selling  shares.  The
CDSC is  applied  to the net  asset  value  at the  time of  purchase  or  sale,
whichever  is lower.  For  purposes of  calculating  the CDSC,  the start of the
holding  period is the  month-end  of the month in which the  purchase  is made.
Shares you purchase with  reinvested  dividends or capital gains are not subject
to a CDSC. When you place an order to sell shares,  the Fund will  automatically
sell first  those  shares not subject to a CDSC and then those you have held the
longest. This policy helps reduce and possibly eliminate the potential impact of
the CDSC.



REDUCED SALES CHARGES FOR LARGER INVESTMENTS There are two ways for you to pay a
lower sales charge when purchasing  Class A shares.  The first is through Rights
of Accumulation.  If the combined value of the Fund accounts  maintained by you,
your spouse or your minor children  reaches a discount  level  (according to the
chart on the previous  page),  your next  purchase  will receive the lower sales
charge.  The second is by signing a Statement  of Intent  within 90 days of your
purchase.  By doing so, you would be able to pay the lower  sales  charge on all
purchases by agreeing to invest a total of at least $50,000 within 13 months. If
your Statement of Intent purchases are not completed within 13 months,  you will
be charged the  applicable  sales  charge on the amount you had invested to that
date.  In addition,  certain  investors  may purchase  shares at a reduced sales
charge or net asset  value,  which is the value of a fund  share  excluding  any
sales charges. See the Statement of Additional  Information for a description of
these situations.


CLASS B SHARES  Your  purchases  of Class B shares  are at Class  B's net  asset
value.  Class B shares have no front-end sales charge,  but they do carry a CDSC
that is imposed only on shares sold prior to the completion of the periods shown
in the  charts  below.  The CDSC  generally  declines  each year and  eventually
disappears  over  time.  The  distributor  pays the  financial  advisor  firm an
up-front commission on sales of Class B shares as depicted in the charts below.


PURCHASES OF LESS THAN $250,000:

Class B Sales Charges

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                         % DEDUCTED WHEN
HOLDING PERIOD AFTER PURCHASE                            SHARES ARE SOLD
-----------------------------                            ---------------
<S>                                                      <C>
Through first year                                             5.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through second year                                            4.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through third year                                             3.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through fourth year                                            3.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through fifth year                                             2.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through sixth year                                             1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longer than six years                                          0.00

Commission to financial advisors is 5.00%.

Automatic conversion to Class A shares is eight years after purchase.
</TABLE>

                                                                               8

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

You can pay a lower CDSC and reduce the holding period when making  purchases of
Class B shares through a financial advisor firm which  participates in the Class
B share discount  program for larger purchases as described in the charts below.
Some financial  advisor firms are not able to  participate  because their record
keeping or transaction  processing systems are not designed to accommodate these
reductions.  For  non-participating  firms,  purchases of Class B shares must be
less  than  $250,000.   Consult  your  financial   advisor  to  see  whether  it
participates in the discount  program for larger  purchases.  For  participating
firms,  Rights of Accumulation  apply, so that if the combined value of the Fund
accounts  maintained by you, your spouse or your minor children is at or above a
discount  level,  your  next  purchase  will  receive  the  lower  CDSC  and the
applicable reduced holding period.

PURCHASES OF $250,000 TO LESS THAN $500,000:


CLASS B SALES CHARGES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                         % DEDUCTED WHEN
HOLDING PERIOD AFTER PURCHASE                            SHARES ARE SOLD

<S>                                                            <C>
Through first year                                             3.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through second year                                            2.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through third year                                             1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longer than three years                                        0.00
</TABLE>

Commission to financial advisors is 2.50%.

Automatic conversion to Class A shares is four years after purchase.

PURCHASES OF $500,000 TO LESS THAN $1 MILLION:

CLASS B SALES CHARGES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                         % DEDUCTED WHEN
HOLDING PERIOD AFTER PURCHASE                            SHARES ARE SOLD
<S>                                                      <C>
Through first year                                             3.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through second year                                            2.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Through third year                                             1.00
</TABLE>

Commission to financial advisors is 1.75%.

Automatic conversion to Class A shares is three years after purchase.


                                                                               9

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

If you exchange into a fund  participating in the Class B share discount program
or  transfer  your  fund  account  from  a  financial  advisor  which  does  not
participate in the program to one who does, the exchanged or transferred  shares
will retain the pre-existing CDSC but any additional purchases of Class B shares
which  cause the  exchanged  or  transferred  account to exceed  the  applicable
discount  level will receive the lower CDSC and the reduced  holding  period for
amounts in excess of the discount level. Your financial advisor will receive the
lower  commission for purchases in excess of the applicable  discount  level. If
you exchange from a participating fund or transfer your account from a financial
advisor that does  participate  in the program into a fund or financial  advisor
which does not, the exchanged or transferred shares will retain the pre-existing
CDSC but all additional  purchases of Class B shares will be in accordance  with
the  higher  CDSC and longer  holding  period of the  non-participating  fund or
financial advisor.

CLASS C SHARES  Similar to Class B shares,  your purchases of Class C shares are
at Class C's net asset value.  Although  Class C shares have no front-end  sales
charge,  they carry a CDSC of 1.00% that is  applied to shares  sold  within the
first year after they are purchased.  After holding shares for one year, you may
sell them at any time without paying a CDSC. The distributor  pays the financial
advisor firm an up-front commission of 1.00% on sales of Class C shares.


CLASS C SALES CHARGES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

YEARS AFTER PURCHASE                              % DEDUCTED WHEN SHARES ARE SOLD
<S>                                                            <C>
Through first year                                             1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Longer than one year                                           0.00
</TABLE>


HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may exchange  your shares for shares of the same share class of another fund
distributed  by Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc. at net asset  value.  If your
shares are subject to a CDSC,  you will not be charged a CDSC upon the exchange.
However, when you sell the shares acquired through the exchange, the shares sold
may be subject  to a CDSC,  depending  upon when you  originally  purchased  the
shares you exchanged. For purposes of computing the CDSC, the length of time you
have owned your shares will be computed from the date of your original  purchase
and the  applicable  CDSC will be the CDSC of the  original  fund.  Unless  your
account is part of a  tax-deferred  retirement  plan,  an  exchange is a taxable
event.  Therefore,  you may realize a gain or a loss for tax purposes.  The Fund
may  terminate  your  exchange  privilege  if the advisor  determines  that your
exchange  activity is likely to adversely impact its ability to manage the Fund.
To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.


                                                                              10

<PAGE>

YOUR ACCOUNT

HOW TO SELL SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor can help you determine if and when you should sell your
shares. You may sell shares of the Fund on any regular business day that the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open.

When the Fund receives your sales request in "good form," shares will be sold at
the next calculated price. In "good form" means that money used to purchase your
shares is fully collected.  When selling shares by letter of instruction,  "good
form"  also  means  (i)  your  letter  has  complete  instructions,  the  proper
signatures and signature guarantees, (ii) you have included any certificates for
shares to be sold,  and (iii) any other  required  documents are  attached.  For
additional documents required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries and
surviving  joint owners,  please call  1-800-345-6611.  Retirement plan accounts
have special requirements; please call 1-800-799-7526 for more information.

The Fund will  generally  send  proceeds  from the sale to you within seven days
(usually  on the next  business  day after  your  request is  received  in "good
form").  However,  if you  purchased  your  shares by check,  the Fund may delay
sending the  proceeds  from the sale of your shares for up to 15 days after your
purchase to protect  against checks that are returned.  No interest will be paid
on uncashed  redemption checks.  Redemption  proceeds may be paid in securities,
rather than in cash, if the advisor  determines  that it is in the best interest
of the Fund.

                                                                              11

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

                      OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SELLING SHARES:

 METHOD                      INSTRUCTIONS

Through your                 You may call your financial advisor to place your
financial advisor            sell order. To receive the current trading day's
                             price,  your  financial  advisor  firm must receive
                             your  request  prior  to the  close  of  the  NYSE,
                             usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                           exchange  You or your  financial  advisor  may sell
                             shares  by  exchanging  from the Fund into the same
                             share class of another fund at no additional  cost.
                             To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By telephone                 You or your financial advisor may sell shares by
                             telephone and request that a check be sent to your
                             address of record by calling 1-800-422-3737, unless
                             you have notified the Fund of an address change
                             within the previous 30 days. The dollar limit for
                             telephone sales is $100,000 in a 30-day period. You
                             do not need to set up this feature in advance of
                             your call. Certain restrictions apply to retirement
                             accounts. For details, call 1-800-345-6611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By mail                      You may send a signed letter of instruction or
                             stock power form along with any certificates to be
                             sold to the address below. In your letter of
                             instruction, note the Fund's name, share class,
                             account number, and the dollar value or number of
                             shares you wish to sell. All account owners must
                             sign the letter, and signatures must be guaranteed
                             by either a bank, a member firm of a national stock
                             exchange or another eligible guarantor institution.
                             Additional documentation is required for sales by
                             corporations, agents, fiduciaries, surviving joint
                             owners and individual retirement account owners.
                             For details, call 1-800-345-6611.
                             Mail your letter of instruction to SteinRoe
                             Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc.,
                             P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                           wire  You may  sell  shares  and  request  that the
                             proceeds  be  wired to your  bank.  You must set up
                             this feature prior to your  telephone  request.  Be
                             sure to  complete  the  appropriate  section of the
                             account application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By systematic                You may automatically sell a specified dollar
withdrawal plan              amount or percentage on a monthly, quarterly or
                             semi-annually  basis if your account  balance is at
                             least  $5,000  and have the  proceeds  sent to you.
                             This  feature  is not  available  if you hold  your
                             shares in certificate form. Be sure to complete the
                             appropriate  section of the account application for
                             this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic  You may sell shares and request that the proceeds  funds transfer
be electronically transferred to your bank.
                             Proceeds  may  take up to two  business  days to be
                             received by your bank. You must set up this feature
                             prior  to your  request.  Be sure to  complete  the
                             appropriate  section of the account application for
                             this feature.

                                                                              12

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


FUND POLICY ON TRADING OF FUND SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund does not permit short-term or excessive trading.  Excessive  purchases,
redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares disrupt  portfolio  management and drive
Fund expenses  higher.  In order to promote the best  interests of the Fund, the
Fund  reserves  the right to reject  any  purchase  order or  exchange  request,
particularly from market timers or investors who, in the advisor's opinion, have
a pattern of short-term or excessive trading or whose trading has been or may be
disruptive to the Fund.  The Fund into which you would like to exchange also may
reject your request.


DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE FEES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Fund has  adopted a plan under Rule 12b-1 that  permits it to pay  marketing
and other fees to support the sale and  distribution  of Class A, B and C shares
and the services provided to you by your financial  advisor.  The annual service
fee may equal up to 0.25% for each of Class A,  Class B and Class C shares.  The
annual  distribution  fee may equal up to 0.10% for Class A shares and 0.75% for
each of Class B and Class C shares.  Distribution  and service fees are paid out
of the assets of these classes.  The distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive
the Class A share distribution fee. Over time, these fees will increase the cost
of your shares and may cost you more than paying  other types of sales  charges.
Class B shares automatically convert to Class A shares after a certain number of
years,  depending on the program you purchased your shares under,  eliminating a
portion of the distribution fee upon conversion.


                                                                              13

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE IS  DETERMINED  The price of each class of the Fund's
shares is based on its net asset value. The net asset value is determined at the
close of regular  trading on the NYSE,  usually 4:00 p.m.  Eastern time, on each
business day that the NYSE is open (typically Monday through Friday).

When you  request a  transaction,  it will be  processed  at the net asset value
(plus any  applicable  sales  charges)  next  determined  after your  request is
received in "good form" by the  distributor.  In most cases, in order to receive
that day's  price,  the  distributor  must  receive your order before that day's
transactions are processed.  If you request a transaction through your financial
advisor  firm,  the firm must  receive your order by the close of trading on the
NYSE to receive that day's price.

The Fund  determines  its net asset value for each share class by dividing  each
class's total net assets by the number of that class's  outstanding  shares.  In
determining  the net  asset  value,  the Fund must  determine  the price of each
security in its  portfolio at the close of each  trading  day.  Because the Fund
holds securities that are traded on foreign  exchanges,  the value of the Fund's
securities may change on days when  shareholders will not be able to buy or sell
Fund  shares.  This will affect the Fund's net asset value on the day it is next
determined. Securities for which market quotations are available are valued each
day  at  the  current  market  value.  However,   where  market  quotations  are
unavailable,  or when the advisor believes that subsequent events have made them
unreliable,  the Fund may use  other  data to  determine  the fair  value of the
securities.

You can find the daily  prices of some share  classes for the Fund in most major
daily newspapers under the caption  "Liberty." You can find daily prices for all
share classes by visiting the Fund's web site at www.libertyfunds.com.

ACCOUNT FEES If your account value falls below $1,000 (other than as a result of
depreciation in share value) you may be subject to an annual account fee of $10.
This fee is deducted from the account in June each year.  Approximately  60 days
prior  to the fee  date,  the  Fund's  transfer  agent  will  send  you  written
notification of the upcoming fee. If you add money to your account and bring the
value above $1,000 prior to the fee date, the fee will not be deducted.

SHARE  CERTIFICATES  Share  certificates  are not  available  for  Class B and C
shares. Certificates will be issued for Class A shares only if requested. If you
decide to hold  share  certificates,  you will not be able to sell  your  shares
until you have endorsed your certificates and returned them to the distributor.

                                                                              14

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

UNDERSTANDING FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund earns income from the  securities  it holds.  The Fund also may realize
capital  gains  and  losses  on sales of its  securities.  The Fund  distributes
substantially   all  of  its  net   investment   income  and  capital  gains  to
shareholders.  As a  shareholder,  you are  entitled  to a portion of the Fund's
income and capital gains based on the number of shares you own at the time these
distributions are declared.


DIVIDENDS,  DISTRIBUTIONS,  AND  TAXES  The Fund has the  potential  to make the
following distributions:

TYPES OF DISTRIBUTIONS

 Dividend             Represents  interest and dividends  earned from securities
                      held by the Fund.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Capital              gains  Represents net long-term  capital gains on sales of
                      securities held for more than 12 months and net short-term
                      capital gains, which are gains on sales of securities held
                      for a 12-month period or less.

DISTRIBUTION  OPTIONS  The Fund  distributes  dividends  and any  capital  gains
(including  short-term  capital gains) at least annually.  You can choose one of
the options listed in the table below for these distributions when you open your
account. To change your distribution option call 1-800-345-6611.

If you do  not  indicate  on  your  application  your  preference  for  handling
distributions,  the  Fund  will  automatically  reinvest  all  distributions  in
additional shares of the Fund.


DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS

Reinvest all distributions in additional shares of your current fund
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reinvest all distributions in shares of another fund
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive dividends in cash (see options below) and reinvest capital gains(11)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive all distributions in cash (with one of the following options) (11):

-     send the check to your address of record

-     send the check to a third party address

-     transfer the money to your bank via electronic funds transfer

Tax Consequences Regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or
reinvest them in additional Fund shares,  all Fund  distributions are subject to
federal  income tax.  Depending on the state where you live,  distributions  may
also be subject to state and local income taxes.

In general,  any  distributions  of dividends,  interest and short-term  capital
gains are taxable as ordinary income.  Distributions of long-term  capital gains
are  generally  taxable as such,  regardless of how long you have held your Fund
shares.  You will be provided with information each year regarding the amount of
ordinary  income and capital gains  distributed to you for the previous year and
any portion of your  distribution  which is exempt  from state and local  taxes.
Your  investment  in the Fund may have  additional  personal  tax  implications.
Please  consult  your tax advisor on  foreign,  federal,  state,  local or other
applicable tax laws.

In addition to the dividends and capital gains  distributions  made by the Fund,
you may realize a capital gain or loss when selling and exchanging shares of the
Fund. Such transactions may be subject to federal, state and local income tax.

(11)  Distributions  of  $10  or  less  will   automatically  be  reinvested  in
      additional Fund shares. If you elect to receive distributions by check and
      the  check  is  returned  as  undeliverable,  or if  you  do  not  cash  a
      distribution  check within six months of the check date, the  distribution
      will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund.



                                                                              15

<PAGE>

MANAGING THE FUND


INVESTMENT ADVISOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated (Stein Roe), located at One South Wacker Drive,
Suite 3500,  Chicago,  Illinois 60606, is the Fund's investment  advisor. In its
duties as investment  advisor,  Stein Roe runs the Fund's  day-to-day  business,
including  placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio  securities
for the Portfolio. Stein Roe has been an investment advisor since 1932.


Stein Roe's mutual funds and institutional  investment  advisory  businesses are
part of a larger  business unit that includes  several  separate  legal entities
known as Liberty Funds Group LLC (LFG). LFG includes certain affiliates of Stein
Roe, principally Colonial Management Associates, Inc. (Colonial).  Stein Roe and
the LFG  business  unit are  managed  by a single  management  team.  Stein Roe,
Colonial and the other LFG entities also share personnel, facilities and systems
that may be used in  providing  administrative  or  operational  services to the
Fund. Colonial is a registered  investment advisor.  Stein Roe, Colonial and the
other entities that make up LFG are subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies,
Inc.


For the 1999 fiscal year,  aggregate advisory fees paid to Stein Roe by the Fund
amounted to 0.90% of average daily net assets of the Fund.

Stein Roe can use the services of AlphaTrade Inc., an affiliated  broker-dealer,
when buying or selling equity securities for the Fund's  portfolio,  pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.


PORTFOLIO MANAGER
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STEVE D. HAYWARD joined Stein Roe as a portfolio manager in November, 1999. He
served as vice president, investments for M & I Investment Management from 1993
to 1999, where he managed the Marshall Mid-Cap Fund and Marshall Small-Cap
Growth Fund. Mr. Hayward earned a B.A. degree from North Park College and a
M.B.A. degree in finance from Loyola University. He has managed the Fund since
joining Stein Roe in November, 1999.
                                                                              16

<PAGE>

OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

UNDERSTANDING THE FUND'S OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund's  principal  investment  strategies and risks are described under "The
Fund--Principal  Investment  Strategies"  and "The Fund -  Principal  Investment
Risks." In  seeking to meet its  investment  goal,  the Fund may also  invest in
other securities and use certain other investment  techniques.  These securities
and investment techniques offer opportunities and carry various risks.

The  advisor  may elect not to buy any of these  securities  or use any of these
techniques  unless it  believes  that  doing so will help the Fund  achieve  its
investment goal. The Fund may not always achieve its investment goal.

Additional information about the Fund's securities and investment techniques, as
well as the Fund's  fundamental  and  non-fundamental  investment  policies,  is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.

The  Fund's  principal  investment  strategies  and their  associated  risks are
described above.  This section describes other investments the Fund may make and
the risks  associated with them. In seeking to achieve its investment  goal, the
Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various  investment
techniques  which are not the principal  focus of the Fund and therefore are not
described in this prospectus. These types of securities and investment practices
are identified and discussed in the Fund's Statement of Additional  Information,
which you may obtain  free of charge  (see back  cover).  Approval by the Fund's
shareholders  is not  required to modify or change any of the Fund's  investment
goal or investment strategies.


FUTURES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund uses  futures  to gain  exposure  to  groups  of  stocks or  individual
issuers.  A  future  is an  agreement  to buy or  sell a  specific  amount  of a
financial instrument or physical commodity for an agreed-upon price at a certain
time in the future.  Investments  in futures are efficient  since they typically
cost less than direct  investments in the underlying  securities.  However,  the
Fund can lose money if the portfolio  manager does not correctly  anticipate the
market movements of those underlying securities.

PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no limits on turnover.  Turnover may vary  significantly  from year to
year. Stein Roe does not expect it to exceed 100% under normal  conditions.  The
Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment although,
to a limited  extent,  it may purchase  securities in anticipation of relatively
short-term price gains.  Portfolio  turnover typically produces capital gains or
losses  resulting in tax  consequences  for Fund  investors.  It also  increases
transaction expenses, which reduce the Fund's return.



INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund may lend money to and borrow  from  other  funds  advised by Stein Roe.
They will do so when Stein Roe  believes  such lending or borrowing is necessary
and appropriate.  Borrowing costs will be the same as or lower than the costs of
a bank loan.


TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At times,  the advisor may  determine  that adverse  market  conditions  make it
desirable to temporarily suspend the Fund's normal investment activities. During
such  times,  the  Fund  may,  but  is  not  required  to,  invest  in  cash  or
high-quality,  short-term  debt  securities,  without limit.  Taking a temporary
defensive position may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal.




                                                                              17

<PAGE>

FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS


The financial  highlights  table is intended to help you  understand  the Fund's
financial  performance.  Because  Class  A, B and C shares  have  not  commenced
operations,  the Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class S shares,  the Fund's
existing class is shown.  Information is shown from the Fund's  commencement  of
operations.  The Fund's fiscal year runs from October 1 to September 30. Certain
information  reflects  financial  results  for a single  Fund  share.  The total
returns in the table  represent the rate that you would have earned (or lost) on
an  investment  in  the  Fund  (assuming   reinvestment  of  all  dividends  and
distributions).  This information is included in the Fund's financial statements
which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP, independent accountants,
whose report,  along with the Fund's  financial  statements,  is included in the
Fund's annual report.  The  information for periods prior to September 30, 1999,
is included in the Fund's financial  statements which have been audited by other
independent  accountants,  whose report expressed an unqualified  opinion on the
financial  highlights.   You  can  request  a  free  annual  report  by  calling
1-800-426-3750.


 THE FUND (a)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                       (Unaudited)
                                                                    Six months ended        Years ended
Period ended
                                                                       March 31           September 30,
September 30,
                                                                         2000           1999        1998
1997(b)
                                                                        Class S        Class S     Class S
Class S
<S>                                                                 <C>            <C>          <C>          <C>
Net asset value--
Beginning of period ($)                                                 12.51          10.41       10.77
10.00

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

INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS ($):
Net investment loss                                                     (0.08)         (0.10)     (0.07)          ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on investments                   8.47           2.20      (0.29)         0.77
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total from Investment Operations                                         8.39           2.10      (0.36)         0.77
===================================================================================================================================
DISTRIBUTIONS ($):

Net realized capital gains                                              (0.22)          ---         ---           ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net asset value--
End of period ($)                                                       20.68          12.51       10.41
10.77
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total return (%) (f)                                                    67.88          20.17      (3.34)       7.70
(g)
===================================================================================================================================
RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (%):

Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (c)                        1.25 (e)         1.25       1.25        1.25
(e)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ratio of net investment loss to average net assets (f)                (0.92) (e)     (0.97) (d)   (0.64)       0.02
(e)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Portfolio turnover rate (%) (a)                                         150 (g)          133         75           3
(g)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Net assets at end of period (000) ($)                                   72,940         44,359     49,974
49,830
</TABLE>

(a)   The name of the Fund was  changed  on May 6,  1999 from  Stein Roe  Growth
      Opportunities Fund to Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund.

(b)   From commencement operations on June 30, 1997.


(c)   If the Fund paid all of its expenses  and there had been no  reimbursement
      by Stein  Roe,  this  ratio  would  have  been  1.43%  for the year  ended
      September 30, 1999, 1.44% for the year ended September 30, 1998, and 1.74%
      for the period ended September 30, 1997.

(d)   During the year ended September 30, 1999, the Fund  experienced a one-time
      reduction  in its  expenses of 0.11% as a result of expenses  accrued in a
      prior period.  The Fund's gross expense  ratio and net  investment  income
      ratio  disclosed in Note (c)  reflects  the actual rate at which  expenses
      were incurred throughout fiscal year 1999 without the reduction.

(e)   Annualized.

(f)   Computed giving effect to Stein Roe's expense limitation undertaking.

(g)   Not annualized.

                                                                              18

<PAGE>

NOTES

                                                                              19

<PAGE>
FOR MORE INFORMATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You  can get  more  information  about  the  Fund's  investments  in the  Fund's
semi-annual  and annual reports to  shareholders.  The annual report  contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund's performance over its last fiscal year.

You  may  wish  to  read  the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  for  more
information on the Fund and the securities in which it invests. The Statement of
Additional Information is incorporated into this prospectus by reference,  which
means that it is considered to be part of this prospectus.

You can get free copies of reports and the Statement of Additional  Information,
request other  information  and discuss your questions about the Fund by writing
or calling the Fund's distributor at:

Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111-2621
1-800-426-3750
 www.libertyfunds.com

Text-only versions of all Fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from
the Edgar database on the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  internet site at
www.sec.gov.

You can review and copy  information  about the Fund by visiting  the  following
location,  and you can  obtain  copies,  upon  payment of a  duplicating  fee by
electronic request at the E-mail address [email protected] or by writing the:

Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-0102

Information  on the  operation of the Public  Reference  Room may be obtained by
calling 1-202-942-8090.


INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NUMBER:

Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust: 811-4978

- Liberty Midcap Growth Fund (formerly Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund)

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

                              [LIBERTY FUNDS LOGO]

796-01/304C-0700    Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. (c)2000
                    One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111-2621, 1-800-426-3750
                    www.libertyfunds.com




<PAGE>
LIBERTY MIDCAP GROWTH FUND  PROSPECTUS, AUGUST 1, 2000

CLASS Z SHARES

Advised by Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated


The following eligible institutional  investors may purchase Class Z shares: (i)
any retirement plan with aggregate  assets of at least $5 million at the time of
purchase of Class Z shares and which  purchases  shares  directly  from  Liberty
Funds  Distributor,  Inc.,  the Fund's  distributor,  or  through a third  party
broker-dealer,  (ii) any registered investment advisor purchasing shares for its
clients;  (iii) any insurance  company,  trust company or bank purchasing shares
for its own account; (iv) any endowment,  investment company or foundation;  and
(v) any trustee of  Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds  Investment  Trust, any employee of
Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated, or any of its affiliates, or any member of the
immediate family of any trustee or employee. In addition,  Class Z shares may be
purchased  directly  or by  exchange  by  any  clients  of  investment  advisory
affiliates of the  distributor  provided that the clients meet certain  criteria
established by the distributor and its affiliates.

Although these  securities have been registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commission has not approved or disapproved any shares offered in
this  prospectus or determined  whether this prospectus is truthful or complete.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

--------------------------------
Not FDIC      May Lose Value
             -------------------
Insured       No Bank Guarantee
--------------------------------





<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<S>                                      <C>
THE FUND                                   2
--------------------------------------------
Investment Goal ........................   2

Principal Investment Strategies ........   2

Principal Investment Risks .............   3

Performance History ....................   5

Your Expenses ..........................   6

YOUR ACCOUNT                               7
--------------------------------------------
How to Buy Shares ......................   7

Sales Charges ..........................   8

How to Exchange Shares .................   9

How to Sell Shares .....................   9

Fund Policy on Trading of Fund Shares ..   9

Other Information About Your Account ...  10


MANAGING THE FUND                         13
--------------------------------------------
Investment Advisor .....................  13

Portfolio Manager ......................  13


OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES AND RISKS                      14
--------------------------------------------


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                      15
--------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
                    THE FUND

INVESTMENT GOAL
---------------
The Fund seeks long-term growth.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
-------------------------------
Under normal market  conditions,  the Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in
common  stocks of midcap  companies  that the  portfolio  manager  believes have
long-term   growth   potential.   The  Fund  may  also   invest  in  small-  and
large-capitalization  companies.  The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in
foreign  stocks.  To select  investments  for the Fund,  the  portfolio  manager
considers  midcap  companies  that show the  potential  to generate  and sustain
long-term earnings growth at above-average  rates. The portfolio manager selects
companies based on his view of long-term rather than short-term  earnings growth
prospects.

The portfolio  manager may sell a portfolio  holding if the security reaches the
portfolio  manager's  price  target or if the  company  has a  deterioration  of
fundamentals  such as failing to meet key  operating  benchmarks.  The portfolio
manager may also sell a portfolio holding to fund redemptions.

Additional strategies that are not principal investment strategies and the risks
associated  with  them are  described  later  in this  prospectus  under  "Other
Investment Strategies and Risks."

Defining  Capitalization.  A company's market capitalization is simply its stock
price multiplied by the number of shares of stock it has issued and outstanding.
In the  financial  markets,  companies  generally  are sorted  into one of three
capitalization-based   categories:  large  capitalization  (large  cap);  medium
capitalization  (mid cap) or small  capitalization  (small  cap).  In defining a
company's market capitalization,  we use capitalization-based categories as they
are defined by Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar  ranks stocks as follows:  the top 5% of the 5000  largest  domestic
stocks in  Morningstar's  equity  database are classified as large cap, the next
15% of the 5000 are  classified  as mid cap, and the  remaining  80% (as well as
companies that fall outside the largest 5000) are classified as small cap. As of
June 30, 2000, large cap companies had market capitalizations greater than $10.5
billion,  mid cap  companies had market  capitalizations  between $1.7 and $10.5
billion,  and small cap  companies  had  market  capitalizations  less than $1.7
billion. These amounts are subject to change.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
--------------------------
The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. There are many
circumstances  (including  additional  risks that are not described  here) which
could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal. You may lose money by
investing in the Fund.

Management  risk means that the advisor's  stock and bond  selections  and other
investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when
compared to other funds with a similar  investment goal.  Market risk means that
security  prices  in a  market,  sector  or  industry  may move  down.  Downward
movements will

                                                                               2

<PAGE>
THE FUND

reduce the value of your  investment.  Because of  management  and market  risk,
there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment  goal or perform
favorably compared with competing funds.


Since it purchases equity  securities,  the Fund is subject to equity risk. This
is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended  periods of time.
Although the stock market has historically outperformed other asset classes over
the long term,  the equity market tends to move in cycles and  individual  stock
prices may  fluctuate  drastically  from  day-to-day.  Individual  companies may
report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends
and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a
decline in response.  These price  movements  may result from factors  affecting
individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole.



Growth  stock  prices may be more  sensitive  to changes in current or  expected
earnings than the prices of other stocks.  Growth stocks may not perform as well
as value stocks or the stock market in general.



The securities  issued by  mid-capitalization  companies may have more risk than
those of larger  companies.  These  securities may be more susceptible to market
downturns, and their prices could be more volatile.


Foreign  securities are subject to special  risks.  Foreign stock markets can be
extremely volatile. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact the value
of  foreign  securities  without  a  change  in the  intrinsic  value  of  those
securities.  The  liquidity  of  foreign  securities  may be more  limited  than
domestic securities,  which means that the Fund may, at times, be unable to sell
foreign securities at desirable prices.  Brokerage  commissions,  custodial fees
and other  fees are  generally  higher for  foreign  investments.  In  addition,
foreign  governments may impose  withholding taxes which would reduce the amount
of income and capital gains available to distribute to shareholders. Other risks
include the following:  possible delays in the settlement of transactions or the
notification of income; less publicly available information about companies; the
impact  of  political,  social  or  diplomatic  events;  and  possible  seizure,
expropriation or nationalization of the company or its assets.


Smaller  companies are more likely than larger companies to have limited product
lines,  operating  histories,  markets or financial  resources.  They may depend
heavily on a small management team.  Stocks of smaller  companies may trade less
frequently, may trade in smaller volumes and may fluctuate more sharply in price
than stocks of larger companies. In addition, they may not be widely followed by
the investment community, which can lower the demand for their stock.



An  investment  in the Fund is not a  deposit  in a bank and is not  insured  or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation or any other government
agency.


                                                                               3

<PAGE>
THE FUND


UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR  YEAR TOTAL RETURNS shows the Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class
S  share  performance  for  each  complete  calendar  year  since  it  commenced
operations. It includes the effects of Fund expenses.

AVERAGE  ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS is a measure of the Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth
Fund Class S share  performance  over the past one-year and the life of the Fund
periods. It includes the effects of Fund expenses.


The Fund's  return is  compared to the  Standard & Poor's  Midcap 400 Index (S&P
Index),  an unmanaged index that tracks the performance of a selection of widely
held common stocks.  Unlike the Fund, indices are not investments,  do not incur
fees or  expenses  and are not  professionally  managed.  It is not  possible to
invest directly in indices.



PERFORMANCE HISTORY
-------------------
The bar chart below shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year by
illustrating  the Fund's  calendar  year total  returns for its Stein Roe Midcap
Growth  Fund Class S shares.  The Fund did not have  separate  classes of shares
prior to August 1,  2000;  on that  date,  the Fund's  outstanding  shares  were
reclassified  as Stein Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S shares.  The  performance
table  following the bar chart shows how the Fund's  average  annual returns for
Stein Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S compare  with those of a broad  measure of
market  performance for 1 year and the life of the Fund. The chart and table are
intended to illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the
changes in the Fund's  performance.  All  returns  include the  reinvestment  of
dividends and distributions.  Performance  results include the effect of expense
reduction  arrangements,  if any. If these  arrangements were not in place, then
the performance  results would have been lower.  As with all mutual funds,  past
performance does not predict the Fund's future performance.



  CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS (STEIN ROE MIDCAP GROWTH FUND CLASS S)(1)

[BAR GRAPH OMITTED]

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
Calendar Year
-------------
<S>                       <C>
1998.....................  15.24%
1999.....................  42.73%
</TABLE>




The Fund's year-to-date total return through June 30, 2000 was +2.03%.


For period shown in bar chart:
Best quarter: 4th quarter 1999, +44.10%
Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 1998, -18.35%



AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS -- FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999(1)
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                             INCEPTION       LIFE OF THE
                                               DATE   1 YEAR    FUND
<S>                                        <C>            <C>            <C>
                Stein Roe Midcap Growth
                Fund Class S(%)               6/30/97         42.73    26.57
                -------------------------- -------------- -------------- -------------
                S&P Index(%)                    N/A           14.72    20.67(2)
</TABLE>



(1)  Because the Class Z shares have not  completed a full calendar year the bar
     chart and  average  annual  total  returns  shown are for Stein Roe  Midcap
     Growth Fund Class S shares, the oldest existing Fund class.



(2)  Performance information is from June 30, 1997.


                                                                               4

<PAGE>
THE FUND


UNDERSTANDING EXPENSES


ANNUAL  FUND  OPERATING  EXPENSES  are  deducted  from the  Fund.  They  include
management fees and administrative costs including pricing and custody services.


EXAMPLE  EXPENSES help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost
of  investing  in  other  mutual  funds.  It  uses  the  following  hypothetical
conditions:

-    $10,000 initial investment

-    5% total return for each year

-    Fund operating expenses remain the same


-    Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions



YOUR EXPENSES
-------------
Expenses  are one of several  factors to consider  before you invest in a mutual
fund.  The tables below describe the fees and expenses you may pay when you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund.


SHAREHOLDER FEES(3) (PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)

<TABLE>
<S>                                                 <C>
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchases(%)
(as a percentage of the offering price)                0.00
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) on
redemptions(%) (as a percentage of the
lesser of purchase price or redemption price)          0.00
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
Redemption fee(%) (as a percentage of
amount redeemed, if applicable)                        (4)
</TABLE>


ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (DEDUCTED DIRECTLY FROM FUND ASSETS)


<TABLE>
<S>                                                 <C>
Management fee(%)                                      0.90
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees(%)               0.00
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
Other expenses(5)(%)                                   0.55
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
Total annual fund operating expenses(%)                1.45
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
     Expense reimbursement(6)(%)                      (0.20)
--------------------------------------------------- -----------
     Net expenses(%)                                   1.25
</TABLE>


EXAMPLE EXPENSES (YOUR ACTUAL COSTS MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
     1 YEAR            3 YEARS          5 YEARS         10 YEARS
<S>                  <C>              <C>             <C>
      $127              $439             $773            $1,718
</TABLE>


(3)  A $10 annual fee is deducted  from accounts of less than $1,000 and paid to
     the transfer agent.

(4)  There is a $7.50 charge for wiring sale proceeds to your bank.

(5) Other expenses are based on Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class S shares.


(6)  The Fund's advisor has agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain expenses so
     that the total annual fund operating  expenses  (exclusive of  distribution
     and service fees, brokerage commissions,  interest, taxes and extraordinary
     expenses, if any) will not exceed 1.25%. As a result, the actual management
     fee for  Class Z shares  would be 0.70%  and total  annual  fund  operating
     expenses for Class Z shares  would be 1.25%.  This  arrangement  expires on
     January 31, 2001. A  reimbursement  lowers the expense  ratio and increases
     overall return to investors.


                                                                               5

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


WHO IS ELIGIBLE TO BUY
CLASS Z SHARES?


The following eligible institutional  investors may purchase Class Z shares: (i)
any retirement plan with aggregate  assets of at least $5 million at the time of
purchase  of  Class Z  shares  and  which  purchases  shares  directly  from the
distributor  or  through  a  third  party  broker-dealer;  (ii)  any  registered
investment  advisor  purchasing  shares  for its  clients;  (iii) any  insurance
company,  trust company or bank purchasing shares for its own account;  (iv) any
endowment,   investment   company  or   foundation;   and  (v)  any  trustee  of
Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds  Investment  Trust, any employee of Stein Roe & Farnham
Incorporated, or any of its affiliates, or any member of the immediate family of
any trustee or employee.  In addition,  Class Z shares may be purchased directly
or by  exchange  by  any  clients  of  investment  advisory  affiliates  of  the
distributor  provided that the clients meet certain criteria  established by the
distributor and its affiliates.



The Fund reserves the right to change the criteria for eligible  investors.  The
Fund  also  reserves  the  right to  refuse a  purchase  order  for any  reason,
including if it believes that doing so would be in the best interest of the Fund
and its shareholders.



HOW TO BUY SHARES
-----------------
Your  financial  advisor  can  help  you  establish  an  appropriate  investment
portfolio, buy shares and monitor your investments.  When the Fund receives your
purchase  request  in  "good  form,"  your  shares  will be  bought  at the next
calculated  price.  "Good  form"  means  that you  placed  your  order with your
brokerage  firm or your  payment  has  been  received  and your  application  is
complete, including all necessary signatures.




  OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR BUYING SHARES:




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                   <C>
 Through your         Your financial advisor can help you establish your account and
 financial advisor    buy Fund shares on your behalf.  Your financial advisor may
                      charge you fees for executing the purchase for you.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By check             For new accounts, send a completed application and check made
 (new account)        payable to the Fund to the transfer agent, SteinRoe Services,
                      Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston,
                      MA 02105-1722.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By check For existing  accounts,  fill out and return the additional  (existing
account) investment stub included in your quarterly statement, or send a
                      letter of instruction including your Fund name and account
                      number with a check made payable to the Fund to SteinRoe
                      Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box
                      1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By                   exchange You or your financial  advisor may acquire shares
                      by exchanging shares you own in one fund for shares of the
                      same class or Class A of the Fund at no  additional  cost.
                      There may be an  additional  charge if  exchanging  from a
                      money  market  fund.  To  exchange  by   telephone,   call
                      1-800-422-3737.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By                   wire You may  purchase  shares by wiring  money  from your
                      bank account to your fund  account.  To wire funds to your
                      fund  account,  call  1-800-422-3737  to  obtain a control
                      number and the wiring instructions.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By electronic  You may purchase  shares by  electronically  transferring  money
 funds transfer from your bank account to your fund account by calling
                      1-800-422-3737.  Electronic funds transfers may take up to
                      two  business  days to settle and be  considered  in "good
                      form."  You  must  set  up  this  feature  prior  to  your
                      telephone  request.  Be sure to complete  the  appropriate
                      section of the application.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 Automatic            You can make monthly or quarterly investments automatically
 investment plan      from your bank account to your fund account.  You can select a
                      pre-authorized  amount  to be sent  via  electronic  funds
                      transfer.  Be sure to complete the appropriate  section of
                      the application for this feature.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By dividend          You may automatically invest dividends distributed by one fund
 diversification      into the same class of shares of the Fund at no additional
                      sales charge.  To invest your dividends in another fund, call
                      1-800-345-6611.
</TABLE>


                                                                               6

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



CHOOSING A SHARE CLASS



The Fund offers one class of shares in this prospectus - CLASS Z.



The Fund also offers four additional classes of shares - Class A, B, C and Stein
Roe  Midcap  Growth  Fund  Class  S  shares  are  available   through   separate
prospectuses.  Each share class has its own sales charge and expense  structure.
Determining  which share class is best for you depends on the dollar  amount you
are investing and the number of years for which you are willing to invest. Based
on your personal  situation,  your investment  advisor can help you decide which
class of shares makes the most sense for you. In general, anyone who is eligible
to purchase Class Z shares, which do not incur Rule 12b-1 fees or sales charges,
should do so in preference over other classes.



SALES CHARGES
-------------
Your purchases of Class Z shares generally are at net asset value,  which is the
value of a Fund share excluding any sales charge. Class Z shares are not subject
to an initial sales charge when purchased, or a contingent deferred sales charge
when sold.


HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
----------------------
You may exchange  your shares for shares of the same share class of another fund
or Class A shares of another fund distributed by Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
at net asset  value.  Unless your account is part of a  tax-deferred  retirement
plan,  an exchange is a taxable  event.  Therefore,  you may realize a gain or a
loss for tax  purposes.  The Fund may terminate  your exchange  privilege if the
advisor determines that your exchange activity is likely to adversely impact its
ability to manage the Fund. To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.


HOW TO SELL SHARES
------------------
Your  financial  advisor can help you determine if and when you should sell your
shares. You may sell shares of the Fund on any regular business day that the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open.

When the Fund receives your sales request in "good form," shares will be sold at
the next calculated price. In "good form" means that money used to purchase your
shares is fully collected.  When selling shares by letter of instruction,  "good
form"  also  means  (i)  your  letter  has  complete  instructions,  the  proper
signatures and signature  guarantees,  and (ii) any other required documents are
attached.  For additional documents required for sales by corporations,  agents,
fiduciaries and surviving joint owners,  please call 1-800-345-6611.  Retirement
plan accounts have special  requirements;  please call  1-800-799-7526  for more
information. Redemption proceeds may be paid in securities, rather than in cash,
if the advisor determines that it is in the best interest of the Fund.

The Fund will  generally  send  proceeds  from the sale to you within seven days
(usually  on the next  business  day after  your  request is  received  in "good
form").  However,  if you  purchased  your  shares by check,  the Fund may delay
sending the  proceeds  from the sale of your shares for up to 15 days after your
purchase to protect  against checks that are returned.  No interest will be paid
on uncashed redemption checks.

                                                                               7

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


  OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SELLING SHARES:




<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                   <C>
 Through  your You may call your  financial  advisor to place  your sell  order.
 financial advisor To receive the current trading day's price, your financial
                      advisor firm must receive your request  prior to the close
                      of the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By                   exchange You or your financial  advisor may sell shares by
                      exchanging  from the Fund  into  Class Z shares or Class A
                      shares of another fund at no additional  cost. To exchange
                      by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By telephone         You or your financial advisor may sell shares by telephone and
                      request that a check be sent to your address of record by
                      calling 1-800-422-3737, unless you have notified the Fund of an
                      address change within the previous 30 days.  The dollar limit
                      for telephone sales is $100,000 in a 30-day period.  You do not
                      need to set up this feature in advance of your call.  Certain
                      restrictions apply to retirement accounts.  For details, call
                      1-800-345-6611.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By mail              You may send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form
                      to the address below.  In your letter of instruction, note the
                      Fund's name, share class, account number, and the dollar value
                      or number of shares you wish to sell.  All account owners must
                      sign the letter, and signatures must be guaranteed by either a
                      bank, a member firm of a national stock exchange or another
                      eligible guarantor institution.  Additional documentation is
                      required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries,
                      surviving joint owners and individual retirement account
                      owners.  For details, call 1-800-345-6611.
                      Mail your letter of instruction to SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o
                      Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA
                      02105-1722.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By                   wire You may sell shares and request  that the proceeds be
                      wired to your bank.  You must set up this feature prior to
                      your   telephone   request.   Be  sure  to  complete   the
                      appropriate  section of the account  application  for this
                      feature.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By systematic        You may automatically sell a specified dollar amount or
 withdrawal plan      percentage on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annually basis if
                      your  account  balance  is at  least  $5,000  and have the
                      proceeds sent to you. This feature is not available if you
                      hold your shares in certificate  form. Be sure to complete
                      the  appropriate  section of the account  application  for
                      this feature.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 By electronic        You may sell shares and request that the proceeds be
 funds transfer       electronically transferred to your bank.  Proceeds may take up
                      to two business days to be received by your bank. You must
                      set up this  feature  prior  to your  request.  Be sure to
                      complete   the   appropriate   section   of  the   account
                      application for this feature.
</TABLE>



FUND POLICY ON TRADING OF FUND SHARES
-------------------------------------
The Fund does not permit short-term or excessive trading.  Excessive  purchases,
redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares disrupt  portfolio  management and drive
Fund expenses  higher.  In order to promote the best  interests of the Fund, the
Fund  reserves  the right to reject  any  purchase  order or  exchange  request,
particularly from market timers or investors who, in the advisor's opinion, have
a pattern of short-term or excessive trading or whose trading has been or may be
disruptive to the Fund.  The Fund into which you would like to exchange also may
reject your request.

                                                                               8

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
------------------------------------
HOW THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE IS DETERMINED  The price of the Fund's Class Z shares
is based on its net asset value.  The net asset value is determined at the close
of regular trading on the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time, on each business
day that the NYSE is open (typically Monday through Friday).

When you request a transaction, it will be processed at the net asset value next
determined after your request is received in "good form" by the distributor.  In
most cases, in order to receive that day's price,  the distributor  must receive
your order  before  that day's  transactions  are  processed.  If you  request a
transaction  through your  financial  advisor  firm,  the firm must receive your
order by the close of trading on the NYSE to receive that day's price.

The Fund determines its net asset value for its Class Z shares by dividing total
net assets  attributable to Class Z shares by the number of outstanding  Class Z
shares. In determining the net asset value, the Fund must determine the price of
each  security in its  portfolio at the close of each  trading day.  Because the
Fund holds  securities  that are traded on foreign  exchanges,  the value of the
Fund's  securities may change on days when  shareholders will not be able to buy
or sell Fund  shares.  This will affect the Fund's net asset value on the day it
is next  determined.  Securities  for which market  quotations are available are
valued each day at the current market value.  However,  where market  quotations
are unavailable,  or when the advisor believes that subsequent  events have made
them unreliable,  the Fund may use other data to determine the fair value of the
securities.

You can find the daily  prices of some share  classes for the Fund in most major
daily newspapers under the caption  "Liberty." You can find daily prices for all
share classes by visiting the Fund's web site at www.libertyfunds.com.

ACCOUNT FEES If your account value falls below $1,000 (other than as a result of
depreciation in share value) you may be subject to an annual account fee of $10.
This fee is deducted from the account in June each year.  Approximately  60 days
prior  to the fee  date,  the  Fund's  transfer  agent  will  send  you  written
notification of the upcoming fee. If you add money to your account and bring the
value above $1,000 prior to the fee date, the fee will not be deducted.

SHARE CERTIFICATES Share certificates are not available for Class Z shares.

                                                                               9

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


UNDERSTANDING FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund earns income from the  securities  it holds.  The Fund also may realize
capital  gains  and  losses  on sales of its  securities.  The Fund  distributes
substantially   all  of  its  net   investment   income  and  capital  gains  to
shareholders.  As a  shareholder,  you are  entitled  to a portion of the Fund's
income and capital gains based on the number of shares you own at the time these
distributions are declared.



DIVIDENDS,  DISTRIBUTIONS,  AND  TAXES  The Fund has the  potential  to make the
following distributions:


TYPES OF DISTRIBUTIONS

<TABLE>
<S>                   <C>
 Dividend             Represents  interest and dividends  earned from securities
                      held by the Fund.
 -------------------- -----------------------------------------------------------------
 Capital              gains  Represents net long-term  capital gains on sales of
                      securities held for more than 12 months and net short-term
                      capital gains, which are gains on sales of securities held
                      for a 12-month period or less.
</TABLE>


DISTRIBUTION  OPTIONS  The Fund  distributes  dividends  and any  capital  gains
(including  short-term  capital gains) at least annually.  You can choose one of
the options listed in the table below for these distributions when you open your
account. To change your distribution option call 1-800-345-6611.

If you do  not  indicate  on  your  application  your  preference  for  handling
distributions,  the  Fund  will  automatically  reinvest  all  distributions  in
additional shares of the Fund.



 DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS

 Reinvest all distributions in additional shares of your current fund
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Reinvest all distributions in shares of another fund
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Receive dividends in cash (see options below) and reinvest capital gains(7)
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Receive all  distributions  in cash (with one of the following  options) (7): -
 send the check to your  address  of  record - send the  check to a third  party
 address - transfer the money to your bank via electronic funds transfer


TAX CONSEQUENCES Regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or
reinvest them in additional Fund shares,  all Fund  distributions are subject to
federal  income tax.  Depending on the state where you live,  distributions  may
also be subject to state and local income taxes.

In general,  any  distributions  of dividends,  interest and short-term  capital
gains are taxable as ordinary income.  Distributions of long-term  capital gains
are  generally  taxable as such,  regardless of how long you have held your Fund
shares.  You will be provided with information each year regarding the amount of
ordinary  income and capital gains  distributed to you for the previous year and
any portion of your  distribution  which is exempt  from state and local  taxes.
Your  investment  in the Fund may have  additional  personal  tax  implications.
Please  consult  your tax advisor on  foreign,  federal,  state,  local or other
applicable tax laws.

In addition to the dividends and capital gains  distributions  made by the Fund,
you may realize a capital gain or loss when selling and exchanging shares of the
Fund. Such transactions may be subject to federal, state and local income tax.


(7)  Distributions of $10 or less will automatically be reinvested in additional
     Fund shares.  If you elect to receive  distributions by check and the check
     is returned as  undeliverable,  or if you do not cash a distribution  check
     within six months of the check date, the distribution will be reinvested in
     additional shares of the Fund.


                                                                              10

<PAGE>
                  MANAGING THE FUND


INVESTMENT ADVISOR
------------------
Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated (Stein Roe), located at One South Wacker Drive,
Suite 3500,  Chicago,  Illinois 60606, is the Fund's investment  advisor. In its
duties as investment  advisor,  Stein Roe runs the Fund's  day-to-day  business,
including  placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio  securities
for the Portfolio. Stein Roe has been an investment advisor since 1932.

Stein Roe's mutual funds and institutional  investment  advisory  businesses are
part of a larger  business unit that includes  several  separate  legal entities
known as Liberty Funds Group LLC (LFG). LFG includes certain affiliates of Stein
Roe, principally Colonial Management Associates, Inc. (Colonial).  Stein Roe and
the LFG  business  unit are  managed  by a single  management  team.  Stein Roe,
Colonial and the other LFG entities also share personnel, facilities and systems
that may be used in  providing  administrative  or  operational  services to the
Fund. Colonial is a registered  investment advisor.  Stein Roe, Colonial and the
other entities that make up LFG are subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies,
Inc.

For the 1999 fiscal year,  aggregate advisory fees paid to Stein Roe by the Fund
amounted to 0.90% of average daily net assets of the Fund.

Stein Roe can use the services of AlphaTrade Inc., an affiliated  broker-dealer,
when buying or selling equity securities for the Fund's  portfolio,  pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees


PORTFOLIO MANAGER
-----------------
STEVE D. HAYWARD joined Stein Roe as a portfolio manager in November, 1999. He
served as vice president, investments for M & I Investment Management from 1993
to 1999, where he managed the Marshall Mid-Cap Fund and Marshall Small-Cap
Growth Fund. Mr. Hayward earned a B.A. degree from North Park College and a
M.B.A. degree in finance from Loyola University. He has managed the Fund since
joining Stein Roe in November, 1999.

                                                                              11

<PAGE>
                  OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS


UNDERSTANDING THE FUND'S
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund's  principal  investment  strategies and risks are described under "The
Fund - Principal  Investment  Strategies"  and "The Fund - Principal  Investment
Risks." In  seeking to meet its  investment  goal,  the Fund may also  invest in
other securities and use certain other investment  techniques.  These securities
and investment techniques offer opportunities and carry various risks.

The  advisor  may elect not to buy any of these  securities  or use any of these
techniques  unless it  believes  that  doing so will help the Fund  achieve  its
investment goal. The Fund may not always achieve its investment goal.

Additional information about the Fund's securities and investment techniques, as
well as the Fund's  fundamental  and  non-fundamental  investment  policies,  is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.


The  Fund's  principal  investment  strategies  and their  associated  risks are
described above.  This section describes other investments the Fund may make and
the risks  associated with them. In seeking to achieve its investment  goal, the
Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various  investment
techniques  which are not the principal  focus of the Fund and therefore are not
described in this prospectus. These types of securities and investment practices
are identified and discussed in the Fund's Statement of Additional  Information,
which you may obtain  free of charge  (see back  cover).  Approval by the Fund's
shareholders  is not  required to modify or change any of the Fund's  investment
goal or investment strategies.


FUTURES
-------
The Fund uses  futures  to gain  exposure  to  groups  of  stocks or  individual
issuers.  A  future  is an  agreement  to buy or  sell a  specific  amount  of a
financial instrument or physical commodity for an agreed-upon price at a certain
time in the future.  Investments  in futures are efficient  since they typically
cost less than direct  investments in the underlying  securities.  However,  the
Fund can lose money if the portfolio  manager does not correctly  anticipate the
market movements of those underlying securities.


PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
------------------
There are no limits on turnover.  Turnover may vary  significantly  from year to
year. Stein Roe does not expect it to exceed 100% under normal  conditions.  The
Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment although,
to a limited  extent,  it may purchase  securities in anticipation of relatively
short-term price gains.  Portfolio  turnover typically produces capital gains or
losses  resulting in tax  consequences  for Fund  investors.  It also  increases
transaction expenses, which reduce the Fund's return.


INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM
-------------------------
The Fund may lend money to and borrow  from  other  funds  advised by Stein Roe.
They will do so when Stein Roe  believes  such lending or borrowing is necessary
and appropriate.  Borrowing costs will be the same as or lower than the costs of
a bank loan.


TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES
------------------------------
At times,  the advisor may  determine  that adverse  market  conditions  make it
desirable to temporarily suspend the Fund's normal investment activities. During
such  times,  the  Fund  may,  but  is  not  required  to,  invest  in  cash  or
high-quality,  short-term  debt  securities,  without limit.  Taking a temporary
defensive position may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal.

                                                                              12

<PAGE>
                  FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial  highlights  table is intended to help you  understand  the Fund's
financial performance. Because Class Z shares have not commenced operations, the
Fund's Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class S shares, the Fund's existing class is
shown.  Information is shown from the Fund's  commencement  of  operations.  The
Fund's  fiscal year runs from October 1 to  September  30.  Certain  information
reflects  financial  results for a single Fund share.  The total  returns in the
table  represent  the rate that you would have earned (or lost) on an investment
in the Fund (assuming  reinvestment  of all dividends and  distributions).  This
information  is  included  in the Fund's  financial  statements  which have been
audited by  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP, independent accountants,  whose report,
along with the Fund's  financial  statements,  is included in the Fund's  annual
report.  The information for periods prior to September 30, 1999, is included in
the Fund's  financial  statements  which have been audited by other  independent
accountants,  whose report  expressed an  unqualified  opinion on the  financial
highlights. You can request a free annual report by calling 1-800-426-3750.


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 THE FUND (a)

(Unaudited)
                                                                    Six months ended        Years ended
Period ended
                                                                        March 31           September 30,
September 30,
                                                                          2000           1999        1998
1997(b)
                                                                         Class S        Class S     Class S
Class S
<S>                                                                 <C>                <C>         <C>
<C>
  Net asset value -
  Beginning of period ($)                                                 12.51          10.41       10.77
10.00

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS ($):
  Net investment loss                                                     (0.08)         (0.10)     (0.07)
---

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net realized and unrealized gain (loss) on
  investments                                                              8.47           2.20      (0.29)
0.77

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total from Investment Operations                                         8.39           2.10      (0.36)
0.77

=============================================================================================================================

  DISTRIBUTIONS ($):
  Net realized capital gains                                              (0.22)          ---         ---
---

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net asset value -
  End of period ($)                                                       20.68          12.51       10.41
10.77

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total return (%) (f)                                                    67.88          20.17      (3.34)
7.70 (g)

=============================================================================================================================

  RATIOS/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (%):
  Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (c)                        1.25 (e)         1.25       1.25
1.25 (e)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Ratio of net investment loss to average net
  assets (f)                                                            (0.92) (e)     (0.97) (d)   (0.64)
0.02 (e)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Portfolio turnover rate (%) (a)                                        150 (g)          133         75           3
(g)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net assets at end of period (000) ($)                                   72,940         44,359     49,974
49,830
</TABLE>


(a)  The name of the Fund was  changed  on May 6,  1999 from  Stein  Roe  Growth
     Opportunities Fund to Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund.

(b)  From commencement of operations on June 30, 1997.

(c)  If the Fund paid all of its expenses and there had been no reimbursement by
     Stein Roe,  this ratio  would have been 1.54% for the year ended  September
     30, 1999,  1.44% for the year ended  September 30, 1998,  and 1.74% for the
     period ended September 30, 1997.

(d)  During the year ended  September 30, 1999, the Fund  experienced a one-time
     reduction  in its  expenses of 0.11% as a result of  expenses  accrued in a
     prior period.  The Fund's gross expense ratio  disclosed above reflects the
     actual rate at which expenses  incurred  throughout the current fiscal year
     without the reduction.

(e)  Annualized.

(f)  Computed giving effect to Stein Roe's expense limitation undertaking.

(g)  Not annualized.

(h)  Per share data was calculated using average shares  outstanding  during the
     period.

                                                                              13

<PAGE>
NOTES

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

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

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

                                                                              14

<PAGE>
NOTES

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

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

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

                                                                              15

<PAGE>
FOR MORE INFORMATION
--------------------
You  can get  more  information  about  the  Fund's  investments  in the  Fund's
semi-annual  and annual reports to  shareholders.  The annual report  contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund's performance over its last fiscal year.

You  may  wish  to  read  the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  for  more
information on the Fund and the securities in which it invests. The Statement of
Additional Information is incorporated into this prospectus by reference,  which
means that it is considered to be part of this prospectus.

You can get free copies of reports and the Statement of Additional  Information,
request other  information  and discuss your questions about the Fund by writing
or calling the Fund's distributor at:

Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111-2621
1-800-426-3750
www.libertyfunds.com

Text-only versions of all Fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from
the Edgar database on the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  internet site at
www.sec.gov.

You can review and copy  information  about the Fund by visiting  the  following
location,  and you can  obtain  copies,  upon  payment of a  duplicating  fee by
electronic request at the E-mail address [email protected] or by writing the:

Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-0102

Information  on the  operation of the Public  Reference  Room may be obtained by
calling 1-202-942-8090.


INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NUMBER:

Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust: 811-4978
- Liberty Midcap Growth Fund (formerly Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund)



                              [Liberty Funds Logo]

796-01/289C-0700                   Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. (c)2000
                                   One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111-2621,
                                 1-800-426-3750
                                   www.libertyfunds.com



<PAGE>
LIBERTY CAPITAL OPPORTUNITIES FUND CLASS A           PROSPECTUS, AUGUST 1, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



Advised by Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated



Although these  securities have been registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commission has not approved or disapproved any shares offered in
this  prospectus or determined  whether this prospectus is truthful or complete.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.


--------------------------------
| NOT FDIC | MAY LOSE VALUE    |
           --------------------|
| INSURED  | NO BANK GUARANTEE |
--------------------------------


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<S>                                                                      <C>

THE FUND                                                                   2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment Goal........................................................    2

Principal Investment Strategies........................................    2

Principal Investment Risks............................................     2

Performance History....................................................    4

Your Expenses..........................................................    5

YOUR ACCOUNT                                                               6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Buy Shares......................................................    6

Sales Charges..........................................................    7

How to Exchange Shares.................................................    8

How to Sell Shares.....................................................    8

Fund Policy on Trading of Fund Shares.................................    10

Distribution and Service Fees.........................................    10

Other Information About Your Account..................................    11


MANAGING THE FUND                                                         13
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment Advisor....................................................    13

Portfolio Managers....................................................    13


OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES AND RISKS                                                      14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                                                      15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
THE FUND



INVESTMENT GOAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund seeks long-term growth.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund invests  primarily in the common stocks of aggressive growth companies.
An  aggressive  growth  company has the ability to increase  its  earnings at an
above-average  rate. To select stocks for the Fund, the managers  concentrate on
stocks  of  small  and  midcapitalization  companies  which  they  believe  have
opportunities for growth. The Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign
stocks.

The portfolio  managers may sell a portfolio holding if the security reaches the
portfolio  manager's  price  target or if the  company  has a  deterioration  of
fundamental  such as failing to meet key  operating  benchmarks.  The  portfolio
managers may also sell a portfolio holding to fund redemptions.

Additional strategies that are not principal investment strategies and the risks
associated  with  them are  described  later  in this  prospectus  under  "Other
Investment Strategies and Risks."

Defining  Capitalization.  A company's market capitalization is simply its stock
price multiplied by the number of shares of stock it has issued and outstanding.
In the  financial  markets,  companies  generally  are sorted  into one of three
capitalization-based   categories:  large  capitalization  (large  cap);  medium
capitalization  (mid cap) or small  capitalization  (small  cap).  In defining a
company's market capitalization,  we use capitalization-based categories as they
are defined by Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar  ranks stocks as follows:  the top 5% of the 5000  largest  domestic
stocks in  Morningstar's  equity  database are classified as large cap, the next
15% of the 5000 are  classified  as mid cap, and the  remaining  80% (as well as
companies that fall outside the largest 5000) are classified as small cap. As of
June 30, 2000, large cap companies had market capitalizations greater than $10.5
billion,  mid cap  companies had market  capitalizations  between $1.7 and $10.5
billion,  and small cap  companies  had  market  capitalizations  less than $1.7
billion. These amounts are subject to change.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. There are many
circumstances  (including  additional  risks that are not described  here) which
could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal. You may lose money by
investing in the Fund.

Management  risk means that the advisor's  stock and bond  selections  and other
investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when
compared to other funds with a similar  investment goal.  Market risk means that
security  prices  in a  market,  sector  or  industry  may move  down.  Downward
movements  will reduce the value of your  investment.  Because of management and
market  risk,  there is no guarantee  that the Fund will achieve its  investment
goal or perform favorably compared with competing funds.


                                                                               2

<PAGE>
THE FUND



Since it purchases equity  securities,  the Fund is subject to equity risk. This
is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended  periods of time.
Although the stock market has historically outperformed other asset classes over
the long term,  the equity market tends to move in cycles and  individual  stock
prices may  fluctuate  drastically  from  day-to-day.  Individual  companies may
report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends
and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a
decline in response.  These price  movements  may result from factors  affecting
individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole.



Growth  stock  prices may be more  sensitive  to changes in current or  expected
earnings than the prices of other stocks.  Growth stocks may not perform as well
as value stocks or the stock market in general.



Smaller  companies are more likely than larger companies to have limited product
lines,  operating  histories,  markets or financial  resources.  They may depend
heavily on a small management team.  Stocks of smaller  companies may trade less
frequently, may trade in smaller volumes and may fluctuate more sharply in price
than stocks of larger companies. In addition, they may not be widely followed by
the investment community, which can lower the demand for their stock.



The securities  issued by  mid-capitalization  companies may have more risk than
those of larger  companies.  These  securities may be more susceptible to market
downturns, and their prices could be more volatile.


Foreign  securities are subject to special  risks.  Foreign stock markets can be
extremely volatile. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact the value
of  foreign  securities  without  a  change  in the  intrinsic  value  of  those
securities.  The  liquidity  of  foreign  securities  may be more  limited  than
domestic securities,  which means that the Fund may, at times, be unable to sell
foreign securities at desirable prices.  Brokerage  commissions,  custodial fees
and other  fees are  generally  higher for  foreign  investments.  In  addition,
foreign  governments may impose  withholding taxes which would reduce the amount
of income and capital gains available to distribute to shareholders. Other risks
include the following:  possible delays in the settlement of transactions or the
notification of income; less publicly available information about companies; the
impact  of  political,  social  or  diplomatic  events;  and  possible  seizure,
expropriation or nationalization of the company or its assets.

An  investment  in the Fund is not a  deposit  in a bank and is not  insured  or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation or any other government
agency.


                                                                               3

<PAGE>
THE FUND



UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS shows the Fund's Class S share  performance for each
of the last ten  complete  calendar  years.  It  includes  the  effects  of Fund
expenses.

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  TOTAL  RETURNS  is a  measure  of  the  Fund's  Class  S  share
performance over the past one-year,  five-year and ten-year periods. It includes
the effects of Fund expenses.

The Fund's  return is  compared to the  Standard & Poor's  MidCap 400 Index (S&P
Index), an unmanaged broad-based measure of market performance. Unlike the Fund,
indices  are  not  investments,  do not  incur  fees  or  expenses  and  are not
professionally managed. It is not possible to invest directly in indices.


PERFORMANCE HISTORY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The bar chart below shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year by
illustrating the Fund's calendar year total returns for its Class S shares.  The
Fund did not have  separate  classes of shares prior to August 1, 2000;  on that
date, the Fund's  outstanding  shares were  reclassified as Class S shares.  The
performance  table  following the bar chart shows how the Fund's  average annual
returns  for Class S shares  compare  with  those of a broad  measure  of market
performance  for 1 year, 5 years and 10 years.  The chart and table are intended
to illustrate  some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the changes
in the Fund's performance. All returns include the reinvestment of dividends and
distributions.  Performance  results  include  the effect of  expense  reduction
arrangements,  if any.  If  these  arrangements  were  not in  place,  then  the
performance  results would have been lower. Any expense  reduction  arrangements
may be discontinued at any time. As with all mutual funds, past performance does
not predict the Fund's future performance.


CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS (CLASS S)(1)


                              [BAR GRAPH OMITTED]

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
  1990      1991     1992      1993     1994      1995     1996      1997      1998      1999
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>        <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>      <C>       <C>       <C>       <C>      <C>
-29.09%    62.79%    2.43%    27.52%    0.00%    50.77%    20.39%    6.15%    -1.61%    40.33%
</TABLE>

The Fund's year-to-date total return through June 30, 2000 was +7.30%.

For period shown in bar chart:

Best quarter: 4th quarter 1999, +43.85%
Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 1990, -33.14%


AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS -- FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999(1)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                1 YEAR         5 YEARS       10 YEARS
<S>                             <C>            <C>           <C>
Class S (%)                      40.33          21.61         14.90
------------------------------------------------------------------------
S&P Index (%)                    14.72          23.05         17.32
</TABLE>



(1)   Because the Class A shares have not completed a full calendar year the bar
      chart and average  annual total returns shown are for Class S shares,  the
      oldest existing Fund class.



                                                                               4

<PAGE>
THE FUND



UNDERSTANDING EXPENSES

SALES CHARGES are paid directly by shareholders to Liberty Funds Distributor,
Inc., the Fund's distributor.

ANNUAL  FUND  OPERATING  EXPENSES  are  deducted  from the  Fund.  They  include
management  fees,  12b-1 fees and  administrative  costs  including  pricing and
custody services.

EXAMPLE  EXPENSES help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost
of  investing in other  mutual  funds.  The table does not take into account any
expense  reduction  arrangements  discussed in the  footnotes to the Annual Fund
Operating Expenses table. It uses the following hypothetical conditions:

-     $10,000 initial investment

-     5% total return for each year

-     Fund operating expenses remain the same

-     Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions



YOUR EXPENSES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expenses  are one of several  factors to consider  before you invest in a mutual
fund.  The tables below describe the fees and expenses you may pay when you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund.


SHAREHOLDER FEES (2) (PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     CLASS A
<S>                                                  <C>
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchases (%)
(as a percentage of the offering price)                5.75
---------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) on
redemptions (%) (as a percentage of the
lesser of purchase price or redemption price)          1.00(3)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (%) (as a percentage of
amount redeemed, if applicable)                            (4)
</TABLE>


ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (DEDUCTED DIRECTLY FROM FUND ASSETS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                     CLASS A
<S>                                                  <C>
Management fee (%)                                     0.89
--------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees (%)              0.35(5)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses (%)                                     0.30(6)
--------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses (%)               1.54
</TABLE>

EXAMPLE EXPENSES (YOUR ACTUAL COSTS MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS                1 YEAR     3 YEARS     5 YEARS     10 YEARS
<S>                  <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>
Class A               $723       $1,033      $1,366      $2,304
</TABLE>


(2)   A $10 annual fee is deducted from accounts of less than $1,000 and paid to
      the transfer agent.

(3)   This  charge  applies  only to certain  Class A shares  bought  without an
      initial sales charge that are sold within 18 months of purchase.

(4)   There is a $7.50 charge for wiring sale proceeds to your bank.


(5)   The Fund's  distributor has  voluntarily  agreed to waive a portion of the
      12b-1 fee for Class A shares. As a result,  the actual 12b-1 fee for Class
      A shares would be 0.25% and the total annual fund  operating  expenses for
      Class A shares would be 1.44%.  This  arrangement may be terminated by the
      distributor at any time.


(6)   Other expenses are based on the Fund's Class S shares.


                                                                               5

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



INVESTMENT MINIMUMS

<TABLE>
<S>                                  <C>
Initial Investment................   $1,000
Subsequent Investments............   $   50
Automatic Investment Plan*........   $   50
Retirement Plans*.................   $   25
</TABLE>

* The initial investment minimum of $1,000 is waived on this plan.

The Fund reserves the right to change these investment  minimums.  The Fund also
reserves  the right to refuse a purchase  order for any reason,  including if it
believes  that  doing  so  would  be in the  best  interest  of the Fund and its
shareholders.



HOW TO BUY SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor  can  help  you  establish  an  appropriate  investment
portfolio, buy shares and monitor your investments.  When the Fund receives your
purchase  request  in  "good  form,"  your  shares  will be  bought  at the next
calculated  public offering price.  "Good form" means that you placed your order
with your brokerage firm or your payment has been received and your  application
is complete,  including all necessary  signatures.  The Fund also offers Class S
shares through a separate prospectus.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR BUYING SHARES:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                  <C>
Through your         Your financial advisor can help you establish your account and
financial advisor    buy Fund shares on your behalf.  Your financial advisor may
                     charge you fees for executing the purchase for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check             For new accounts, send a completed application and check made
(new account)        payable to the Fund to the transfer agent, SteinRoe Services,
                     Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston,
                     MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check For existing  accounts,  fill out and return the  additional  (existing
account) investment stub included in your quarterly statement, or send a
                     letter of instruction including your Fund name and account
                     number with a check made payable to the Fund to SteinRoe
                     Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box
                     1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   exchange You or your  financial  advisor may acquire shares
                     by exchanging  shares you own in one fund for shares of the
                     same class of the Fund at no additional  cost. There may be
                     an  additional  charge if  exchanging  from a money  market
                     fund. To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   wire You may purchase shares by wiring money from your bank
                     account  to your fund  account.  To wire funds to your fund
                     account, call 1-800-422-3737 to obtain a control number and
                     the wiring instructions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic You may purchase shares by electronically transferring money funds
transfer from your bank account to your fund account by calling
                     1-800-422-3737.  Electronic  funds transfers may take up to
                     two  business  days to settle  and be  considered  in "good
                     form." You must set up this feature prior to your telephone
                     request. Be sure to complete the appropriate section of the
                     application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Automatic            You can make monthly or quarterly investments automatically
investment plan      from your bank account to your fund account.  You can select a
                     pre-authorized  amount  to be  sent  via  electronic  funds
                     transfer.  Be sure to complete the  appropriate  section of
                     the application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By dividend          You may automatically invest dividends distributed by one fund
diversification      into the same class of shares of the Fund at no additional
                     sales charge.  To invest your dividends in another fund, call
                     1-800-345-6611.
</TABLE>


                                                                               6

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



SALES CHARGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may be subject to an initial sales charge when you purchase, or a contingent
deferred  sales  charge  (CDSC) when you sell,  shares of the Fund.  These sales
charges are described below. In certain  circumstances,  these sales charges are
waived, as described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.

CLASS A SHARES  Your  purchases  of Class A shares  generally  are at the public
offering  price.  This price includes a sales charge that is based on the amount
of your initial  investment  when you open your account.  A portion of the sales
charge is the commission paid to the financial advisor firm on the sale of Class
A shares.  The sales charge you pay on  additional  investments  is based on the
total amount of your purchase and the current value of your account.  The amount
of the sales charge  differs  depending on the amount you invest as shown in the
table below.


CLASS A SALES CHARGES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             % OF
                                                                           OFFERING
                                              AS A % OF                      PRICE
                                             THE PUBLIC       AS A %      RETAINED BY
                                              OFFERING       OF YOUR       FINANCIAL
AMOUNT OF PURCHASE                              PRICE       INVESTMENT   ADVISOR FIRM
<S>                                          <C>            <C>          <C>
Less than $50,000                               5.75           6.10          5.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$50,000 to less than $100,000                   4.50           4.71          3.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 to less than $250,000                  3.50           3.63          2.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 to less than $500,000                  2.50           2.56          2.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000                2.00           2.04          1.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1,000,000 or more(7)                           0.00           0.00          0.00
</TABLE>

For Class A share purchases of $1 million or more,  financial advisors receive a
commission from the distributor as follows:


PURCHASES OVER $1 MILLION

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AMOUNT PURCHASED                                           COMMISSION %
<S>                                                        <C>
First $3 million                                               1.00
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next $2 million                                                0.50
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over $5 million                                                0.25(8)
</TABLE>

(7)   Class A  shares  bought  without  an  initial  sales  charge  in  accounts
      aggregating  $1 million to $5 million at the time of purchase  are subject
      to a 1.00%  CDSC if the  shares  are sold  within 18 months of the time of
      purchase. Subsequent Class A share purchases that bring your account value
      above $1 million are subject to a 1.00% CDSC if redeemed  within 18 months
      of their purchase date.  Purchases in accounts aggregating over $5 million
      are  subject to a 1.00%  CDSC only to the  extent  that the sale of shares
      within 18 months of  purchase  causes  the value of the  accounts  to fall
      below the $5 million level. The 18-month period begins on the first day of
      the month following each purchase.

(8)   Paid over 12 months but only to the extent the shares remain outstanding.


                                                                               7

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



UNDERSTANDING CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES

Certain  investments  in Class A, B and C shares are subject to a CDSC,  a sales
charge  applied at the time you sell your shares.  You will pay the CDSC only on
shares  you sell  within a  certain  amount  of time  after  purchase.  The CDSC
generally  declines each year until there is no charge for selling  shares.  The
CDSC is  applied  to the net  asset  value  at the  time of  purchase  or  sale,
whichever  is lower.  For  purposes of  calculating  the CDSC,  the start of the
holding  period is the  month-end  of the month in which the  purchase  is made.
Shares you purchase with  reinvested  dividends or capital gains are not subject
to a CDSC. When you place an order to sell shares,  the Fund will  automatically
sell first  those  shares not  subject to a CDSC and then those  shares you have
held the longest.  This policy helps reduce and possibly eliminate the potential
impact of the CDSC.



REDUCED SALES CHARGES FOR LARGER INVESTMENTS There are two ways for you to pay a
lower sales charge when purchasing  Class A shares.  The first is through Rights
of Accumulation.  If the combined value of the Fund accounts  maintained by you,
your spouse or your minor children  reaches a discount  level  (according to the
chart on the previous  page),  your next  purchase  will receive the lower sales
charge.  The second is by signing a Statement  of Intent  within 90 days of your
purchase.  By doing so, you would be able to pay the lower  sales  charge on all
purchases by agreeing to invest a total of at least $50,000 within 13 months. If
your Statement of Intent purchases are not completed within 13 months,  you will
be charged the  applicable  sales  charge on the amount you had invested to that
date.  In addition,  certain  investors  may purchase  shares at a reduced sales
charge or net asset  value,  which is the value of a fund  share  excluding  any
sales charges. See the Statement of Additional  Information for a description of
these situations.


HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may exchange  your shares for shares of the same share class of another fund
distributed  by Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc. at net asset  value.  If your
shares are subject to a CDSC,  you will not be charged a CDSC upon the exchange.
However, when you sell the shares acquired through the exchange, the shares sold
may be subject  to a CDSC,  depending  upon when you  originally  purchased  the
shares you exchanged. For purposes of computing the CDSC, the length of time you
have owned your shares will be computed from the date of your original  purchase
and the  applicable  CDSC will be the CDSC of the  original  fund.  Unless  your
account is part of a  tax-deferred  retirement  plan,  an  exchange is a taxable
event.  Therefore,  you may realize a gain or a loss for tax purposes.  The Fund
may  terminate  your  exchange  privilege  if the advisor  determines  that your
exchange  activity is likely to adversely impact its ability to manage the Fund.
To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.


HOW TO SELL SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor can help you determine if and when you should sell your
shares. You may sell shares of the Fund on any regular business day that the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open.

When the Fund receives your sales request in "good form," shares will be sold at
the next calculated price. In "good form" means that money used to purchase your
shares is fully collected.  When selling shares by letter of instruction,  "good
form"  also  means  (i)  your  letter  has  complete  instructions,  the  proper
signatures and signature guarantees, (ii) you have included any certificates for
shares to be sold,  and (iii) any other  required  documents are  attached.  For
additional documents required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries and
surviving  joint owners,  please call  1-800-345-6611.  Retirement plan accounts
have special requirements; please call 1-800-799-7526 for more information.

The Fund will  generally  send  proceeds  from the sale to you within seven days
(usually  on the next  business  day after  your  request is  received  in "good
form").  However,  if you  purchased  your  shares by check,  the Fund may delay
sending the proceeds from the sale of


                                                                               8

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



your shares for up to 15 days after your purchase to protect against checks that
are returned. No interest will be paid on uncashed redemption checks. Redemption
proceeds  may be  paid  in  securities,  rather  than in  cash,  if the  advisor
determines that it is in the best interest of the Fund.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SELLING SHARES:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                  <C>
Through  your You may call your  financial  advisor  to place  your sell  order.
financial advisor To receive the current trading day's price, your financial
                     advisor firm must  receive your request  prior to the close
                     of the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   exchange You or your  financial  advisor may sell shares by
                     exchanging  from the Fund  into  the  same  share  class of
                     another  fund  at  no  additional   cost.  To  exchange  by
                     telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By telephone         You or your financial advisor may sell shares by telephone and
                     request that a check be sent to your address of record by
                     calling 1-800-422-3737, unless you have notified the Fund of an
                     address change within the previous 30 days.  The dollar limit
                     for telephone sales is $100,000 in a 30-day period.  You do not
                     need to set up this feature in advance of your call.  Certain
                     restrictions apply to retirement accounts.  For details, call
                     1-800-345-6611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By mail              You may send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form
                     along with any certificates to be sold to the address below.
                     In your letter of instruction, note the Fund's name, share
                     class, account number, and the dollar value or number of shares
                     you wish to sell.  All account owners must sign the letter, and
                     signatures must be guaranteed by either a bank, a member firm
                     of a national stock exchange or another eligible guarantor
                     institution.  Additional documentation is required for sales by
                     corporations, agents, fiduciaries, surviving joint owners and
                     individual retirement account owners.  For details, call
                     1-800-345-6611.

                     Mail your letter of instruction to SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o
                     Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA
                     02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   wire You may sell shares and request  that the  proceeds be
                     wired to your bank.  You must set up this feature  prior to
                     your telephone request. Be sure to complete the appropriate
                     section of the account application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By systematic        You may automatically sell a specified dollar amount or
withdrawal plan      percentage on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annually basis if
                     your  account  balance  is at  least  $5,000  and  have the
                     proceeds  sent to you. This feature is not available if you
                     hold your shares in  certificate  form. Be sure to complete
                     the appropriate section of the account application for this
                     feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic        You may sell shares and request that the proceeds be
funds transfer       electronically transferred to your bank.  Proceeds may take up
                     to two business days to be received by your bank.  You must
                     set up  this  feature  prior  to your  request.  Be sure to
                     complete the appropriate section of the account application
                     for this feature.
</TABLE>


                                                                               9

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



FUND POLICY ON TRADING OF FUND SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund does not permit short-term or excessive trading.  Excessive  purchases,
redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares disrupt  portfolio  management and drive
Fund expenses  higher.  In order to promote the best  interests of the Fund, the
Fund  reserves  the right to reject  any  purchase  order or  exchange  request,
particularly from market timers or investors who, in the advisor's opinion, have
a pattern of short-term or excessive trading or whose trading has been or may be
disruptive to the Fund.  The Fund into which you would like to exchange also may
reject your request.


DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE FEES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Fund has  adopted a plan under Rule 12b-1 that  permits it to pay  marketing
and other fees to support  the sale and  distribution  of Class A shares and the
services provided to you by your financial  advisor.  The annual service fee may
equal up to 0.25% for Class A shares.  The annual  distribution fee may equal up
to 0.10% for Class A shares.  Distribution  and service fees are paid out of the
assets of the class. The distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive the Class A
share  distribution  fee.  Over time,  these fees will increase the cost of your
shares and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.



                                                                              10

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE IS  DETERMINED  The price of each class of the Fund's
shares is based on its net asset value. The net asset value is determined at the
close of regular  trading on the NYSE,  usually 4:00 p.m.  Eastern time, on each
business day that the NYSE is open (typically Monday through Friday).

When you  request a  transaction,  it will be  processed  at the net asset value
(plus any  applicable  sales  charges)  next  determined  after your  request is
received in "good form" by the  distributor.  In most cases, in order to receive
that day's  price,  the  distributor  must  receive your order before that day's
transactions are processed.  If you request a transaction through your financial
advisor  firm,  the firm must  receive your order by the close of trading on the
NYSE to receive that day's price.

The Fund  determines  its net asset value for each share class by dividing  each
class's total net assets by the number of that class's  outstanding  shares.  In
determining  the net  asset  value,  the Fund must  determine  the price of each
security in its  portfolio at the close of each  trading  day.  Because the Fund
holds securities that are traded on foreign  exchanges,  the value of the Fund's
securities may change on days when  shareholders will not be able to buy or sell
Fund  shares.  This will affect the Fund's net asset value on the day it is next
determined. Securities for which market quotations are available are valued each
day  at  the  current  market  value.  However,   where  market  quotations  are
unavailable,  or when the advisor believes that subsequent events have made them
unreliable,  the Fund may use  other  data to  determine  the fair  value of the
securities.

You can find the daily  prices of some share  classes for the Fund in most major
daily newspapers under the caption  "Liberty." You can find daily prices for all
share classes by visiting the Fund's web site at www.libertyfunds.com.

ACCOUNT FEES If your account value falls below $1,000 (other than as a result of
depreciation in share value) you may be subject to an annual account fee of $10.
This fee is deducted from the account in June each year.  Approximately  60 days
prior  to the fee  date,  the  Fund's  transfer  agent  will  send  you  written
notification of the upcoming fee. If you add money to your account and bring the
value above $1,000 prior to the fee date, the fee will not be deducted.

SHARE  CERTIFICATES  Certificates  will be  issued  for  Class A shares  only if
requested.  If you  decide to hold share  certificates,  you will not be able to
sell your shares until you have endorsed your  certificates and returned them to
the distributor.


                                                                              11

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


UNDERSTANDING FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund earns income from the  securities  it holds.  The Fund also may realize
capital  gains  and  losses  on sales of its  securities.  The Fund  distributes
substantially   all  of  its  net   investment   income  and  capital  gains  to
shareholders.  As a  shareholder,  you are  entitled  to a portion of the Fund's
income and capital gains based on the number of shares you own at the time these
distributions are declared.


DIVIDENDS,  DISTRIBUTIONS,  AND  TAXES  The Fund has the  potential  to make the
following distributions:


TYPES OF DISTRIBUTIONS

<TABLE>
<S>                  <C>
Dividend             Represents  interest and dividends  earned from  securities
                     held by the Fund.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                  <C>
Capital              gains  Represents  net long-term  capital gains on sales of
                     securities  held for more than 12 months and net short-term
                     capital gains,  which are gains on sales of securities held
                     for a 12-month period or less.
</TABLE>

DISTRIBUTION  OPTIONS  The Fund  distributes  dividends  and any  capital  gains
(including  short-term  capital gains) at least annually.  You can choose one of
the options listed in the table below for these distributions when you open your
account. To change your distribution option call 1-800-345-6611.

If you do  not  indicate  on  your  application  your  preference  for  handling
distributions,  the  Fund  will  automatically  reinvest  all  distributions  in
additional shares of the Fund.


DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS

Reinvest all distributions in additional shares of your current fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reinvest all distributions in shares of another fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive dividends in cash (see options below) and reinvest capital gains(9)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive all distributions in cash (with one of the following options)(9):

-     send the check to your address of record

-     send the check to a third party address

-     transfer the money to your bank via electronic funds transfer

TAX CONSEQUENCES Regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or
reinvest them in additional Fund shares,  all Fund  distributions are subject to
federal  income tax.  Depending on the state where you live,  distributions  may
also be subject to state and local income taxes.

In general,  any  distributions  of dividends,  interest and short-term  capital
gains are taxable as ordinary income.  Distributions of long-term  capital gains
are  generally  taxable as such,  regardless of how long you have held your Fund
shares.  You will be provided with information each year regarding the amount of
ordinary  income and capital gains  distributed to you for the previous year and
any portion of your  distribution  which is exempt  from state and local  taxes.
Your  investment  in the Fund may have  additional  personal  tax  implications.
Please  consult  your tax advisor on  foreign,  federal,  state,  local or other
applicable tax laws.

In addition to the dividends and capital gains  distributions  made by the Fund,
you may realize a capital gain or loss when selling and exchanging shares of the
Fund. Such transactions may be subject to federal, state and local income tax.


(9)   Distributions  of  $10  or  less  will   automatically  be  reinvested  in
      additional Fund shares. If you elect to receive distributions by check and
      the  check  is  returned  as  undeliverable,  or if  you  do  not  cash  a
      distribution  check within six months of the check date, the  distribution
      will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund.


                                                                              12

<PAGE>
MANAGING THE FUND



INVESTMENT ADVISOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated (Stein Roe), located at One South Wacker Drive,
Suite 3500,  Chicago,  Illinois 60606, is the Fund's investment  advisor. In its
duties as investment  advisor,  Stein Roe runs the Fund's  day-to-day  business,
including  placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio  securities
for the Portfolio. Stein Roe has been an investment advisor since 1932.

Stein Roe's mutual funds and institutional  investment  advisory  businesses are
part of a larger  business unit that includes  several  separate  legal entities
known as Liberty Funds Group LLC (LFG). LFG includes certain affiliates of Stein
Roe, principally Colonial Management Associates, Inc. (Colonial).  Stein Roe and
the LFG  business  unit are  managed  by a single  management  team.  Stein Roe,
Colonial and the other LFG entities also share personnel, facilities and systems
that may be used in  providing  administrative  or  operational  services to the
Fund. Colonial is a registered  investment advisor.  Stein Roe, Colonial and the
other entities that make up LFG are subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies,
Inc.

For the 1999 fiscal year,  aggregate advisory fees paid to Stein Roe by the Fund
amounted to 0.89% of average daily net assets of the Fund.

Stein Roe can use the services of AlphaTrade Inc., an affiliated  broker-dealer,
when buying or selling equity securities for the Fund's  portfolio,  pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.


PORTFOLIO MANAGERS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STEVE D. HAYWARD joined Stein Roe as a portfolio manager in November, 1999. He
served as vice president, investments for M & I Investment Management from 1993
to 1999, where he managed the Marshall Mid-Cap Fund and Marshall Small-Cap
Growth Fund. Mr. Hayward earned a B.A. degree from North Park College and a
M.B.A. degree in finance from Loyola University. He has managed the Fund since
joining Stein Roe in November, 1999.

DAVID P. BRADY joined Stein Roe in 1993. He was an associate portfolio manager
of Disciplined Stock Fund until 1995, and is currently a senior vice president.
He holds a B.S. degree in finance, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the
University of Arizona and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago. He
has managed the Fund since May, 1999.


                                                                              13

<PAGE>
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS



UNDERSTANDING THE FUND'S
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund's  principal  investment  strategies and risks are described under "The
Fund - Principal  Investment  Strategies"  and "The Fund - Principal  Investment
Risks." In  seeking to meet its  investment  goal,  the Fund may also  invest in
other securities and use certain other investment  techniques.  These securities
and investment techniques offer opportunities and carry various risks.

The  advisor  may elect not to buy any of these  securities  or use any of these
techniques  unless it  believes  that  doing so will help the Fund  achieve  its
investment goal. The Fund may not always achieve its investment goal.

Additional information about the Fund's securities and investment techniques, as
well as the Fund's  fundamental  and  non-fundamental  investment  policies,  is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.



The  Fund's  principal  investment  strategies  and their  associated  risks are
described above.  This section describes other investments the Fund may make and
the risks  associated with them. In seeking to achieve its investment  goal, the
Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various  investment
techniques  which are not the principal  focus of the Fund and therefore are not
described in this prospectus. These types of securities and investment practices
are identified and discussed in the Fund's Statement of Additional  Information,
which you may obtain  free of charge  (see back  cover).  Approval by the Fund's
shareholders  is not  required to modify or change any of the Fund's  investment
goal or investment strategies.


PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no limits on turnover.  Turnover may vary  significantly  from year to
year. Stein Roe does not expect it to exceed 100% under normal  conditions.  The
Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment although,
to a limited  extent,  it may purchase  securities in anticipation of relatively
short-term price gains.  Portfolio  turnover typically produces capital gains or
losses  resulting in tax  consequences  for Fund  investors.  It also  increases
transaction expenses, which reduce the Fund's return.


INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund may lend money to and borrow  from  other  funds  advised by Stein Roe.
They will do so when Stein Roe  believes  such lending or borrowing is necessary
and appropriate.  Borrowing costs will be the same as or lower than the costs of
a bank loan.


TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At times,  the advisor may  determine  that adverse  market  conditions  make it
desirable to temporarily suspend the Fund's normal investment activities. During
such  times,  the  Fund  may,  but  is  not  required  to,  invest  in  cash  or
high-quality,  short-term  debt  securities,  without limit.  Taking a temporary
defensive position may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal.


                                                                              14

<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS



The financial  highlights  table is intended to help you  understand  the Fund's
financial performance. Because Class A shares have not commenced operations, the
Fund's Class S shares, the Fund's existing class is shown.  Information is shown
for the Fund's last five fiscal years, which run from October 1 to September 30.
Certain  information  reflects  financial  results for a single Fund share.  The
total  returns in the table  represent  the rate that you would have  earned (or
lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming  reinvestment  of all dividends and
distributions).  This information is included in the Fund's financial statements
which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP, independent accountants,
whose report,  along with the Fund's  financial  statements,  is included in the
Fund's annual report.  The  information for periods prior to September 30, 1996,
is included in the Fund's financial  statements which have been audited by other
independent  accountants,  whose report expressed an unqualified  opinion on the
financial  highlights.   You  can  request  a  free  annual  report  by  calling
1-800-426-3750.


THE FUND


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                     (Unaudited)
                                                                Six months ended
                                                                 March 31,                  Years ended September 30,
                                                                   2000           1999      1998      1997
1996     1995(a)
                                                                  Class S       Class S    Class S   Class S   Class
S   Class S
<S>                                                          <C>               <C>      <C>       <C>
<C>       <C>
 Net asset value--
 Beginning of period ($)                                           28.64         25.25      29.10     31.04
21.69     15.79
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS ($):

 Net investment income (loss) (b)                                 (0.17)         (0.17)    (0.25)    (0.17)
(0.06)      0.01
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Net gains (losses) on securities
 (both realized and unrealized)                                    18.50          3.56     (3.60)    (1.77)
10.41      5.91
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total income from investment operations                           18.33          3.39     (3.85)    (1.94)
10.35      5.92
===================================================================================================================================

 LESS DISTRIBUTIONS ($):

 Dividends (from net investment income)                             ---           ---        ---       ---
(0.01)     (0.02)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Distributions (from capital gains)                               (3.99)          ---        ---       ---
(0.99)      ---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total Distributions                                              (3.99)          ---        ---       ---
(1.00)     (0.02)
===================================================================================================================================
 Net asset value--
 End of period ($)                                                 42.98         28.64      25.25     29.10
31.04     21.69
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total return (%) (b)                                            69.12 (e)       13.43     (13.23)   (6.25)
49.55     37.46
===================================================================================================================================

 RATIO/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (%):

 Net assets at end of period (000 omitted)                        635,418       411,347    681,133  1,110,642
1,684,538  242,381
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Ratio of net expenses to average net assets                     1.19 (d)       1.19 (c)    1.20      1.17
1.22       1.05
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Ratio of net investment income (loss)
 to average net assets                                          (0.93) (d)     (0.72) (c)  (0.72)    (0.69)
(0.40)      0.08
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Portfolio turnover rate (%)                                      78 (e)           88        47        35
22         60
</TABLE>


(a)   All per share amounts reflect a two-for-one  stock split effective  August
      25, 1995.

(b)   Per share date was calculated using average shares  outstanding during the
      period.

(c)   During the year ended September 30, 1999, the Fund  experienced a one-time
      reduction  in its  expenses of 0.12% as a result of expenses  accrued in a
      prior period. The Fund's ratios disclosed above reflect the actual rate at
      which  expenses were incurred  throughout  the current fiscal year without
      the reductions.

(d)   Annualized.

(e)   Not annualized.


                                                                              15

<PAGE>
FOR MORE INFORMATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You  can get  more  information  about  the  Fund's  investments  in the  Fund's
semi-annual  and annual reports to  shareholders.  The annual report  contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund's performance over its last fiscal year.

You  may  wish  to  read  the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  for  more
information on the Fund and the securities in which it invests. The Statement of
Additional Information is incorporated into this prospectus by reference,  which
means that it is considered to be part of this prospectus.

You can get free copies of reports and the Statement of Additional  Information,
request other  information  and discuss your questions about the Fund by writing
or calling the Fund's distributor at:

Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111-2621
1-800-426-3750
www.libertyfunds.com

Text-only versions of all Fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from
the Edgar database on the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  internet site at
www.sec.gov.

You can review and copy  information  about the Fund by visiting  the  following
location,  and you can  obtain  copies,  upon  payment of a  duplicating  fee by
electronic request at the E-mail address [email protected] or by writing the:

Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-0102

Information  on the  operation of the Public  Reference  Room may be obtained by
calling 1-202-942-8090.


INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NUMBER:

Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust: 811-4978

-     Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund


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


                                 [LIBERTY FUNDS LOGO]

                     Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. (C)2000
                     One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111-2621, 1-800-426-3750
                     www.libertyfunds.com
720-01/398C-0700

<PAGE>


LIBERTY LARGE COMPANY FOCUS FUND CLASS A              PROSPECTUS, AUGUST 1, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Advised by Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated


Although these  securities have been registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commission has not approved or disapproved any shares offered in
this  prospectus or determined  whether this prospectus is truthful or complete.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

---------------------------------
| Not FDIC  |   May Lose Value  |
              ------------------|
| Insured   |  No Bank Guarantee|
---------------------------------


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<S>
<C>

THE
FUND
2
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Goal
 ..........................................................................................................       2

Principal Investment Strategies
 ..........................................................................................       2

Principal Investment Risks
 ...............................................................................................       2

Performance History
 ......................................................................................................       4

Your Expenses
 ............................................................................................................       5

YOUR
ACCOUNT
6
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
How to Buy Shares
 ........................................................................................................       6

Sales Charges
 ............................................................................................................       7

How to Exchange Shares
 ...................................................................................................       8

How to Sell Shares
 .......................................................................................................       8

Fund Policy on Trading of Fund Shares
 ....................................................................................      10

Distribution and Service Fees
 ............................................................................................      10

Other Information About Your Account
 .....................................................................................      11

MANAGING THE
FUND                                                                                                               13
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Investment Advisor
 .......................................................................................................      13

Portfolio Manager
 ........................................................................................................      13


OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES AND
RISKS                                                                                                            14
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINANCIAL
HIGHLIGHTS
16
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

</TABLE>

<PAGE>

THE FUND

INVESTMENT GOAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund seeks long-term growth.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund invests primarily in a limited number of large capitalization companies
that the portfolio manager believes have  above-average  growth potential.  As a
"focus" fund,  under normal  conditions,  the Fund will  primarily  hold between
15-25 common stocks.  To select  investments for the Fund, the portfolio manager
considers companies that are dominant in their particular  industries or markets
that can generate  consistent  earnings  growth.  The portfolio  manager selects
investments  across  many  sectors.  Since  the Fund is  "non-diversified,"  the
percentage  of assets that it may invest in any one issuer is not  limited.  The
Fund may invest up to 25% of its assets in foreign stocks.

The portfolio  manager may sell a portfolio  holding if the security reaches the
portfolio  manager's  price  target or if the  company  has a  deterioration  of
fundamentals  such as failing to meet key  operating  benchmarks.  The portfolio
manager may also sell a portfolio holding to fund redemptions.

Additional strategies that are not principal investment strategies and the risks
associated  with  them are  described  later  in this  prospectus  under  "Other
Investment Strategies and Risks."

Defining  Capitalization.  A company's market capitalization is simply its stock
price multiplied by the number of shares of stock it has issued and outstanding.
In the  financial  markets,  companies  generally  are sorted  into one of three
capitalization-based   categories:  large  capitalization  (large  cap);  medium
capitalization  (mid cap) or small  capitalization  (small  cap).  In defining a
company's market capitalization,  we use capitalization-based categories as they
are defined by Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar  ranks stocks as follows:  the top 5% of the 5000  largest  domestic
stocks in  Morningstar's  equity  database are classified as large cap, the next
15% of the 5000 are  classified  as mid cap, and the  remaining  80% (as well as
companies that fall outside the largest 5000) are classified as small cap. As of
June 30, 2000 large cap companies had market capitalizations  greater than $10.5
billion,  mid cap  companies had market  capitalizations  between $1.7 and $10.5
billion,  and small cap  companies  had  market  capitalizations  less than $1.7
billion. These amounts are subject to change.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. There are many
circumstances  (including  additional  risks that are not described  here) which
could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal. You may lose money by
investing in the Fund.

Management  risk means that the advisor's  stock and bond  selections  and other
investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when
compared to other funds with a similar  investment goal.  Market risk means that
security  prices  in a  market,  sector  or  industry  may move  down.  Downward
movements will

                                                                               2


<PAGE>
THE FUND

reduce the value of your  investment.  Because of  management  and market  risk,
there is no guarantee that the Fund will achieve its investment  goal or perform
favorably compared with competing funds.


Since it purchases equity  securities,  the Fund is subject to equity risk. This
is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended  periods of time.
Although the stock market has historically outperformed other asset classes over
the long term,  the equity market tends to move in cycles and  individual  stock
prices may  fluctuate  drastically  from  day-to-day.  Individual  companies may
report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends
and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a
decline in response.  These price  movements  may result from factors  affecting
individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole.



Growth  stock  prices may be more  sensitive  to changes in current or  expected
earnings than the prices of other stocks.  Growth stocks may not perform as well
as value stocks or the stock market in general.


Foreign  securities are subject to special  risks.  Foreign stock markets can be
extremely volatile. Fluctuations in currency exchange rates may impact the value
of  foreign  securities  without  a  change  in the  intrinsic  value  of  those
securities.  The  liquidity  of  foreign  securities  may be more  limited  than
domestic securities,  which means that the Fund may, at times, be unable to sell
foreign securities at desirable prices.  Brokerage  commissions,  custodial fees
and other  fees are  generally  higher for  foreign  investments.  In  addition,
foreign  governments may impose  withholding taxes which would reduce the amount
of income and capital gains available to distribute to shareholders. Other risks
include the following:  possible delays in the settlement of transactions or the
notification of income; less publicly available information about companies; the
impact  of  political,  social  or  diplomatic  events;  and  possible  seizure,
expropriation or nationalization of the company or its assets.


As a  non-diversified  mutual  fund,  the Fund is  allowed  to  invest a greater
percentage of its total assets in the  securities of a single  issuer.  This may
concentrate issuer risk and,  therefore,  the Fund may have an increased risk of
loss compared to a similar diversified mutual fund.



An  investment  in the Fund is not a  deposit  in a bank and is not  insured  or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation or any other government
agency.

                                                                               3

<PAGE>
THE FUND

UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS shows the Fund's Class S share  performance for each
complete calendar year since it commenced operations. It includes the effects of
Fund expenses.

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  TOTAL  RETURNS  is a  measure  of  the  Fund's  Class  S  share
performance over the past one-year and the life of the Fund periods. It includes
the effects of Fund expenses.

The Fund's return is compared to the Standard & Poor's 500 Index (S&P Index), an
unmanaged index that tracks the performance of a selection of widely held common
stocks.  Unlike  the Fund,  indices  are not  investments,  do not incur fees or
expenses  and are not  professionally  managed.  It is not  possible  to  invest
directly in indices.

PERFORMANCE HISTORY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The bar chart below shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year by
illustrating the Fund's calendar year total returns for its Class S shares.  The
Fund did not have  separate  classes of shares prior to August 1, 2000;  on that
date, the Fund's  outstanding  shares were  reclassified as Class S shares.  The
performance  table  following the bar chart shows how the Fund's  average annual
returns  for Class S shares  compare  with  those of a broad  measure  of market
performance  for 1 year  and the life of the  Fund.  The  chart  and  table  are
intended to illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the
changes in the Fund's  performance.  All  returns  include the  reinvestment  of
dividends and distributions.  Performance  results include the effect of expense
reduction  arrangements,  if any. If these  arrangements were not in place, then
the performance  results would have been lower.  As with all mutual funds,  past
performance does not predict the Fund's future performance.


CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS(CLASS S)(1)

[BAR GRAPH OMITTED]
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   1999
------------
<S>            <C>
  37.99 %
</TABLE>


The Fund's year-to-date total return through June 30, 2000 was +1.03%.

For period shown in bar chart:
Best quarter: 4th quarter 1999, +20.90%
Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 1998, -12.87%

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS -- FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999(1)

                        INCEPTION DATE          1 YEAR        LIFE OF THE FUND


   Class S (%)             6/26/98              37.99              26.36
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                          <C>                <C>               <C>
   S&P Index (%)             N/A                21.03             20.46(2)

</TABLE>

(1)  Because the Class A shares have not  completed a full calendar year the bar
     chart and average  annual total returns  shown are for Class S shares,  the
     oldest existing fund class.

(2)  Performance information is from June 30, 1998.


                                                                               4

<PAGE>
THE FUND

UNDERSTANDING EXPENSES

SALES CHARGES are paid directly by shareholders to Liberty Funds Distributor,
Inc., the Fund's distributor.

ANNUAL  FUND  OPERATING  EXPENSES  are  deducted  from the  Fund.  They  include
management  fees,  12b-1 fees and  administrative  costs  including  pricing and
custody services.

EXAMPLE  EXPENSES help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost
of  investing  in  other  mutual  funds.  It  uses  the  following  hypothetical
conditions:

- $10,000 initial investment

- 5% total return for each year

- Fund operating expenses remain
  the same

- Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions


YOUR EXPENSES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expenses  are one of several  factors to consider  before you invest in a mutual
fund.  The tables below describe the fees and expenses you may pay when you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund.

SHAREHOLDERS FEES(3) (PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                          CLASS A
<S>                                                                       <C>
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchases (%)
(as a percentage of the offering price)                                     5.75
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Maximum deferred sales charge (load) on redemptions (%)
(as a percentage of the lesser of purchase price or redemption price)       1.00(4)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (%) (as a percentage of amount redeemed, if applicable)       (5)

</TABLE>


ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (DEDUCTED DIRECTLY FROM FUND ASSETS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                           CLASS A

<S>                                                                        <C>
Management fee  (%)                                                         0.90
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Distribution and service (12b-1) fees (%)                                   0.35(6)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Other expenses  (%)                                                         0.71(7)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses  (%)                                   1.96
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Expense reimbursement  (%)                                            (0.11)(8)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
     Net expenses (%)                                                       1.85

</TABLE>
EXAMPLE EXPENSES (YOUR ACTUAL COSTS MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

 CLASS                              1 YEAR     3 YEARS     5 YEARS     10 YEARS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                  <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>
 Class A                             $752       $1,145      $1,562      $2,721
</TABLE>

(3)      A $10 annual fee is deducted from accounts of less than $1,000 and paid
         to the transfer agent.

(4)      This charge  applies only to certain Class A shares  bought  without an
         initial sales charge that are sold within 18 months of purchase.

(5)      There is a $7.50 charge for wiring sale proceeds to your bank.

(6)      The Fund's distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive a portion of the
         12b-1 fee for Class A shares.  As a result,  the  actual  12b-1 fee for
         Class A shares  would be 0.25%  and the  total  annual  fund  operating
         expenses for Class A shares  would be 1.75%.  This  arrangement  may be
         terminated by the distributor at any time.

(7)      Other expenses are based on the Fund's Class S shares.



(8)  The Fund's advisor has agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain expenses so
     that the total annual fund operating  expenses  (exclusive of  distribution
     and service fees, brokerage commissions,  interest, taxes and extraordinary
     expenses, if any) will not exceed 1.50%. As a result, the actual management
     fee would be 0.79% and total  annual fund  operating  expenses  for Class A
     shares  would be 1.85%.  This  arrangement  expires on January 31,  2001. A
     reimbursement  lowers the expense  ratio and  increases  overall  return to
     investors.


                                                                               5

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

INVESTMENT MINIMUMS
<TABLE>
<S>                               <C>
Initial Investment .......        $1,000

Subsequent Investments ...        $   50

Automatic Investment Plan*        $   50

Retirement Plans* ........        $   25
</TABLE>

* The initial investment minimum of $1,000 is waived on this plan.

The Fund reserves the right to change these investment  minimums.  The Fund also
reserves  the right to refuse a purchase  order for any reason,  including if it
believes  that  doing  so  would  be in the  best  interest  of the Fund and its
shareholders.
YOUR ACCOUNT

HOW TO BUY SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor  can  help  you  establish  an  appropriate  investment
portfolio, buy shares and monitor your investments.  When the Fund receives your
purchase  request  in  "good  form,"  your  shares  will be  bought  at the next
calculated  public offering price.  "Good form" means that you placed your order
with your brokerage firm or your payment has been received and your  application
is complete,  including all necessary  signatures.  The Fund also offers Class S
shares through a separate prospectus.

OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR BUYING SHARES:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

  METHOD              INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                   <C>
 Through your         Your financial advisor can help you establish your
 financial advisor    account and buy Fund shares on your behalf. Your
                      financial advisor may charge you fees for executing
                      the purchase for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


 By check             For new accounts, send a completed application and
 (new account)        check made payable to the Fund to the transfer agent,
                      SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services,
                      Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 By check For  existing  accounts,  fill out and return the  (existing  account)
additional investment stub included in your quarterly
                      statement, or send a letter of instruction including
                      your Fund name and account number with a check made
                      payable to the Fund to SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o
                      Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston,
                      MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 By exchange          You or your financial advisor may acquire shares by
                      exchanging shares you own in one fund for shares of
                      the same class of the Fund at no additional cost.
                      There may be an additional charge if exchanging from
                      a money market fund. To exchange by telephone, call
                      1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 By                   wire You may  purchase  shares by wiring  money  from your
                      bank account to your fund  account.  To wire funds to your
                      fund  account,  call  1-800-422-3737  to  obtain a control
                      number and the wiring instructions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 By electronic        You may purchase shares by electronically
 funds transfer       transferring money from your bank account to your
                      fund account by calling  1-800-422-3737.  Electronic funds
                      transfers  may take up to two business  days to settle and
                      be considered in "good form." You must set up this feature
                      prior to your telephone  request.  Be sure to complete the
                      appropriate section of the application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Automatic            You can make monthly or quarterly investments
 investment plan      automatically from your bank account to your fund
                      account. You can select a pre-authorized amount to be
                      sent via electronic funds transfer. Be sure to
                      complete the appropriate section of the application
                      for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 By dividend          You may automatically invest dividends distributed by
 diversification      one fund into the same class of shares of the Fund at
                      no additional sales charge. To invest your dividends
                      in another fund, call 1-800-345-6611.
</TABLE>
                                                                               6

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

SALES CHARGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
You may be subject to an initial sales charge when you purchase, or a contingent
deferred  sales  charge  (CDSC) when you sell,  shares of the Fund.  These sales
charges are described below. In certain  circumstances,  these sales charges are
waived, as described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.

CLASS A SHARES  Your  purchases  of Class A shares  generally  are at the public
offering  price.  This price includes a sales charge that is based on the amount
of your initial  investment  when you open your account.  A portion of the sales
charge is the commission paid to the financial advisor firm on the sale of Class
A shares.  The sales charge you pay on  additional  investments  is based on the
total amount of your purchase and the current value of your account.  The amount
of the sales charge  differs  depending on the amount you invest as shown in the
table below.

CLASS A SALES CHARGES
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                            % OF
                                                                          OFFERING
                                             AS A % OF                     PRICE
                                            THE PUBLIC      AS A %      RETAINED BY
                                             OFFERING      OF YOUR       FINANCIAL
AMOUNT OF PURCHASE                            PRICE      INVESTMENT   ADVISOR FIRM


<S>                                        <C>            <C>          <C>
Less than $50,000                             5.75           6.10        5.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------

$50,000 to less than $100,000                 4.50           4.71        3.75
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 to less than $250,000                3.50           3.63        2.75
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 to less than $500,000                2.50           2.56        2.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000              2.00           2.04        1.75
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1,000,000 or more(9)                         0.00           0.00        0.00
</TABLE>

For Class A share purchases of $1 million or more,  financial advisors receive a
commission from the distributor as follows:


PURCHASES OVER $1 MILLION

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

AMOUNT PURCHASED                                           COMMISSION %
<S>                                                        <C>
First $3 million                                               1.00
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next $2 million                                                0.50
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over $5 million                                                0.25(10)
</TABLE>

(9)      Class A shares  bought  without an  initial  sales  charge in  accounts
         aggregating  $1  million  to $5  million  at the time of  purchase  are
         subject to a 1.00% CDSC if the shares are sold  within 18 months of the
         time of purchase.  Subsequent  Class A share  purchases that bring your
         account  value above $1 million are subject to a 1.00% CDSC if redeemed
         within  18  months  of  their  purchase  date.  Purchases  in  accounts
         aggregating  over $5  million  are  subject to a 1.00% CDSC only to the
         extent that the sale of shares within 18 months of purchase  causes the
         value of the accounts to fall below the $5 million level.  The 18-month
         period begins on the first day of the month following each purchase.


(10)     Paid over 12 months but only to the extent the shares remain
         outstanding.


                                                                               7

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


UNDERSTANDING CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES

Certain  investments  in Class A shares are  subject to a CDSC,  a sales  charge
applied at the time you sell your  shares.  You will pay the CDSC only on shares
you sell  within a certain  amount of time after  purchase.  The CDSC  generally
declines  each year until  there is no charge for  selling  shares.  The CDSC is
applied to the net asset  value at the time of purchase  or sale,  whichever  is
lower.  For purposes of calculating the CDSC, the start of the holding period is
the  month-end of the month in which the  purchase is made.  Shares you purchase
with  reinvested  dividends or capital gains are not subject to a CDSC. When you
place an order to sell  shares,  the Fund will  automatically  sell first  those
shares  not  subject to a CDSC and then  those you have held the  longest.  This
policy helps reduce and possibly eliminate the potential impact of the CDSC.


REDUCED SALES CHARGES FOR LARGER INVESTMENTS There are two ways for you to pay a
lower sales charge when purchasing  Class A shares.  The first is through Rights
of Accumulation.  If the combined value of the Fund accounts  maintained by you,
your spouse or your minor children  reaches a discount  level  (according to the
chart on the previous  page),  your next  purchase  will receive the lower sales
charge.  The second is by signing a Statement  of Intent  within 90 days of your
purchase.  By doing so, you would be able to pay the lower  sales  charge on all
purchases by agreeing to invest a total of at least $50,000 within 13 months. If
your Statement of Intent purchases are not completed within 13 months,  you will
be charged the  applicable  sales  charge on the amount you had invested to that
date.  In addition,  certain  investors  may purchase  shares at a reduced sales
charge or net asset  value,  which is the value of a fund  share  excluding  any
sales charges. See the Statement of Additional  Information for a description of
these situations.


HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may exchange  your shares for shares of the same share class of another fund
distributed  by Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc. at net asset  value.  If your
shares are subject to a CDSC,  you will not be charged a CDSC upon the exchange.
However, when you sell the shares acquired through the exchange, the shares sold
may be subject  to a CDSC,  depending  upon when you  originally  purchased  the
shares you exchanged. For purposes of computing the CDSC, the length of time you
have owned your shares will be computed from the date of your original  purchase
and the  applicable  CDSC will be the CDSC of the  original  fund.  Unless  your
account is part of a  tax-deferred  retirement  plan,  an  exchange is a taxable
event.  Therefore,  you may realize a gain or a loss for tax purposes.  The Fund
may  terminate  your  exchange  privilege  if the advisor  determines  that your
exchange  activity is likely to adversely impact its ability to manage the Fund.
To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.


HOW TO SELL SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor can help you determine if and when you should sell your
shares. You may sell shares of the Fund on any regular business day that the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open.

When the Fund receives your sales request in "good form," shares will be sold at
the next calculated price. In "good form" means that money used to purchase your
shares is fully collected.  When selling shares by letter of instruction,  "good
form"  also  means  (i)  your  letter  has  complete  instructions,  the  proper
signatures and signature guarantees, (ii) you have included any certificates for
shares to be sold,  and (iii) any other  required  documents are  attached.  For
additional documents required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries and
surviving  joint owners,  please call  1-800-345-6611.  Retirement plan accounts
have special requirements; please call 1-800-799-7526 for more information.

The Fund will  generally  send  proceeds  from the sale to you within seven days
(usually  on the next  business  day after  your  request is  received  in "good
form").  However,  if you  purchased  your  shares by check,  the Fund may delay
sending the proceeds from the sale of

                                                                               8

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

your shares for up to 15 days after your purchase to protect against checks that
are returned. No interest will be paid on uncashed redemption checks. Redemption
proceeds  may be  paid  in  securities,  rather  than in  cash,  if the  advisor
determines that it is in the best interest of the Fund.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SELLING SHARES:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

  METHOD            INSTRUCTIONS

<S>                 <C>
 Through  your You may call your  financial  advisor to place  your sell  order.
 financial advisor To receive the current trading day's price, your financial
                    advisor firm must receive your request prior to the close of
                    the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 By                 exchange  You or your  financial  advisor may sell shares by
                    exchanging  from the  Fund  into  the  same  share  class of
                    another  fund  at  no   additional   cost.  To  exchange  by
                    telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 By telephone       You or your financial advisor may sell shares by
                    telephone and request that a check be sent to your address
                    of record by calling 1-800-422-3737, unless you have
                    notified the Fund of an address change within the previous
                    30 days. The dollar limit for telephone sales is $100,000 in
                    a 30-day period. You do not need to set up this feature in
                    advance of your call. Certain restrictions apply to
                    retirement accounts. For details, call 1-800-345-6611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By mail             You may send a signed letter of instruction or stock power
                    form along with any certificates to be sold to the address
                    below. In your letter of instruction, note the Fund's name,
                    share class, account number, and the dollar value or number
                    of shares you wish to sell. All account owners must sign the
                    letter, and signatures must be guaranteed by either a bank,
                    a member firm of a national stock exchange or another
                    eligible guarantor institution. Additional documentation is
                    required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries,
                    surviving joint owners and individual retirement account
                    owners. For details, call 1-800-345-6611.

                    Mail your letter of instruction to SteinRoe Services, Inc.,
                    c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA
                    02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                  wire You may sell  shares and request  that the  proceeds be
                    wired to your bank.  You must set up this  feature  prior to
                    your telephone request.  Be sure to complete the appropriate
                    section of the account application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By systematic You may automatically sell a specified dollar amount or withdrawal
percentage on a monthly,  quarterly or semi-annually  basis if plan your account
balance is at least $5,000 and have the
                    proceeds  sent to you.  This feature is not available if you
                    hold your shares in  certificate  form.  Be sure to complete
                    the appropriate  section of the account application for this
                    feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic       You may sell shares and request that the proceeds be
funds transfer      electronically transferred to your bank. Proceeds may take
                    up to two  business  days to be received  by your bank.  You
                    must set up this feature prior to your  request.  Be sure to
                    complete the appropriate  section of the account application
                    for this feature.

</TABLE>


                                                                               9

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT

FUND POLICY ON TRADING OF FUND SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund does not permit short-term or excessive trading.  Excessive  purchases,
redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares disrupt  portfolio  management and drive
Fund expenses  higher.  In order to promote the best  interests of the Fund, the
Fund  reserves  the right to reject  any  purchase  order or  exchange  request,
particularly from market timers or investors who, in the advisor's opinion, have
a pattern of short-term or excessive trading or whose trading has been or may be
disruptive to the Fund.  The Fund into which you would like to exchange also may
reject your request.


DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE FEES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund has  adopted a plan under Rule 12b-1 that  permits it to pay  marketing
and other fees to support  the sale and  distribution  of Class A shares and the
services provided to you by your financial  advisor.  The annual service fee may
equal up to 0.25% for Class A shares.  The annual  distribution fee may equal up
to 0.10% for Class A shares.  Distribution  and service fees are paid out of the
assets of the class. The distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive the Class A
share  distribution  fee.  Over time,  these fees will increase the cost of your
shares and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.



                                                                              10

<PAGE>

YOUR ACCOUNT


OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
HOW THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE IS  DETERMINED  The price of each class of the Fund's
shares is based on its net asset value. The net asset value is determined at the
close of regular  trading on the NYSE,  usually 4:00 p.m.  Eastern time, on each
business day that the NYSE is open (typically Monday through Friday).

When you  request a  transaction,  it will be  processed  at the net asset value
(plus any  applicable  sales  charges)  next  determined  after your  request is
received in "good form" by the  distributor.  In most cases, in order to receive
that day's  price,  the  distributor  must  receive your order before that day's
transactions are processed.  If you request a transaction through your financial
advisor  firm,  the firm must  receive your order by the close of trading on the
NYSE to receive that day's price.

The Fund  determines  its net asset value for each share class by dividing  each
class's total net assets by the number of that class's  outstanding  shares.  In
determining  the net  asset  value,  the Fund must  determine  the price of each
security in its  portfolio at the close of each  trading  day.  Because the Fund
holds securities that are traded on foreign  exchanges,  the value of the Fund's
securities may change on days when  shareholders will not be able to buy or sell
Fund  shares.  This will affect the Fund's net asset value on the day it is next
determined. Securities for which market quotations are available are valued each
day  at  the  current  market  value.  However,   where  market  quotations  are
unavailable,  or when the advisor believes that subsequent events have made them
unreliable,  the Fund may use  other  data to  determine  the fair  value of the
securities.

You can find the daily  prices of some share  classes for the Fund in most major
daily newspapers under the caption  "Liberty." You can find daily prices for all
share classes by visiting the Fund's web site at www.libertyfunds.com.

ACCOUNT FEES If your account value falls below $1,000 (other than as a result of
depreciation in share value) you may be subject to an annual account fee of $10.
This fee is deducted from the account in June each year.  Approximately  60 days
prior  to the fee  date,  the  Fund's  transfer  agent  will  send  you  written
notification of the upcoming fee. If you add money to your account and bring the
value above $1,000 prior to the fee date, the fee will not be deducted.

SHARE  CERTIFICATES  Certificates  will be  issued  for  Class A shares  only if
requested.  If you  decide to hold share  certificates,  you will not be able to
sell your shares until you have endorsed your  certificates and returned them to
the distributor.

                                                                              11

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



UNDERSTANDING FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund earns income from the  securities  it holds.  The Fund also may realize
capital  gains  and  losses  on sales of its  securities.  The Fund  distributes
substantially   all  of  its  net   investment   income  and  capital  gains  to
shareholders.  As a  shareholder,  you are  entitled  to a portion of the Fund's
income and capital gains based on the number of shares you own at the time these
distributions are declared.

DIVIDENDS,  DISTRIBUTIONS,  AND  TAXES  The Fund has the  potential  to make the
following distributions:


TYPES OF DISTRIBUTIONS

 Dividend             Represents  interest and dividends  earned from securities
                      held by the Fund.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Capital              gains  Represents net long-term  capital gains on sales of
                      securities held for more than 12 months and net short-term
                      capital gains, which are gains on sales of securities held
                      for a 12-month period or less.

DISTRIBUTION  OPTIONS  The Fund  distributes  dividends  and any  capital  gains
(including  short-term  capital gains) at least annually.  You can choose one of
the options listed in the table below for these distributions when you open your
account. To change your distribution option call 1-800-345-6611.


If you do  not  indicate  on  your  application  your  preference  for  handling
distributions,  the  Fund  will  automatically  reinvest  all  distributions  in
additional shares of the Fund.

DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS

 Reinvest all distributions in additional shares of your current fund
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Reinvest all distributions in shares of another fund
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Receive dividends in cash (see options below) and reinvest capital gains(11)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Receive all distributions in cash (with one of the following options) (11):

- send the check to your address of record
- send the check to a third party address
- transfer the money to your bank via electronic funds transfer

TAX CONSEQUENCES Regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or
reinvest them in additional Fund shares,  all Fund  distributions are subject to
federal  income tax.  Depending on the state where you live,  distributions  may
also be subject to state and local income taxes.

In general,  any  distributions  of dividends,  interest and short-term  capital
gains are taxable as ordinary income.  Distributions of long-term  capital gains
are  generally  taxable as such,  regardless of how long you have held your Fund
shares.  You will be provided with information each year regarding the amount of
ordinary  income and capital gains  distributed to you for the previous year and
any portion of your  distribution  which is exempt  from state and local  taxes.
Your  investment  in the Fund may have  additional  personal  tax  implications.
Please  consult  your tax advisor on  foreign,  federal,  state,  local or other
applicable tax laws.

In addition to the dividends and capital gains  distributions  made by the Fund,
you may realize a capital gain or loss when selling and exchanging shares of the
Fund. Such transactions may be subject to federal, state and local income tax.

(11) Distributions of $10 or less will automatically be reinvested in additional
     Fund shares.  If you elect to receive  distributions by check and the check
     is returned as  undeliverable,  or if you do not cash a distribution  check
     within six months of the check date, the distribution will be reinvested in
     additional shares of the Fund.


                                                                              12

<PAGE>
MANAGING THE FUND

INVESTMENT ADVISOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated (Stein Roe), located at One South Wacker Drive,
Suite 3500,  Chicago,  Illinois 60606, is the Fund's investment  advisor. In its
duties as investment  advisor,  Stein Roe runs the Fund's  day-to-day  business,
including  placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio  securities
for the Portfolio. Stein Roe has been an investment advisor since 1932.

Stein Roe's mutual funds and institutional  investment  advisory  businesses are
part of a larger  business unit that includes  several  separate  legal entities
known as Liberty Funds Group LLC (LFG). LFG includes certain affiliates of Stein
Roe, principally Colonial Management Associates, Inc. (Colonial).  Stein Roe and
the LFG  business  unit are  managed  by a single  management  team.  Stein Roe,
Colonial and the other LFG entities also share personnel, facilities and systems
that may be used in  providing  administrative  or  operational  services to the
Fund. Colonial is a registered  investment advisor.  Stein Roe, Colonial and the
other entities that make up LFG are subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies,
Inc.

For the 1999 fiscal year,  aggregate advisory fees paid to Stein Roe by the Fund
amounted to 0.90% of average daily net assets of the Fund.

Stein Roe can use the services of AlphaTrade Inc., an affiliated  broker-dealer,
when buying or selling equity securities for the Fund's  portfolio,  pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.


PORTFOLIO MANAGER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
DAVID P. BRADY joined Stein Roe in 1993. He was an associate portfolio manager
of Disciplined Stock Fund until 1995, and is currently a senior vice president.
He holds a B.S. degree in finance, graduating Magna Cum Laude from the
University of Arizona, and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago. He
has managed the Fund since June, 1998.
                                                                              13

<PAGE>
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

UNDERSTANDING THE FUND'S OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund's  principal  investment  strategies and risks are described under "The
Fund  Principal  Investment  Strategies"  and "The Fund -  Principal  Investment
Risks." In  seeking to meet its  investment  goal,  the Fund may also  invest in
other securities and use certain other investment  techniques.  These securities
and investment techniques offer opportunities and carry various risks.

The  advisor  may elect not to buy any of these  securities  or use any of these
techniques  unless it  believes  that  doing so will help the Fund  achieve  its
investment goal. The Fund may not always achieve its investment goal.

Additional information about the Fund's securities and investment techniques, as
well as the Fund's  fundamental  and  non-fundamental  investment  policies,  is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.



The  Fund's  principal  investment  strategies  and their  associated  risks are
described above.  This section describes other investments the Fund may make and
the risks  associated with them. In seeking to achieve its investment  goal, the
Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various  investment
techniques  which are not the principal  focus of the Fund and therefore are not
described in this prospectus. These types of securities and investment practices
are identified and discussed in the Fund's Statement of Additional  Information,
which you may obtain  free of charge  (see back  cover).  Approval by the Fund's
shareholders  is not  required to modify or change any of the Fund's  investment
goal or investment strategies.


INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERINGS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The  Fund may  invest  a  portion  of its  assets  in  certain  types of  equity
securities  including  securities  offered  during a  company's  initial  public
offering (IPO).  An IPO is the sale of a company's  securities to the public for
the first  time.  The  market  price of a  security  the Fund buys in an IPO may
change  substantially  from the price the Fund paid, soon after the IPO ends. In
the short term,  this price  change may  significantly  increase or decrease the
Fund's  total  return,  and  therefore  its  performance  history,  after an IPO
investment.  This is especially  so when the Fund's  assets are small.  However,
should the Fund's assets  increase,  the results of an IPO  investment  will not
cause the Fund's performance  history to change as much.  Although companies can
be any size or age at the time of their IPO,  they are often smaller in size and
have a limited  operating  history which could create greater market  volatility
for the  securities.  The Advisor intends to limit the Fund's IPO investments to
issuers whose securities the Fund already owns, or issuers which the Advisor has
specially  researched  before the IPO.  The Fund does not intend to invest  more
than 5% of its assets in IPO's and does not  intend to buy them for the  purpose
of  immediately  selling (also known as flipping) the security  after its public
offering.


PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no limits on turnover.  Turnover may vary  significantly  from year to
year. Stein Roe does not expect it to exceed 100% under normal  conditions.  The
Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment although,
to a limited  extent,  it may purchase  securities in anticipation of relatively
short-term price gains.  Portfolio  turnover typically produces capital gains or
losses  resulting in tax  consequences  for Fund  investors.  It also  increases
transaction expenses, which reduce the Fund's return.

                                                                              14

<PAGE>
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Fund may lend money to and borrow  money from other  funds  advised by Stein
Roe.  It will do so when  Stein  Roe  believes  such  lending  or  borrowing  is
necessary and appropriate. Borrowing costs will be the same as or lower than the
costs of a bank loan.


TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
At times,  the advisor may  determine  that adverse  market  conditions  make it
desirable to temporarily suspend the Fund's normal investment activities. During
such  times,  the  Fund  may,  but  is  not  required  to,  invest  in  cash  or
high-quality,  short-term  debt  securities,  without limit.  Taking a temporary
defensive position may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal.

                                                                              15

<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS

The financial  highlights  table is intended to help you  understand  the Fund's
financial performance. Because Class A shares have not commenced operations, the
Fund's Class S shares, the Fund's existing class is shown.  Information is shown
from the Fund's  commencement  of  operations.  The Fund's fiscal year runs from
October 1 to September 30. Certain information  reflects financial results for a
single Fund share.  The total  returns in the table  represent the rate that you
would have earned (or lost) on an investment in the Fund (assuming  reinvestment
of all dividends and distributions).  This information is included in the Fund's
financial  statements  which have been  audited by  PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP,
independent   accountants,   whose  report,  along  with  the  Fund's  financial
statements, is included in the Fund's annual report. The information for periods
prior to September  30,  1999,  is included in the Fund's  financial  statements
which have been audited by other independent accountants, whose report expressed
an  unqualified  opinion on the  financial  highlights.  You can  request a free
annual report by calling 1-800-426-3750.


THE FUND
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

                                                                            (Unaudited)
                                                                             Six months        Year ended
Period ended
                                                                          ended March 31,    September 30,
September 30,
                                                                                2000              1999
1998(a)
                                                                              Class S           Class S
Class S
<S>                                                                      <C>                <C>               <C>
  Net asset value--
  Beginning of period ($)                                                       11.78             8.73
10.00
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS ($):
  Net investment loss (b)                                                      (0.04)            (0.05)
---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
  on investments                                                                2.89              3.10
(1.27)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total from Investment Operations                                              2.85              3.05
(1.27)
===================================================================================================================================
  DISTRIBUTION ($):
  Net realized capital gains                                                   (0.64)              ---
---
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net asset value--
  End of period ($)                                                             13.99             11.78
8.73

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Total return (%)                                                            24.55 (f)           35.05
(12.70) (d)(f)
===================================================================================================================================
  RATIO/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (%):
  Ratio of net expenses to average net assets (b)                             1.36 (e)            1.49          1.50
(c)(e)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Ratio of net investment loss to average net
  assets (c)                                                                 (0.61) (e)          (0.47)
(0.12) (d)(e)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Portfolio turnover rate (%) (a)                                              57 (f)              68             21
(f)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
  Net assets at end of period (000) ($)                                        71,069            59,647
44,716

</TABLE>

(a)      From commencement of operations on June 26, 1998.

(b)      Per share data was calculated using average shares outstanding during
         the period.

(c)      If  the  Fund  paid  all  of  its   expenses  and  there  had  been  no
         reimbursement  by Stein Roe,  this ratio  would have been 1.61% for the
         period ended September 30, 1998.

(d)      Computed giving effect to the advisor's expense limitation undertaking.

(e)      Annualized.

(f)      Not Annualized.
                                                                              16

<PAGE>

NOTES
                                                                              17

<PAGE>

NOTES

                                                                              18

<PAGE>

NOTES
                                                                              19

<PAGE>


FOR MORE INFORMATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You  can get  more  information  about  the  Fund's  investments  in the  Fund's
semi-annual  and annual reports to  shareholders.  The annual report  contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund's performance over its last fiscal year.

You  may  wish  to  read  the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  for  more
information on the Fund and the securities in which it invests. The Statement of
Additional Information is incorporated into this prospectus by reference,  which
means that it is considered to be part of this prospectus.

You can get free copies of reports and the Statement of Additional  Information,
request other  information  and discuss your questions about the Fund by writing
or calling the Fund's distributor at:

Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111-2621
1-800-426-3750
 www.libertyfunds.com

Text-only versions of all Fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from
the Edgar database on the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  internet site at
www.sec.gov.

You can review and copy  information  about the Fund by visiting  the  following
location,  and you can  obtain  copies,  upon  payment of a  duplicating  fee by
electronic request at the E-mail address [email protected] or by writing the:

Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-0102

Information  on the  operation of the Public  Reference  Room may be obtained by
calling 1-202-942-8090.


INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NUMBER:

Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust: 811-4978

- Stein Roe Large Company Focus Fund


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


                              [LIBERTY FUNDS LOGO]

                     Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. (C)2000
                     One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111-2621, 1-800-426-3750
                     www.libertyfunds.com
744-01/297C-0700

<PAGE>
LIBERTY SMALL COMPANY GROWTH FUND CLASS A            PROSPECTUS, AUGUST 1, 2000
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Advised by Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated



Although these  securities have been registered with the Securities and Exchange
Commission, the Commission has not approved or disapproved any shares offered in
this  prospectus or determined  whether this prospectus is truthful or complete.
Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.



--------------------------------
| NOT FDIC | MAY LOSE VALUE    |
           --------------------|
| INSURED  | NO BANK GUARANTEE |
--------------------------------


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
TABLE OF CONTENTS
<S>                                                                      <C>
THE FUND                                                                    2
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment Goal.......................................................      2

Principal Investment Strategies.......................................      2

Principal Investment Risks............................................      3

Performance History...................................................      4

Your Expenses.........................................................      5


YOUR ACCOUNT                                                                6
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

How to Buy Shares.....................................................      6

Sales Charges.........................................................      7

How to Exchange Shares................................................      8

How to Sell Shares....................................................      8

Fund Policy on Trading of Fund Shares................................      10

Distribution and Service Fees........................................      10

Other Information About Your Account.................................      11


MANAGING THE FUND                                                          13
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment Advisor...................................................      13

Portfolio Manager....................................................      13


OTHER INVESTMENT
STRATEGIES AND RISKS                                                       14
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------


FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS                                                      15
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

<PAGE>
THE FUND



INVESTMENT GOAL
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund seeks long-term growth.


PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Under normal market  conditions,  the Fund invests at least 65% of its assets in
common stocks of small-cap companies.  The Fund may invest in new issuers during
periods when new issues are being brought to market. The Fund may also invest in
mid-cap  companies.  The Fund invests in companies that compete within large and
growing  markets and that have the ability to grow their market  share.  To find
companies  with these growth  characteristics,  the portfolio  manager seeks out
companies  that  are -- or,  in  the  portfolio  manager's  judgment,  have  the
potential to be -- a market share leader within their respective  industry.  The
portfolio  manager also looks for companies  with strong  management  teams that
participate in the ownership of the companies.

The portfolio  manager may sell a portfolio  holding if the security reaches the
portfolio  manager's  price  target or if the  company  has a  deterioration  of
fundamentals  such as failing to meet key  operating  benchmarks.  The portfolio
manager may also sell a portfolio holding to fund redemptions.

Additional strategies that are not principal investment strategies and the risks
associated  with  them are  described  later  in this  prospectus  under  "Other
Investment Strategies and Risks."

Defining  Capitalization.  A company's market capitalization is simply its stock
price multiplied by the number of shares of stock it has issued and outstanding.
In the  financial  markets,  companies  generally  are sorted  into one of three
capitalization-based   categories:  large  capitalization  (large  cap);  medium
capitalization  (mid cap) or small  capitalization  (small  cap).  In defining a
company's market capitalization,  we use capitalization-based categories as they
are defined by Morningstar, Inc.

Morningstar  ranks stocks as follows:  the top 5% of the 5000  largest  domestic
stocks in  Morningstar's  equity  database are classified as large cap, the next
15% of the 5000 are  classified  as mid cap, and the  remaining  80% (as well as
companies that fall outside the largest 5000) are classified as small cap. As of
June 30, 2000, large cap companies had market capitalizations greater than $10.5
billion,  mid cap  companies had market  capitalizations  between $1.7 and $10.5
billion,  and small cap  companies  had  market  capitalizations  less than $1.7
billion. These amounts are subject to change.


                                                                               2

<PAGE>
THE FUND



PRINCIPAL INVESTMENT RISKS
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are described below. There are many
circumstances  (including  additional  risks that are not described  here) which
could prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal. You may lose money by
investing in the Fund.

Management  risk means that the advisor's  stock and bond  selections  and other
investment decisions might produce losses or cause the Fund to underperform when
compared to other funds with a similar  investment goal.  Market risk means that
security  prices  in a  market,  sector  or  industry  may move  down.  Downward
movements  will reduce the value of your  investment.  Because of management and
market  risk,  there is no guarantee  that the Fund will achieve its  investment
goal or perform favorably compared with competing funds.


Since it purchases equity  securities,  the Fund is subject to equity risk. This
is the risk that stock prices will fall over short or extended  periods of time.
Although the stock market has historically outperformed other asset classes over
the long term,  the equity market tends to move in cycles and  individual  stock
prices may  fluctuate  drastically  from  day-to-day.  Individual  companies may
report poor results or be negatively affected by industry and/or economic trends
and developments. The prices of securities issued by such companies may suffer a
decline in response.  These price  movements  may result from factors  affecting
individual companies, industries or the securities market as a whole.



Growth  stock  prices may be more  sensitive  to changes in current or  expected
earnings than the prices of other stocks.  Growth stocks may not perform as well
as value stocks or the stock market in general.



Smaller  companies are more likely than larger companies to have limited product
lines,  operating  histories,  markets or financial  resources.  They may depend
heavily on a small management team.  Stocks of smaller  companies may trade less
frequently, may trade in smaller volumes and may fluctuate more sharply in price
than stocks of larger companies. In addition, they may not be widely followed by
the investment community, which can lower the demand for their stock.


The securities  issued by  mid-capitalization  companies may have more risk than
those of larger  companies.  These  securities may be more susceptible to market
downturns, and their prices could be more volatile.


An  investment  in the Fund is not a  deposit  in a bank and is not  insured  or
guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance  Corporation or any other government
agency.



                                                                               3

<PAGE>
THE FUND


UNDERSTANDING PERFORMANCE

CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS shows the Fund's Class S share  performance for each
complete calendar year since it commenced operations. It includes the effects of
Fund expenses.

AVERAGE  ANNUAL  TOTAL  RETURNS  is a  measure  of  the  Fund's  Class  S  share
performance over the past one-year and the life of the Fund periods. It includes
the effects of Fund expenses.

The Fund's  return is compared to the Standard & Poor's Small Cap 600 Index (S&P
Index), an unmanaged broad-based measure of market performance. Unlike the Fund,
indices  are  not  investments,  do not  incur  fees  or  expenses  and  are not
professionally managed. It is not possible to invest directly in indices.



PERFORMANCE HISTORY
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The bar chart below shows changes in the Fund's performance from year to year by
illustrating the Fund's calendar year total returns for its Class S shares.  The
Fund did not have  separate  classes of shares prior to August 1, 2000;  on that
date, the Fund's  outstanding  shares were  reclassified as Class S shares.  The
performance  table  following the bar chart shows how the Fund's  average annual
returns  for Class S shares  compare  with  those of a broad  measure  of market
performance  for 1 year  and the life of the  Fund.  The  chart  and  table  are
intended to illustrate some of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing the
changes in the Fund's  performance.  All  returns  include the  reinvestment  of
dividends and distributions.  Performance  results include the effect of expense
reduction  arrangements,  if any. If these  arrangements were not in place, then
the performance  results would have been lower.  As with all mutual funds,  past
performance does not predict the Fund's future performance.



CALENDAR YEAR TOTAL RETURNS (CLASS S)(1)

                              [BAR GRAPH OMITTED]

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
   1997        1998        1999
-----------------------------------
<S>           <C>         <C>
  19.93%      7.85%       50.91%
</TABLE>


The Fund's year-to-date total return through June 30, 2000 was -6.13%.

For period shown in bar chart:

Best quarter: 4th quarter 1999, +36.33%
Worst quarter: 3rd quarter 1998, -19.32%


AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS -- FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 1999(1)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                       INCEPTION                   LIFE OF THE
                                       ----------------------------------------
                                         DATE          1 YEAR          FUND
        Class S (%)                     3/25/96         50.91         24.06
        -----------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                    <C>             <C>        <C>
        S&P Index (%)                     N/A           12.41         13.33(2)
</TABLE>

(1)   On February 2, 1999,  the  Colonial  Aggressive  Growth Fund  (Predecessor
      Fund) was  reorganized  into the Fund. The  Predecessor  Fund had multiple
      classes of shares consisting of Class A, Class B, and Class C shares.  The
      performance  information contained in the chart and total returns prior to
      February 2, 1999 are based on the  historical  returns of the  Predecessor
      Fund's Class A shares, which unlike the Fund's Class S shares, had a 0.25%
      12b-1 fee.  This chart does not reflect the sales load of the  Predecessor
      Fund's Class A shares.  Performance  information after February 2, 1999 is
      based on the historical returns for the Fund's Class S shares.

(2)   Performance information is from March 31, 1996.



                                                                               4

<PAGE>
THE FUND


UNDERSTANDING EXPENSES

SALES CHARGES are paid directly by shareholders to Liberty Funds Distributor,
Inc., the Fund's distributor.

ANNUAL  FUND  OPERATING  EXPENSES  are  deducted  from the  Fund.  They  include
management  fees,  12b-1 fees and  administrative  costs  including  pricing and
custody services.

EXAMPLE  EXPENSES help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund to the cost
of  investing  in  other  mutual  funds.  It  uses  the  following  hypothetical
conditions:

-     $10,000 initial investment

-     5% total return for each year

-     Fund operating expenses remain the same

-     Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and distributions


YOUR EXPENSES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Expenses  are one of several  factors to consider  before you invest in a mutual
fund.  The tables below describe the fees and expenses you may pay when you buy,
hold and sell shares of the Fund.


SHAREHOLDER FEES (3) (PAID DIRECTLY FROM YOUR INVESTMENT)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                      CLASS A
<S>                                                   <C>
Maximum sales charge (load) on purchases (%)
(as a percentage of the offering price)                5.75
---------------------------------------------------------------
Maximum deferred sales charge (load) on
redemptions (%) (as a percentage of the
lesser of purchase price or redemption price)          1.00(4)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Redemption fee (%) (as a percentage of
amount redeemed, if applicable)                            (5)
</TABLE>


ANNUAL FUND OPERATING EXPENSES (DEDUCTED DIRECTLY FROM FUND ASSETS)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                       CLASS A
<S>                                                   <C>
Management fee (%)                                     1.00(6)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Distribution and service (12b-1) fees (%)              0.35(7)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Other expenses (%)                                     2.73(8)
---------------------------------------------------------------
Total annual fund operating expenses (%)               4.08
---------------------------------------------------------------
     Expense reimbursement (%)                        (2.23)(9)
---------------------------------------------------------------
     Net expenses (%)                                  1.85
</TABLE>



EXAMPLE EXPENSES (YOUR ACTUAL COSTS MAY BE HIGHER OR LOWER)

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
CLASS                       1 YEAR     3 YEARS     5 YEARS     10 YEARS
<S>                         <C>        <C>         <C>         <C>
Class A                      $752       $1,553      $2,368      $4,473
</TABLE>


(3)   A $10 annual fee is deducted from accounts of less than $1,000 and paid to
      the transfer agent.

(4)   This  charge  applies  only to certain  Class A shares  bought  without an
      initial sales charge that are sold within 18 months of purchase.

(5)   There is a $7.50 charge for wiring sale proceeds to your bank.

(6)   Management fees reflect increases effective  February,  1999. In addition,
      the  Predecessor  Fund's  12b-1  fee of  0.25%  and  load  of  5.75%  were
      eliminated from the Fund's Class S shares effective February, 1999.

(7)   The Fund's  distributor has  voluntarily  agreed to waive a portion of the
      12b-1 fee for Class A shares. As a result,  the actual 12b-1 fee for Class
      A shares would be 0.25% and the total annual fund  operating  expenses for
      Class A shares would be 1.75%.  This  arrangement may be terminated by the
      distributor at any time.

(8)   Other expenses are based on the Fund's Class S shares.


(9)   The Fund's  advisor has agreed to reimburse the Fund for certain  expenses
      so  that  the  total  annual  fund   operating   expenses   (exclusive  of
      distribution and service fees, brokerage commissions,  interest, taxes and
      extraordinary  expenses,  if any) will not exceed 1.50%. As a result,  the
      actual  management  fee would be 0.00%,  other expenses would be 1.50% and
      total  annual fund  operating  expenses for Class A shares would be 1.85%.
      This arrangement  expires on January 31, 2001. A reimbursement  lowers the
      expense ratio and increases overall return to investors.



                                                                               5

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



INVESTMENT MINIMUMS

<TABLE>
<S>                                   <C>
Initial Investment................    $1,000
Subsequent Investments............    $   50
Automatic Investment Plan*........    $   50
Retirement Plans*.................    $   25
</TABLE>


* The initial investment minimum of $1,000 is waived on this plan.

The Fund reserves the right to change these investment  minimums.  The Fund also
reserves  the right to refuse a purchase  order for any reason,  including if it
believes  that  doing  so  would  be in the  best  interest  of the Fund and its
shareholders.


HOW TO BUY SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor  can  help  you  establish  an  appropriate  investment
portfolio, buy shares and monitor your investments.  When the Fund receives your
purchase  request  in  "good  form,"  your  shares  will be  bought  at the next
calculated  public offering price.  "Good form" means that you placed your order
with your brokerage firm or your payment has been received and your  application
is complete,  including all necessary  signatures.  The Fund also offers Class S
shares through a separate prospectus.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR BUYING SHARES:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS

<S>                  <C>
Through your         Your financial advisor can help you establish your account and
financial advisor    buy Fund shares on your behalf.  Your financial advisor may
                     charge you fees for executing the purchase for you.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check             For new accounts, send a completed application and check made
(new account)        payable to the Fund to the transfer agent, SteinRoe Services,
                     Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston,
                     MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By check For existing  accounts,  fill out and return the  additional  (existing
account) investment stub included in your quarterly statement, or send a
                     letter of instruction including your Fund name and account
                     number with a check made payable to the Fund to SteinRoe
                     Services, Inc., c/o Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box
                     1722, Boston, MA 02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   exchange You or your  financial  advisor may acquire shares
                     by exchanging  shares you own in one fund for shares of the
                     same class of the Fund at no additional  cost. There may be
                     an  additional  charge if  exchanging  from a money  market
                     fund. To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   wire You may purchase shares by wiring money from your bank
                     account  to your fund  account.  To wire funds to your fund
                     account, call 1-800-422-3737 to obtain a control number and
                     the wiring instructions.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic You may purchase shares by electronically transferring money funds
transfer from your bank account to your fund account by calling
                     1-800-422-3737.  Electronic  funds transfers may take up to
                     two  business  days to settle  and be  considered  in "good
                     form." You must set up this feature prior to your telephone
                     request. Be sure to complete the appropriate section of the
                     application.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Automatic            You can make monthly or quarterly investments automatically
investment plan      from your bank account to your fund account.  You can select a
                     pre-authorized  amount  to be  sent  via  electronic  funds
                     transfer.  Be sure to complete the  appropriate  section of
                     the application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By dividend          You may automatically invest dividends distributed by one fund
diversification      into the same class of shares of the Fund at no additional
                     sales charge.  To invest your dividends in another fund, call
                     1-800-345-6611.
</TABLE>


                                                                               6

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


SALES CHARGES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may be subject to an initial sales charge when you purchase, or a contingent
deferred  sales  charge  (CDSC) when you sell,  shares of the Fund.  These sales
charges are described below. In certain  circumstances,  these sales charges are
waived, as described below and in the Statement of Additional Information.

CLASS A SHARES  Your  purchases  of Class A shares  generally  are at the public
offering  price.  This price includes a sales charge that is based on the amount
of your initial  investment  when you open your account.  A portion of the sales
charge is the commission paid to the financial advisor firm on the sale of Class
A shares.  The sales charge you pay on  additional  investments  is based on the
total amount of your purchase and the current value of your account.  The amount
of the sales charge  differs  depending on the amount you invest as shown in the
table below.


CLASS A SALES CHARGES

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                                                             % OF
                                                                           OFFERING
                                              AS A % OF                      PRICE
                                             THE PUBLIC       AS A %      RETAINED BY
                                              OFFERING       OF YOUR       FINANCIAL
AMOUNT OF PURCHASE                              PRICE       INVESTMENT   ADVISOR FIRM
<S>                                          <C>            <C>          <C>
Less than $50,000                               5.75           6.10          5.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$50,000 to less than $100,000                   4.50           4.71          3.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$100,000 to less than $250,000                  3.50           3.63          2.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$250,000 to less than $500,000                  2.50           2.56          2.00
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$500,000 to less than $1,000,000                2.00           2.04          1.75
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
$1,000,000 or more(10)                          0.00           0.00          0.00
</TABLE>

For Class A share purchases of $1 million or more,  financial advisors receive a
commission from the distributor as follows:


PURCHASES OVER $1 MILLION

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
AMOUNT PURCHASED                                           COMMISSION %
<S>                                                         <C>
First $3 million                                               1.00
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Next $2 million                                                0.50
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Over $5 million                                                0.25(11)
</TABLE>


(10)  Class A  shares  bought  without  an  initial  sales  charge  in  accounts
      aggregating  $1 million to $5 million at the time of purchase  are subject
      to a 1.00%  CDSC if the  shares  are sold  within 18 months of the time of
      purchase. Subsequent Class A share purchases that bring your account value
      above $1 million are subject to a 1.00% CDSC if redeemed  within 18 months
      of their purchase date.  Purchases in accounts aggregating over $5 million
      are  subject to a 1.00%  CDSC only to the  extent  that the sale of shares
      within 18 months of  purchase  causes  the value of the  accounts  to fall
      below the $5 million level. The 18-month period begins on the first day of
      the month following each purchase.

(11) Paid over 12 months but only to the extent the shares remain outstanding.


                                                                               7

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT



UNDERSTANDING CONTINGENT DEFERRED SALES CHARGES

Certain  investments  in Class A shares are  subject to a CDSC,  a sales  charge
applied at the time you sell your  shares.  You will pay the CDSC only on shares
you sell  within a certain  amount of time after  purchase.  The CDSC  generally
declines  each year until  there is no charge for  selling  shares.  The CDSC is
applied to the net asset  value at the time of purchase  or sale,  whichever  is
lower.  For purposes of calculating the CDSC, the start of the holding period is
the  month-end of the month in which the  purchase is made.  Shares you purchase
with  reinvested  dividends or capital gains are not subject to a CDSC. When you
place an order to sell  shares,  the Fund will  automatically  sell first  those
shares not  subject to a CDSC and then those  shares you have held the  longest.
This policy helps  reduce and possibly  eliminate  the  potential  impact of the
CDSC.




REDUCED SALES CHARGES FOR LARGER INVESTMENTS There are two ways for you to pay a
lower sales charge when purchasing  Class A shares.  The first is through Rights
of Accumulation.  If the combined value of the Fund accounts  maintained by you,
your spouse or your minor children  reaches a discount  level  (according to the
chart on the previous  page),  your next  purchase  will receive the lower sales
charge.  The second is by signing a Statement  of Intent  within 90 days of your
purchase.  By doing so, you would be able to pay the lower  sales  charge on all
purchases by agreeing to invest a total of at least $50,000 within 13 months. If
your Statement of Intent purchases are not completed within 13 months,  you will
be charged the  applicable  sales  charge on the amount you had invested to that
date.  In addition,  certain  investors  may purchase  shares at a reduced sales
charge or net asset  value,  which is the value of a fund  share  excluding  any
sales charges. See the Statement of Additional  Information for a description of
these situations.


HOW TO EXCHANGE SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You may exchange  your shares for shares of the same share class of another fund
distributed  by Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc. at net asset  value.  If your
shares are subject to a CDSC,  you will not be charged a CDSC upon the exchange.
However, when you sell the shares acquired through the exchange, the shares sold
may be subject  to a CDSC,  depending  upon when you  originally  purchased  the
shares you exchanged. For purposes of computing the CDSC, the length of time you
have owned your shares will be computed from the date of your original  purchase
and the  applicable  CDSC will be the CDSC of the  original  fund.  Unless  your
account is part of a  tax-deferred  retirement  plan,  an  exchange is a taxable
event.  Therefore,  you may realize a gain or a loss for tax purposes.  The Fund
may  terminate  your  exchange  privilege  if the advisor  determines  that your
exchange  activity is likely to adversely impact its ability to manage the Fund.
To exchange by telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.


HOW TO SELL SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Your  financial  advisor can help you determine if and when you should sell your
shares. You may sell shares of the Fund on any regular business day that the New
York Stock Exchange (NYSE) is open.

When the Fund receives your sales request in "good form," shares will be sold at
the next calculated price. In "good form" means that money used to purchase your
shares is fully collected.  When selling shares by letter of instruction,  "good
form"  also  means  (i)  your  letter  has  complete  instructions,  the  proper
signatures and signature guarantees, (ii) you have included any certificates for
shares to be sold,  and (iii) any other  required  documents are  attached.  For
additional documents required for sales by corporations, agents, fiduciaries and
surviving  joint owners,  please call  1-800-345-6611.  Retirement plan accounts
have special requirements; please call 1-800-799-7526 for more information.

The Fund will  generally  send  proceeds  from the sale to you within seven days
(usually  on the next  business  day after  your  request is  received  in "good
form").  However,  if you  purchased  your  shares by check,  the Fund may delay
sending the proceeds from the sale of


                                                                               8

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


your shares for up to 15 days after your purchase to protect against checks that
are returned. No interest will be paid on uncashed redemption checks. Redemption
proceeds  may be  paid  in  securities,  rather  than in  cash,  if the  advisor
determines that it is in the best interest of the Fund.


OUTLINED BELOW ARE THE VARIOUS OPTIONS FOR SELLING SHARES:

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
METHOD               INSTRUCTIONS
<S>                  <C>
Through  your You may call your  financial  advisor  to place  your sell  order.
financial advisor To receive the current trading day's price, your financial
                     advisor firm must  receive your request  prior to the close
                     of the NYSE, usually 4:00 p.m. Eastern time.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   exchange You or your  financial  advisor may sell shares by
                     exchanging  from the Fund  into  the  same  share  class of
                     another  fund  at  no  additional   cost.  To  exchange  by
                     telephone, call 1-800-422-3737.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By telephone         You or your financial advisor may sell shares by telephone and
                     request that a check be sent to your address of record by
                     calling 1-800-422-3737, unless you have notified the Fund of an
                     address change within the previous 30 days.  The dollar limit
                     for telephone sales is $100,000 in a 30-day period.  You do not
                     need to set up this feature in advance of your call.  Certain
                     restrictions apply to retirement accounts.  For details, call
                     1-800-345-6611.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By mail              You may send a signed letter of instruction or stock power form
                     along with any certificates to be sold to the address below.
                     In your letter of instruction, note the Fund's name, share
                     class, account number, and the dollar value or number of shares
                     you wish to sell.  All account owners must sign the letter, and
                     signatures must be guaranteed by either a bank, a member firm
                     of a national stock exchange or another eligible guarantor
                     institution.  Additional documentation is required for sales by
                     corporations, agents, fiduciaries, surviving joint owners and
                     individual retirement account owners.  For details, call
                     1-800-345-6611.

                     Mail your letter of instruction to SteinRoe Services, Inc., c/o
                     Liberty Funds Services, Inc., P.O. Box 1722, Boston, MA
                     02105-1722.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By                   wire You may sell shares and request  that the  proceeds be
                     wired to your bank.  You must set up this feature  prior to
                     your telephone request. Be sure to complete the appropriate
                     section of the account application for this feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By systematic        You may automatically sell a specified dollar amount or
withdrawal plan      percentage on a monthly, quarterly or semi-annually basis if
                     your  account  balance  is at  least  $5,000  and  have the
                     proceeds  sent to you. This feature is not available if you
                     hold your shares in  certificate  form. Be sure to complete
                     the appropriate section of the account application for this
                     feature.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
By electronic        You may sell shares and request that the proceeds be
funds transfer       electronically transferred to your bank.  Proceeds may take up
                     to two business days to be received by your bank.  You must
                     set up  this  feature  prior  to your  request.  Be sure to
                     complete the appropriate section of the account application
                     for this feature.
</TABLE>


                                                                               9

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


FUND POLICY ON TRADING OF FUND SHARES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund does not permit short-term or excessive trading.  Excessive  purchases,
redemptions or exchanges of Fund shares disrupt  portfolio  management and drive
Fund expenses  higher.  In order to promote the best  interests of the Fund, the
Fund  reserves  the right to reject  any  purchase  order or  exchange  request,
particularly from market timers or investors who, in the advisor's opinion, have
a pattern of short-term or excessive trading or whose trading has been or may be
disruptive to the Fund.  The Fund into which you would like to exchange also may
reject your request.


DISTRIBUTION AND SERVICE FEES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


The Fund has  adopted a plan under Rule 12b-1 that  permits it to pay  marketing
and other fees to support  the sale and  distribution  of Class A shares and the
services provided to you by your financial  advisor.  The annual service fee may
equal up to 0.25% for Class A shares.  The annual  distribution fee may equal up
to 0.10% for Class A shares.  Distribution  and service fees are paid out of the
assets of the class. The distributor has voluntarily agreed to waive the Class A
share  distribution  fee.  Over time,  these fees will increase the cost of your
shares and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges.



                                                                              10

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


OTHER INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR ACCOUNT
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

HOW THE FUND'S SHARE PRICE IS  DETERMINED  The price of each class of the Fund's
shares is based on its net asset value. The net asset value is determined at the
close of regular  trading on the NYSE,  usually 4:00 p.m.  Eastern time, on each
business day that the NYSE is open (typically Monday through Friday).

When you  request a  transaction,  it will be  processed  at the net asset value
(plus any  applicable  sales  charges)  next  determined  after your  request is
received in "good form" by the  distributor.  In most cases, in order to receive
that day's  price,  the  distributor  must  receive your order before that day's
transactions are processed.  If you request a transaction through your financial
advisor  firm,  the firm must  receive your order by the close of trading on the
NYSE to receive that day's price.

The Fund  determines  its net asset value for each share class by dividing  each
class's total net assets by the number of that class's  outstanding  shares.  In
determining  the net  asset  value,  the Fund must  determine  the price of each
security in its portfolio at the close of each trading day. Securities for which
market quotations are available are valued each day at the current market value.
However,  where market quotations are unavailable,  or when the advisor believes
that subsequent events have made them unreliable, the Fund may use other data to
determine the fair value of the securities.

You can find the daily  prices of some share  classes for the Fund in most major
daily newspapers under the caption  "Liberty." You can find daily prices for all
share classes by visiting the Fund's web site at www.libertyfunds.com.

ACCOUNT FEES If your account value falls below $1,000 (other than as a result of
depreciation in share value) you may be subject to an annual account fee of $10.
This fee is deducted from the account in June each year.  Approximately  60 days
prior  to the fee  date,  the  Fund's  transfer  agent  will  send  you  written
notification of the upcoming fee. If you add money to your account and bring the
value above $1,000 prior to the fee date, the fee will not be deducted.

SHARE  CERTIFICATES  Certificates  will be  issued  for  Class A shares  only if
requested.  If you  decide to hold share  certificates,  you will not be able to
sell your shares until you have endorsed your  certificates and returned them to
the distributor.


                                                                              11

<PAGE>
YOUR ACCOUNT


UNDERSTANDING FUND DISTRIBUTIONS

The Fund earns income from the  securities  it holds.  The Fund also may realize
capital  gains  and  losses  on sales of its  securities.  The Fund  distributes
substantially   all  of  its  net   investment   income  and  capital  gains  to
shareholders.  As a  shareholder,  you are  entitled  to a portion of the Fund's
income and capital gains based on the number of shares you own at the time these
distributions are declared.


DIVIDENDS,  DISTRIBUTIONS,  AND  TAXES  The Fund has the  potential  to make the
following distributions:


TYPES OF DISTRIBUTIONS

<TABLE>
<S>                  <C>
Dividend             Represents  interest and dividends  earned from  securities
                     held by the Fund.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital              gains  Represents  net long-term  capital gains on sales of
                     securities  held for more than 12 months and net short-term
                     capital gains,  which are gains on sales of securities held
                     for a 12-month period or less.
</TABLE>

DISTRIBUTION  OPTIONS  The Fund  distributes  dividends  and any  capital  gains
(including  short-term  capital gains) at least annually.  You can choose one of
the options listed in the table below for these distributions when you open your
account. To change your distribution option call 1-800-345-6611.

If you do  not  indicate  on  your  application  your  preference  for  handling
distributions,  the  Fund  will  automatically  reinvest  all  distributions  in
additional shares of the Fund.


DISTRIBUTION OPTIONS

Reinvest all distributions in additional shares of your current fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reinvest all distributions in shares of another fund
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive dividends in cash (see options below) and reinvest capital gains(12)
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Receive all distributions in cash (with one of the following options) (12):

-     send the check to your address of record

-     send the check to a third party address

-     transfer the money to your bank via electronic funds transfer


TAX CONSEQUENCES Regardless of whether you receive your distributions in cash or
reinvest them in additional Fund shares,  all Fund  distributions are subject to
federal  income tax.  Depending on the state where you live,  distributions  may
also be subject to state and local income taxes.

In general,  any  distributions  of dividends,  interest and short-term  capital
gains are taxable as ordinary income.  Distributions of long-term  capital gains
are  generally  taxable as such,  regardless of how long you have held your Fund
shares.  You will be provided with information each year regarding the amount of
ordinary  income and capital gains  distributed to you for the previous year and
any portion of your  distribution  which is exempt  from state and local  taxes.
Your  investment  in the Fund may have  additional  personal  tax  implications.
Please consult your tax advisor on federal, state, local or other applicable tax
laws.

In addition to the dividends and capital gains  distributions  made by the Fund,
you may realize a capital gain or loss when selling and exchanging shares of the
Fund. Such transactions may be subject to federal, state and local income tax.


(12)  Distributions  of  $10  or  less  will   automatically  be  reinvested  in
      additional Fund shares. If you elect to receive distributions by check and
      the  check  is  returned  as  undeliverable,  or if  you  do  not  cash  a
      distribution  check within six months of the check date, the  distribution
      will be reinvested in additional shares of the Fund.


                                                                              12

<PAGE>
MANAGING THE FUND


INVESTMENT ADVISOR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated (Stein Roe), located at One South Wacker Drive,
Suite 3500,  Chicago,  Illinois 60606, is the Fund's investment  advisor. In its
duties as investment  advisor,  Stein Roe runs the Fund's  day-to-day  business,
including  placing all orders for the purchase and sale of portfolio  securities
for the Portfolio. Stein Roe has been an investment advisor since 1932.

Stein Roe's mutual funds and institutional  investment  advisory  businesses are
part of a larger  business unit that includes  several  separate  legal entities
known as Liberty Funds Group LLC (LFG). LFG includes certain affiliates of Stein
Roe, principally Colonial Management Associates, Inc. (Colonial).  Stein Roe and
the LFG  business  unit are  managed  by a single  management  team.  Stein Roe,
Colonial and the other LFG entities also share personnel, facilities and systems
that may be used in  providing  administrative  or  operational  services to the
Fund. Colonial is a registered  investment advisor.  Stein Roe, Colonial and the
other entities that make up LFG are subsidiaries of Liberty Financial Companies,
Inc.

For the 1999 fiscal year,  aggregate advisory fees paid to Stein Roe by the Fund
amounted to 1.00% of average daily net assets of the Fund.

Stein Roe can use the services of AlphaTrade Inc., an affiliated  broker-dealer,
when buying or selling equity securities for the Fund's  portfolio,  pursuant to
procedures adopted by the Board of Trustees.


PORTFOLIO MANAGER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WILLIAM M. GARRISON has been employed by Stein Roe since 1989 as an equity
research analyst and is a vice president. He earned an A.B. degree from
Princeton University and an M.B.A. degree from the University of Chicago. He has
managed the Fund since September, 1998.


                                                                              13

<PAGE>
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS


UNDERSTANDING THE FUND'S
OTHER INVESTMENT STRATEGIES AND RISKS

The Fund's  principal  investment  strategies and risks are described under "The
Fund - Principal  Investment  Strategies"  and "The Fund - Principal  Investment
Risks." In  seeking to meet its  investment  goal,  the Fund may also  invest in
other securities and use certain other investment  techniques.  These securities
and investment techniques offer opportunities and carry various risks.

The  advisor  may elect not to buy any of these  securities  or use any of these
techniques  unless it  believes  that  doing so will help the Fund  achieve  its
investment goal. The Fund may not always achieve its investment goal.

Additional information about the Fund's securities and investment techniques, as
well as the Fund's  fundamental  and  non-fundamental  investment  policies,  is
contained in the Statement of Additional Information.



The  Fund's  principal  investment  strategies  and their  associated  risks are
described above.  This section describes other investments the Fund may make and
the risks  associated with them. In seeking to achieve its investment  goal, the
Fund may invest in various types of securities and engage in various  investment
techniques  which are not the principal  focus of the Fund and therefore are not
described in this prospectus. These types of securities and investment practices
are identified and discussed in the Fund's Statement of Additional  Information,
which you may obtain  free of charge  (see back  cover).  Approval by the Fund's
shareholders  is not  required to modify or change any of the Fund's  investment
goal or investment strategies.


SHORT SALES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund may make short sales of securities.  Short selling involves the sale of
borrowed securities.  When the Fund thinks the price of a stock will decline, it
borrows the stock and then sells the borrowed stock. When the Fund has to return
the borrowed  stock,  it tries to buy the stock at a lower price. If the Fund is
successful,  it has a capital  gain.  If the Fund is  unsuccessful  and buys the
stock at a higher price than the price at which it sold the stock,  the Fund has
a capital loss. The Fund's capital gains and losses may result in federal income
tax  consequences to the Fund's  shareholders.  Short selling  involves  certain
risks.  The Fund could have a loss if the borrowed  security  increases in value
and if the purchased security declines in value.


PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

There are no limits on turnover.  Turnover may vary  significantly  from year to
year. Stein Roe does not expect it to exceed 100% under normal  conditions.  The
Fund generally intends to purchase securities for long-term investment although,
to a limited  extent,  it may purchase  securities in anticipation of relatively
short-term price gains.  Portfolio  turnover typically produces capital gains or
losses  resulting in tax  consequences  for Fund  investors.  It also  increases
transaction expenses, which reduce the Fund's return.


INTERFUND LENDING PROGRAM
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Fund may lend money to and borrow  from  other  funds  advised by Stein Roe.
They will do so when Stein Roe  believes  such lending or borrowing is necessary
and appropriate.  Borrowing costs will be the same as or lower than the costs of
a bank loan.


TEMPORARY DEFENSIVE STRATEGIES
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

At times,  the advisor may  determine  that adverse  market  conditions  make it
desirable to temporarily suspend the Fund's normal investment activities. During
such  times,  the  Fund  may,  but  is  not  required  to,  invest  in  cash  or
high-quality,  short-term  debt  securities,  without limit.  Taking a temporary
defensive position may prevent the Fund from achieving its investment goal.


                                                                              14

<PAGE>
FINANCIAL HIGHLIGHTS


The financial  highlights table is intended to help you understand the financial
performance of the Fund.  Because Class A shares have not commenced  operations,
the Fund's Class S shares, the existing class is shown. Information is shown for
the Fund's last five fiscal  years which ran from July 1 to June 30 through June
30, 1999 when it was  changed to  September  30.  Certain  information  reflects
financial results for a single Fund share. Information through June 30, 1998 has
been derived from the financial  statements of the  Predecessor  Fund. The total
returns in the table  represent the rate that you would have earned (or lost) on
an  investment  in  the  Fund  (assuming   reinvestment  of  all  dividends  and
distributions).  This information is included in the Fund's financial statements
which have been audited by PricewaterhouseCoopers  LLP, independent accountants,
whose report,  along with the Fund's  financial  statements,  is included in the
Fund's  annual  report.  You  can  request  a  free  annual  report  by  calling
1-800-426-3750.


THE FUND

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
                                               (Unaudited)
                                               Six months     Period
ended                                             Period ended
                                             ended March 31,  September 30,            Years ended June
30,               June 30,
                                                   2000          1999(i)         1999         1998
1997         1996(b)
<S>                                          <C>              <C>             <C>            <C>
<C>        <C>
                                                  Class S       Class S        Class S       Class S         Class
S       Class S
 Net asset value -- Beginning of period ($)        13.50         12.790         14.390         12.650
11.300         10.110
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 INCOME FROM INVESTMENT OPERATIONS ($):
 Net investment loss (a)(g)                        (0.08)        (0.031)        (0.094)        (0.143)
(0.114)        (0.016)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Net realized and unrealized gain (loss)
 on investments                                     9.61          0.741          0.194          2.783
1.484          1.206
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total from Investment Operations                   9.53          0.710          0.100          2.640
1.370          1.190
===================================================================================================================================

 LESS DISTRIBUTIONS ($):
 Net investment income                              --             --             --             --
(0.005)          --
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Net realized capital gains                        (1.01)          --           (1.700)        (0.900)
(0.015)          --
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total Distributions                               (1.01)          --           (1.700)        (0.900)
(0.020)          --
===================================================================================================================================
 Net asset value -- End of period ($)              22.02         13.500         12.790         14.390
12.650         11.300
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Total return (%) (c)(d)                       74.23 (e)       5.55 (e)           1.71          21.56
12.14      11.77 (e)
===================================================================================================================================

 RATIO/SUPPLEMENTAL DATA (%):
 Ratio of net expenses
 to average net assets (h)                      1.50 (f)       1.50 (f)           1.52           1.55
1.55       1.55 (f)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Fees and expenses borne
 by the investment advisor (h)                      --         2.23 (f)           2.53           2.21
2.57       1.38 (f)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Ratio of net investment loss
 to average net assets (h)                     (0.92) (f)     (0.93) (f)         (0.78)         (1.04)
(0.99)     (0.58) (f)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Portfolio turnover rate (%)                      77 (e)         27 (e)            105             70
54          0 (e)
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Net assets at end of period (000) ($)            29,503          9,913          9,293          3,867
3,185          2,826
</TABLE>


(a)   Net of fees and expenses  waived or borne by the investment  adviser which
      amounted to $0.073 for the period ended 9/30/99,  $0.305,  $0.301, $0.297,
      respectively, for the years ended 6/30/99, 6/30/98, 6/30/97 and $0.038 for
      period ended 6/30/96.

(b)   The Predecessor Fund commenced  operations on March 25, 1996. The activity
      shown is from the effective date of registration (March 31, 1996) with the
      Securities and Exchange Commission.

(c)   Total return at net asset value assuming all distributions  reinvested and
      no initial sales charge or contingent deferred sales charge.

(d)   Had the investment adviser not waived or reimbursed a portion of expenses,
      total return would have been reduced.

(e)   Not annualized.

(f)   Annualized.

(g)   Per share data was calculated using average shares  outstanding during the
      period.

(h)   The  benefit   derived  from  custody   credits  and  directed   brokerage
      arrangements had no impact.

(i)   The  Fund  changed  its  fiscal  year end from  June 30 to  September  30.
      Information presented is for the period July 1, 1999 through September 30,
      1999.


                                                                              15

<PAGE>
FOR MORE INFORMATION
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

You  can get  more  information  about  the  Fund's  investments  in the  Fund's
semi-annual  and annual reports to  shareholders.  The annual report  contains a
discussion of the market conditions and investment strategies that significantly
affected the Fund's performance over its last fiscal year.

You  may  wish  to  read  the  Statement  of  Additional  Information  for  more
information on the Fund and the securities in which it invests. The Statement of
Additional Information is incorporated into this prospectus by reference,  which
means that it is considered to be part of this prospectus.

You can get free copies of reports and the Statement of Additional  Information,
request other  information  and discuss your questions about the Fund by writing
or calling the Fund's distributor at:

Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc.
One Financial Center
Boston, MA 02111-2621
1-800-426-3750
www.libertyfunds.com

Text-only versions of all Fund documents can be viewed online or downloaded from
the Edgar database on the Securities  and Exchange  Commission  internet site at
WWW.SEC.GOV.

You can review and copy  information  about the Fund by visiting  the  following
location,  and you can  obtain  copies,  upon  payment of a  duplicating  fee by
electronic request at the E-mail address [email protected] or by writing the:

Public Reference Room
Securities and Exchange Commission
Washington, DC 20549-0102

Information  on the  operation of the Public  Reference  Room may be obtained by
calling 1-202-942-8090.


INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NUMBER:

Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Investment Trust: 811-4978
-     Stein Roe Small Company Growth Fund


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


                              [LIBERTY FUNDS LOGO]


                    Liberty Funds Distributor, Inc. (C)2000
                    One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111-2621, 1-800-426-3750
                    www.libertyfunds.com

711-01/296C-0700





Statement of Additional Information Dated August 1, 2000

                    LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS INVESTMENT TRUST

                     One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111

                                  800-338-2550

                           Liberty Midcap Growth Fund

                           Class A, B, C, and Z Shares


         This Statement of Additional  Information  ("SAI") is not a prospectus,
but provides additional  information that should be read in conjunction with the
Fund's Class A, B and C prospectus and the Class Z prospectus  both dated August
1, 2000, and any supplements  thereto  ("Prospectuses").  Financial  statements,
which are contained in the Fund's  September  30, 1999,  Annual Report and March
31, 2000,  Semi-annual  Report, are incorporated by reference into this SAI. The
Prospectuses,  Annual Report and Semi-annual Report may be obtained at no charge
by telephoning 800-338-2550.


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page

General Information and History............................................2
Investment Policies........................................................3
Portfolio Investments and Strategies.......................................4
Investment Restrictions...................................................21
Additional Investment Considerations......................................23
Management................................................................24
Financial Statements......................................................29
Principal Shareholders....................................................29
Investment Advisory and Other Services....................................29
Distributor...............................................................31
Transfer Agent............................................................33
Purchases and Redemptions.................................................33
Custodian.................................................................44
Independent Accountants...................................................45
Portfolio Transactions....................................................45
Additional Income Tax Considerations......................................50
Investment Performance....................................................51
Appendix--Ratings.........................................................55


<PAGE>


                                      GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY


 .........Liberty  Midcap  Growth Fund (the "Fund") is a series of  Liberty-Stein
Roe Funds Investment  Trust (the "Trust").  On February 1, 1996, the name of the
Trust was changed to separate  "SteinRoe" into two words.  The name of the Trust
was  changed  from  "Stein Roe  Investment  Trust" to  "Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds
Investment Trust" on October 18, 1999.

 .........Prior  to July 28, 2000,  the Fund was named  "Stein Roe Midcap  Growth
Fund". Prior to May 6, 1999, the Fund was named "Stein Roe Growth  Opportunities
Fund". The Fund commenced operations on June 30, 1997.

 .........The Fund offers five classes of  shares--Classes  A, B, C, Z, and Stein
Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S. Prior to August 1, 2000,  the Fund had a single
class of  shares.  On July 14,  2000,  the  outstanding  shares of the Fund were
converted  into Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class S, and on August 1, 2000, the
Fund commenced  offering Classes A, B, C and Z. This SAI describes Classes A, B,
C and Z of the Fund.  A separate  SAI  relates to Stein Roe Midcap  Growth  Fund
Class S.

 .........The  Trust  is  a  Massachusetts  business  trust  organized  under  an
Agreement and  Declaration  of Trust  ("Declaration  of Trust") dated January 8,
1987, which provides that each shareholder  shall be deemed to have agreed to be
bound by the terms thereof. The Declaration of Trust may be amended by a vote of
either  the  Trust's  shareholders  or its  trustees.  The  Trust  may  issue an
unlimited  number  of  shares,  in one or more  series,  each  with  one or more
classes,  as the Board may  authorize.  Currently,  12 series are authorized and
outstanding. Each series invests in a separate portfolio of securities and other
assets, with its own objectives and policies.

 .........Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust
such as the Trust could, in some  circumstances,  be held personally  liable for
unsatisfied  obligations  of the trust.  The  Declaration of Trust provides that
persons  extending credit to,  contracting with, or having any claim against the
Trust or any particular  series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or of
the respective series for payment under such credit, contract or claim, and that
the  shareholders,  trustees  and  officers  shall  have no  personal  liability
therefor.  The  Declaration of Trust requires that notice of such  disclaimer of
liability be given in each contract,  instrument or undertaking executed or made
on behalf of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of
any  shareholder  against any loss and expense  arising from personal  liability
solely  by reason of being or having  been a  shareholder.  Thus,  the risk of a
shareholder  incurring  financial  loss on account of  shareholder  liability is
believed to be remote, because it would be limited to circumstances in which the
disclaimer was inoperative and the Trust was unable to meet its obligations. The
risk of a particular  series incurring  financial loss on account of unsatisfied
liability of another series of the Trust also is believed to be remote,  because
it would be  limited  to  claims to which  the  disclaimer  did not apply and to
circumstances in which the other series was unable to meet its obligations.

 .........Each  share of a series (or class  thereof) is entitled to  participate
pro rata in any  dividends  and  other  distributions  declared  by the Board on
shares of that series (or class  thereof),  and all shares of a series (or class
thereof) have equal rights in the event of  liquidation of that series (or class
thereof).  Each whole share (or fractional share) outstanding on the record date
established  in  accordance  with the  By-Laws  shall be entitled to a number of
votes on any matter on which it is entitled to vote equal to the net asset value
of the share (or fractional  share) in United States  dollars  determined at the
close of business on the record date (for  example,  a share  having a net asset
value of $10.50 would be entitled to 10.5 votes). As a business trust, the Trust
is not required to hold annual shareholder meetings.  However,  special meetings
may be called for  purposes  such as  electing or  removing  trustees,  changing
fundamental policies, or approving an investment advisory contract. If requested
to do so by the  holders of at least 10% of its  outstanding  shares,  the Trust
will call a special  meeting  for the  purpose of voting  upon the  question  of
removal of a trustee or  trustees  and will  assist in the  communications  with
other  shareholders  as if the  Trust  were  subject  to  Section  16(c)  of the
Investment  Company Act of 1940. All shares of all series of the Trust are voted
together in the election of trustees. On any other matter submitted to a vote of
shareholders,  shares are voted in the aggregate  and not by individual  series,
except  that  shares  are  voted  by  individual  series  when  required  by the
Investment  Company  Act of 1940 or other  applicable  law, or when the Board of
Trustees  determines  that the matter  affects only the interests of one or more
series,  in which case shareholders of the unaffected series are not entitled to
vote on such matters.

 .........Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated ("Stein Roe") provides  administrative
and accounting and recordkeeping services to the Fund.
                               INVESTMENT POLICIES

 .........The Trust is an open-end  management  investment  company.  The Fund is
diversified, as that term is defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

 .........The  investment objectives and policies are described in the Prospectus
under  The  Fund.  In  pursuing  its  objective,  the Fund may also  employ  the
investment  techniques  described under Portfolio  Investments and Strategies in
this SAI. The investment objective is a nonfundamental policy and may be changed
by the Board of Trustees  without the approval of a "majority of the outstanding
voting securities."1

<PAGE>



                      PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AND STRATEGIES

Debt Securities

 .........In  pursuing  its  investment  objective,  the Fund may  invest in debt
securities of corporate and  governmental  issuers.  The risks  inherent in debt
securities  depend  primarily on the term and quality of the  obligations in the
Fund's  portfolio as well as on market  conditions.  A decline in the prevailing
levels of interest rates generally increases the value of debt securities, while
an increase in rates usually reduces the value of those securities.
 .........The Fund may invest up to 35% of its net assets in debt securities, but
does not expect to invest more than 5% of its net assets in debt securities that
are rated below investment grade.

 .........Securities   in  the  fourth  highest  grade  may  possess  speculative
characteristics,  and changes in economic  conditions  are more likely to affect
the issuer's  capacity to pay interest and repay  principal.  If the rating of a
security held by the Fund is lost or reduced below investment grade, the Fund is
not required to dispose of the  security,  but Stein Roe will consider that fact
in determining whether that Fund should continue to hold the security.

 .........Securities  that  are  rated  below  investment  grade  are  considered
predominantly  speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest
and repay principal according to the terms of the obligation and therefore carry
greater  investment  risk,  including  the  possibility  of issuer  default  and
bankruptcy.

 .........When  Stein Roe determines  that adverse market or economic  conditions
exist and  considers  a temporary  defensive  position  advisable,  the Fund may
invest without limitation in high-quality fixed income securities or hold assets
in cash or cash equivalents.

Derivatives

 .........Consistent  with its objective, the Fund may invest in a broad array of
financial instruments and securities, including conventional exchange-traded and
non-exchange-traded  options;  futures  contracts;  futures options;  securities
collateralized by underlying pools of mortgages or other  receivables;  floating
rate instruments;  and other instruments that securitize assets of various types
("Derivatives").  In each  case,  the value of the  instrument  or  security  is
"derived" from the performance of an underlying asset or a "benchmark" such as a
security index, an interest rate, or a currency.

 .........Derivatives  are most often used to manage investment risk or to create
an investment  position  indirectly because using them is more efficient or less
costly than direct investment that cannot be readily established directly due to
portfolio size, cash availability, or other factors. They also may be used in an
effort to enhance portfolio returns.


 .........The  successful  use of  Derivatives  depends on Stein Roe's ability to
correctly  predict changes in the levels and directions of movements in security
prices,  interest rates and other market factors affecting the Derivative itself
or the value of the underlying asset or benchmark. In addition,  correlations in
the  performance  of an  underlying  asset  to a  Derivative  may  not  be  well
established.  Finally, privately negotiated and over-the-counter Derivatives may
not be as  well  regulated  and  may be  less  marketable  than  exchange-traded
Derivatives.

 .........The  Fund  currently  does not intend to invest more than 5% of its net
assets in any type of  Derivative  except for options,  futures  contracts,  and
futures options. (See Options and Futures below.)

 .........Some  mortgage-backed debt securities are of the "modified pass-through
type," which means the interest and principal  payments on mortgages in the pool
are "passed through" to investors.  During periods of declining  interest rates,
there is increased  likelihood that mortgages will be prepaid,  with a resulting
loss of the  full-term  benefit of any  premium  paid by the Fund on purchase of
such  securities;  in  addition,  the  proceeds of  prepayment  would  likely be
invested at lower interest rates.

 .........Mortgage-backed  securities  provide  either  a pro  rata  interest  in
underlying  mortgages  or an interest  in  collateralized  mortgage  obligations
("CMOs") that represent a right to interest  and/or  principal  payments from an
underlying  mortgage pool. CMOs are not guaranteed by either the U.S. Government
or by its  agencies or  instrumentalities,  and are  usually  issued in multiple
classes each of which has different payment rights,  prepayment risks, and yield
characteristics.  Mortgage-backed  securities  involve the risk of prepayment on
the  underlying  mortgages  at a faster  or  slower  rate  than the  established
schedule.  Prepayments  generally  increase  with  falling  interest  rates  and
decrease with rising rates but they also are influenced by economic, social, and
market  factors.  If mortgages are prepaid during periods of declining  interest
rates,  there would be a resulting loss of the full-term  benefit of any premium
paid by the Fund on purchase of the CMO,  and the proceeds of  prepayment  would
likely be invested at lower interest rates.

 .........Non-mortgage  asset-backed securities usually have less prepayment risk
than mortgage-backed  securities, but have the risk that the collateral will not
be available to support  payments on the underlying  loans that finance payments
on the securities themselves.

 .........Floating  rate instruments  provide for periodic  adjustments in coupon
interest  rates  that are  automatically  reset  based on  changes in amount and
direction of specified market interest rates. In addition, the adjusted duration
of some of  these  instruments  may be  materially  shorter  than  their  stated
maturities.  To the extent such  instruments are subject to lifetime or periodic
interest rate caps or floors,  such  instruments  may  experience  greater price
volatility than debt instruments without such features.  Adjusted duration is an
inverse  relationship  between market price and interest rates and refers to the
approximate  percentage  change in price for a 100 basis point  change in yield.
For example, if interest rates decrease by 100 basis points, a market price of a
security with an adjusted duration of 2 would increase by approximately 2%.
Convertible Securities

 .........By investing in convertible  securities,  the Fund obtains the right to
benefit from the capital  appreciation  potential in the  underlying  stock upon
exercise of the conversion right, while earning higher current income than would
be available if the stock were purchased  directly.  In  determining  whether to
purchase a convertible,  Stein Roe will consider substantially the same criteria
that would be considered in purchasing the underlying  stock.  While convertible
securities purchased by the Fund are frequently rated investment grade, the Fund
may purchase  unrated  securities or securities  rated below investment grade if
the  securities  meet  Stein  Roe's  other  investment   criteria.   Convertible
securities  rated  below  investment  grade  (a)  tend to be more  sensitive  to
interest rate and economic  changes,  (b) may be  obligations of issuers who are
less creditworthy than issuers of higher quality convertible securities, and (c)
may be more  thinly  traded  due to such  securities  being  less well  known to
investors  than  investment  grade  convertible  securities,   common  stock  or
conventional debt securities.  As a result,  Stein Roe's own investment research
and analysis tend to be more important in the purchase of such  securities  than
other factors.

Foreign Securities

 .........The  Fund  may  invest  up to  25%  of  its  total  assets  in  foreign
securities,  which may entail a greater degree of risk (including risks relating
to exchange rate fluctuations,  tax provisions, or expropriation of assets) than
investment  in  securities  of  domestic  issuers.  For  this  purpose,  foreign
securities  do not include  American  Depositary  Receipts  (ADRs) or securities
guaranteed by a United States person.  ADRs are receipts  typically issued by an
American  bank  or  trust  company   evidencing   ownership  of  the  underlying
securities. The Fund may invest in sponsored or unsponsored ADRs. In the case of
an unsponsored  ADR, the Fund is likely to bear its  proportionate  share of the
expenses of the  depositary  and it may have  greater  difficulty  in  receiving
shareholder  communications  than it would have with a sponsored  ADR.  The Fund
does  not  intend  to  invest,  nor  during  the past  fiscal  year has the Fund
invested, more than 5% of its net assets in unsponsored ADRs.

 .........As  of  September  30,  1999,  holdings  of  foreign  companies,  as  a
percentage of net assets, were as follows:  2.2% (none in foreign securities and
2.2% in ADRs).

 .........With respect to portfolio securities that are issued by foreign issuers
or  denominated  in foreign  currencies,  the Fund's  investment  performance is
affected  by  the  strength  or  weakness  of  the  U.S.  dollar  against  these
currencies.  For example,  if the dollar falls in value relative to the Japanese
yen, the dollar value of a yen-denominated stock held in the portfolio will rise
even though the price of the stock remains unchanged.  Conversely, if the dollar
rises in value  relative  to the yen,  the dollar  value of the  yen-denominated
stock will fall.  (See discussion of transaction  hedging and portfolio  hedging
under Currency Exchange Transactions.)

 .........Investors  should understand and consider  carefully the risks involved
in foreign  investing.  Investing  in foreign  securities,  positions  which are
generally denominated in foreign currencies,  and utilization of forward foreign
currency exchange contracts involve certain considerations comprising both risks
and  opportunities not typically  associated with investing in U.S.  securities.
These  considerations  include:   fluctuations  in  exchange  rates  of  foreign
currencies;  possible  imposition  of exchange  control  regulation  or currency
restrictions  that  would  prevent  cash from being  brought  back to the United
States;  less public  information  with respect to issuers of  securities;  less
governmental supervision of stock exchanges,  securities brokers, and issuers of
securities;  lack of  uniform  accounting,  auditing,  and  financial  reporting
standards;  lack of uniform  settlement  periods  and  trading  practices;  less
liquidity and frequently greater price volatility in foreign markets than in the
United  States;  possible  imposition of foreign taxes;  possible  investment in
securities  of  companies in  developing  as well as  developed  countries;  and
sometimes  less  advantageous  legal,  operational,  and  financial  protections
applicable to foreign  sub-custodial  arrangements.  These risks are greater for
emerging markets.

 .........Although  the Fund will try to invest in companies and  governments  of
countries  having stable  political  environments,  there is the  possibility of
expropriation or confiscatory  taxation,  seizure or  nationalization of foreign
bank deposits or other assets,  establishment of exchange controls, the adoption
of  foreign  government  restrictions,  or other  adverse  political,  social or
diplomatic developments that could affect investment in these nations.

 .........Currency  Exchange Transactions.  Currency exchange transactions may be
conducted either on a spot (i.e., cash) basis at the spot rate for purchasing or
selling  currency  prevailing in the foreign  exchange market or through forward
currency  exchange  contracts  ("forward  contracts").   Forward  contracts  are
contractual  agreements to purchase or sell a specified  currency at a specified
future date (or within a specified time period) and price set at the time of the
contract.   Forward   contracts   are  usually   entered  into  with  banks  and
broker-dealers, are not exchange traded, and are usually for less than one year,
but may be renewed.

 .........The  Fund's  foreign  currency  exchange  transactions  are  limited to
transaction and portfolio  hedging  involving  either  specific  transactions or
portfolio  positions.  Transaction  hedging is the  purchase  or sale of forward
contracts  with respect to specific  receivables or payables of the Fund arising
in connection with the purchase and sale of its portfolio securities.  Portfolio
hedging is the use of forward  contracts  with  respect  to  portfolio  security
positions  denominated  or quoted in a particular  foreign  currency.  Portfolio
hedging allows the Fund to limit or reduce its exposure in a foreign currency by
entering  into a forward  contract  to sell such  foreign  currency  (or another
foreign  currency that acts as a proxy for that currency) at a future date for a
price  payable  in U.S.  dollars  so that the  value of the  foreign-denominated
portfolio  securities  can be  approximately  matched  by a  foreign-denominated
liability.  The Fund may not engage in  portfolio  hedging  with  respect to the
currency of a particular  country to an extent greater than the aggregate market
value (at the time of making such sale) of the securities  held in its portfolio
denominated  or quoted in that  particular  currency,  except  that the Fund may
hedge all or part of its foreign  currency  exposure through the use of a basket
of currencies or a proxy  currency  where such  currencies or currency act as an
effective proxy for other currencies.  In such a case, the Fund may enter into a
forward contract where the amount of the foreign currency to be sold exceeds the
value of the securities  denominated  in such  currency.  The use of this basket
hedging  technique  may be more  efficient  and  economical  than  entering into
separate forward  contracts for each currency held in the Fund. The Fund may not
engage in "speculative" currency exchange transactions.

 .........At the maturity of a forward contract to deliver a particular currency,
the Fund may either sell the  portfolio  security  related to such  contract and
make delivery of the currency,  or it may retain the security and either acquire
the  currency on the spot market or  terminate  its  contractual  obligation  to
deliver the currency by purchasing an offsetting contract with the same currency
trader  obligating  it to purchase on the same  maturity date the same amount of
the currency.

 .........It  is impossible to forecast with absolute  precision the market value
of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward contract. Accordingly, it
may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional currency on the spot market
(and bear the expense of such  purchase)  if the market value of the security is
less than the amount of  currency  the Fund is  obligated  to  deliver  and if a
decision  is made to sell  the  security  and  make  delivery  of the  currency.
Conversely,  it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the currency
received upon the sale of the portfolio security if its market value exceeds the
amount of currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.

 .........If the Fund retains the portfolio security and engages in an offsetting
transaction,  the Fund will incur a gain or a loss to the extent  that there has
been movement in forward contract  prices.  If the Fund engages in an offsetting
transaction,  it may subsequently  enter into a new forward contract to sell the
currency.  Should  forward  prices  decline during the period between the Fund's
entering  into a forward  contract  for the sale of a  currency  and the date it
enters into an offsetting  contract for the purchase of the  currency,  the Fund
will  realize a gain to the  extent the price of the  currency  it has agreed to
sell exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase. Should forward
prices  increase,  the Fund will  suffer a loss to the  extent  the price of the
currency  it has agreed to  purchase  exceeds  the price of the  currency it has
agreed to sell. A default on the contract  would  deprive the Fund of unrealized
profits  or force  the Fund to cover its  commitments  for  purchase  or sale of
currency, if any, at the current market price.

 .........Hedging against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate
fluctuations  in the prices of  portfolio  securities  or prevent  losses if the
prices  of  such  securities  decline.   Such  transactions  also  preclude  the
opportunity for gain if the value of the hedged currency should rise.  Moreover,
it may not be possible for the Fund to hedge  against a  devaluation  that is so
generally anticipated that the Fund is not able to contract to sell the currency
at a price above the devaluation  level it anticipates.  The cost to the Fund of
engaging  in currency  exchange  transactions  varies  with such  factors as the
currency  involved,  the length of the contract  period,  and prevailing  market
conditions.  Since currency  exchange  transactions  are usually  conducted on a
principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.
Structured Notes

 .........Structured  Notes  are  Derivatives  on which the  amount of  principal
repayment  and or interest  payments  is based upon the  movement of one or more
factors. These factors include, but are not limited to, currency exchange rates,
interest rates (such as the prime lending rate and the London Interbank  Offered
rate  ("LIBOR")),  stock  indices  such  as the  S&P 500  Index  and  the  price
fluctuations  of a  particular  security.  In  some  cases,  the  impact  of the
movements  of  these  factors  may  increase  or  decrease  through  the  use of
multipliers or deflators.  The use of Structured Notes allows the Fund to tailor
its  investments  to the specific  risks and returns  Stein Roe wishes to accept
while avoiding or reducing certain other risks.
Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars

 .........The  Fund may enter into swaps and may purchase or sell  related  caps,
floors and collars.  The Fund would enter into these  transactions  primarily to
preserve  a return  or spread  on a  particular  investment  or  portion  of its
portfolio,  to protect against currency  fluctuations,  as a duration management
technique  or to protect  against  any  increase in the price of  securities  it
purchases at a later date.  The Fund intends to use these  techniques  as hedges
and not as speculative investments and will not sell interest rate income stream
the Fund may be obligated to pay.

 .........A swap agreement is generally individually negotiated and structured to
include  exposure  to a variety  of  different  types of  investments  or market
factors.  Depending on its structure,  a swap agreement may increase or decrease
the Fund's  exposure to changes in the value of an index of  securities in which
the  Fund  might  invest,  the  value  of a  particular  security  or  group  of
securities,  or foreign currency values. Swap agreements can take many different
forms and are known by a variety  of names.  The Fund may enter into any form of
swap  agreement if Stein Roe  determines  it is consistent  with its  investment
objective and policies.

 .........A swap agreement tends to shift the Fund's investment exposure from one
type of  investment  to  another.  For  example,  if the Fund agrees to exchange
payments  in dollars  at a fixed rate for  payments  in a foreign  currency  the
amount of which is determined by movements of a foreign  securities  index,  the
swap agreement would tend to increase exposure to foreign stock market movements
and  foreign  currencies.  Depending  on how it is used,  a swap  agreement  may
increase or decrease the overall  volatility of the Fund's  investments  and its
net asset value.

 .........The  performance of a swap agreement is determined by the change in the
specific currency,  market index,  security, or other factors that determine the
amounts of  payments  due to and from the Fund.  If a swap  agreement  calls for
payments by the Fund,  the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when due.
If the counterparty's  creditworthiness  declines, the value of a swap agreement
would be likely to decline,  potentially  resulting in a loss. The Fund will not
enter into any swap,  cap, floor or collar  transaction  unless,  at the time of
entering  into  such   transaction,   the  unsecured   long-term   debt  of  the
counterparty,  combined  with any  credit  enhancements,  is rated at least A by
Standard & Poor's or Moody's Investors Service, Inc. or has an equivalent rating
from a nationally recognized statistical rating organization or is determined to
be of equivalent credit quality by Stein Roe.

 .........The  purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive  payments on a
notional  principal  amount from the party  selling the cap to the extent that a
specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of
a floor  entitles  the  purchaser  to receive  payments on a notional  principal
amount from the party  selling  such floor to the extent that a specified  index
falls below a predetermined  interest rate or amount.  A collar is a combination
of a cap and floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined  range
of interest rates or values.

 .........At  the time the Fund enters into swap  arrangements  or  purchases  or
sells caps, floors or collars, liquid assets of the Fund having a value at least
as great as the commitment  underlying the obligations will be segregated on the
books of the  Fund  and  held by the  custodian  throughout  the  period  of the
obligation.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

 .........Subject  to restriction (5) under Investment  Restrictions in this SAI,
the Fund may lend its portfolio securities to broker-dealers and banks. Any such
loan must be  continuously  secured by  collateral  in cash or cash  equivalents
maintained on a current basis in an amount at least equal to the market value of
the  securities  loaned by the Fund.  The Fund would  continue  to  receive  the
equivalent  of the  interest or dividends  paid by the issuer on the  securities
loaned, and would also receive an additional return that may be in the form of a
fixed fee or a percentage  of the  collateral.  The Fund would have the right to
call the loan and obtain the securities loaned at any time on notice of not more
than  five  business  days.  The  Fund  would  not  have  the  right to vote the
securities  during the  existence  of the loan but would call the loan to permit
voting of the securities if, in Stein Roe's judgment, a material event requiring
a  shareholder  vote would  otherwise  occur before the loan was repaid.  In the
event of bankruptcy or other default of the borrower,  the Fund could experience
both  delays  in  liquidating  the loan  collateral  or  recovering  the  loaned
securities  and  losses,  including  (a)  possible  decline  in the value of the
collateral or in the value of the securities  loaned during the period while the
Fund seeks to enforce  its rights  thereto,  (b)  possible  subnormal  levels of
income and lack of access to income  during  this  period,  and (c)  expenses of
enforcing  its rights.  The Fund did not loan  portfolio  securities  during the
fiscal year ended  September 30, 1999 nor does it currently  intend to loan more
than 5% of its net assets.

Repurchase Agreements

 .........The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, provided that it will not
invest  more than 15% of net assets in  repurchase  agreements  maturing in more
than seven days and any other illiquid  securities.  A repurchase agreement is a
sale of  securities  to the Fund in which the seller  agrees to  repurchase  the
securities at a higher price, which includes an amount representing  interest on
the purchase  price,  within a specified time. In the event of bankruptcy of the
seller,  the Fund could  experience  both losses and delays in  liquidating  its
collateral.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities; Reverse Repurchase Agreements

 .........The Fund may purchase  securities on a when-issued or  delayed-delivery
basis.  Although  the  payment  and  interest  terms  of  these  securities  are
established at the time the Fund enters into the commitment,  the securities may
be delivered and paid for a month or more after the date of purchase, when their
value may have changed.  The Fund makes such commitments only with the intention
of  actually  acquiring  the  securities,  but may  sell the  securities  before
settlement date if Stein Roe deems it advisable for investment  reasons.  During
fiscal  1999,  the  Fund  did  not  have  commitments  to  purchase  when-issued
securities in excess of 5% of its net assets, nor does it currently intend to do
so.
 .........The  Fund may enter into reverse  repurchase  agreements with banks and
securities dealers. A reverse repurchase  agreement is a repurchase agreement in
which the Fund is the seller of,  rather than the  investor in,  securities  and
agrees to repurchase  them at an  agreed-upon  time and price.  Use of a reverse
repurchase agreement may be preferable to a regular sale and later repurchase of
securities  because it avoids certain market risks and  transaction  costs.  The
Fund did not enter into  reverse  repurchase  agreements  during the fiscal year
ended September 30, 1999.

 .........At  the time the Fund  enters  into a binding  obligation  to  purchase
securities on a when-issued basis or enters into a reverse repurchase agreement,
liquid assets (cash,  U.S.  Government  securities  or other  "high-grade"  debt
obligations)  of the Fund having a value at least as great as the purchase price
of the  securities  to be purchased  will be segregated on the books of the Fund
and held by the custodian  throughout the period of the  obligation.  The use of
these  investment  strategies,  as well as  borrowing  under a line of credit as
described below, may increase net asset value fluctuation.

Short Sales "Against the Box"

 .........The Fund may sell securities short against the box; that is, enter into
short sales of  securities  that it  currently  owns or has the right to acquire
through  the  conversion  or  exchange  of other  securities  that it owns at no
additional  cost.  The Fund may make short  sales of  securities  only if at all
times  when a short  position  is open it owns at least an equal  amount of such
securities or securities  convertible into or exchangeable for securities of the
same  issue  as,  and equal in amount  to,  the  securities  sold  short,  at no
additional cost.

 .........In  a short sale  against the box,  the Fund does not deliver  from its
portfolio the securities  sold.  Instead,  the Fund borrows the securities  sold
short from a  broker-dealer  through  which the short sale is executed,  and the
broker-dealer delivers such securities,  on behalf of the Fund, to the purchaser
of such securities.  The Fund is required to pay to the broker-dealer the amount
of any dividends paid on shares sold short. Finally, to secure its obligation to
deliver to such  broker-dealer  the securities sold short, the Fund must deposit
and continuously maintain in a separate account with its custodian an equivalent
amount  of  the  securities  sold  short  or  securities   convertible  into  or
exchangeable for such securities at no additional cost. The Fund is said to have
a short position in the securities  sold until it delivers to the  broker-dealer
the  securities  sold.  The Fund may close out a short position by purchasing on
the open  market and  delivering  to the  broker-dealer  an equal  amount of the
securities sold short, rather than by delivering portfolio securities.
 .........Short  sales may  protect  the Fund  against  the risk of losses in the
value of its portfolio  securities because any unrealized losses with respect to
such  portfolio   securities   should  be  wholly  or  partially   offset  by  a
corresponding gain in the short position.  However,  any potential gains in such
portfolio  securities  should be wholly or partially  offset by a  corresponding
loss in the short position.  The extent to which such gains or losses are offset
will depend upon the amount of securities  sold short relative to the amount the
Fund owns,  either directly or indirectly,  and, in the case where the Fund owns
convertible securities, changes in the conversion premium.

 .........Short  sale  transactions  involve  certain risks.  If the price of the
security  sold short  increases  between the time of the short sale and the time
the Fund replaces the borrowed  security,  the Fund will incur a loss and if the
price declines  during this period,  the Fund will realize a short-term  capital
gain. Any realized  short-term capital gain will be decreased,  and any incurred
loss increased, by the amount of transaction costs and any premium,  dividend or
interest  which the Fund may have to pay in  connection  with such  short  sale.
Certain  provisions  of the Internal  Revenue Code may limit the degree to which
the Fund is able to enter into short sales. There is no limitation on the amount
of the Fund's assets that, in the aggregate,  may be deposited as collateral for
the  obligation  to  replace  securities  borrowed  to  effect  short  sales and
allocated to segregated  accounts in connection with short sales.  The Fund does
not  currently  expect  that more than 5% of total  assets  would be involved in
short sales against the box.
Rule 144A Securities

 .........The  Fund may purchase  securities that have been privately  placed but
that are eligible for purchase and sale under Rule 144A under the Securities Act
of 1933. That Rule permits certain qualified  institutional  buyers, such as the
Fund, to trade in privately placed  securities that have not been registered for
sale  under the 1933 Act.  Stein  Roe,  under  the  supervision  of the Board of
Trustees,  will  consider  whether  securities  purchased  under  Rule  144A are
illiquid  and thus subject to the  restriction  of investing no more than 15% of
its net assets in illiquid  securities.  A determination  of whether a Rule 144A
security is liquid or not is a question of fact.  In making this  determination,
Stein Roe will consider the trading  markets for the specific  security,  taking
into account the unregistered nature of a Rule 144A security. In addition, Stein
Roe could consider the (1) frequency of trades and quotes, (2) number of dealers
and potential  purchasers,  (3) dealer  undertakings  to make a market,  and (4)
nature of the  security  and of  marketplace  trades  (e.g.,  the time needed to
dispose of the security,  the method of soliciting  offers, and the mechanics of
transfer). The liquidity of Rule 144A securities would be monitored and if, as a
result of changed  conditions,  it is determined that a Rule 144A security is no
longer liquid,  the Fund's holdings of illiquid  securities would be reviewed to
determine  what,  if any,  steps are  required  to assure that the Fund does not
invest more than 15% of its assets in  illiquid  securities.  Investing  in Rule
144A  securities  could have the effect of  increasing  the amount of the Fund's
assets  invested in illiquid  securities if qualified  institutional  buyers are
unwilling  to purchase  such  securities.  The Fund does not expect to invest as
much as 5% of its total assets in Rule 144A securities that have not been deemed
to be liquid by Stein Roe.

Line of Credit

 .........Subject  to restriction (6) under Investment  Restrictions in this SAI,
the Fund may  establish and maintain a line of credit with a major bank in order
to permit  borrowing on a temporary basis to meet share  redemption  requests in
circumstances  in which temporary  borrowing may be preferable to liquidation of
portfolio securities.

Interfund Borrowing and Lending Program

 .........Pursuant  to an exemptive  order issued by the  Securities and Exchange
Commission,  the Fund may lend money to and borrow money from other mutual funds
advised by Stein Roe. The Fund will borrow through the program when borrowing is
necessary and  appropriate and the costs are equal to or lower than the costs of
bank loans. Portfolio Turnover

 .........Although  the Fund does not  purchase  securities  with a view to rapid
turnover,  there  are no  limitations  on the  length  of  time  that  portfolio
securities  must be held.  Portfolio  turnover can occur for a number of reasons
such as general conditions in the securities markets,  more favorable investment
opportunities in other securities, or other factors relating to the desirability
of holding or changing a portfolio investment. Because of the Fund's flexibility
of investment and emphasis on growth of capital, they may have greater portfolio
turnover  than that of mutual  funds that have primary  objectives  of income or
maintenance of a balanced investment position. The future turnover rate may vary
greatly from year to year. A high rate of portfolio  turnover in the Fund, if it
should  occur,  would result in increased  transaction  expenses,  which must be
borne by the Fund. High portfolio turnover may also result in the realization of
capital  gains or losses and,  to the extent net  short-term  capital  gains are
realized,  any  distributions  resulting  from  such  gains  will be  considered
ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

Options on Securities and Indexes

 .........The  Fund may  purchase  and  sell put  options  and  call  options  on
securities,  indexes or foreign  currencies in standardized  contracts traded on
recognized securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted
on Nasdaq.  The Fund may purchase  agreements,  sometimes called cash puts, that
may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

 .........An  option on a  security  (or  index)  is a  contract  that  gives the
purchaser (holder) of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from
(call)  or  sell to  (put)  the  seller  (writer)  of the  option  the  security
underlying  the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified  exercise
price at any time during the term of the option  (normally  not  exceeding  nine
months).  The  writer  of an option on an  individual  security  or on a foreign
currency  has  the  obligation  upon  exercise  of the  option  to  deliver  the
underlying security or foreign currency upon payment of the exercise price or to
pay the  exercise  price upon  delivery  of the  underlying  security or foreign
currency. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay
the  difference  between  the cash  value of the  index and the  exercise  price
multiplied  by the  specified  multiplier  for the  index  option.  (An index is
designed to reflect  specified  facets of a particular  financial or  securities
market,  a specific group of financial  instruments  or  securities,  or certain
economic indicators.)

 .........The  Fund will  write call  options  and put  options  only if they are
"covered." For example,  in the case of a call option on a security,  the option
is  "covered"  if the  Fund  owns  the  security  underlying  the call or has an
absolute and immediate  right to acquire that security  without  additional cash
consideration  (or, if additional cash  consideration is required,  cash or cash
equivalents  in such amount are held in a segregated  account by its  custodian)
upon conversion or exchange of other securities held in its portfolio.

 .........If an option  written by the Fund expires,  the Fund realizes a capital
gain equal to the  premium  received at the time the option was  written.  If an
option purchased by the Fund expires,  the Fund realizes a capital loss equal to
the premium paid.
 .........Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an option may be closed
out by an  offsetting  purchase or sale of an option of the same  series  (type,
exchange,  underlying security or index, exercise price, and expiration).  There
can be no assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction can be
effected when the Fund desires.
 .........The   Fund  will  realize  a  capital  gain  from  a  closing  purchase
transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium  received
from  writing the  option,  or, if it is more,  the Fund will  realize a capital
loss. If the premium  received from a closing sale  transaction is more than the
premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if
it is less,  the Fund  will  realize  a  capital  loss.  The  principal  factors
affecting the market value of a put or a call option  include supply and demand,
interest rates, the current market price of the underlying  security or index in
relation to the exercise  price of the option,  the volatility of the underlying
security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

 .........A  put or call  option  purchased  by the Fund is an asset of the Fund,
valued initially at the premium paid for the option. The premium received for an
option  written by the Fund is  recorded as a deferred  credit.  The value of an
option  purchased  or  written  is  marked-to-market  daily and is valued at the
closing  price on the  exchange  on which it is traded  or, if not  traded on an
exchange or no closing price is available,  at the mean between the last bid and
asked prices.
 .........Risks  Associated  with Options on  Securities  and Indexes.  There are
several risks associated with  transactions in options.  For example,  there are
significant  differences between the securities  markets,  the currency markets,
and the options  markets that could result in an imperfect  correlation  between
these markets,  causing a given  transaction  not to achieve its  objectives.  A
decision as to whether,  when and how to use options  involves  the  exercise of
skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to
some degree because of market behavior or unexpected events.

 .........There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund
seeks to close out an option  position.  If the Fund were unable to close out an
option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option
in order to realize any profit or the option would expire and become  worthless.
If the Fund were  unable to close out a covered  call option that it had written
on a security,  it would not be able to sell the  underlying  security until the
option expired.  As the writer of a covered call option on a security,  the Fund
foregoes,  during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in
the market value of the  security  covering the call option above the sum of the
premium and the exercise price of the call.

 .........If  trading  were  suspended  in an option  purchased or written by the
Fund,  the Fund would not be able to close out the option.  If  restrictions  on
exercise  were  imposed,  the Fund might be unable to  exercise an option it has
purchased.
Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

 .........The  Fund  may use  interest  rate  futures  contracts,  index  futures
contracts,  and foreign currency futures  contracts.  An interest rate, index or
foreign currency futures contract  provides for the future sale by one party and
purchase by another party of a specified  quantity of a financial  instrument or
the cash  value of an index2 at a  specified  price  and time.  A public  market
exists in futures  contracts  covering a number of indexes  (including,  but not
limited to: the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Value Line Composite Index, and
the New York Stock Exchange  Composite  Index) as well as financial  instruments
(including,  but not limited to:  U.S.  Treasury  bonds,  U.S.  Treasury  notes,
Eurodollar  certificates of deposit,  and foreign  currencies).  Other index and
financial  instrument  futures  contracts  are available and it is expected that
additional futures contracts will be developed and traded.
 .........The  Fund may purchase and write call and put futures options.  Futures
options  possess  many of the same  characteristics  as options  on  securities,
indexes and foreign  currencies  (discussed  above).  A futures option gives the
holder the right,  in return for the  premium  paid,  to assume a long  position
(call) or short  position  (put) in a futures  contract at a specified  exercise
price at any time  during  the period of the  option.  Upon  exercise  of a call
option,  the holder  acquires a long  position in the futures  contract  and the
writer is assigned the opposite short position. In the case of a put option, the
opposite is true. The Fund might,  for example,  use futures  contracts to hedge
against or gain exposure to  fluctuations  in the general level of stock prices,
anticipated  changes  in  interest  rates or  currency  fluctuations  that might
adversely  affect either the value of the Fund's  securities or the price of the
securities that the Fund intends to purchase. Although other techniques could be
used to reduce or increase  that Fund's  exposure to stock price,  interest rate
and currency  fluctuations,  the Fund may be able to achieve its  exposure  more
effectively  and perhaps at a lower cost by using futures  contracts and futures
options.
 .........The  Fund will only enter into futures  contracts  and futures  options
that are  standardized  and traded on an  exchange,  board of trade,  or similar
entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

 .........The  success of any futures transaction depends on accurate predictions
of changes in the level and direction of stock prices,  interest rates, currency
exchange rates and other  factors.  Should those  predictions be incorrect,  the
return might have been better had the transaction  not been attempted;  however,
in the  absence of the ability to use  futures  contracts,  Stein Roe might have
taken  portfolio  actions in  anticipation  of the same  market  movements  with
similar investment results but, presumably, at greater transaction costs.

 .........When a purchase or sale of a futures  contract is made by the Fund, the
Fund is required to deposit with its custodian (or broker, if legally permitted)
a specified  amount of cash or U.S.  Government  securities or other  securities
acceptable to the broker ("initial  margin").  The margin required for a futures
contract  is set by the  exchange  on which the  contract  is traded  and may be
modified during the term of the contract. The initial margin is in the nature of
a  performance  bond or good faith  deposit on the  futures  contract,  which is
returned to the Fund upon termination of the contract,  assuming all contractual
obligations have been satisfied. The Fund expects to earn interest income on its
initial margin deposits.  A futures contract held by the Fund is valued daily at
the official  settlement  price of the exchange on which it is traded.  Each day
the Fund pays or receives cash,  called  "variation  margin," equal to the daily
change  in  value  of  the   futures   contract.   This   process  is  known  as
"marking-to-market."  Variation  margin  paid or  received  by the Fund does not
represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead  settlement between the
Fund and the  broker  of the  amount  one  would  owe the  other if the  futures
contract  had expired at the close of the previous  day. In computing  daily net
asset value, the Fund will mark-to-market its open futures positions.
 .........The  Fund is also required to deposit and maintain  margin with respect
to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits
will vary  depending on the nature of the underlying  futures  contract (and the
related  initial margin  requirements),  the current market value of the option,
and other futures positions held by the Fund.

 .........Although  some futures  contracts call for making or taking delivery of
the underlying  securities,  usually these  obligations  are closed out prior to
delivery by offsetting  purchases or sales of matching  futures  contracts (same
exchange,  underlying  security or index, and delivery month).  If an offsetting
purchase  price is less than the original  sale price,  the Fund engaging in the
transaction  realizes  a capital  gain,  or if it is more,  the Fund  realizes a
capital loss. Conversely,  if an offsetting sale price is more than the original
purchase price, the Fund engaging in the transaction realizes a capital gain, or
if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also
be included in these calculations.

Risks Associated with Futures

 .........There  are several risks  associated with the use of futures  contracts
and  futures  options.  A purchase or sale of a futures  contract  may result in
losses in excess of the amount  invested in the futures  contract.  In trying to
increase or reduce market exposure, there can be no guarantee that there will be
a  correlation  between  price  movements  in the  futures  contract  and in the
portfolio  exposure  sought.  In  addition,  there are  significant  differences
between the  securities  and futures  markets  that could result in an imperfect
correlation between the markets,  causing a given transaction not to achieve its
objectives.  The degree of imperfection of correlation  depends on circumstances
such as:  variations in speculative  market demand for futures,  futures options
and the  related  securities,  including  technical  influences  in futures  and
futures options trading and  differences  between the securities  market and the
securities underlying the standard contracts available for trading. For example,
in the case of index futures contracts,  the composition of the index, including
the issuers and the weighting of each issue,  may differ from the composition of
the Fund's portfolio,  and, in the case of interest rate futures contracts,  the
interest rate levels,  maturities, and creditworthiness of the issues underlying
the futures  contract  may differ  from the  financial  instruments  held in the
Fund's  portfolio.  A  decision  as to  whether,  when  and  how to use  futures
contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived
transaction  may be  unsuccessful  to some degree because of market  behavior or
unexpected stock price or interest rate trends.

 .........Futures  exchanges  may limit the amount of  fluctuation  permitted  in
certain  futures  contract  prices during a single  trading day. The daily limit
establishes  the maximum  amount that the price of a futures  contract  may vary
either up or down from the  previous  day's  settlement  price at the end of the
current  trading  session.  Once the daily  limit has been  reached in a futures
contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price
beyond  that  limit.  The daily  limit  governs  only price  movements  during a
particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the
limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example,
futures  prices  have  occasionally   moved  to  the  daily  limit  for  several
consecutive  trading days with little or no trading,  thereby  preventing prompt
liquidation  of positions and  subjecting  some holders of futures  contracts to
substantial  losses.  Stock index futures  contracts are not normally subject to
such daily price change limitations.

 .........There  can be no  assurance  that a liquid  market will exist at a time
when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or futures option position.  The Fund
would be  exposed to  possible  loss on the  position  during  the  interval  of
inability  to  close,   and  would  continue  to  be  required  to  meet  margin
requirements  until the position is closed.  In addition,  many of the contracts
discussed  above are relatively new  instruments  without a significant  trading
history. As a result,  there can be no assurance that an active secondary market
will develop or continue to exist.
Limitations on Options and Futures

 .........If other options,  futures contracts, or futures options of types other
than those  described  herein are  traded in the  future,  the Fund may also use
those investment vehicles,  provided the Board of Trustees determines that their
use is consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

 .........The  Fund will not enter into a futures  contract or purchase an option
thereon if,  immediately  thereafter,  the initial  margin  deposits for futures
contracts  held by the Fund plus  premiums  paid by it for open  futures  option
positions,  less the  amount by which any such  positions  are  "in-the-money,"3
would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

 .........When purchasing a futures contract or writing a put option on a futures
contract,  the Fund must  maintain  with its  custodian  (or broker,  if legally
permitted) cash or cash  equivalents  (including any margin) equal to the market
value of such contract.  When writing a call option on a futures  contract,  the
Fund  similarly  will  maintain  with  its  custodian  cash or cash  equivalents
(including any margin) equal to the amount by which such option is  in-the-money
until the option expires or is closed out by the Fund.

 .........The  Fund may not maintain open short  positions in futures  contracts,
call options written on futures contracts or call options written on indexes if,
in the  aggregate,  the  market  value of all such open  positions  exceeds  the
current value of the securities in its portfolio, plus or minus unrealized gains
and  losses  on  the  open  positions,  adjusted  for  the  historical  relative
volatility of the relationship between the portfolio and the positions. For this
purpose,  to the extent the Fund has written call options on specific securities
in its  portfolio,  the  value of those  securities  will be  deducted  from the
current market value of the securities portfolio.

 .........In order to comply with Commodity Futures Trading Commission Regulation
4.5 and thereby avoid being deemed a "commodity  pool  operator,"  the Fund will
use  commodity  futures  or  commodity  options  contracts  solely for bona fide
hedging  purposes within the meaning and intent of Regulation  1.3(z),  or, with
respect to positions in commodity  futures and commodity  options contracts that
do not come  within the  meaning  and intent of 1.3(z),  the  aggregate  initial
margin and premiums  required to establish  such positions will not exceed 5% of
the fair  market  value of the assets of the Fund,  after  taking  into  account
unrealized  profits and  unrealized  losses on any such contracts it has entered
into [in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the
in-the-money   amount  (as  defined  in  Section  190.01(x)  of  the  Commission
Regulations) may be excluded in computing such 5%].

Taxation of Options and Futures

 .........If  the Fund exercises a call or put option that it holds,  the premium
paid for the option is added to the cost basis of the security  purchased (call)
or deducted  from the proceeds of the security sold (put).  For cash  settlement
options and futures  options  exercised by the Fund, the difference  between the
cash received at exercise and the premium paid is a capital gain or loss.

 .........If a call or put option  written by the Fund is exercised,  the premium
is included in the  proceeds of the sale of the  underlying  security  (call) or
reduces the cost basis of the  security  purchased  (put).  For cash  settlement
options and futures options written by the Fund, the difference between the cash
paid at exercise and the premium received is a capital gain or loss.

 .........Entry  into a closing purchase  transaction will result in capital gain
or loss. If an option  written by the Fund was  in-the-money  at the time it was
written  and the  security  covering  the  option  was held  for  more  than the
long-term  holding period prior to the writing of the option,  any loss realized
as a result of a closing  purchase  transaction  will be long-term.  The holding
period of the securities  covering an  in-the-money  option will not include the
period of time the option is outstanding.
 .........If  the Fund  writes an equity  call  option4  other than a  "qualified
covered call option," as defined in the Internal  Revenue Code, any loss on such
option transaction, to the extent it does not exceed the unrealized gains on the
securities  covering the option, may be subject to deferral until the securities
covering the option have been sold.

 .........A  futures contract held until delivery results in capital gain or loss
equal to the  difference  between  the price at which the futures  contract  was
entered into and the settlement  price on the earlier of delivery notice date or
expiration date. If the Fund delivers  securities under a futures contract,  the
Fund also realizes a capital gain or loss on those securities.

 .........For  federal  income tax  purposes,  the Fund  generally is required to
recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses as
of the end of the  year on  futures,  futures  options  and  non-equity  options
positions ("year-end  mark-to-market").  Generally,  any gain or loss recognized
with respect to such positions  (either by year-end  mark-to-market or by actual
closing of the positions) is considered to be 60% long-term and 40%  short-term,
without regard to the holding periods of the contracts.  However, in the case of
positions classified as part of a "mixed straddle," the recognition of losses on
certain positions (including options, futures and futures options positions, the
related securities and certain successor positions thereto) may be deferred to a
later  taxable  year.  Sale of futures  contracts or writing of call options (or
futures call  options) or buying put options (or futures put  options)  that are
intended to hedge against a change in the value of securities  held by the Fund:
(1) will affect the holding period of the hedged  securities;  and (2) may cause
unrealized  gain or loss on such securities to be recognized upon entry into the
hedge.

 .........If  the Fund  were to enter  into a short  index  future,  short  index
futures  option or short index  option  position and the Fund's  portfolio  were
deemed to "mimic" the  performance of the index  underlying  such contract,  the
option or futures  contract  position  and the Fund's stock  positions  would be
deemed to be positions in a mixed straddle,  subject to the above-mentioned loss
deferral rules.

 .........In  order for the Fund to continue  to qualify  for federal  income tax
treatment as a regulated  investment  company,  at least 90% of its gross income
for a taxable  year must be derived from  qualifying  income;  i.e.,  dividends,
interest,  income derived from loans of  securities,  and gains from the sale of
securities or foreign currencies,  or other income (including but not limited to
gains from options,  futures, or forward contracts).  Any net gain realized from
futures (or futures options)  contracts will be considered gain from the sale of
securities  and  therefore  be  qualifying   income  for  purposes  of  the  90%
requirement.

 .........The  Fund  distributes to  shareholders  annually any net capital gains
that have been  recognized for federal income tax purposes  (including  year-end
mark-to-market  gains) on options and futures  transactions.  Such distributions
are combined with  distributions  of capital gains  realized on the Fund's other
investments, and shareholders are advised of the nature of the payments.
 .........The  Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (the "Act") imposed  constructive sale
treatment for federal  income tax purposes on certain  hedging  strategies  with
respect to appreciated  securities.  Under these rules, taxpayers will recognize
gain, but not loss, with respect to securities if they enter into short sales of
"offsetting  notional principal contracts" (as defined by the Act) or futures or
"forward  contracts"  (as  defined  by the  Act)  with  respect  to the  same or
substantially  identical  property,  or if they enter into such transactions and
then  acquire  the  same or  substantially  identical  property.  These  changes
generally  apply to  constructive  sales  after June 8, 1997.  Furthermore,  the
Secretary of the Treasury is  authorized  to  promulgate  regulations  that will
treat as constructive  sales certain  transactions  that have  substantially the
same effect as short sales, offsetting notional principal contracts, and futures
or forward contracts to deliver the same or substantially similar property.

                             INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 .........The Fund operates under the following investment restrictions.
The Fund may not:

 .........(1) with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its
total assets, taken at market value at the time of a particular purchase, in the
securities of a single issuer, except for securities issued or guaranteed by the
U. S.  Government  or any of its  agencies or  instrumentalities  or  repurchase
agreements for such securities,  and except that all or substantially all of the
assets of the Fund may be  invested  in another  registered  investment  company
having  the same  investment  objective  and  substantially  similar  investment
policies as the Fund;
 .........(2)  acquire more than 10%, taken at the time of a particular purchase,
of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of any one  issuer,  except that all or
substantially  all of the  assets  of  the  Fund  may  be  invested  in  another
registered   investment  company  having  the  same  investment   objective  and
substantially similar investment policies as the Fund;

 .........(3)  act as an underwriter  of securities,  except insofar as it may be
deemed an underwriter  for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 on disposition
of securities  acquired subject to legal or contractual  restrictions on resale,
except that all or  substantially  all of the assets of the Fund may be invested
in another registered  investment  company having the same investment  objective
and substantially similar investment policies as the Fund;

 .........(4)  purchase or sell real estate (although it may purchase  securities
secured by real estate or interests  therein,  or securities issued by companies
which invest in real estate or  interests  therein),  commodities,  or commodity
contracts,  except that it may enter into (a) futures and options on futures and
(b) forward contracts;

 .........(5)  make loans,  although  it may (a) lend  portfolio  securities  and
participate in an interfund  lending program with other Stein Roe Funds provided
that no such loan may be made if, as a result, the aggregate of such loans would
exceed 33 1/3% of the value of its total  assets  (taken at market  value at the
time of such  loans);  (b)  purchase  money  market  instruments  and enter into
repurchase agreements;  and (c) acquire publicly distributed or privately placed
debt securities;

 .........(6)  borrow except that it may (a) borrow for nonleveraging,  temporary
or emergency  purposes,  (b) engage in reverse  repurchase  agreements  and make
other borrowings,  provided that the combination of (a) and (b) shall not exceed
33 1/3% of the value of its total assets  (including  the amount  borrowed) less
liabilities  (other than borrowings) or such other percentage  permitted by law,
and (c) enter into futures and options  transactions;  it may borrow from banks,
other Stein Roe Funds,  and other persons to the extent  permitted by applicable
law;

 .........(7) invest in a security if more than 25% of its total assets (taken at
market  value at the time of a  particular  purchase)  would be  invested in the
securities of issuers in any particular  industry,  except that this restriction
does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.  Government or its
agencies or  instrumentalities,  and except that all or substantially all of the
assets of the Fund may be  invested  in another  registered  investment  company
having  the same  investment  objective  and  substantially  similar  investment
policies as the Fund; or

 .........(8) issue any senior security except to the extent permitted under the
Investment Company Act of 1940.

 .........The above restrictions are fundamental  policies and may not be changed
without the approval of a "majority of the  outstanding  voting  securities"  as
defined  above.  The  Fund  is also  subject  to the  following  non-fundamental
restrictions and policies,  which may be changed by the Board of Trustees.  None
of the  following  restrictions  shall  prevent the Fund from  investing  all or
substantially  all of its assets in another  investment  company having the same
investment objective and substantially the same investment policies as the Fund.
The Fund may not:

 .........(a) invest in any of the following: (i) interests in oil, gas, or other
mineral leases or exploration or development programs (except readily marketable
securities,  including but not limited to master limited partnership  interests,
that may represent indirect interests in oil, gas, or other mineral  exploration
or  development  programs);  (ii)  puts,  calls,  straddles,   spreads,  or  any
combination  thereof  (except  that it may enter into  transactions  in options,
futures,  and options on  futures);  (iii) shares of other  open-end  investment
companies,  except in connection with a merger,  consolidation,  acquisition, or
reorganization;  and (iv) limited  partnerships  in real estate  unless they are
readily marketable;

 .........(b) invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or
management;

 .........(c) purchase more than 3% of the stock of another investment company or
purchase stock of other investment  companies equal to more than 5% of its total
assets  (valued  at time of  purchase)  in the case of any one other  investment
company and 10% of such assets  (valued at time of  purchase) in the case of all
other investment  companies in the aggregate;  any such purchases are to be made
in the open  market  where no  profit to a sponsor  or dealer  results  from the
purchase,  other than the customary broker's  commission,  except for securities
acquired as part of a merger, consolidation or acquisition of assets;

 .........(d)  invest more than 5% of its net assets (valued at time of purchase)
in warrants,  nor more than 2% of its net assets in warrants that are not listed
on the New York or American Stock Exchange;
 .........(e)  write an option on a  security  unless the option is issued by the
Options Clearing Corporation, an exchange, or similar entity;
 .........(f)  invest  more  than  25% of its  total  assets  (valued  at time of
purchase) in securities of foreign issuers (other than securities represented by
American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) or securities guaranteed by a U.S. person);
 .........(g)  purchase a put or call option if the  aggregate  premiums paid for
all put and call options  exceed 20% of its net assets (less the amount by which
any such positions are  in-the-money),  excluding put and call options purchased
as closing transactions;
 .........(h) purchase securities on margin (except for use of short-term credits
as are necessary for the clearance of  transactions),  or sell securities  short
unless (i) it owns or has the right to obtain securities  equivalent in kind and
amount to those  sold  short at no added  cost or (ii) the  securities  sold are
"when issued" or "when distributed"  securities which it expects to receive in a
recapitalization,   reorganization,   or  other   exchange  for   securities  it
contemporaneously owns or has the right to obtain and provided that transactions
in options, futures, and options on futures are not treated as short sales;

 .........(i)  invest more than 5% of its total assets  (taken at market value at
the time of a  particular  investment)  in  restricted  securities,  other  than
securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act of
1933;
 .........(j)  invest more than 15% of its net assets  (taken at market  value at
the  time  of  a  particular  investment)  in  illiquid  securities,   including
repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.

                      ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS

 .........Stein  Roe  seeks to  provide  superior  long-term  investment  results
through a disciplined,  research-intensive  approach to investment selection and
prudent risk management.  In working to take sensible risks and make intelligent
investments it has been guided by three primary objectives which it believes are
the  foundation  of  a  successful  investment  program.  These  objectives  are
preservation of capital, limited volatility through managed risk, and consistent
above-average  returns  as  appropriate  for the  particular  client or  managed
account.  Because every investor's  needs are different,  Stein Roe mutual funds
are designed to  accommodate  different  investment  objectives,  risk tolerance
levels, and time horizons.  In selecting a mutual fund, investors should ask the
following questions:
What are my investment goals?

It is important to a choose the Fund that has investment  objectives  compatible
with your investment goals.

What is my investment time frame?

If you have a short  investment  time frame  (e.g.,  less than three  years),  a
mutual fund that seeks to provide a stable share  price,  such as a money market
fund, or one that seeks capital  preservation  as one of its  objectives  may be
appropriate.  If you  have a  longer  investment  time  frame,  you may  seek to
maximize  your  investment  returns by  investing  in a mutual  fund that offers
greater yield or appreciation potential in exchange for greater investment risk.

What is my tolerance for risk?

All  investments,  including  those in mutual funds,  have risks which will vary
depending on investment objective and security type. However,  mutual funds seek
to  reduce  risk  through  professional   investment  management  and  portfolio
diversification.

 .........In   general,   equity  mutual  funds   emphasize   long-term   capital
appreciation  and tend to have more volatile net asset values than bond or money
market mutual funds.  Although  there is no guarantee  that they will be able to
maintain  a stable  net  asset  value of $1.00 per  share,  money  market  funds
emphasize  safety of  principal  and  liquidity,  but tend to offer lower income
potential than bond funds. Bond funds tend to offer higher income potential than
money  market  funds  but  tend to have  greater  risk of  principal  and  yield
volatility.

                                   MANAGEMENT
 .........The   Board  of   Trustees   of  the  Trust  has   overall   management
responsibility  for the Trust and the  Fund.  The  following  table  sets  forth
certain information with respect to the trustees and officers of the Trust:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>      <C>                        <C>                    <C>
                                   Position(s) held        Principal occupation(s)
        Name, Age; Address         with the Trust          during past five years

David P. Brady, 35;                Vice-President          Senior vice president of Stein Roe
One South Wacker Drive                                     since March 1998; vice president of Stein Roe
Chicago, IL 60606 (4)                                      from Nov. 1995 to March 1998; portfolio manager for
                                                           Stein Roe since 1993

Daniel K. Cantor, 40;              Vice-President          Senior vice president of Stein Roe
1330 Avenue of the Americas,
New York, NY 10019 (4)



Kevin M. Carome, 43; One           Executive                Senior vice president, legal, Liberty Funds Group LLC
Financial Center, Boston, MA       Vice-President;          (an affiliate of Stein Roe) since Jan. 1999; general
02111  (4)                         Assistant Secretary      counsel and secretary of Stein Roe since Jan. 1998;
                                                            associate general counsel and vice president of Liberty
                                                            Financial Companies, Inc. (the indirect parent of Stein
                                                            Roe) through Jan. 1999

Denise E. Chasmer, 31;             Vice President           Employee of Liberty Funds Services, Inc. and assistant
12100 East Iliff Avenue                                     vice president of Stein Roe since November 1999; manager
Aurora, CO 80014 (4)                                        with Scudder Kemper Investments from October 1995 to
                                                            November 1999; assistant manager with Scudder Kemper
                                                            prior thereto

J. Kevin Connaughton, 35; 245      Vice-President;          Controller of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
Summer Street, Boston, MA 02210    Controller               Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of the Liberty
(4)                                                         Funds since February 1998, Vice president of Colonial
                                                            Management Associates,  Inc. ("CMA") since
                                                            February  1998;  senior tax  manager,
                                                            Coopers  &  Lybrand,  LLP from  April 1996
                                                            to   January   1998;  vice president,  440
                                                            Financial Group/First     Data
                                                            Investor Services Group prior thereto

Nancy L. Conlin, 46; One           Senior Vice President    Secretary of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
Financial Center, Boston, MA       and Secretary            Secretary of the Liberty Funds since April 1998
02111 (4)                                                   (formerly Assistant Secretary from July 1994 to April
                                                            1998);     Director,
                                                            Senior          Vice
                                                            President    General
                                                            Counsel,  Clerk  and
                                                            Secretary         of
                                                            Colonial  Management
                                                            Associates,     Inc.
                                                            since   April   1998
                                                            (formerly       Vice
                                                            President,  Counsel,
                                                            Assistant  Secretary
                                                            and Assistant  Clerk
                                                            from  July  1994  to
                                                            April  1998);   Vice
                                                            President,   General
                                                            Counsel          and
                                                            Secretary of Liberty
                                                            Funds   Group  since
                                                            December        1998
                                                            (formerly       Vice
                                                            President,   General
                                                            Counsel and Clerk of
                                                            The  Colonial  Group
                                                            from  April  1998 to
                                                            December        1998
                                                            (formerly  Assistant
                                                            Clerk from July 1994
                                                            to April 1998)

Lindsay Cook, 47; 600 Atlantic     Trustee                  Executive vice president of Liberty Financial Companies,
Avenue, Boston, MA 02210 (1)(2)(4)                          Inc. since March 1997; senior vice president prior
                                                            thereto

William M. Garrison, 33; One       Vice-President           Vice president of Stein Roe since Feb. 1998; associate
South Wacker Drive, Chicago, IL                             portfolio manager for Stein Roe since August 1994
60606 (4)



Stephen E. Gibson, 46; One         President                Vice chairman of Stein Roe since Aug. 1998; chairman,
Financial Center, Boston, MA                                CEO, president and director of Liberty Funds Group since
02111 (4)                                                   Dec. 1998; chairman of the Colonial Group from July 1998
                                                            to Dec. 1998; president of the Colonial Group from Dec.
                                                            1996 to Dec. 1998; chairman of Colonial Management
                                                            Associates, Inc. since Dec. 1998; CEO, president and
                                                            director of Colonial Management Associates since July
                                                            1996; managing director of Putnam Financial Services
                                                            from June 1992 through June 1996

Erik P. Gustafson,  35;  Vice-President  Senior  portfolio  manager of One South
Wacker Drive Stein Roe; senior vice president of Stein Roe Chicago, IL 60606 (4)
since April 1996; vice president of Stein Roe prior thereto

Douglas A. Hacker, 43; P.O. Box    Trustee                  Senior vice president and chief financial officer of
66100, Chicago, IL 60666 (3) (4)                            UAL, Inc. (airline)

Loren A. Hansen, 51; Executive Vice-President Chief investment officer/equity of
CMA since 1997;  One South Wacker rive,  executive  vice  president of Stein Roe
since Dec.  1995;  Chicago,  IL 60606 (4) vice  president of The Northern  Trust
(bank) prior thereto

Harvey B. Hirschhorn,  49;         Vice-President           Executive vice president,  senior
One South Wacker Drive,                                     portfolio  manager,  and chief  economist and
Chicago, IL 60606 (4)                                       investment strategist of Stein Roe;
                                                            director of research of Stein Roe, 1991 to 1995

Janet Langford Kelly, 41; One      Trustee                  Executive vice president-corporate development, general
Kellogg Square, Battle Creek, MI                            counsel and secretary of Kellogg Company since Sept.
49016 (3)(4)                                                1999; senior vice president, secretary and general
                                                            counsel of Sara Lee Corporation (branded, packaged,
                                                            consumer-products manufacturer) from 1995 to Aug. 1999;
                                                            partner of Sidley & Austin (law firm) prior thereto

Gail D. Knudsen, 37; 245 Summer    Vice President           Vice president and assistant controller of CMA
Street, Boston, MA 02210 (4)

Pamela A. McGrath, 46: One         Senior Vice President    Treasurer of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
Financial Center, Boston, MA       and Treasurer            Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Liberty
02111 (4)                                                   Funds and Liberty All-Star Funds since April 2000;
                                                            Treasurer,     Chief
                                                            Financial    Officer
                                                            and  Vice  President
                                                            of the Liberty Funds
                                                            Group since December
                                                            1999;          Chief
                                                            Financial   Officer,
                                                            Treasurer and Senior
                                                            Vice   President  of
                                                            Colonial  Management
                                                            Associates     since
                                                            December       1999;
                                                            Senior          Vice
                                                            President        and
                                                            Director of Offshore
                                                            Accounting       for
                                                            Putnam  Investments,
                                                            Inc.,  from May 1998
                                                            to   October   1999;
                                                            Managing Director of
                                                            Scudder       Kemper
                                                            Investments     from
                                                            October,   1984   to
                                                            December 1997.

Mary D. McKenzie, 45; One          Vice President           President of Liberty Funds Services, Inc.
Financial Center, Boston, MA
02111 (4)

Charles R. Nelson, 57; Department  Trustee                  Van Voorhis Professor of Political Economy, Department
of Economics, University of                                 of Economics of the University of Washington
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
(3)(4)

Nicholas S. Norton, 40; 12100      Vice President           Senior vice president of Liberty Funds Services, Inc.
East Iliff Avenue, Aurora, CO                               since Aug. 1999; vice president of Scudder Kemper, Inc.
80014 (4)                                                   from May 1994 to Aug. 1999

Joseph R. Palombo, 47;             Executive Vice President Executive Vice President of the Stein Roe Funds since
One Financial Center, Boston, MA                            May 2000; Vice President of the Liberty Funds since
02111 (4)                                                   April 1999; Executive Vice President and Director of
                                                            Colonial  Management
                                                            Associates     since
                                                            April          1999;
                                                            Executive       Vice
                                                            President  and Chief
                                                            Administrative
                                                            Officer    of    the
                                                            Liberty  Funds Group
                                                            since   April  1999;
                                                            Chief      Operating
                                                            Officer,      Putnam
                                                            Mutual   Funds  from
                                                            1994 to 1998.

Thomas C. Theobald, 62; Suite      Trustee                  Managing director, William Blair Capital Partners
1300, 222 West Adams Street,                                (private equity fund)
Chicago, IL 60606 (3)(4)
</TABLE>




<PAGE>




 (1)  Trustee  who is an  "interested  person" of the Trust and of Stein Roe, as
      defined in the Investment Company Act of 1940.

(2)   Member  of the  Executive  Committee  of the Board of  Trustees,  which is
      authorized  to  exercise  all powers of the Board with  certain  statutory
      exceptions.

(3)   Member of the Audit Committee of the Board, which makes recommendations to
      the Board  regarding  the  selection  of  auditors  and  confers  with the
      auditors regarding the scope and results of the audit.

(4) This person holds the  corresponding  officer or trustee  position with SR&F
Base Trust.

         Certain of the  trustees  and  officers  of the Trust are  trustees  or
officers of other  investment  companies  managed by Stein Roe;  and some of the
officers  are also  officers  of Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc.,  the Fund's
distributor.

         Officers  and  trustees  affiliated  with Stein Roe serve  without  any
compensation  from the Trust. In  compensation  for their services to the Trust,
trustees who are not "interested  persons" of the Trust or Stein Roe are paid an
annual retainer plus an attendance fee for each meeting of the Board or standing
committee  thereof  attended.  The Trust has no retirement or pension plan.  The
following  table  sets forth  compensation  paid  during  the fiscal  year ended
September 30, 1999 to each of the trustees:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

<S>     <C>                    <C>                                <C>                  <C>
                                                                    Compensation from the Stein Roe
                                                                             Fund Complex*
                                                                   -----------------------------------
                                    Aggregate Compensation               Total           Average Per
       Name of Trustee                  from the Trust                Compensation         Series
------------------------------ ----------------------------------  -------------------  --------------
Thomas W. Butch**                             -0-                         -0-                -0-
Lindsay Cook                                  -0-                         -0-                -0-
John A. Bacon Jr.**                         $25,500                      $117,850          $2,562
William W. Boyd                              22,450                       104,100           2,263
Douglas A. Hacker                            20,650                        93,900           2,041
Janet Langford Kelly                         22,450                       103,400           2,248
Charles R. Nelson                            22,450                       103,900           2,259
Thomas C. Theobald                           22,450                       103,400           2,248
    ---------------
      *  At  September  30,  1999,  the Stein Roe Fund  Complex  consisted of 12
         series of the Trust, one series of Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Trust, four
         series of  Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds  Municipal  Trust,  four  series of
         Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Income Trust, five series of Liberty-Stein Roe
         Advisor Trust,  five series of SteinRoe  Variable  Investment Trust, 12
         portfolios of SR&F Base Trust,  Liberty-Stein Roe Advisor Floating Rate
         Fund,  Liberty-Stein Roe  Institutional  Floating Rate Income Fund, and
         Stein Roe Floating Rate Limited Liability Company.

      ** Mr. Butch  served as a trustee  until  November 3, 1998;  Mr. Bacon was
         elected a trustee effective November 3, 1998.

</TABLE>

<PAGE>



                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS


         Please refer to the September 30, 1999 Financial Statements (management
discussion, statements of assets and liabilities and schedules of investments as
of September 30, 1999 and the statements of  operations,  changes in net assets,
financial  highlights,   and  notes  thereto)  and  the  report  of  independent
accountants  contained in the September 30, 1999 Annual Report and the unaudited
March 31, 2000 financial  statements contained in the March 31, 2000 Semi-annual
Report. Those Financial Statements and the report of independent accountants are
incorporated herein by reference. The Annual Report may be obtained at no charge
by telephoning 800-338-2550.


                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS


         As of June 30,  2000,  no person  known by the Trust owned of record or
"beneficially"  5% or more of the  outstanding  shares  of the Fund  within  the
definition of that term as contained in Rule 13d-3 under the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934.


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

         Stein  Roe  &  Farnham  Incorporated   provides  investment  management
services and  administrative  services to the Fund.  Stein Roe is a wholly owned
subsidiary of SteinRoe Services Inc. ("SSI"),  the Fund's transfer agent,  which
is a wholly owned  subsidiary of Liberty  Financial  Companies,  Inc.  ("Liberty
Financial"), which is a majority owned subsidiary of LFC Management Corporation,
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Corporate Holdings, Inc., which is
a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of LFC  Holdings,  Inc.,  which  is a wholly  owned
subsidiary  of  Liberty  Mutual  Equity  Corporation,  which is a  wholly  owned
subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
is a mutual insurance company,  principally in the  property/casualty  insurance
field, organized under the laws of Massachusetts in 1912.


         The  director  of  Stein  Roe is C.  Allen Merritt,   Jr.  Mr.
 Merritt  is  Chief   Operating Officer  of   Liberty Financial.  The  business
address  of Mr.  Merritt  is 600  Atlantic  Avenue, Boston, MA 02210.


         Stein Roe  CounselorSM is a professional  investment  advisory  service
offered by Stein Roe to Fund shareholders.  Stein Roe CounselorSM is designed to
help shareholders  construct Fund investment portfolios to suit their individual
needs. Based on information shareholders provide about their financial goals and
objectives in response to a questionnaire,  Stein Roe's investment professionals
create customized portfolio recommendations. Shareholders participating in Stein
Roe  CounselorSM  are free to self direct their  investments  while  considering
Stein Roe's  recommendations.  In addition to reviewing  shareholders' goals and
objectives  periodically and updating  portfolio  recommendations to reflect any
changes,  Stein Roe provides  shareholders  participating in these programs with
dedicated representatives. Other distinctive services include specially designed
account  statements  with portfolio  performance  and  transaction  data,  asset
allocation planning tools, newsletters,  customized website content, and regular
investment,  economic  and  market  updates.  A $50,000  minimum  investment  is
required to participate in the program.

         In return for its services,  Stein Roe is entitled to receive a monthly
administrative  fee and a monthly  management fee from the Fund. The table below
shows the annual rates of such fees as a percentage of average net assets (shown
in millions),  gross fees paid for the three most recent  fiscal years,  and any
expense reimbursements by Stein Roe:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                   <C>                               <C>          <C>         <C>

                       Type

                     -----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Administrative       ..15% up to $500, .125% next
                     $500, .10% next $500, .075%         $ 76,658     $ 81,387      $17,260
                     thereafter
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Management           .75% up to $500, .70% next
                     $500, .65% next $500, .60%           382,996      406,935       86,304
                     thereafter
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Reimbursement        Expenses exceeding 1.25%           $(94,290)   $(103,242)    $(55,876)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         Stein Roe provides  office space and executive  and other  personnel to
the  Funds,  and  bears  any sales or  promotional  expenses.  The Fund pays all
expenses  other  than  those paid by Stein  Roe,  including  but not  limited to
printing and postage  charges,  securities  registration and custodian fees, and
expenses incidental to its organization.

         The  administrative  agreement  provides that Stein Roe shall reimburse
the Fund to the extent that total annual  expenses of the Fund  (including  fees
paid to Stein Roe, but excluding taxes,  interest,  commissions and other normal
charges incident to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities,  and expenses
of litigation to the extent  permitted  under  applicable  state law) exceed the
applicable  limits prescribed by any state in which shares of the Fund are being
offered for sale to the public; provided,  however, Stein Roe is not required to
reimburse  the Fund an amount in  excess  of fees  paid by the Fund  under  that
agreement  for such year.  In  addition,  in the  interest  of further  limiting
expenses of the Fund,  Stein Roe may  voluntarily  waive its fees and/or  absorb
certain expenses, as described under The Funds--Your Expenses in the Prospectus.
Any such reimbursement will enhance the yield of such Fund.

         Each management  agreement  provides that neither Stein Roe, nor any of
its directors, officers, stockholders (or partners of stockholders),  agents, or
employees  shall have any liability to the Trust or any shareholder of the Trust
for any  error  of  judgment,  mistake  of law or any  loss  arising  out of any
investment,  or for any other act or omission in the performance by Stein Roe of
its duties under the  agreement,  except for  liability  resulting  from willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its
duties or from reckless  disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the
agreement.

         Any  expenses  that  are  attributable   solely  to  the  organization,
operation,  or  business  of a series of the Trust  are paid  solely  out of the
assets of that series.  Any  expenses  incurred by the Trust that are not solely
attributable to a particular  series are apportioned in such manner as Stein Roe
determines is fair and appropriate,  unless otherwise  specified by the Board of
Trustees.

Bookkeeping and Accounting Agreement

         Pursuant to a separate  agreement with the Trust,  Stein Roe receives a
fee for  performing  certain  bookkeeping  and  accounting  services.  For  such
services,  Stein Roe  receives an annual fee of $25,000 per series plus .0025 of
1% of average  net assets  over $50  million.  During  the  fiscal  years  ended
September  30,  1997,  1998 and  1999,  Stein  Roe  received  aggregate  fees of
$315,067,  $358,936  and  $354,273,  respectively,  from the Trust for  services
performed under this Agreement.

                                   DISTRIBUTOR

         Shares of the Funds are distributed by Liberty Funds Distributor,  Inc.
(the  "Distributor"),  One  Financial  Center,  Boston,  MA 02111,  an  indirect
subsidiary  of  Liberty   Financial,   under  a  Distribution   Agreement.   The
Distribution  Agreement  continues  in effect from year to year,  provided  such
continuance  is  approved  annually  (i) by a majority  of the  trustees or by a
majority  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of the  Trust,  and (ii) by a
majority of the  trustees  who are not parties to the  Agreement  or  interested
persons of any such  party  ("independent  trustees").  The  Distributor  has no
obligation,  as underwriter,  to buy Fund shares, and purchases shares only upon
receipt of orders from  authorized  financial  service firms or  investors.  The
Trust has agreed to pay all  expenses in  connection  with  registration  of its
shares with the Securities and Exchange  Commission and auditing and filing fees
in connection  with  registration of its shares under the various state blue sky
laws and assumes the cost of preparation of prospectuses and other expenses.

12b-1 Plans, Contingent Deferred Sales Charges, and Conversion of Shares

         The  Trustees of the Trust have  adopted a plan  pursuant to Rule 12b-1
under the Investment  Company Act of 1940 (the "Plan").  The Plan provides that,
as  compensation  for personal  service  and/or the  maintenance  of shareholder
accounts, the Distributor receives a service fee at an annual rate not to exceed
0.35%  of net  assets  attributed  to Class A  shares  or  0.25%  of net  assets
attributed  to Class B and  Class C  shares.  The  Plan  also  provides  that as
compensation  for the promotion and distribution of shares of the Fund including
its  expenses  related to sale and  promotion of Fund  shares,  the  Distributor
receives  from  the Fund a fee at an  annual  rate  not  exceeding  0.10% of the
average net assets  attributed  to Class A shares,  and 0.75% of the average net
assets  attributed to each of its Class B and Class C shares.  At this time, the
Distributor has voluntarily agreed to limit the Class A service and distribution
fee to 0.10% annually.  The Distributor may terminate this voluntary  limitation
without shareholder  approval.  Class B shares automatically  convert to Class A
shares approximately eight years after the Class B shares are purchased. Class C
and Class Z shares do not convert. The Distributor generally pays this amount to
institutions  that distribute Fund shares and provide  services to the Funds and
their  shareholders.  Those  institutions  may use the payments for, among other
purposes,  compensating employees engaged in sales and/or shareholder servicing.
The amount of fees paid by the Fund during any year may be more or less than the
cost of  distribution  or other services  provided to the Fund. NASD rules limit
the  amount of annual  distribution  fees that may be paid by a mutual  fund and
impose a ceiling on the cumulative sales charges paid. The Trust's Plan complies
with those rules.

         The Trustees believe that the Plan could be a significant factor in the
growth and  retention of Fund assets  resulting in a more  advantageous  expense
ratio and  increased  investment  flexibility  which could benefit each class of
shareholders.  The Plan will  continue  in  effect  from year to year so long as
continuance  is  specifically  approved  at  least  annually  by a  vote  of the
trustees,  including the  independent  trustees.  The Plan may not be amended to
increase  the fee  materially  without  approval  by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding  voting  securities of the relevant class of shares and all material
amendments  of the Plan must be approved by the trustees in the manner  provided
in the foregoing sentence. The Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of a
majority  of  the  independent  trustees  or by a  vote  of a  majority  of  the
outstanding voting securities of the relevant Class of shares.

         The Fund  offers  five  classes  of shares  (Class A, Class B, Class C,
Class Z, and Stein Roe Midcap  Growth  Fund  Class S). The Fund may offer  other
classes of shares in the future.  Class Z and Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund Class
S shares are offered at net asset value and are not subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee.
Class A shares are offered at net asset value plus a front-end  sales  charge to
be imposed at the time of purchase and are subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee.  Class B
shares  are  offered  at net  asset  value  subject  to a Rule  12b-1  fee and a
declining  contingent deferred sales charge on redemptions made within six years
of purchase.  Class C shares are offered at net asset  value,  subject to a Rule
12b-1 fee and a contingent  deferred sales charge on redemptions made within one
year of purchase.  The  contingent  deferred  sales charges are described in the
Prospectus.

         No contingent  deferred  sales charge will be imposed on shares derived
from reinvestment of distributions or amounts representing capital appreciation.
In  determining  the  applicability  and rate of any  contingent  deferred sales
charge,  it  will  be  assumed  that  a  redemption  is  made  first  of  shares
representing capital appreciation,  next of shares representing  reinvestment of
distributions,  and  finally of other  shares  held by the  shareholder  for the
longest time.

         Eight  years  after  the end of the  month  in which a Class B share is
purchased,  such  shares and a  pro-rated  portion  of any shares  issued on the
reinvestment of distributions will be automatically invested into Class A shares
of that Fund having an equal value, which are not subject to the distribution or
service fee.

                                 TRANSFER AGENT


         SteinRoe Services Inc.  ("SSI"),  One South Wacker Drive,  Chicago,  IL
60606,  is the agent of the Trust for the  transfer of shares,  disbursement  of
dividends,  and maintenance of shareholder  accounting  records.  For performing
these services, SSI receives fees from the Fund based on an annual rate of 0.22%
of average net assets of Stein Roe Midcap  Growth Fund Class S shares and 0.236%
of Class A, B, C, and Z shares.  The Trust  believes  the  charges by SSI to the
Funds are comparable to those of other companies  performing  similar  services.
(See Investment  Advisory and Other Services.) Under a separate  agreement,  SSI
also provides certain investor accounting services to the Portfolios.


         Some financial  services firms ("FSF") or other  intermediaries  having
special selling arrangements with the Distributor,  including certain bank trust
departments,   wrap  fee  programs  and   retirement   plan  service   providers
("Intermediaries")  that  maintain  nominee  accounts  with the  Funds for their
clients who are Fund  shareholders,  may be paid a fee from SSI for  shareholder
servicing and  accounting  services they provide with respect to the  underlying
Fund shares.

                            PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

         Purchases and  redemptions  are discussed in the  Prospectus  under the
heading Your Account,  and that information is incorporated herein by reference.
It  is  the   responsibility  of  any  investment   dealers,   banks,  or  other
institutions,  including  retirement  plan service  providers,  through whom you
purchase  or  redeem  shares  to  establish   procedures   insuring  the  prompt
transmission to the Trust of any order.

         The Fund will accept  unconditional orders for shares to be executed at
the public offering price based on the net asset value per share next determined
after the order is received in good order.  The public offering price is the net
asset value plus the applicable sales charge,  if any. In the case of orders for
purchase of shares placed through FSFs or  Intermediaries,  the public  offering
price will be determined on the day the order is placed in good order,  but only
if the FSF or Intermediary  receives the order prior to the time at which shares
are valued and  transmits  it to the Fund  before  that day's  transactions  are
processed.  If the  FSF or  Intermediary  fails  to  transmit  before  the  Fund
processes  that day's  transactions,  the  customer's  entitlement to that day's
closing price must be settled between the customer and the FSF or  Intermediary.
If the FSF or  Intermediary  receives the order after the time at which the Fund
values its shares,  the price will be based on the net asset value determined as
of the close of the NYSE on the next day it is open.  If funds for the  purchase
of shares are sent directly to the Transfer Agent,  they will be invested at the
public offering price next determined  after receipt in good order.  Payment for
shares of the Fund must be in U.S. dollars;  if made by check, the check must be
drawn on a U.S. bank.

         The Fund receives the entire net asset value of shares sold.  For Class
A shares,  which are  subject  to an initial  sales  charge,  the  Distributor's
commission is the sales charge shown in the  Prospectus  less any applicable FSF
or Intermediary  discount.  The FSF or Intermediary discount is the same for all
FSFs or  Intermediaries,  except that the  Distributor  retains the entire sales
charge  on any  sales  made to a  shareholder  who  does not  specify  an FSF or
Intermediary on the  application,  and except that the Distributor may from time
to time reallow additional amounts to all or certain FSFs or Intermediaries. The
Distributor generally retains 100% of any asset-based sales charge (distribution
fee) or contingent  deferred sales charge.  Such charges generally reimburse the
Distributor  for  any  up-front  and/or  ongoing  commissions  paid  to  FSFs or
Intermediaries.

         Checks  presented for the purchase of Fund shares which are returned by
the  purchaser's  bank will subject the  purchaser to a $15 service fee for each
check returned.

         The Transfer Agent acts as the shareholder's agent whenever it receives
instructions  to carry out a  transaction  on the  shareholder's  account.  Upon
receipt of  instructions  that shares are to be  purchased  for a  shareholder's
account,  the designated FSF or Intermediary  will receive the applicable  sales
commission.  Shareholders  may  change  FSFs or  Intermediaries  at any  time by
written notice to the Transfer Agent, provided the new FSF or Intermediary has a
sales agreement with the Distributor.

Determination of Net Asset Value


         The net asset  value per share for each Class is  determined  as of the
close of business (normally 3:00 p.m., Central time, or 4:00 p.m., Eastern time)
on days on which the New York Stock  Exchange  (the "NYSE") is open for trading,
except  that  certain  classes of assets,  such as index  futures  for which the
market close occurs shortly after regular  trading on the NYSE will be priced at
the  closing  time of the markets on which they trade but in no event later than
5:00 p.m.  The NYSE is  regularly  closed on  Saturdays  and  Sundays and on New
Year's Day,  the third Monday in January,  the third  Monday in  February,  Good
Friday, the last Monday in May, Independence Day, Labor Day,  Thanksgiving,  and
Christmas. If one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the NYSE will
be closed on the preceding  Friday or the following  Monday,  respectively.  Net
asset value will not be  determined on days when the NYSE is closed  unless,  in
the  judgment  of the Board of  Trustees,  net asset value of the Fund should be
determined on any such day, in which case the determination will be made at 3:00
p.m., Central time.

         The Fund may invest in securities that are listed  primarily on foreign
exchanges  that are open and  allow  trading  on days on which  the Funds do not
determine net asset value. This may significantly  affect the net asset value of
the Fund's  redeemable  securities  on days when an investor  cannot redeem such
securities.  Debt  securities  generally  are valued by a pricing  service which
determines    valuations   based   upon   market    transactions   for   normal,
institutional-size   trading   units  of   similar   securities.   However,   in
circumstances  where such prices are not  available  or where Stein Roe deems it
appropriate  to do so, an  over-the-counter  or exchange bid  quotation is used.
Securities listed on an exchange or on Nasdaq are valued at the last sale price.
Listed  securities  for which  there were no sales  during the day and  unlisted
securities generally are valued at the last quoted bid price. Options are valued
at the last sale price or in the  absence of a sale,  the mean  between the last
quoted bid and offering  prices.  Short-term  obligations  with a maturity of 60
days or less are valued at amortized cost pursuant to procedures  adopted by the
Board of Trustees. The values of foreign securities quoted in foreign currencies
are translated  into U.S.  dollars at the exchange rate for that day.  Positions
for which  market  quotations  are not readily  available  and other  assets are
valued at fair value as  determined  in good faith  under the  direction  of the
Board of Trustees.


         Generally,  trading in certain securities (such as foreign  securities)
is  substantially  completed each day at various times prior to the close of the
NYSE.  Trading on certain foreign  securities  markets may not take place on all
NYSE business days, and trading on some foreign  securities  markets takes place
on days that are not NYSE  business  days and on which  net  asset  value is not
calculated.  The values of these  securities used in determining net asset value
are computed as of such times.  Also,  because of the amount of time required to
collect  and  process  trading  information  as to large  numbers of  securities
issues,  the values of  certain  securities  (such as  convertible  bonds,  U.S.
government securities, and tax-exempt securities) are determined based on market
quotations  collected earlier in the day at the latest practicable time prior to
the  close  of the  NYSE.  Occasionally,  events  affecting  the  value  of such
securities  may occur between such time and the close of the NYSE which will not
be reflected in the  computation  of the net asset value.  If events  materially
affecting  the value of such  securities  occur during such  period,  then these
securities will be valued at their fair value following  procedures  approved by
the Board of Trustees.

         The Trust  intends to pay all  redemptions  in cash and is obligated to
redeem  shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or one percent of the
net  assets of the Trust  during  any  90-day  period  for any one  shareholder.
However,  redemptions  in excess of such limit may be paid wholly or partly by a
distribution  in kind of  securities.  If  redemptions  were  made in kind,  the
redeeming  shareholders  might incur transaction costs in selling the securities
received in the redemptions.

         Due to the relatively high cost of maintaining  smaller  accounts,  the
Trust may deduct $10 (payable to the  Transfer  Agent) from  accounts  valued at
less than $1,000  unless the account  value has dropped below $1,000 solely as a
result of share depreciation. An investor will be notified that the value of his
account  is less than that  minimum  and  allowed  at least 60 days to bring the
value of the  account  up to at least  $1,000  before the fee is  deducted.  The
Agreement and  Declaration  of Trust also  authorizes the Trust to redeem shares
under certain other circumstances as may be specified by the Board of Trustees.

         The Trust reserves the right to suspend or postpone redemptions of Fund
shares  during any  period  when:  (a)  trading  on the NYSE is  restricted,  as
determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission,  or the NYSE is closed for
other than  customary  weekend  and holiday  closings;  (b) the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission has by order permitted such suspension; or (c) an emergency,
as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, exists, making disposal
of portfolio  securities  or valuation of net assets of the Fund not  reasonably
practicable.

Special Purchase Programs/Investor Services

         The  following  special  purchase  programs/investor  services  may  be
changed or eliminated at any time.


         Automatic  Investment  Plan. As a convenience  to investors,  shares of
most funds advised by Colonial,  Newport  Management,  Inc., Crabbe Huson Group,
Inc.  and Stein Roe may be  purchased  through the  Automatic  Investment  Plan.
Preauthorized  monthly bank drafts or  electronic  funds  transgers  for a fixed
amount at least $50 are used to purchase a fund's shares at the public  offering
price next determined after the distributor receives the proceeds from the draft
(normally  the  5th or  the  20th  of  each  month,  or the  next  business  day
thereafter).  If your Automatic  Investment Plan purchase is by electronic funds
transfer,  you may request  the  Automatic  Investment  Plan  purchase  any day.
Further information and application forms are available from the distributor.

         Automated  Dollar  Cost  Averaging  (Classes  A, B,  and C  only).  The
Automated Dollar Cost Averaging program allows you to exchange $100 or more on a
monthly basis from any mutual fund advised by Colonial, Newport Fund Management,
Inc.,  Crabbe  Huson  Group,  Inc.,  and  Stein  Roe in which you have a current
balance  of at least  $5000  into the same  class of shares of up to four  other
funds.  Complete the Automated Dollar Cost Averaging section of the Application.
The  designated  amount will be  exchanged  on the third  Tuesday of each month.
There is no charge for  exchanges  made  pursuant to the  Automated  Dollar Cost
Averaging  program.  Exchanges  will  continue  so long as your fund  balance is
sufficient to complete the  transfers.  Your normal  rights and  privileges as a
shareholder remain in full force and effect. Thus you can buy any fund, exchange
between the same class of shares of funds  written  instruction  or by telephone
exchange if you have so elected and withdraw  amounts from any fund,  subject to
the imposition of any applicable CDSC.

Any additional  payments or exchanges into your fund will extend the time of the
Automated Dollar Cost Averaging program.

An exchange is generally a capital sale  transaction  for federal and income tax
purposes.

You may terminate  your program,  change the amount of the exchange  (subject to
the $100 minimum) or change your selection of funds, by telephone or in writing;
if in writing  to  Liberty  Funds  Services,  Inc.,  P.O.box  1722,  Boston,  MA
02105-1722.


You should  consult  your  investment  advisor to  determine  whether or not the
Automated Dollar Cost Averaging program is appropriate for you.

The  Distributor  offers  several plans by which an investor may obtain  reduced
initial or  contingent  deferred  sales  charges.  These plans may be altered or
discontinued  at any time.  See " Programs  for  Reducing or  Eliminating  Sales
Charges" for more information.


         Tax-Sheltered   Retirement  Plans  (Classes  A,  B  and  C  only).  The
Distributor  offers  prototype   tax-qualified   plans,   including   Individual
Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and pension and profit-sharing plans for individuals,
corporations,  employees and the  self-employed.  The minimum initial investment
for a retirement account is $25.  Investor's Bank & Trust Company is the Trustee
of the  prototype  plans and  charges a $18 annual  fee.  The annual fee will be
waived if your  aggregated  IRA  (Traditional  IRA, Roth IRA and Education  IRA)
assets total $25,000 or more.  This waiver will be based on the assets of record
when the fees are  assessed in December.  If you close your  account  during the
year,  the  Distributor  will not  aggregate the IRAs and you will be subject to
that year's  annual fee per IRA  regardless of total  assets.  Further  Detailed
information concerning these retirement plans and copies of the retirement plans
are available from the Distributor.

         Participants in other prototype retirement plans (other than IRAs) also
are charged a $10 annual fee unless the plan  maintains an omnibus  account with
the Transfer  Agent.  Participants in prototype plans offered by the Distributor
(other than IRAs) who  liquidate  the total value of their  account will also be
charged a $15 close-out processing fee payable to the Transfer Agent. The fee is
in addition to any applicable  CDSC.  The fee will not apply if the  participant
uses the  proceeds to open an IRA Rollover  account in any fund,  or if the plan
maintains an omnibus account.


         Consultation with a competent financial and tax advisor regarding these
plans and consideration of the suitability of Fund shares as an investment under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or otherwise is recommended.

         Telephone  Address  Change  Services.  By calling the  Transfer  Agent,
shareholders, beneficiaries or their FSF or Intermediary of record may change an
address on a recorded  telephone line.  Confirmations  of address change will be
sent to both the old and the new addresses.  Telephone redemption privileges are
suspended for 30 days after an address change is effected.

         Cash  Connection.  Dividends  and any  other  distributions,  including
Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) payments,  may be automatically  deposited to a
shareholder's bank account via electronic funds transfer.  Shareholders  wishing
to avail  themselves of this electronic  transfer  procedure should complete the
appropriate sections of the Application.

         Automatic    Dividend    Diversification.    The   automatic   dividend
diversification reinvestment program (ADD) generally allows shareholders to have
all distributions from a fund automatically invested in the same class of shares
of  another  fund.  An ADD  account  must in the same name as the  shareholder's
existing open account with the  particular  Fund.  Call for more  information at
1-800-422-3737.

Programs for Reducing or Eliminating Sales Charges


         Right of  Accumulation  and  Statement of Intent (Class A shares only).
Reduced  sales  charges on Class A shares can be effected by combining a current
purchase  with prior  purchases of Class A, B, C, T, and Z shares of other funds
managed Colonial,  Newport Fund Management,  Inc., Crabbe Huson Group, Inc., and
Stein Roe or distributed by the Distributor (such funds hereinafter  referred to
as "Liberty Funds"). The applicable sales charged is based on the combined total
of: (1) the current  purchase and (2) the value at the public  offering price at
the close of business on the previous  day of all Liberty  Fund's Class A shares
held by the shareholder  (except shares of any Liberty money market fund, unless
such shares were  acquired  by exchange  from Class A shares of another  Liberty
Fund other than a money market fund and Class B, C, T and Z shares).


         The  Distributor  must be  promptly  notified  of each  purchase  which
entitles a shareholder to a reduced sales charge. Such reduced sales charge will
be applied  upon  confirmation  of the  shareholder's  holdings by the  Transfer
Agent. A Liberty Fund may terminate or amend this right of Accumulation.

         Any person may qualify for reduced sales charges on purchase of Class A
shares  made  within  a  13-month  period  pursuant  to a  Statement  of  Intent
("Statement").  A shareholder may include,  as an accumulation credit toward the
completion of such Statement,  the value of all Class A, B, C, S, T and Z shares
held by the  shareholder  on the date of the  Statement in the Trust's Funds and
Liberty  Funds  (except  shares of any Colonial  money market fund,  unless such
shares were acquired by exchange from Class A shares of another non-money market
Liberty Fund).  The value is determined at the public offering price on the date
of the Statement.  Purchases made through  reinvestment of  distributions do not
count toward satisfaction of the Statement.

         During the term of a Statement,  the Transfer Agent will hold shares in
escrow to secure payment of the higher sales charge applicable to Class A shares
actually  purchased.  Dividends  and capital  gains will be paid on all escrowed
shares and these  shares will be  released  when the amount  indicated  has been
purchased. A Statement does not obligate the investor to buy or the Fund to sell
the amount of the Statement.

         If a  shareholder  exceeds the amount of the  Statement  and reaches an
amount which would qualify for a further quantity discount,  a retroactive price
adjustment  will  be  made  at the  time of  expiration  of the  Statement.  The
resulting  difference in offering price will purchase  additional shares for the
shareholder's  account at the then-current  applicable offering price. As a part
of this adjustment,  the FSF or Intermediary shall return to the Distributor the
excess commission previously paid during the 13-month period.

         If the amount of the Statement is not purchased,  the shareholder shall
remit to the  Distributor  an amount equal to the  difference  between the sales
charge paid and the sales charge that should have been paid. If the  shareholder
fails  within 20 days after a written  request to pay such  difference  in sales
charge,  the Transfer  Agent will redeem that number of escrowed  Class A shares
equal to such difference.  The additional amount of FSF or Intermediary discount
from the applicable offering price shall be remitted to the shareholder's FSF or
Intermediary of record.

         Additional  information about and the terms of Statements of Intent are
available  from  your  FSF  or  Intermediary  or  from  the  Transfer  Agent  at
1-800-345-6611.

         Reinstatement  Privilege. An investor who has redeemed Fund shares may,
upon request, reinstate within one year a portion or all of the proceeds of such
sale in  shares  of the same  class of that  Fund at the net  asset  value  next
determined after the Transfer Agent receives a written reinstatement request and
payment. Any contingent deferred sales charge paid at the time of the redemption
will be credited to the shareholder upon  reinstatement.  The period between the
redemption  and the  reinstatement  will not be counted in aging the  reinstated
shares for  purposes of  calculating  any  contingent  deferred  sales charge or
conversion date.  Investors who desire to exercise this privilege should contact
their FSF or Intermediary  or the  Distributor.  Shareholders  may exercise this
privilege  an unlimited  number of times.  Exercise of this  privilege  does not
alter the federal  income tax  treatment  of any capital  gains  realized on the
prior sale of Fund  shares,  but to the extent  any such  shares  were sold at a
loss,  some or all of the loss may be disallowed for tax purposes.  Consult your
tax advisor.

         Shareholders   may   reinvest  all  or  a  portion  of  a  recent  cash
distribution  without a sales  charge.  A  shareholder  request must be received
within 30 calendar days of the  distribution.  A  shareholder  may exercise this
privilege only once. No charge is currently made for reinvestment.

         Privileges of Adviser Employees, FSFs or Intermediaries (Class A shares
only).  Class  A  shares  may  be  sold  at net  asset  value  to the  following
individuals whether currently employed or retired:  Trustees of funds advised or
administered by Stein Roe or an affiliate of Stein Roe; directors,  officers and
employees  of Stein Roe or an  affiliate  of Stein Roe,  including  the Transfer
Agent and the Distributor;  registered  representatives and employees of FSFs or
Intermediaries   (including  their   affiliates)  that  are  parties  to  dealer
agreements or other sales  arrangements with the Distributor;  and such persons'
families and their beneficial accounts.

         Sponsored  Arrangements  (Class A shares  only).  Class A shares may be
purchased  at reduced or no sales  charge  pursuant to  sponsored  arrangements,
which include programs under which an organization makes  recommendations to, or
permits  group  solicitation  of,  its  employees,  members or  participants  in
connection with the purchase of Fund shares on an individual  basis.  The amount
of the sales charge  reduction will reflect the  anticipated  reduction in sales
expense associated with sponsored arrangements.  The reduction in sales expense,
and therefore the reduction in sales charge, will vary depending on factors such
as the  size  and  stability  of  the  organization's  group,  the  term  of the
organization's  existence  and  certain  characteristics  of the  members of its
group.  The Fund  reserves  the right to revise  the terms of or to  suspend  or
discontinue sales pursuant to sponsored plans at any time.

         Class A shares may also be  purchased  at reduced or no sales charge by
clients of dealers,  brokers or registered investment advisers that have entered
into agreements  with the Distributor  pursuant to which the Fund is included as
an investment option in programs involving fee-based compensation arrangements.

         Waiver of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges (Class A accounts in excess
of $1,000,000,  and Classes B and C).  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be
waived on redemptions in the following situations with the proper documentation:

1. Death.  Contingent deferred sales charges may be waived on redemptions within
one  year  following  the  death of (i) the sole  shareholder  on an  individual
account,  (ii) a joint tenant where the surviving joint tenant is the deceased's
spouse,  or (iii) the  beneficiary  of a Uniform  Gifts to Minors Act  ("UGMA"),
Uniform  Transfers to Minors Act ("UTMA") or other custodial  account.  If, upon
the occurrence of one of the foregoing, the account is transferred to an account
registered in the name of the deceased's estate,  the contingent  deferred sales
charge will be waived on any redemption from the estate account occurring within
one year after the death.  If the shares are not redeemed within one year of the
death,  they will remain  subject to the  applicable  contingent  deferred sales
charge,  when  redeemed  from  the  transferee's  account.  If  the  account  is
transferred  to a new  registration  and then a  redemption  is  requested,  the
applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be charged.

2. Systematic  Withdrawal Plan (SWP).  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be
waived on redemptions  occurring pursuant to a monthly,  quarterly or semiannual
SWP  established  with the Transfer  Agent, to the extent the redemptions do not
exceed,  on an annual basis,  12% of the account's value, so long as at the time
of the first SWP  redemption  the account  had  distributions  reinvested  for a
period at least equal to the period of the SWP (e.g.,  if it is a quarterly SWP,
distributions  must have been  reinvested  at least for the three  month  period
prior to the first SWP redemption);  otherwise contingent deferred sales charges
will  be  charged  on SWP  redemptions  until  this  requirement  is  met;  this
requirement  does not apply to Class B or C accounts if the SWP is set up at the
time the account is established,  and distributions  are being  reinvested.  See
below under How to Sell Shares--Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

3.  Disability.  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be waived on redemptions
occurring within one year after the sole shareholder on an individual account or
a joint tenant on a spousal joint tenant account becomes disabled (as defined in
Section  72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code). To be eligible for such waiver,
(i) the disability must arise after the purchase of shares and (ii) the disabled
shareholder must have been under age 65 at the time of the initial determination
of disability.  If the account is transferred to a new  registration  and then a
redemption is requested, the applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be
charged.

4.  Death of a  trustee.  Contingent  deferred  sales  charges  may be waived on
redemptions  occurring upon  dissolution of a revocable  living or grantor trust
following  the death of the sole  trustee  where (i) the grantor of the trust is
the sole trustee and the sole life beneficiary,  (ii) death occurs following the
purchase and (iii) the trust document provides for dissolution of the trust upon
the  trustee's  death.  If the  account  is  transferred  to a new  registration
(including  that of a successor  trustee),  the applicable  contingent  deferred
sales charge will be charged upon any subsequent redemption.

5. Returns on excess  contributions.  Contingent  deferred  sales charges may be
waived on redemptions required to return excess contributions made to retirement
plans  or  IRAs,  so  long as the  FSF or  Intermediary  agrees  to  return  the
applicable portion of any commission paid by the Distributor.

6. Qualified  Retirement Plans.  Contingent deferred sales charges may be waived
on redemptions  required to make distributions  from qualified  retirement plans
following  (i)  normal  retirement  (as  stated  in the plan  document)  or (ii)
separation  from service.  For shares  purchased in a prototype  401K plan after
September 1, 1997,  contingent  deferred  sales  charges will not be waived upon
separation  from  service  except  if such plan is held in an  omnibus  account.
Contingent deferred sales charges also will be waived on SWP redemptions made to
make required minimum  distributions  from qualified  retirement plans that have
invested in the Fund for at least two years.

         The  contingent  deferred sales charge also may be waived where the FSF
or Intermediary agrees to return all or an agreed upon portion of the commission
earned on the sale of the shares being redeemed.

How to Sell ("Redeem") Shares

         Shares may be sold on any day the NYSE is open,  either directly to the
Fund or through an FSF or Intermediary.  Sale proceeds generally are sent within
seven days  (usually on the next  business day after your request is received in
good form). However, for shares recently purchased by check, the Fund will delay
sending  proceeds  for 15 days from the date or purchase in order to protect the
Fund  against  financial  losses and  dilution  in net asset value that might be
caused by  dishonored  purchase  payment  checks.  To avoid  delays in  payment,
investors are advised to purchase shares  unconditionally,  such as by certified
check or other immediately available funds.

         To  sell  shares  directly  to  the  Fund,  send  a  signed  letter  of
instruction  to the Transfer  Agent.  The sale price is the net asset value next
determined (less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge) after the Fund
or an FSF or Intermediary  receives the request in proper form.  Signatures must
be guaranteed by a bank, a member firm of a national  stock  exchange or another
eligible guarantor institution.  Additional  documentation is required for sales
by corporations,  agents,  fiduciaries,  surviving joint owners and IRA holders.
Call the Transfer Agent for more information at (800) 345-6611.

         FSFs and Intermediaries  must receive requests before the time at which
Fund  shares  are  valued to  receive  that day's  price,  are  responsible  for
furnishing all necessary  documentation to the Transfer Agent and may charge for
this service.

         Systematic   Withdrawal   Plan  (Class  A,  B  and  C  shares).   If  a
shareholder's  account balance is at least $5,000, the shareholder may establish
a SWP. A specified  dollar amount or percentage  of the  then-current  net asset
value of the shareholder's  investment in the Fund designated by the shareholder
will be paid  monthly,  quarterly or  semiannually  to a designated  payee.  The
amount  or  percentage  the  shareholder  specifies  generally  may  not,  on an
annualized basis,  exceed 12% of the value, as of the time the shareholder makes
the election of the  shareholder's  investment.  Withdrawals  from Class B and C
shares under a SWP will be treated as  redemptions of shares  purchased  through
the  reinvestment  of Fund  distributions,  or, to the extent such shares in the
shareholder's  account are  insufficient to cover plan payments,  as redemptions
from the  earliest  purchased  Fund  shares  in the  shareholder's  account.  No
contingent deferred sales charges apply to a redemption pursuant to a SWP of 12%
or less,  even if,  after giving  effect to the  redemption,  the  shareholder's
account  balance is less than the  shareholder's  base  amount.  Qualified  plan
participants  who are required by Internal  Revenue Code  regulation to withdraw
more than  12%,  on an annual  basis,  of the value of their  Class B or C share
account  may do so but will be subject to a  contingent  deferred  sales  charge
ranging  from 1% to 5% of the  excess  over  12%.  If a  shareholder  wishes  to
participate in a SWP, the  shareholder  must elect to have all income  dividends
and other distributions payable in Fund shares rather than in cash.

         A shareholder or its FSF or  Intermediary of record may establish a SWP
account by telephone  on a recorded  line.  However,  SWP checks will be payable
only to the shareholder and sent to the address of record.  SWPs from retirement
accounts cannot be established by telephone.

         Purchasing   additional   shares  (other  than  through   dividend  and
distribution   reinvestment)   while   receiving   SWP  payments  is  ordinarily
disadvantageous  because  of  duplicative  sales  charges.  For this  reason,  a
shareholder  may not maintain a plan for the  accumulation of shares of the Fund
(other than through the reinvestment of dividends) and a SWP at the same time.

         SWP payments are made through share redemptions,  which may result in a
gain or  loss  for tax  purposes,  may  involve  the  use of  principal  and may
eventually use up all of the shares in a shareholder's account.

         The Fund may terminate a shareholder's SWP if the shareholder's account
balance  falls below $5,000 due to any transfer or  liquidation  of shares other
than  pursuant  to the  SWP.  SWP  payments  will  be  terminated  on  receiving
satisfactory  evidence of the death or incapacity of a  shareholder.  Until this
evidence is received, the Transfer Agent will not be liable for any payment made
in accordance with the provisions of a SWP.

         The cost of  administering  SWPs for the  benefit of  shareholders  who
participate in them is borne by the Funds as an expense of all shareholders.

         Shareholders  whose positions are held in "street name" by certain FSFs
or  Intermediaries  may not be able to participate in a SWP. If a  shareholder's
Fund shares are held in "street name," the shareholder should consult his or her
FSF or Intermediary to determine whether he or she may participate in a SWP.

         Telephone Redemptions.  Telephone redemption privileges are described
 in the Prospectus.

         Non-Cash Redemptions.  For redemptions of any single shareholder within
any 90-day period exceeding the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of the Fund's net asset
value,  the Fund may make the payment or a portion of the payment with portfolio
securities  held by the Fund  instead  of  cash,  in  which  case the  redeeming
shareholder  may incur  brokerage  and other  costs in  selling  the  securities
received.

How to Exchange Shares

         With  respect to Class A, Class B and Class C shares,  exchanges at net
asset value may be made among shares of the same class of any other fund that is
a series of the Trust or of most Liberty Funds.  With respect to Class A shares,
for a period of 90 days following the purchase of shares, exchanges at net asset
value may be made among Class A shares of Liberty Municipal Money Market Fund or
Liberty Government Money Market Fund (or its successor).  Thereafter,  exchanges
at net asset  value may be made among Class A shares of any other fund that is a
series  of the  Trust or of most  Liberty  Funds.  For more  information  on the
Liberty Funds, see your FSF or Intermediary or call (800) 345-6611.

         With  respect to Class Z shares,  exchanges  at net asset  value may be
made  among  shares of the same  class of any other fund that is a series of the
Trust.  Shares may be exchanged on the basis of the net asset value per share at
the time of exchange and only one "round-trip" exchange of Class C shares may be
made per  three-month  period,  measured from the date of the initial  purchase.
Before  exchanging  into another fund,  you should obtain the prospectus for the
fund in which you wish to invest and read it carefully.  Prospectuses of Liberty
Funds are available by calling (800) 426-3750. Consult the Transfer Agent before
requesting an exchange.

         By  calling  the  Transfer   Agent,   shareholders   or  their  FSF  or
Intermediary of record may exchange among accounts with identical registrations,
provided that the shares are held on deposit.  During  periods of unusual market
changes and/or  shareholder  activity,  shareholders  may  experience  delays in
contacting  the Transfer  Agent by telephone to exercise the telephone  exchange
privilege. Because an exchange involves a redemption and reinvestment in another
fund, completion of an exchange may be delayed under unusual circumstances, such
as if the Fund suspends  repurchases or postpones  payment for Fund shares being
exchanged in accordance  with federal  securities  law. The Transfer  Agent will
also  make  exchanges  upon  receipt  of a  written  exchange  request.  If  the
shareholder is a corporation,  partnership, agent, or surviving joint owner, the
Transfer Agent will require customary additional documentation.

         A loss to a  shareholder  may result from an  unauthorized  transaction
reasonably believed to have been authorized.  No shareholder is obligated to use
the telephone to execute transactions.

         In all cases,  the shares to be  exchanged  must be  registered  on the
records of the Fund in the name of the shareholder desiring to exchange.

         An  exchange  is a capital  sale  transaction  for  federal  income tax
purposes. The exchange privilege may be revised,  suspended or terminated at any
time.

                                    CUSTODIAN

         State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank"),  225 Franklin Street,
Boston,  MA 02101, is the custodian for the Trust. It is responsible for holding
all  securities  and  cash,  receiving  and  paying  for  securities  purchased,
delivering against payment securities sold, receiving and collecting income from
investments,  making  all  payments  covering  expenses,  and  performing  other
administrative  duties, all as directed by authorized persons. The Bank does not
exercise  any  supervisory  function  in such  matters as  purchase  and sale of
portfolio securities, payment of dividends, or payment of expenses.

         Portfolio  securities  purchased  in the  U.S.  are  maintained  in the
custody  of the  Bank or of other  domestic  banks  or  depositories.  Portfolio
securities  purchased  outside  of the U.S.  are  maintained  in the  custody of
foreign banks and trust  companies that are members of the Bank's Global Custody
Network  and  foreign  depositories  ("foreign  sub-custodians").  Each  of  the
domestic and foreign custodial  institutions  holding  portfolio  securities has
been approved by the Board of Trustees in accordance with regulations  under the
Investment Company Act of 1940.

         The Board of Trustees reviews, at least annually,  whether it is in the
best interests of the Fund and their  shareholders to maintain assets in each of
the countries in which the Fund invests with particular  foreign  sub-custodians
in such  countries,  pursuant  to  contracts  between  such  respective  foreign
sub-custodians  and the Bank. The review  includes an assessment of the risks of
holding  assets  in any  such  country  (including  risks  of  expropriation  or
imposition of exchange controls),  the operational capability and reliability of
each such  foreign  sub-custodian,  and the  impact  of local  laws on each such
custody  arrangement.  The Board of Trustees is aided in its review by the Bank,
which has assembled the network of foreign  sub-custodians,  as well as by Stein
Roe and counsel.  However, with respect to foreign sub-custodians,  there can be
no  assurance  that the Fund and the value of its shares  will not be  adversely
affected by acts of foreign governments,  financial or operational  difficulties
of the foreign sub-custodians,  difficulties and costs of obtaining jurisdiction
over or enforcing judgments against the foreign  sub-custodians,  or application
of  foreign  law to the  foreign  sub-custodial  arrangements.  Accordingly,  an
investor  should  recognize  that the  non-investment  risks involved in holding
assets  abroad are greater than those  associated  with  investing in the United
States.

         The Fund may invest in obligations of the Bank and may purchase or sell
securities from or to the Bank.

                             INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

         The  independent  accountants  for the Fund are  PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, 160 Federal Street,  Boston,  MA 02110. The accountants audit and report on
the annual financial  statements and provide tax return preparation services and
assistance  and  consultation  in  connection  with the  review of  various  SEC
filings.

                             PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

         Stein Roe  places the orders  for the  purchase  and sale of  portfolio
securities and options and futures contracts for its clients,  including private
clients and mutual fund clients ("Clients"). Stein Roe's overriding objective in
selecting  brokers and dealers to effect  portfolio  transactions is to seek the
best combination of net price and execution.  The best net price,  giving effect
to  brokerage  commissions,  if any, is an  important  factor in this  decision;
however,  a number of other judgmental factors may also enter into the decision.
These factors  include  Stein Roe's  knowledge of  negotiated  commission  rates
currently  available  and other  current  transaction  costs;  the nature of the
security  being  purchased  or sold;  the size of the  transaction;  the desired
timing of the transaction;  the activity existing and expected in the market for
the  particular  security;   confidentiality;   the  execution,   clearance  and
settlement  capabilities of the broker or dealer selected and others considered;
Stein  Roe's  knowledge  of the  financial  condition  of the  broker  or dealer
selected and such other brokers and dealers; and Stein Roe's knowledge of actual
or apparent operation problems of any broker or dealer.

         Recognizing the value of these factors, Stein Roe may cause a Client to
pay a  brokerage  commission  in excess of that  which  another  broker may have
charged for effecting the same transaction.  Stein Roe has established  internal
policies  for the  guidance of its  trading  personnel,  specifying  minimum and
maximum  commissions to be paid for various types and sizes of transactions  and
effected for Clients in those cases where Stein Roe has discretion to select the
broker  or  dealer by which the  transaction  is to be  executed.  Stein Roe has
discretion  for all  trades  of the  Funds.  Transactions  which  vary  from the
guidelines  are subject to periodic  supervisory  review.  These  guidelines are
reviewed  and  periodically   adjusted,  and  the  general  level  of  brokerage
commissions  paid is  periodically  reviewed  by Stein Roe.  Evaluations  of the
reasonableness of brokerage  commissions,  based on the factors described in the
preceding  paragraph,  are made by Stein Roe's trading personnel while effecting
portfolio  transactions.  The general  level of  brokerage  commissions  paid is
reviewed by Stein Roe, and reports are made annually to the Board of Trustees.

         Stein Roe maintains and periodically updates a list of approved brokers
and dealers which, in Stein Roe's judgment,  are generally  capable of providing
best price and execution  and are  financially  stable.  Stein Roe's traders are
directed to use only  brokers and dealers on the  approved  list,  except in the
case of Client  designations  of brokers or dealers to effect  transactions  for
such Clients' accounts.  Stein Roe generally posts certain Client information on
the  "Alert"  broker  database  system  as a means  of  facilitating  the  trade
affirmation and settlement process.

         It is Stein Roe's practice,  when feasible,  to aggregate for execution
as a single transaction orders for the purchase or sale of a particular security
for the accounts of several Clients, in order to seek a lower commission or more
advantageous  net  price.  The  benefit,  if any,  obtained  as a result of such
aggregation  generally is allocated pro rata among the accounts of Clients which
participated in the aggregated transaction.  In some instances, this may involve
the use of an "average price" execution  wherein a broker or dealer to which the
aggregated  order has been given  will  execute  the order in  several  separate
transactions  during the course of a day at differing  prices and, in such case,
each Client  participating  in the aggregated order will pay or receive the same
price and commission, which will be an average of the prices and commissions for
the several separate transactions executed by the broker or dealer.

         Stein Roe sometimes makes use of an indirect  electronic  access to the
New York  Stock  Exchange's  "SuperDOT"  automated  execution  system,  provided
through a NYSE member floor  broker,  W&D  Securities,  Inc.,  a  subsidiary  of
Jeffries & Co., Inc., particularly for the efficient execution of smaller orders
in NYSE listed equities.  Stein Roe sometimes uses similar  arrangements through
Billings & Co.,  Inc. and  Driscoll & Co.,  Inc.,  floor  broker  members of the
Chicago Stock Exchange,  for  transactions  to be executed on that exchange.  In
using these arrangements,  Stein Roe must instruct the floor broker to refer the
executed transaction to another brokerage firm for clearance and settlement,  as
the  floor  brokers  do not deal  with the  public.  Transactions  of this  type
sometimes are referred to as "step-in" or "step-out" transactions. The brokerage
firm to which the executed  transaction is referred may include,  in the case of
transactions  effected  through W&D  Securities,  brokerage  firms which provide
Stein Roe investment research or related services.

         Stein Roe places  certain  trades for the Funds  through its  affiliate
AlphaTrade,  Inc.  ("ATI").  ATI  is  a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  Colonial
Management  Associates,  Inc. ATI is a fully disclosed  introducing  broker that
limits its activities to electronic  execution of  transactions in listed equity
securities.  The Funds pay ATI a commission  for these  transactions.  The Funds
have  adopted  procedures  consistent  with  Investment  Company  Act Rule 17e-1
governing  such  transactions.  Certain of Stein  Roe's  officers  also serve as
officers, directors and/or employees of ATI.

         Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National  Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. and subject to seeking best execution and such other
policies as the  trustees  of the Funds may  determine,  Stein Roe may  consider
sales  of  shares  of  each  of  the  Funds  as a  factor  in the  selection  of
broker-dealers to execute such mutual fund securities transactions.

Investment Research Products and Services Furnished by Brokers and Dealers

         Stein Roe engages in the long-standing practice in the money management
industry of acquiring  research and brokerage  products and services  ("research
products")  from  broker-dealer  firms in return  directing  trades  for  Client
accounts to those firms.  In effect,  Stein Roe is using the commission  dollars
generated  from these Client  accounts to pay for these research  products.  The
money management industry uses the term "soft dollars" to refer to this industry
practice.  Stein Roe may engage in soft dollar  transactions on trades for those
Client   accounts  for  which  Stein  Roe  has  the  discretion  to  select  the
broker-dealers.

         The ability to direct  brokerage  for a Client  account  belongs to the
Client and not to Stein Roe.  When a Client  grants Stein Roe the  discretion to
select  broker-dealers for Client trades,  Stein Roe has a duty to seek the best
combination of net price and execution.  Stein Roe faces a potential conflict of
interest  with this  duty when it uses  Client  trades  to  obtain  soft  dollar
products.  This conflict exists because Stein Roe is able to use the soft dollar
products in managing its Client  accounts  without paying cash ("hard  dollars")
for the product. This reduces Stein Roe's expenses.

         Moreover,  under a provision of the federal  securities laws applicable
to soft  dollars,  Stein Roe is not  required to use the soft dollar  product in
managing those accounts that generate the trade.  Thus, the Client accounts that
generate the brokerage  commission  used to acquire the soft dollar  product may
not benefit  directly from that  product.  In effect,  those  accounts are cross
subsidizing  Stein  Roe's  management  of the  other  accounts  that do  benefit
directly from the product. This practice is explicitly sanctioned by a provision
of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  which creates a "safe harbor" for soft
dollar transactions  conducted in a specified manner.  Although it is inherently
difficult,  if not  impossible,  to document,  Stein Roe believes that over time
most,  if not all,  Clients  benefit from soft dollar  products  such that cross
subsidizations even out.

         Stein Roe  attempts to reduce or eliminate  this  conflict by directing
Client  trades for soft dollar  products  only if Stein Roe  concludes  that the
broker-dealer supplying the product is capable of providing a combination of the
best net price and execution on the trade.  As noted above,  the best net price,
while significant,  is one of a number of judgmental factors Stein Roe considers
in determining  whether a particular broker is capable of providing the best net
price and  execution.  Stein Roe may cause a Client  account to pay a  brokerage
commission in a soft dollar trade in excess of that which another  broker-dealer
might have charged for the same transaction.

         Stein Roe  acquires  two types of soft dollar  research  products:  (i)
proprietary  research created by the broker-dealer  firm executing the trade and
(ii) other  products  created by third  parties  that are  supplied to Stein Roe
through the broker-dealer firm executing the trade.

         Proprietary   research  consists  primarily  of  traditional   research
reports, recommendations and similar materials produced by the in house research
staffs  of  broker-dealer   firms.  This  research   includes   evaluations  and
recommendations of specific companies or industry groups, as well as analyses of
general  economic and market  conditions and trends,  market data,  contacts and
other  related  information  and  assistance.   Stein  Roe's  research  analysts
periodically  rate the  quality  of  proprietary  research  produced  by various
broker-dealer  firms.  Based on these  evaluations,  Stein Roe  develops  target
levels of  commission  dollars on a  firm-by-firm  basis.  Stein Roe attempts to
direct trades to each firm to meet these targets.

         Stein Roe also uses soft dollars to acquire  products  created by third
parties  that are  supplied to Stein Roe through  broker-dealers  executing  the
trade (or other  broker-dealers  who "step in" to a  transaction  and  receive a
portion of the brokerage  commission for the trade).  These products include the
following:

o    Database   Services--comprehensive   databases  containing  current  and/or
     historical  information  on  companies  and  industries.  Examples  include
     historical securities prices,  earnings estimates,  and SEC filings.  These
     services  may  include  software  tools  that  allow the user to search the
     database  or to prepare  value-added  analyses  related  to the  investment
     process  (such as  forecasts  and models used in the  portfolio  management
     process).

o    Quotation/Trading/News Systems--products that provide real time market data
     information,  such as pricing of individual  securities and  information on
     current trading, as well as a variety of news services.

o    Economic Data/Forecasting  Tools--various macro economic forecasting tools,
     such as economic  data and economic  and  political  forecasts  for various
     countries or regions.

o    Quantitative/Technical Analysis--software tools that assist in quantitative
     and technical analysis of investment data.

o  Fundamental  Industry   Analysis--industry-specific   fundamental  investment
research.

o    Fixed Income  Security  Analysis--data  and  analytical  tools that pertain
     specifically  to fixed  income  securities.  These tools assist in creating
     financial  models,   such  as  cash  flow  projections  and  interest  rate
     sensitivity analyses, that are relevant to fixed income securities.

o    Other Specialized  Tools--other  specialized products,  such as specialized
     economic   consulting   analyses  and  attendance  at  investment  oriented
     conferences.

         Many third-party  products  include  computer  software or on-line data
feeds.  Certain  products also include  computer  hardware  necessary to use the
product.

         Certain of these third party  services may be available  directly  from
the  vendor  on  a  hard  dollar  basis.   Others  are  available  only  through
broker-dealer  firms for soft  dollars.  Stein Roe  evaluates  each  product  to
determine a cash ("hard  dollars")  value of the product to Stein Roe. Stein Roe
then on a product-by-product basis targets commission dollars in an amount equal
to a  specified  multiple  of the hard dollar  value to the  broker-dealer  that
supplies the product to Stein Roe. In general,  these  multiples range from 1.25
to 1.85 times the hard dollar value. Stein Roe attempts to direct trades to each
firm to meet these targets. (For example, if the multiple is 1.5:1.0, assuming a
hard  dollar  value of  $10,000,  Stein  Roe will  target  to the  broker-dealer
providing the product trades generating $15,000 in total commissions.)

         The targets that Stein Roe  establishes  for both  proprietary  and for
third party research products typically will reflect  discussions that Stein Roe
has  with  the  broker-dealer  providing  the  product  regarding  the  level of
commissions  it expects to receive for the product.  However,  these targets are
not binding commitments, and Stein Roe does not agree to direct a minimum amount
of commissions to any broker-dealer  for soft dollar products.  In setting these
targets,  Stein  Roe makes a  determination  that the  value of the  product  is
reasonably  commensurate  with the  cost of  acquiring  it.  These  targets  are
established on a calendar year basis. Stein Roe will receive the product whether
or not commissions directed to the applicable broker-dealer are less than, equal
to or in excess of the  target.  Stein Roe  generally  will  carry  over  target
shortages and excesses to the next year's  target.  Stein Roe believes that this
practice  reduces  the  conflicts  of  interest   associated  with  soft  dollar
transactions,   since  Stein  Roe  can  meet  the  non-binding  expectations  of
broker-dealers providing soft dollar products over flexible time periods. In the
case of third party products,  the third party is paid by the  broker-dealer and
not by Stein  Roe.  Stein Roe may enter  into a  contract  with the third  party
vendor to use the product. (For example, if the product includes software, Stein
Roe will enter into a license to use the software from the vendor.)

         In certain cases,  Stein Roe uses soft dollars to obtain  products that
have both research and non-research purposes.  Examples of non-research uses are
administrative  and  marketing  functions.  These are referred to as "mixed use"
products. As of the date of this SAI, Stein Roe acquires two mixed use products.
These  are (i) a fixed  income  security  data  service  and (ii) a mutual  fund
performance  ranking  service.  In each  case,  Stein  Roe  makes  a good  faith
evaluation  of the  research  and  non-research  uses of these  services.  These
evaluations  are based upon the time spent by Firm  personnel  for  research and
non-research  uses. Stein Roe pays the provider in cash ("hard dollars") for the
non-research portion of its use of these products.

         Stein Roe may use  research  obtained  from soft  dollar  trades in the
management of any of its discretionary accounts.  Thus, consistent with industry
practice,  Stein Roe does not require that the Client account that generates the
trade  receive any benefit  from the soft dollar  product  obtained  through the
trade.  As noted above,  this may result in cross  subsidization  of soft dollar
products among Client  accounts.  As noted therein,  this practice is explicitly
sanctioned by a provision of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, which creates
a "safe harbor" for soft dollar transactions conducted in a specified manner.

         In certain  cases,  Stein Roe will direct a trade to one  broker-dealer
with the  instruction  that it  execute  the trade and pay over a portion of the
commission from the trade to another broker-dealer who provides Stein Roe with a
soft dollar research product. The broker-dealer  executing the trade "steps out"
of a portion of the commission in favor of the other broker-dealer providing the
soft dollar product.  Stein Roe may engage in step out  transactions in order to
direct soft dollar  commissions to a broker-dealer  which provides  research but
may not be able  to  provide  best  execution.  Brokers  who  receive  step  out
commissions  typically are brokers  providing a third party soft dollar  product
that is not available on a hard dollars basis. Stein Roe has not engaged in step
out transactions as a manner of compensating  broker-dealers that sell shares of
investment companies managed by Stein Roe.

  The table below shows information on brokerage commissions paid by the Fund :
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                                                                <C>
                                                                                       ----------------

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal year ended 9/30/99                     $116,715
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Amount of commissions paid to brokers or dealers who supplied research services to
   Stein Roe                                                                                      77,167
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
   Total dollar amount involved in such transactions (000 omitted)                                72,988
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal year ended 9/30/98                       67,521
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal year ended 9/30/97                       38,375
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


 .........The  Trust has arranged for its custodian to act as a soliciting dealer
to  accept  any fees  available  to the  custodian  as a  soliciting  dealer  in
connection  with any tender offer for portfolio  securities.  The custodian will
credit any such fees received against its custodial fees. In addition, the Board
of  Trustees  has  reviewed  the  legal  developments   pertaining  to  and  the
practicability  of  attempting  to recapture  underwriting  discounts or selling
concessions when portfolio  securities are purchased in underwritten  offerings.
However,  the Board has been advised by counsel that  recapture by a mutual fund
currently is not permitted  under the Rules of the  Association  of the National
Association of Securities Dealers.


       During the last fiscal year, the Fund did not hold any securities  issued
by  one  or  more  of  its  regular   broker-dealers   or  the  parent  of  such
broker-dealers   that   derive   more   than   15%   of   gross   revenue   from
securities-related activities.

                      ADDITIONAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

         The Fund intends to qualify under  Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code and to comply with the special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that
relieve it of federal income tax to the extent of its net investment  income and
capital gains currently distributed to shareholders.

         Because  dividend  and  capital  gains  distributions  reduce net asset
value, a shareholder who purchases  shares shortly before a record date will, in
effect,  receive a return of a portion of his  investment in such  distribution.
The  distribution  would  nonetheless  be taxable to him,  even if the net asset
value of shares were reduced  below his cost.  However,  for federal  income tax
purposes the shareholder's original cost would continue as his tax basis.

         The Fund expects that less than 100% of its dividends  will qualify for
the deduction for dividends received by corporate shareholders.

         To the extent the Fund invests in foreign securities, it may be subject
to  withholding  and other  taxes  imposed by foreign  countries.  Tax  treaties
between  certain  countries and the United  States may reduce or eliminate  such
taxes.  Investors may be entitled to claim U.S. foreign tax credits with respect
to such taxes,  subject to certain  provisions and limitations  contained in the
Code. Specifically,  if more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of
any fiscal year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund
may file an  election  with  the  Internal  Revenue  Service  pursuant  to which
shareholders  of the Fund will be  required  to (i)  include in  ordinary  gross
income (in  addition  to taxable  dividends  actually  received)  their pro rata
shares of  foreign  income  taxes  paid by the Fund  even  though  not  actually
received,  (ii) treat such  respective  pro rata shares as foreign  income taxes
paid by them,  and (iii) deduct such pro rata shares in computing  their taxable
incomes,  or,  alternatively,  use  them as  foreign  tax  credits,  subject  to
applicable limitations,  against their United States income taxes.  Shareholders
who do not itemize deductions for federal income tax purposes will not, however,
be able to deduct  their pro rata  portion  of  foreign  taxes paid by the Fund,
although such shareholders will be required to include their share of such taxes
in gross income.  Shareholders who claim a foreign tax credit may be required to
treat a portion of dividends  received from the Fund as separate category income
for purposes of computing the limitations on the foreign tax credit available to
such shareholders. Tax-exempt shareholders will not ordinarily benefit from this
election   relating  to  foreign  taxes.   Each  year,  the  Funds  will  notify
shareholders of the amount of (i) each  shareholder's  pro rata share of foreign
income  taxes  paid by the Fund and (ii) the  portion  of Fund  dividends  which
represents income from each foreign country, if the Fund qualifies to pass along
such credit.

                             INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE

         The Fund may quote  certain  total return  figures from time to time. A
"Total Return" on a per share basis is the amount of dividends  distributed  per
share plus or minus the change in the net asset value per share for a period.  A
"Total Return  Percentage" may be calculated by dividing the value of a share at
the end of a period by the value of the share at the beginning of the period and
subtracting  one. For a given  period,  an "Average  Annual Total Return" may be
computed by finding  the  average  annual  compounded  rate that would  equate a
hypothetical initial amount invested of $1,000 to the ending redeemable value.

       Average Annual Total Return is computed as follows:  ERV  =  P(1+T)n

       Where:      P       =   a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
                   T       =   average annual total return
                   n       =   number of years
                   ERV         =  ending  redeemable  value  of  a  hypothetical
                               $1,000  payment  made  at  the  beginning  of the
                               period at the end of the  period  (or  fractional
                               portion).

The total return performance as of September 30, 1999 was:*

                    Total Return

                     Percentage

1 year                  20.17%
Life of Fund**          10.47
           ---------

           *Performance  information  is based on Stein Roe Midcap  Growth  Fund
           Class S. **Since inception on June 30, 1997.

         Investment performance figures assume reinvestment of all dividends and
distributions  and do not take into account any federal,  state, or local income
taxes which  shareholders  must pay on a current basis. They are not necessarily
indicative  of  future  results.  The  performance  of the Fund is a  result  of
conditions  in the  securities  markets,  portfolio  management,  and  operating
expenses. Although investment performance information is useful in reviewing the
Fund's  performance  and in  providing  some  basis for  comparison  with  other
investment  alternatives,  it  should  not be used  for  comparison  with  other
investments using different reinvestment assumptions or time periods.

         The Fund may note its mention or recognition in newspapers,  magazines,
or other media from time to time.  However,  the Fund assumes no  responsibility
for the accuracy of such data.  Newspapers and magazines which might mention the
Fund include, but are not limited to, the following:


<PAGE>


                                                     1

Architectural Digest
Arizona Republic
Atlanta Constitution
Atlantic Monthly
Associated Press
Barron's
Bloomberg
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
Business Week
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times
Cleveland Plain Dealer
CNBC
CNN

Crain's Chicago  Business  Consumer Reports Consumer Digest Dow Jones Investment
Advisor Dow Jones Newswire Fee Advisor Financial Planning Financial World Forbes
Fortune Fund Action Fund Marketing Alert Gourmet Individual  Investor Investment
Dealers' Digest Investment News Investor's Business Daily

Kiplinger's  Personal Finance Magazine  Knight-Ridder Lipper Analytical Services
Los Angeles Times Louis  Rukeyser's Wall Street Money Money on Line  Morningstar
Mutual Fund Market News Mutual Fund News Service Mutual Funds  Magazine  Newsday
Newsweek New York Daily News The New York Times  No-Load Fund  Investor  Pension
World Pensions and Investment Personal Investor  Physicians  Financial News Jane
Bryant Quinn (syndicated column) Reuters The San Francisco Chronicle  Securities
Industry Daily Smart Money Smithsonian  Strategic Insight Street.com Time Travel
& Leisure USA Today U.S. News & World Report Value Line The Wall Street  Journal
The Washington Post Working Women Worth Your Money


<PAGE>


                                                     1

         In  advertising  and  sales  literature,   the  Fund  may  compare  its
performance with that of other mutual funds, indexes or averages of other mutual
funds,  indexes  of  related  financial  assets  or data,  and  other  competing
investment  and  deposit  products  available  from or through  other  financial
institutions.  The composition of these indexes or averages differs from that of
the Fund.  Comparison of the Fund to an  alternative  investment  should be made
with consideration of differences in features and expected  performance.  All of
the indexes and averages noted below will be obtained from the indicated sources
or reporting  services,  which the Fund believes to be generally  accurate.  The
Fund may compare its  performance  to the Consumer  Price Index (All  Urban),  a
widely recognized  measure of inflation.  The Fund's performance may be compared
to the following indexes or averages:

Dow-Jones Industrial Average             New York Stock Exchange Composite Index
Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index        American Stock Exchange Composite Index
Standard & Poor's 400 Industrials        Nasdaq Composite
Russell 2000 Index                       Nasdaq Industrials
Wilshire 5000
   (These indexes are widely recognized       (These indexes generally reflect
   indicators of general U.S. stock market    the performance of stocks traded
   results.)                                  in the indicated markets.)

         In  addition,  the  Fund  may  compare  performance  to  the  indicated
benchmarks:

------------------------------------------------------
                      Benchmark

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Capital Appreciation Fund Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Capital Appreciation Fund Index

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Equity Fund Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Lipper General Equity Fund Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Aggressive Growth Fund Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar All Equity Funds Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Domestic Stock Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Equity Fund Average

------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar General Equity Average*
------------------------------------------------------
------------------------------------------------------
Value Line Index (Widely recognized indicator of performance of small-and medium
sized company stocks)

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

                             *Includes Morningstar Aggressive Growth, Growth,
                              Balanced, Equity Income, and Growth and Income
                              Averages.

         Lipper Growth Fund Index  reflects the net asset value  weighted  total
return of the largest  thirty  growth funds and thirty  growth and income funds,
respectively,  as calculated and published by Lipper. The Lipper and Morningstar
averages are unweighted  averages of total return performance of mutual funds as
classified, calculated, and published by these independent services that monitor
the performance of mutual funds.  The Fund may also use comparative  performance
as computed in a ranking by Lipper or category averages and rankings provided by
another  independent  service.  Should Lipper or another service  reclassify the
Fund to a  different  category  or  develop  (and  place  the  Fund  into) a new
category,  the Fund may compare its  performance  or ranking with those of other
funds in the newly assigned category, as published by the service.

         The Fund may also cite its  rating,  recognition,  or other  mention by
Morningstar  or any  other  entity.  Morningstar's  rating  system  is  based on
risk-adjusted total return performance and is expressed in a star-rating format.
The risk-adjusted number is computed by subtracting the Fund's risk score (which
is a function of the fund's monthly returns less the 3-month T-bill return) from
its  load-adjusted  total return score.  This numerical score is then translated
into  rating  categories,  with the top 10%  labeled  five star,  the next 22.5%
labeled four star,  the next 35% labeled three star,  the next 22.5% labeled two
star, and the bottom 10% one star. A high rating reflects  either  above-average
returns or below-average risk, or both.

         Of course, past performance is not indicative of future results.

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

         To  illustrate  the  historical  returns on various  types of financial
assets, the Funds may use historical data provided by Ibbotson Associates,  Inc.
("Ibbotson"),  a Chicago-based investment firm. Ibbotson constructs (or obtains)
very long-term  (since 1926) total return data  (including,  for example,  total
return  indexes,  total return  percentages,  average  annual total  returns and
standard deviations of such returns) for the following asset types:

                                     Common stocks
                                     Small company stocks
                                     Long-term corporate bonds
                                     Long-term government bonds
                                     Intermediate-term government bonds
                                     U.S. Treasury bills
                                     Consumer Price Index
                                               ---------------------

       The Fund may also use hypothetical  returns to be used as an example in a
mix of asset allocation  strategies.  One such example is reflected in the chart
below, which shows the effect of tax deferral on a hypothetical investment. This
chart  assumes  that an  investor  invested  $2,000 a year on January 1, for any
specified  period, in both a Tax-Deferred  Investment and a Taxable  Investment,
that both  investments earn either 6%, 8% or 10% compounded  annually,  and that
the investor withdrew the entire amount at the end of the period. (A tax rate of
39.6% is applied  annually to the Taxable  Investment  and on the  withdrawal of
earnings on the Tax-Deferred Investment.) <TABLE> <CAPTION>


                 Tax-Deferred Investment vs. Taxable Investment
<S>                       <C>           <C>         <C>          <C>          <C>           <C>
Interest Rate              6%            8%          10%           6%            8%           10%
     Compounding

        Years                 Tax-Deferred Investment                    Taxable Investment
        -----                 -----------------------                    ------------------
         30                $124,992     $171,554     $242,340      $109,197     $135,346      $168,852
         25                  90,053      115,177      150,484        82,067       97,780       117,014
         20                  62,943       75,543       91,947        59,362       68,109        78,351
         15                  41,684       47,304       54,099        40,358       44,675        49,514
         10                  24,797       26,820       29,098        24,453       26,165        28,006
          5                  11,178       11,613       12,072        11,141       11,546        11,965
          1                   2,072        2,096        2,121         2,072        2,096         2,121
</TABLE>

         Dollar Cost Averaging.  Dollar cost averaging is an investment strategy
that requires investing a fixed amount of money in Fund shares at set intervals.
This  allows you to purchase  more  shares when prices are low and fewer  shares
when  prices are high.  Over time,  this  tends to lower your  average  cost per
share.  Like any investment  strategy,  dollar cost averaging  can't guarantee a
profit or protect  against losses in a steadily  declining  market.  Dollar cost
averaging  involves  uninterrupted  investing  regardless  of  share  price  and
therefore may not be appropriate for every investor.

         From  time to time,  the Fund may  offer in its  advertising  and sales
literature  to  send  an  investment  strategy  guide,  a tax  guide,  or  other
supplemental information to investors and shareholders.  It may also mention the
Stein  Roe  CounselorSM  program  and  asset  allocation  and  other  investment
strategies.

                                APPENDIX--RATINGS

RATINGS IN GENERAL

         A rating of a rating service represents the service's opinion as to the
credit quality of the security being rated. However, the ratings are general and
are not absolute  standards of quality or guarantees as to the  creditworthiness
of an  issuer.  Consequently,  Stein  Roe  believes  that  the  quality  of debt
securities invests should be continuously  reviewed and that individual analysts
give different  weightings to the various factors involved in credit analysis. A
rating is not a recommendation  to purchase,  sell or hold a security because it
does  not  take  into  account  market  value or  suitability  for a  particular
investor. When a security has received a rating from more than one service, each
rating  should  be  evaluated  independently.   Ratings  are  based  on  current
information  furnished  by the issuer or  obtained by the rating  services  from
other sources which they consider reliable. Ratings may be changed, suspended or
withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability  of such  information,  or
for other reasons.

         The following is a  description  of the  characteristics  of ratings of
corporate debt securities used by Moody's Investors  Service,  Inc.  ("Moody's")
and Standard & Poor's ("S&P").

RATINGS BY MOODY'S

Aaa. Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be the best quality.  They carry the smallest
degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest
payments  are  protected  by a  large  or an  exceptionally  stable  margin  and
principal  is secure.  Although  the various  protective  elements are likely to
change,  such  changes  as can be  visualized  are more  unlikely  to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such bonds.

Aa. Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all  standards.  Together
with the Aaa group they comprise  what are generally  known as high grade bonds.
They are rated lower than the best bonds because  margins of protection  may not
be as large as in Aaa bonds or  fluctuation  of  protective  elements  may be of
greater  amplitude  or  there  may be  other  elements  present  which  make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa bonds.

A. Bonds rated A possess  many  favorable  investment  attributes  and are to be
considered  as upper  medium  grade  obligations.  Factors  giving  security  to
principal  and interest  are  considered  adequate,  but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

Baa. Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations;  i.e., they are
neither highly  protected nor poorly  secured.  Interest  payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective  elements may be
lacking or may be  characteristically  unreliable over any great length of time.
Such  bonds  lack  outstanding  investment  characteristics  and  in  fact  have
speculative characteristics as well.

Ba.  Bonds  which are rated Ba are judged to have  speculative  elements;  their
future cannot be considered  as well assured.  Often the  protection of interest
and  principal  payments may be very  moderate and thereby not well  safeguarded
during  both  good  and bad  times  over the  future.  Uncertainty  of  position
characterizes bonds in this class.

B. Bonds  which are rated B  generally  lack  characteristics  of the  desirable
investment.  Assurance of interest and principal  payments or of  maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

Caa.  Bonds  which are rated Caa are of poor  standing.  Such  issues  may be
in  default  or there may be  present elements of danger with respect to
 principal or interest.

Ca.  Bonds  which are rated Ca  represent  obligations  which are  speculative
in a high  degree.  Such issues are often in default or have other marked
shortcomings.

         NOTE:  Moody's applies numerical  modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic
rating classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modifier 1 indicates  that the  security  ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category;  the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3  indicates  that  the  issue  ranks in the  lower  end of its  generic  rating
category.

RATINGS BY S&P

AAA.  Debt rated AAA has the highest rating.  Capacity to pay interest and
repay principal is extremely strong.

AA. Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.

A. Debt  rated A has a strong  capacity  to pay  interest  and  repay  principal
although it is somewhat more  susceptible  to the adverse  effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.

BBB.  Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate  capacity to pay interest
and  repay  principal.   Whereas  it  normally  exhibits   adequate   protection
parameters,  adverse  economic  conditions  or changing  circumstances  are more
likely to lead to a weakened  capacity to pay interest and repay  principal  for
debt in this category than for debt in higher rated categories.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C. Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC, or C is regarded,  on balance,
as predominantly  speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay
principal in  accordance  with the terms of the  obligation.  BB  indicates  the
lowest degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such
debt will likely have some  quality and  protective  characteristics,  these are
outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.

C1. This rating is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.

D. Debt rated D is in  default,  and  payment of interest  and/or  repayment  of
principal  is in  arrears.  The D  rating  is also  used  upon the  filing  of a
bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized.

NOTES:

The  ratings  from AA to CCC may be  modified  by the  addition of a plus (+) or
minus (-) sign to show  relative  standing  within the major rating  categories.
Foreign  debt is  rated  on the  same  basis  as  domestic  debt  measuring  the
creditworthiness of the issuer; ratings of foreign debt do not take into account
currency exchange and related uncertainties.

The  "r"  is  attached  to  highlight  derivative,  hybrid,  and  certain  other
obligations that S&P believes may experience high volatility or high variability
in expected returns due to non-credit  risks.  Examples of such obligations are:
securities   whose   principal  or  interest  return  is  indexed  to  equities,
commodities,  or  currencies;  certain swaps and options;  and interest only and
principal only mortgage  securities.  The absence of an "r" symbol should not be
taken  as an  indication  that an  obligation  will  exhibit  no  volatility  or
variability in total return.

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

--------
1 A "majority of the outstanding  voting  securities"  means the approval of the
lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares at a meeting if the holders of more than
50% of the  outstanding  shares are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more
than 50% of the outstanding shares.

2 A futures  contract on an index is an agreement  pursuant to which two parties
agree to take or make  delivery  of an  amount of cash  equal to the  difference
between  the  value of the  index at the  close of the last  trading  day of the
contract  and the price at which  the index  contract  was  originally  written.
Although the value of a  securities  index is a function of the value of certain
specified securities, no physical delivery of those securities is made.

3 A call option is  "in-the-money"  if the value of the futures contract that is
the  subject  of  the  option  exceeds  the  exercise  price.  A put  option  is
"in-the-money"  if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures  contract
that is the subject of the option.

4 An equity  option is defined to mean any option to buy or sell stock,  and any
other option the value of which is determined by reference to an index of stocks
of the type that is  ineligible  to be traded on a  commodity  futures  exchange
(e.g., an option contract on a sub-index based on the price of nine hotel-casino
stocks).  The definition of equity option excludes options on broad-based  stock
indexes (such as the Standard & Poor's 500 index).
<PAGE>

<PAGE>


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




            Statement of Additional Information Dated August 1, 2000

                    LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS INVESTMENT TRUST

                     One Financial Center, Boston, MA 02111

                                  800-338-2550

                      Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund-

                      Liberty Capital Opportunities Fund Class A

                       Stein Roe Large Company Focus Fund-

                      Liberty Large Company Focus Fund Class A

                      Stein Roe Small Company Growth Fund-

                     Liberty Small Company Growth Fund Class A

                     (each a Fund, collectively, the "Funds")

         This Statement of Additional  Information  ("SAI") is not a prospectus,
but provides additional information that should be read in conjunction with each
Fund's Class A  prospectus  dated August 1, 2000,  and any  supplements  thereto
("Prospectuses").  Financial  statements,  which  are  contained  in the  Funds'
September 30, 1999 Annual Report, and the March 31, 2000, Semi-annual Report are
incorporated  by reference  into this SAI. The  Prospectuses,  Annual Report and
Semi-annual Report may be obtained at no charge by telephoning    800-426-3750.


                                TABLE OF CONTENTS

                                                                            Page

General Information and History...........................................2
Investment Policies.......................................................4
Portfolio Investments and Strategies......................................4
Investment Restrictions..................................................22
Additional Investment Considerations.....................................24
Management...............................................................25
Financial Statements.....................................................30
Principal Shareholders...................................................31
Investment Advisory and Other Services...................................31
Distributor..............................................................33
Transfer Agent...........................................................35
Purchases and Redemptions................................................35
Custodian................................................................46
Independent Accountants..................................................46
Portfolio Transactions...................................................47
Additional Income Tax Considerations.....................................52
Investment Performance...................................................53
Appendix--Ratings........................................................60


<PAGE>


                                                GENERAL INFORMATION AND HISTORY

 .........The Funds  described  in this SAI are each a series of  Liberty-Stein
Roe Funds  Investment  Trust (the  "Trust").  The Funds and the dates they
commenced operations are:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>                                         <C>                                                   <C>
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
                                             Fund                                                 Commencement date

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Stein Roe Capital Opportunities Fund ("Capital Opportunities Fund")                                    6/10/63
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------

Stein Roe Large Company Focus Fund ("Large Company Focus Fund")                                        6/26/98
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
Stein Roe Small Company Growth Fund ("Small Company Growth Fund")                                       2/2/99
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
---------------------
</TABLE>


 ........On  February  1, 1996,  the name of the Trust was  changed to  separate
"SteinRoe"  into two words.  The name of the Trust was  changed  from "Stein Roe
Investment Trust" to  "Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Investment Trust" on October 18,
1999.

 .........Each Fund offers two classes of  shares--Classes  A and S. Prior to
August 1, 2000, each Fund had a single class of shares.  On July 28, 2000, the
outstanding  shares of each Fund were converted into Class S. On August 1, 2000,
the Funds commenced  offering Class A shares.    This SAI describes Class A
shares of the Funds. A separate SAI relates to Class S.

 .........The Trust is a Massachusetts  business trust organized  under an
Agreement and Declaration of Trust  ("Declaration  of Trust") dated  Jan.  8,
1987,  which  provides  that each  shareholder  shall be deemed to have agreed
to be bound by the terms  thereof.  The Declaration  of Trust may be amended by
a vote of either the Trust's  shareholders  or its  trustees.  The Trust may
issue an unlimited number  of  shares,  in one or more  series,  each with one
or more  classes,  as the Board may  authorize.  Currently,  12 series  are
authorized and  outstanding.  Each series invests in a separate  portfolio of
securities and other assets,  with its own objectives and
policies.

 .........Under Massachusetts law, shareholders of a Massachusetts business trust
such as the Trust could, in some  circumstances,  be held personally  liable for
unsatisfied  obligations  of the trust.  The  Declaration of Trust provides that
persons  extending credit to,  contracting with, or having any claim against the
Trust or any particular  series shall look only to the assets of the Trust or of
the respective series for payment under such credit, contract or claim, and that
the  shareholders,  trustees  and  officers  shall  have no  personal  liability
therefor.  The  Declaration of Trust requires that notice of such  disclaimer of
liability be given in each contract,  instrument or undertaking executed or made
on behalf of the Trust. The Declaration of Trust provides for indemnification of
any  shareholder  against any loss and expense  arising from personal  liability
solely  by reason of being or having  been a  shareholder.  Thus,  the risk of a
shareholder  incurring  financial  loss on account of  shareholder  liability is
believed to be remote, because it would be limited to circumstances in which the
disclaimer was inoperative and the Trust was unable to meet its obligations. The
risk of a particular  series incurring  financial loss on account of unsatisfied
liability of another series of the Trust also is believed to be remote,  because
it would be  limited  to  claims to which  the  disclaimer  did not apply and to
circumstances in which the other series was unable to meet its obligations.

 .........Each  share of a series (or class  thereof) is entitled to  participate
pro rata in any  dividends  and  other  distributions  declared  by the Board on
shares of that series (or class  thereof),  and all shares of a series (or class
thereof) have equal rights in the event of  liquidation of that series (or class
thereof).  Each whole share (or fractional share) outstanding on the record date
established  in  accordance  with the  By-Laws  shall be entitled to a number of
votes on any matter on which it is entitled to vote equal to the net asset value
of the share (or fractional  share) in United States  dollars  determined at the
close of business on the record date (for  example,  a share  having a net asset
value of $10.50 would be entitled to 10.5 votes). As a business trust, the Trust
is not required to hold annual shareholder meetings.  However,  special meetings
may be called for  purposes  such as  electing or  removing  trustees,  changing
fundamental policies, or approving an investment advisory contract. If requested
to do so by the  holders of at least 10% of its  outstanding  shares,  the Trust
will call a special  meeting  for the  purpose of voting  upon the  question  of
removal of a trustee or  trustees  and will  assist in the  communications  with
other  shareholders  as if the  Trust  were  subject  to  Section  16(c)  of the
Investment  Company Act of 1940. All shares of all series of the Trust are voted
together in the election of trustees. On any other matter submitted to a vote of
shareholders,  shares are voted in the aggregate  and not by individual  series,
except  that  shares  are  voted  by  individual  series  when  required  by the
Investment  Company  Act of 1940 or other  applicable  law, or when the Board of
Trustees  determines  that the matter  affects only the interests of one or more
series,  in which case shareholders of the unaffected series are not entitled to
vote on such matters.

INVESTMENT POLICIES

 .........The Trust          is an open-end  management  investment
companies.  Each Fund is  diversified,  (as defined in the Investment Company
Act of 1940), except Large Company Focus Fund, which is non-diversified.

 .........The investment objectives and policies are described in the Prospectus
under The Funds. In pursuing their  objectives,  each Fund
may also employ the investment  techniques  described  under  Portfolio
Investments and Strategies in this SAI.  Each investment objective is a
nonfundamental  policy and may be changed by the Board of Trustees without the
approval of a "majority of the outstanding voting securities."1

                      PORTFOLIO INVESTMENTS AND STRATEGIES

 .........Unless  otherwise noted, for purposes of discussion under Portfolio
Investments and Strategies, the term "Fund" refers to each Fund and the
Portfolio.

Debt Securities

 .........In pursuing its  investment  objective,  the Fund may invest in debt
securities of corporate and  governmental  issuers.  The risks inherent in debt
securities  depend  primarily on the term and quality of the  obligations in the
Fund's  portfolio as well as on market  conditions.  A decline in the prevailing
levels of interest rates generally  increases the value of debt securities,
while an increase in rates usually reduces the value of those securities.

 .........Investments  in debt  securities  by the Fund are limited to those that
are within the four highest grades (generally referred to as "investment grade")
assigned by a  nationally  recognized  statistical  rating  organization  or, if
unrated, deemed to be of comparable quality by Stein Roe. The Fund may invest up
to 35% of its net assets in debt securities,  but does not expect to invest more
than 5% of its net assets in debt  securities  that are rated  below  investment
grade. The Fund also does not have a current intention to invest more than 5% of
its total assets in investment grade debt securities.

 .........Securities   in  the  fourth  highest  grade  may  possess  speculative
characteristics,  and changes in economic  conditions  are more likely to affect
the issuer's  capacity to pay interest and repay  principal.  If the rating of a
security held by the Fund is lost or reduced below investment grade, the Fund is
not required to dispose of the  security,  but Stein Roe will consider that fact
in determining whether that Fund should continue to hold the security.

 .........Securities  that  are  rated  below  investment  grade  are  considered
predominantly  speculative with respect to the issuer's capacity to pay interest
and repay principal according to the terms of the obligation and therefore carry
greater  investment  risk,  including  the  possibility  of issuer  default  and
bankruptcy.

 .........When  Stein Roe determines  that adverse market or economic  conditions
exist and  considers  a temporary  defensive  position  advisable,  the Fund may
invest without limitation in high-quality fixed income securities or hold assets
in cash or cash equivalents.

Derivatives

 .........Consistent  with its objective, the Fund may invest in a broad array of
financial instruments and securities, including conventional exchange-traded and
non-exchange-traded  options;  futures  contracts;  futures options;  securities
collateralized by underlying pools of mortgages or other  receivables;  floating
rate instruments;  and other instruments that securitize assets of various types
("Derivatives").  In each  case,  the value of the  instrument  or  security  is
"derived" from the performance of an underlying asset or a "benchmark" such as a
security index, an interest rate, or a currency.

 .........Derivatives are most often used to manage investment risk or to create
an investment  position  indirectly  because using them is more  efficient or
less costly than direct  investment  that cannot be readily  established
directly due to  portfolio  size,  cash availability, or other factors.
They also may be used in an effort to enhance portfolio returns.

 .........The  successful use of Derivatives  depends on Stein Roe's ability to
correctly  predict  changes in the levels and directions of  movements  in
security  prices,  interest  rates and other  market  factors  affecting  the
Derivative  itself or the value of the underlying  asset or benchmark.  In
addition,  correlations in the  performance of an underlying  asset to a
Derivative may not be well established.  Finally,  privately negotiated and
over-the-counter  Derivatives may not be as well regulated and may be less
marketable than exchange-traded Derivatives.

 .........The Fund  currently  does not intend to invest more than 5% of its net
assets in any type of  Derivative  except for  options, futures contracts, and
futures options.  (See Options and Futures below.)

 .........Some  mortgage-backed debt securities are of the "modified pass-through
type," which means the interest and principal  payments on mortgages in the pool
are "passed through" to investors.  During periods of declining  interest rates,
there is increased  likelihood that mortgages will be prepaid,  with a resulting
loss of the  full-term  benefit of any  premium  paid by the Fund on purchase of
such  securities;  in  addition,  the  proceeds of  prepayment  would  likely be
invested at lower interest rates.

 .........Mortgage-backed  securities  provide  either a pro rata  interest in
 underlying  mortgages  or an interest in  collateralized mortgage  obligations
("CMOs") that represent a right to interest  and/or  principal  payments from an
underlying  mortgage pool. CMOs are not guaranteed by either the U.S. Government
or by its  agencies or  instrumentalities,  and are  usually  issued in multiple
classes each of which has different payment rights,  prepayment risks, and yield
characteristics.  Mortgage-backed  securities  involve the risk of prepayment on
the  underlying  mortgages  at a faster  or  slower  rate  than the  established
schedule.  Prepayments  generally  increase  with  falling  interest  rates  and
decrease with rising rates but they also are influenced by economic, social, and
market  factors.  If mortgages are prepaid during periods of declining  interest
rates,  there would be a resulting loss of the full-term  benefit of any premium
paid by the Fund on purchase of the CMO,  and the proceeds of  prepayment  would
likely be invested at lower interest rates.

 .........Non-mortgage  asset-backed securities usually have less prepayment risk
than mortgage-backed  securities, but have the risk that the collateral will not
be available to support  payments on the underlying  loans that finance payments
on the securities themselves.

 .........Floating rate  instruments  provide for periodic  adjustments in coupon
interest rates that are  automatically  reset based on changes in amount and
direction of specified  market interest rates. In addition,  the adjusted
duration of some of these  instruments may be materially  shorter than their
stated  maturities.  To the extent such instruments are subject to lifetime or
periodic  interest rate caps or floors, such instruments may experience greater
price volatility than debt instruments without such features. Adjusted duration
is an inverse  relationship  between market price and interest rates and refers
to the approximate  percentage change in price for a 100 basis point change in
yield.  For  example,  if interest  rates  decrease by 100 basis  points, a
market price of a security with an adjusted duration of 2 would increase by
approximately 2%.

Convertible Securities

 .........By investing in convertible  securities,  the Fund obtains the right to
benefit from the capital  appreciation  potential in the  underlying  stock upon
exercise of the conversion right, while earning higher current income than would
be available if the stock were purchased  directly.  In  determining  whether to
purchase a convertible,  Stein Roe will consider substantially the same criteria
that would be considered in purchasing the underlying  stock.  While convertible
securities purchased by the Fund are frequently rated investment grade, the Fund
may purchase  unrated  securities or securities  rated below investment grade if
the  securities  meet  Stein  Roe's  other  investment   criteria.   Convertible
securities  rated  below  investment  grade  (a)  tend to be more  sensitive  to
interest rate and economic  changes,  (b) may be  obligations of issuers who are
less creditworthy than issuers of higher quality convertible securities, and (c)
may be more  thinly  traded  due to such  securities  being  less well  known to
investors  than  investment  grade  convertible  securities,   common  stock  or
conventional debt securities.  As a result,  Stein Roe's own investment research
and analysis tend to be more important in the purchase of such  securities  than
other factors.

Foreign Securities

 .........The Fund may  invest  up to 25% of its  total  assets  in  foreign
securities,  which  may  entail a  greater  degree of risk (including risks
relating to exchange rate fluctuations,  tax provisions,  or expropriation of
assets) than investment in securities of domestic issuers.  For this purpose,
foreign securities do not include American  Depositary  Receipts (ADRs) or
securities guaranteed by a United  States  person.  ADRs are receipts typically
issued by an American  bank or trust  company  evidencing  ownership of the
underlying  securities.  The Fund may invest in sponsored or unsponsored  ADRs.
In the case of an unsponsored ADR, the Fund is likely to bear its proportionate
share of the  expenses of the  depositary  and it may have  greater  difficulty
in  receiving  shareholder communications  than it would have with a  sponsored
ADR.  No Fund intends to invest, nor during the past fiscal year has any Fund
invested, more than 5% of its net assets in unsponsored ADRs.

 .........As of Sept. 30, 1999,  holdings of foreign companies,  as a percentage
of net assets, were as follows:  Capital  Opportunities Fund, 1.4% (none in
foreign securities and 1.4% in ADRs); Large Company Focus Fund, 5.3%
(none in foreign  securities  and 5.3% in ADRs) Small  Company  Growth Fund,
 1.2% (none in foreign securities and 1.2% in ADRs).

 .........With respect to portfolio  securities  that are issued by foreign
 issuers or  denominated in foreign  currencies,  the Fund's
investment  performance  is affected by the strength or weakness of the U.S.
 dollar  against  these  currencies.  For example,  if the
dollar  falls in value  relative  to the  Japanese  yen,  the dollar  value of a
 yen-denominated stock held in the portfolio will rise even
though the price of the stock remains unchanged. Conversely, if the dollar rises
in value relative to the yen, the dollar value of the yen-denominated stock will
fall.  (See  discussion  of  transaction  hedging and  portfolio  hedging  under
Currency Exchange Transactions.)

 .........Investors  should  understand  and  consider  carefully  the  risks
 involved  in  foreign  investing.  Investing  in  foreign securities,
positions which are generally denominated in foreign currencies, and utilization
of forward foreign currency exchange contracts involve certain
 considerations comprising both risks and opportunities not typically associated
with investing in U.S. securities. These considerations include: fluctuations in
exchange rates of foreign  currencies;  possible  imposition of exchange control
regulation or currency  restrictions  that would prevent cash from being brought
back to the United States;  less public  information  with respect to issuers of
securities;  less  governmental  supervision  of  stock  exchanges,   securities
brokers, and issuers of securities;  lack of uniform accounting,  auditing,  and
financial  reporting  standards;  lack of uniform settlement periods and trading
practices;  less  liquidity and frequently  greater price  volatility in foreign
markets  than in the  United  States;  possible  imposition  of  foreign  taxes;
possible  investment  in  securities  of  companies  in  developing  as  well as
developed  countries;  and sometimes less advantageous legal,  operational,  and
financial protections  applicable to foreign sub-custodial  arrangements.  These
risks are greater for emerging markets.

 .........Although  the Funds will try to invest in companies and  governments of
countries  having stable  political  environments,  there is the  possibility of
expropriation or confiscatory  taxation,  seizure or  nationalization of foreign
bank deposits or other assets,  establishment of exchange controls, the adoption
of  foreign  government  restrictions,  or other  adverse  political,  social or
diplomatic developments that could affect investment in these nations.

 .........Currency Exchange  Transactions.  Currency exchange  transactions may
 be conducted either on a spot (i.e.,  cash) basis at the spot rate for
purchasing or selling currency  prevailing in the foreign exchange market or
 through forward currency exchange  contracts ("forward  contracts").  Forward
contracts are contractual agreements to purchase or sell a specified currency at
a specified future date (or within a specified time period) and price set at the
time of the contract.  Forward contracts are usually entered into with banks and
broker-dealers, are not exchange traded, and are usually for less than one year,
but may be renewed.

 .........The Fund's foreign currency  exchange  transactions are limited to
transaction and portfolio hedging involving either specific transactions  or
portfolio  positions.  Transaction  hedging is the  purchase or sale of forward
contracts  with  respect to specific receivables or payables of the Fund arising
in connection  with the purchase and sale of its portfolio  securities.Portfolio
hedging is the use of forward contracts with respect to portfolio  security
positions  denominated or quoted in a particular foreign currency.
Portfolio  hedging  allows the Fund to limit or reduce its exposure in a foreign
  currency by entering into a forward  contract to sell
such foreign  currency (or another  foreign  currency  that acts as a proxy for
 that  currency) at a future date for a price payable in U.S. dollars so that
the value of the  foreign-denominated  portfolio securities can be approximately
matched by a foreign-denominated liability. The Fund may not engage in portfolio
hedging  with  respect  to the  currency  of a  particular  country to an extent
greater than the aggregate market value (at the time of making such sale) of the
securities  held in its  portfolio  denominated  or  quoted  in that  particular
currency,  except  that the Fund may hedge all or part of its  foreign  currency
exposure  through the use of a basket of  currencies or a proxy  currency  where
such currencies or currency act as an effective proxy for other  currencies.  In
such a case, the Fund may enter into a forward  contract where the amount of the
foreign  currency to be sold exceeds the value of the securities  denominated in
such currency.  The use of this basket  hedging  technique may be more efficient
and economical than entering into separate  forward  contracts for each currency
held in the Fund.  The Fund may not engage in  "speculative"  currency  exchange
transactions.

 .........At the maturity of a forward contract to deliver a particular currency,
the Fund may either sell the  portfolio  security  related to such  contract and
make delivery of the currency,  or it may retain the security and either acquire
the  currency on the spot market or  terminate  its  contractual  obligation  to
deliver the currency by purchasing an offsetting contract with the same currency
trader  obligating  it to purchase on the same  maturity date the same amount of
the currency.

 .........It  is impossible to forecast with absolute  precision the market value
of portfolio securities at the expiration of a forward contract. Accordingly, it
may be necessary for the Fund to purchase additional currency on the spot market
(and bear the expense of such  purchase)  if the market value of the security is
less than the amount of  currency  the Fund is  obligated  to  deliver  and if a
decision  is made to sell  the  security  and  make  delivery  of the  currency.
Conversely,  it may be necessary to sell on the spot market some of the currency
received upon the sale of the portfolio security if its market value exceeds the
amount of currency the Fund is obligated to deliver.

 .........If the Fund retains the portfolio security and engages in an offsetting
transaction,  the Fund will incur a gain or a loss to the extent  that there has
been movement in forward contract  prices.  If the Fund engages in an offsetting
transaction,  it may subsequently  enter into a new forward contract to sell the
currency.  Should  forward  prices  decline during the period between the Fund's
entering  into a forward  contract  for the sale of a  currency  and the date it
enters into an offsetting  contract for the purchase of the  currency,  the Fund
will  realize a gain to the  extent the price of the  currency  it has agreed to
sell exceeds the price of the currency it has agreed to purchase. Should forward
prices  increase,  the Fund will  suffer a loss to the  extent  the price of the
currency  it has agreed to  purchase  exceeds  the price of the  currency it has
agreed to sell. A default on the contract  would  deprive the Fund of unrealized
profits  or force  the Fund to cover its  commitments  for  purchase  or sale of
currency, if any, at the current market price.

 ........Hedging  against a decline in the value of a currency does not eliminate
fluctuations  in the prices of  portfolio  securities  or prevent  losses if the
prices  of  such  securities  decline.   Such  transactions  also  preclude  the
opportunity for gain if the value of the hedged currency should rise.  Moreover,
it may not be possible for the Fund to hedge  against a  devaluation  that is so
generally anticipated that the Fund is not able to contract to sell the currency
at a price above the devaluation  level it anticipates.  The cost to the Fund of
engaging  in currency  exchange  transactions  varies  with such  factors as the
currency  involved,  the length of the contract  period,  and prevailing  market
conditions.  Since currency  exchange  transactions  are usually  conducted on a
principal basis, no fees or commissions are involved.

Structured Notes

 .........Structured  Notes are  Derivatives  on which the amount of  principal
repayment  and or  interest  payments is based upon the movement of one or more
 factors.  These  factors  include,  but are not limited to,  currency  exchange
rates,  interest rates (such as the prime lending rate and the London  Interbank
Offered rate  ("LIBOR")),  stock indices such as the S&P 500 Index and the price
fluctuations  of a  particular  security.  In  some  cases,  the  impact  of the
movements  of  these  factors  may  increase  or  decrease  through  the  use of
multipliers or deflators.  The use of Structured Notes allows the Fund to tailor
its  investments  to the specific  risks and returns  Stein Roe wishes to accept
while avoiding or reducing certain other risks.

Swaps, Caps, Floors and Collars

 .........The  Fund may enter into swaps and may purchase or sell  related  caps,
floors and collars.  The Fund would enter into these  transactions  primarily to
preserve  a return  or spread  on a  particular  investment  or  portion  of its
portfolio,  to protect against currency  fluctuations,  as a duration management
technique  or to protect  against  any  increase in the price of  securities  it
purchases at a later date.  The Fund intends to use these  techniques  as hedges
and not as speculative investments and will not sell interest rate income stream
the Fund may be obligated to pay.

 .........A swap agreement is generally  individually  negotiated and structured
to include  exposure to a variety of different types of investments or market
factors.  Depending on its structure, a swap agreement may increase or decrease
the Fund's  exposure to changes in the value of an index of securities in which
the Fund might invest,  the value of a particular  security or group of
 securities, or foreign currency values. Swap agreements can take many different
forms and are known by a variety  of names.  The Fund may enter into any form of
swap  agreement if Stein Roe  determines  it is consistent  with its  investment
objective and policies.

 .........A swap agreement tends to shift the Fund's  investment  exposure from
one type of investment to another.  For example,  if the Fund agrees to
exchange  payments in dollars at a fixed rate for payments in a foreign currency
the amount of which is  determined  by movements of a foreign securities index,
the swap agreement  would tend to increase  exposure to foreign stock market
movements and foreign  currencies.  Depending on how it is used, a swap
agreement  may  increase or decrease  the overall  volatility  of the Fund's
investments and its net asset value.

 .........The performance of a swap agreement is determined by the change in the
specific  currency,  market index,  security,  or other factors that determine
the amounts of payments due to and from the Fund.  If a swap  agreement  calls
for payments by the Fund,  the Fund must be prepared to make such payments when
due. If the counterparty's  creditworthiness  declines,  the value of a swap
agreement would be likely to decline,  potentially  resulting in a loss. The
Fund will not enter into any swap, cap, floor or collar  transaction unless, at
the time of entering into such  transaction,  the unsecured  long-term debt of
the  counterparty,  combined with any credit enhancements,  is rated at least A
by  Standard  & Poor's or  Moody's  Investors  Service,  Inc.  or has an
equivalent rating from a nationally recognized statistical rating organization
or is determined to be of equivalent credit quality by Stein Roe.

 .........The  purchase of a cap entitles the purchaser to receive  payments on a
notional  principal  amount from the party  selling the cap to the extent that a
specified index exceeds a predetermined interest rate or amount. The purchase of
a floor  entitles  the  purchaser  to receive  payments on a notional  principal
amount from the party  selling  such floor to the extent that a specified  index
falls below a predetermined  interest rate or amount.  A collar is a combination
of a cap and floor that preserves a certain return within a predetermined  range
of interest rates or values.

 .........At  the time the Fund enters into swap  arrangements  or  purchases  or
sells caps, floors or collars, liquid assets of the Fund having a value at least
as great as the commitment  underlying the obligations will be segregated on the
books of the  Fund  and  held by the  custodian  throughout  the  period  of the
obligation.

Lending of Portfolio Securities

 .........Subject  to  restriction  (5)  under  Investment  Restrictions  in
this SAI,  the Fund may lend its  portfolio  securities  to broker-dealers and
banks.  Any such loan must be  continuously  secured by  collateral  in cash or
cash  equivalents  maintained  on a current  basis in an amount at least equal
to the  market  value of the  securities  loaned by the Fund.  The Fund would
continue  to receive the equivalent of the interest or dividends paid by the
issuer on the securities  loaned,  and would also receive an additional return
that may be in the form of a fixed fee or a  percentage  of the  collateral.
The Fund would have the right to call the loan and obtain  the  securities
loaned at any time on notice of not more than five  business  days.  The Fund
would not have the right to vote the  securities during the existence of the
loan but would  call the loan to permit  voting of the securities if, in Stein
Roe's judgment,  a material event requiring a shareholder  vote would otherwise
occur before the loan was repaid.  In the event of bankruptcy or other default
of the borrower,  the Fund could  experience  both delays in liquidating  the
loan collateral or recovering the loaned securities and losses,  including (a)
possible  decline in the value of the collateral or in the value of the
securities  loaned during the period while the Fund seeks to enforce its rights
thereto,  (b) possible  subnormal  levels of income and lack of access to income
during this period,  and (c) expenses of enforcing its rights.  No Fund loaned
portfolio  securities during the fiscal year ended Sept. 30, 1999 nor does it
currently intend to loan more than 5% of its net assets.

Repurchase Agreements

 .........The Fund may invest in repurchase agreements, provided that it will not
invest  more than 15% of net assets in  repurchase  agreements  maturing in more
than seven days and any other illiquid  securities.  A repurchase agreement is a
sale of  securities  to the Fund in which the seller  agrees to  repurchase  the
securities at a higher price, which includes an amount representing  interest on
the purchase  price,  within a specified time. In the event of bankruptcy of the
seller,  the Fund could  experience  both losses and delays in  liquidating  its
collateral.

When-Issued and Delayed-Delivery Securities; Reverse Repurchase Agreements

 .........The Fund may purchase  securities on a  when-issued  or
delayed-delivery  basis.  Although the payment and interest  terms of these
securities  are  established  at the time the Fund enters into the  commitment,
the  securities may be delivered and paid for a month or more after the date of
purchase,  when their value may have changed.  The Fund make such  commitments
only with the intention of  actually  acquiring  the  securities, but may sell
the  securities  before  settlement  date if Stein Roe deems it  advisable for
investment  reasons.  During fiscal 1999, the Fund did not have commitments to
purchase  when-issued  securities in excess of 5% of its net assets, nor does
it currently intend to do so.

 .........The Fund may enter into reverse repurchase  agreements with banks and
securities  dealers.  A reverse repurchase  agreement is a repurchase agreement
in which the Fund is the seller of, rather than the investor in,  securities
and agrees to repurchase  them at an  agreed-upon  time and price.  Use of a
reverse  repurchase  agreement may be  preferable to a regular sale and later
repurchase of securities  because it avoids certain market risks and transaction
costs. No Fund entered into reverse  repurchase  agreements  during the fiscal
year ended Sept. 30, 1999.

 .........At  the time the Fund  enters  into a binding  obligation  to  purchase
securities on a when-issued basis or enters into a reverse repurchase agreement,
liquid assets (cash,  U.S.  Government  securities  or other  "high-grade"  debt
obligations)  of the Fund having a value at least as great as the purchase price
of the  securities  to be purchased  will be segregated on the books of the Fund
and held by the custodian  throughout the period of the  obligation.  The use of
these  investment  strategies,  as well as  borrowing  under a line of credit as
described below, may increase net asset value fluctuation.

Short Sales "Against the Box"

 .........The Fund may sell securities short against the box; that is, enter into
short sales of  securities  that it  currently  owns or has the right to acquire
through  the  conversion  or  exchange  of other  securities  that it owns at no
additional  cost.  The Fund may make short  sales of  securities  only if at all
times  when a short  position  is open it owns at least an equal  amount of such
securities or securities  convertible into or exchangeable for securities of the
same  issue  as,  and equal in amount  to,  the  securities  sold  short,  at no
additional cost.

 .........In a short sale  against the box,  the Fund does not  deliver from its
portfolio  the  securities  sold.  Instead,  the Fund borrows the securities
sold short from a broker-dealer  through which the short sale is executed,  and
the broker-dealer  delivers such securities,  on behalf of the Fund, to the
purchaser of such securities.  The Fund is required to pay to the  broker-dealer
the amount of any dividends paid on shares sold short.  Finally,  to secure its
obligation to deliver to such  broker-dealer  the securities  sold short,  the
Fund must  deposit  and  continuously  maintain  in a separate account with its
custodian  an  equivalent  amount of the securities sold short or securities
convertible  into or exchangeable  for such securities at no additional  cost.
The Fund is said to have a short  position in the securities  sold until it
delivers to the  broker-dealer  the  securities  sold. The Fund may close out a
short  position by purchasing on the open market and  delivering to the broker-
dealer  an equal amount of the  securities  sold short, rather than by
delivering portfolio securities.

 .........Short  sales may  protect  the Fund  against  the risk of losses in the
value of its portfolio  securities because any unrealized losses with respect to
such  portfolio   securities   should  be  wholly  or  partially   offset  by  a
corresponding gain in the short position.  However,  any potential gains in such
portfolio  securities  should be wholly or partially  offset by a  corresponding
loss in the short position.  The extent to which such gains or losses are offset
will depend upon the amount of securities  sold short relative to the amount the
Fund owns,  either directly or indirectly,  and, in the case where the Fund owns
convertible securities, changes in the conversion premium.

 .........Short sale  transactions  involve  certain risks. If the price of the
security sold short  increases  between the time of the short sale and the time
the Fund  replaces  the borrowed  security,  the Fund will incur a loss and if
the price  declines  during this period,  the Fund will realize a short-term
capital gain.  Any realized  short-term  capital gain will be decreased,  and
any incurred loss increased,  by the amount of transaction costs and any
premium,  dividend or interest which the Fund may have to pay in connection
with such short sale.  Certain  provisions  of the  Internal  Revenue Code may
 limit the degree to which the Fund is able to enter into short sales.  There is
no limitation on the amount of the Fund's assets that, in the aggregate,  may be
deposited as collateral  for the  obligation to replace  securities  borrowed to
effect short sales and allocated to segregated accounts in connection with short
sales.  No Fund  currently  expects  that more than 5% of total  assets would be
involved in short sales against the box.

Rule 144A Securities

 .........The  Fund may purchase  securities that have been privately  placed but
that are eligible for purchase and sale under Rule 144A under the Securities Act
of 1933. That Rule permits certain qualified  institutional  buyers, such as the
Fund, to trade in privately placed  securities that have not been registered for
sale  under the 1933 Act.  Stein  Roe,  under  the  supervision  of the Board of
Trustees,  will  consider  whether  securities  purchased  under  Rule  144A are
illiquid  and thus subject to the  restriction  of investing no more than 15% of
its net assets in illiquid  securities.  A determination  of whether a Rule 144A
security is liquid or not is a question of fact.  In making this  determination,
Stein Roe will consider the trading  markets for the specific  security,  taking
into account the unregistered nature of a Rule 144A security. In addition, Stein
Roe could consider the (1) frequency of trades and quotes, (2) number of dealers
and potential  purchasers,  (3) dealer  undertakings  to make a market,  and (4)
nature of the  security  and of  marketplace  trades  (e.g.,  the time needed to
dispose of the security,  the method of soliciting  offers, and the mechanics of
transfer). The liquidity of Rule 144A securities would be monitored and if, as a
result of changed  conditions,  it is determined that a Rule 144A security is no
longer liquid,  the Fund's holdings of illiquid  securities would be reviewed to
determine  what,  if any,  steps are  required  to assure that the Fund does not
invest more than 15% of its assets in  illiquid  securities.  Investing  in Rule
144A  securities  could have the effect of  increasing  the amount of the Fund's
assets  invested in illiquid  securities if qualified  institutional  buyers are
unwilling to purchase such  securities.  No Fund expects to invest as much as 5%
of its  total  assets in Rule 144A  securities  that have not been  deemed to be
liquid by Stein Roe.

Line of Credit

 .........Subject  to restriction (6) under Investment  Restrictions in this SAI,
the Fund may  establish and maintain a line of credit with a major bank in order
to permit  borrowing on a temporary basis to meet share  redemption  requests in
circumstances  in which temporary  borrowing may be preferable to liquidation of
portfolio securities.

Interfund Borrowing and Lending Program

 .........Pursuant to an exemptive order issued by the Securities and Exchange
Commission,  the Fund may lend money to and borrow money from other mutual funds
advised by Stein Roe. The Fund will borrow  through the program when borrowing
is necessary  and  appropriate and the costs are equal to or lower than the
costs of bank loans.

Portfolio Turnover

 .........Although  the  Funds do not  purchase  securities  with a view to rapid
turnover,  there  are no  limitations  on the  length  of  time  that  portfolio
securities  must be held.  Portfolio  turnover can occur for a number of reasons
such as general conditions in the securities markets,  more favorable investment
opportunities in other securities, or other factors relating to the desirability
of holding or changing a portfolio investment. Because of the Fund's flexibility
of investment and emphasis on growth of capital, they may have greater portfolio
turnover  than that of mutual  funds that have primary  objectives  of income or
maintenance of a balanced investment position. The future turnover rate may vary
greatly from year to year. A high rate of portfolio  turnover in the Fund, if it
should  occur,  would result in increased  transaction  expenses,  which must be
borne by that Fund.  High portfolio  turnover may also result in the realization
of capital gains or losses and, to the extent net  short-term  capital gains are
realized,  any  distributions  resulting  from  such  gains  will be  considered
ordinary income for federal income tax purposes.

Options on Securities and Indexes

 .........The  Fund may  purchase  and  sell put  options  and  call  options  on
securities,  indexes or foreign  currencies in standardized  contracts traded on
recognized securities exchanges, boards of trade, or similar entities, or quoted
on Nasdaq.  The Fund may purchase  agreements,  sometimes called cash puts, that
may accompany the purchase of a new issue of bonds from a dealer.

 .........An  option on a  security  (or  index)  is a  contract  that  gives the
purchaser (holder) of the option, in return for a premium, the right to buy from
(call)  or  sell to  (put)  the  seller  (writer)  of the  option  the  security
underlying  the option (or the cash value of the index) at a specified  exercise
price at any time during the term of the option  (normally  not  exceeding  nine
months).  The  writer  of an option on an  individual  security  or on a foreign
currency  has  the  obligation  upon  exercise  of the  option  to  deliver  the
underlying security or foreign currency upon payment of the exercise price or to
pay the  exercise  price upon  delivery  of the  underlying  security or foreign
currency. Upon exercise, the writer of an option on an index is obligated to pay
the  difference  between  the cash  value of the  index and the  exercise  price
multiplied  by the  specified  multiplier  for the  index  option.  (An index is
designed to reflect  specified  facets of a particular  financial or  securities
market,  a specific group of financial  instruments  or  securities,  or certain
economic indicators.)

 .........The  Fund will  write call  options  and put  options  only if they are
"covered." For example,  in the case of a call option on a security,  the option
is  "covered"  if the  Fund  owns  the  security  underlying  the call or has an
absolute and immediate  right to acquire that security  without  additional cash
consideration  (or, if additional cash  consideration is required,  cash or cash
equivalents  in such amount are held in a segregated  account by its  custodian)
upon conversion or exchange of other securities held in its portfolio.

 .........If an option  written by the Fund  expires,  the Fund  realizes a
capital  gain equal to the premium  received at the time the option was written.
If an option purchased by the Fund expires, the Fund realizes a capital loss
equal to the premium paid.

 .........Prior to the earlier of exercise or expiration, an option may be closed
out by an  offsetting  purchase or sale of an option of the same series  (type,
exchange,  underlying  security or index,  exercise  price,  and  expiration).
There can be no  assurance, however, that a closing purchase or sale transaction
can be effected when the Fund desires.

 .........The   Fund  will  realize  a  capital  gain  from  a  closing  purchase
transaction if the cost of the closing option is less than the premium  received
from  writing the  option,  or, if it is more,  the Fund will  realize a capital
loss. If the premium  received from a closing sale  transaction is more than the
premium paid to purchase the option, the Fund will realize a capital gain or, if
it is less,  the Fund  will  realize  a  capital  loss.  The  principal  factors
affecting the market value of a put or a call option  include supply and demand,
interest rates, the current market price of the underlying  security or index in
relation to the exercise  price of the option,  the volatility of the underlying
security or index, and the time remaining until the expiration date.

 .........A put or call option  purchased  by the Fund is an asset of the Fund,
valued  initially  at the premium  paid for the option. The premium  received
for an option written by the Fund is recorded as a deferred  credit.  The value
of an option purchased or written is  marked-to-market  daily and is valued at
the closing  price on the  exchange on which it is traded or, if not traded on
an exchange or no closing price is available, at the mean between the last bid
and asked prices.

 .........Risks  Associated with Options on Securities and Indexes.  There are
several risks  associated  with  transactions in options.
For example,  there are significant  differences  between the securities
markets,  the currency markets,  and the options markets that could  result in
an  imperfect  correlation  between  these  markets,  causing a given
transaction  not to achieve its  objectives.  A decision  as to  whether,
when  and how to use  options  involves  the  exercise  of skill and judgment,
and even a  well-conceived transaction may be unsuccessful to some degree
because of market behavior or unexpected events.

 .........There can be no assurance that a liquid market will exist when the Fund
seeks to close out an option  position.  If the Fund were unable to close out an
option that it had purchased on a security, it would have to exercise the option
in order to realize any profit or the option would expire and become  worthless.
If the Fund were  unable to close out a covered  call option that it had written
on a security,  it would not be able to sell the  underlying  security until the
option expired.  As the writer of a covered call option on a security,  the Fund
foregoes,  during the option's life, the opportunity to profit from increases in
the market value of the  security  covering the call option above the sum of the
premium and the exercise price of the call.

 .........If  trading  were  suspended  in an option  purchased  or  written by
the Fund,  the Fund  would not be able to close out the option.
If restrictions on exercise were imposed, the Fund might be unable to exercise
an option it has purchased.

Futures Contracts and Options on Futures Contracts

 .........The Fund may use interest  rate futures  contracts,  index futures
contracts,  and foreign  currency  futures  contracts.  An interest rate, index
or foreign  currency  futures contract  provides for the future sale by one
party and purchase by another party of a specified quantity of a financial
instrument or the cash value of an index2 at a specified  price and time.  A
public  market  exists in futures  contracts  covering a number of indexes
(including, but not limited to: the Standard & Poor's 500 Index, the Value Line
Composite Index,  and the New York Stock Exchange  Composite Index) as well as
financial  instruments  (including,  but not limited to: U.S.  Treasury bonds,
U.S.  Treasury notes,  Eurodollar  certificates of deposit,  and foreign
currencies).  Other index and financial instrument futures contracts are
available and it is expected that additional futures contracts will be
developed and traded.

 .........The Fund may purchase and write call and put futures  options.
Futures  options possess many of the same  characteristics  as
options on securities,  indexes and foreign  currencies  (discussed  above).
 A futures option gives the holder the right, in return for the premium paid, to
assume a long position (call) or short position (put) in a futures contract at a
specified  exercise  price at any time  during  the period of the  option.  Upon
exercise of a call option,  the holder  acquires a long  position in the futures
contract and the writer is assigned the opposite short position.  In the case of
a put option,  the opposite is true.  The Fund might,  for example,  use futures
contracts to hedge against or gain exposure to fluctuations in the general level
of stock prices,  anticipated changes in interest rates or currency fluctuations
that might  adversely  affect  either the value of the Fund's  securities or the
price of the  securities  that the Fund  intends  to  purchase.  Although  other
techniques  could be used to reduce or increase  that  Fund's  exposure to stock
price, interest rate and currency fluctuations,  the Fund may be able to achieve
its  exposure  more  effectively  and  perhaps at a lower cost by using  futures
contracts and futures options.

 .........The  Fund will only enter into futures  contracts  and futures  options
that are  standardized  and traded on an  exchange,  board of trade,  or similar
entity, or quoted on an automated quotation system.

 .........The  success of any futures transaction depends on accurate predictions
of changes in the level and direction of stock prices,  interest rates, currency
exchange rates and other  factors.  Should those  predictions be incorrect,  the
return might have been better had the transaction  not been attempted;  however,
in the  absence of the ability to use  futures  contracts,  Stein Roe might have
taken  portfolio  actions in  anticipation  of the same  market  movements  with
similar investment results but, presumably, at greater transaction costs.

 .........When a purchase or sale of a futures  contract is made by the Fund,
the Fund is required to deposit  with its  custodian  (or broker, if legally
permitted) a specified amount of cash or U.S.  Government  securities or other
 securities acceptable to the broker ("initial margin"). The margin required for
a futures  contract is set by the  exchange on which the  contract is traded and
may be modified  during the term of the contract.  The initial  margin is in the
nature of a  performance  bond or good faith  deposit on the  futures  contract,
which is returned to the Fund upon  termination  of the  contract,  assuming all
contractual  obligations have been satisfied.  The Fund expects to earn interest
income on its initial margin  deposits.  A futures  contract held by the Fund is
valued  daily at the  official  settlement  price of the exchange on which it is
traded.  Each day the Fund pays or receives  cash,  called  "variation  margin,"
equal to the daily  change in value of the  futures  contract.  This  process is
known as "marking-to-market." Variation margin paid or received by the Fund does
not represent a borrowing or loan by the Fund but is instead  settlement between
the Fund and the  broker of the  amount  one would owe the other if the  futures
contract  had expired at the close of the previous  day. In computing  daily net
asset value, the Fund will
 mark-to-market its open futures positions.

 .........The  Fund is also required to deposit and maintain  margin with respect
to put and call options on futures contracts written by it. Such margin deposits
will vary  depending on the nature of the underlying  futures  contract (and the
related  initial margin  requirements),  the current market value of the option,
and other futures positions held by the Fund.

 .........Although  some futures  contracts call for making or taking delivery of
the underlying  securities,  usually these  obligations  are closed out prior to
delivery by offsetting  purchases or sales of matching  futures  contracts (same
exchange,  underlying  security or index, and delivery month).  If an offsetting
purchase  price is less than the original  sale price,  the Fund engaging in the
transaction  realizes  a capital  gain,  or if it is more,  the Fund  realizes a
capital loss. Conversely,  if an offsetting sale price is more than the original
purchase price, the Fund engaging in the transaction realizes a capital gain, or
if it is less, the Fund realizes a capital loss. The transaction costs must also
be included in these calculations.

Risks Associated with Futures

 .........There  are several risks  associated with the use of futures  contracts
and  futures  options.  A purchase or sale of a futures  contract  may result in
losses in excess of the amount  invested in the futures  contract.  In trying to
increase or reduce market exposure, there can be no guarantee that there will be
a  correlation  between  price  movements  in the  futures  contract  and in the
portfolio  exposure  sought.  In  addition,  there are  significant  differences
between the  securities  and futures  markets  that could result in an imperfect
correlation between the markets,  causing a given transaction not to achieve its
objectives.  The degree of imperfection of correlation  depends on circumstances
such as:  variations in speculative  market demand for futures,  futures options
and the  related  securities,  including  technical  influences  in futures  and
futures options trading and  differences  between the securities  market and the
securities underlying the standard contracts available for trading. For example,
in the case of index futures contracts,  the composition of the index, including
the issuers and the weighting of each issue,  may differ from the composition of
the Fund's portfolio,  and, in the case of interest rate futures contracts,  the
interest rate levels,  maturities, and creditworthiness of the issues underlying
the futures  contract  may differ  from the  financial  instruments  held in the
Fund's  portfolio.  A  decision  as to  whether,  when  and  how to use  futures
contracts involves the exercise of skill and judgment, and even a well-conceived
transaction  may be  unsuccessful  to some degree because of market  behavior or
unexpected stock price or interest rate trends.

 .........Futures  exchanges  may limit the amount of  fluctuation  permitted  in
certain  futures  contract  prices during a single  trading day. The daily limit
establishes  the maximum  amount that the price of a futures  contract  may vary
either up or down from the  previous  day's  settlement  price at the end of the
current  trading  session.  Once the daily  limit has been  reached in a futures
contract subject to the limit, no more trades may be made on that day at a price
beyond  that  limit.  The daily  limit  governs  only price  movements  during a
particular trading day and therefore does not limit potential losses because the
limit may work to prevent the liquidation of unfavorable positions. For example,
futures  prices  have  occasionally   moved  to  the  daily  limit  for  several
consecutive  trading days with little or no trading,  thereby  preventing prompt
liquidation  of positions and  subjecting  some holders of futures  contracts to
substantial  losses.  Stock index futures  contracts are not normally subject to
such daily price change limitations.

 .........There  can be no  assurance  that a liquid  market will exist at a time
when the Fund seeks to close out a futures or futures option position.  The Fund
would be  exposed to  possible  loss on the  position  during  the  interval  of
inability  to  close,   and  would  continue  to  be  required  to  meet  margin
requirements  until the position is closed.  In addition,  many of the contracts
discussed  above are relatively new  instruments  without a significant  trading
history. As a result,  there can be no assurance that an active secondary market
will develop or continue to exist.
Limitations on Options and Futures

 .........If other options,  futures contracts, or futures options of types other
than those  described  herein are  traded in the  future,  the Fund may also use
those investment vehicles,  provided the Board of Trustees determines that their
use is consistent with the Fund's investment objective.

 .........The  Fund will not enter into a futures  contract or purchase an option
thereon if,  immediately  thereafter,  the initial  margin  deposits for futures
contracts  held by that Fund plus  premiums  paid by it for open futures  option
positions,  less the  amount by which any such  positions  are  "in-the-money,"3
would exceed 5% of the Fund's total assets.

 .........When purchasing a futures contract or writing a put option on a futures
contract,  the Fund must  maintain  with its  custodian  (or broker,  if legally
permitted) cash or cash  equivalents  (including any margin) equal to the market
value of such contract.  When writing a call option on a futures  contract,  the
Fund  similarly  will  maintain  with  its  custodian  cash or cash  equivalents
(including any margin) equal to the amount by which such option is  in-the-money
until the option expires or is closed out by the Fund.

 .........The  Fund may not maintain open short  positions in futures  contracts,
call options written on futures contracts or call options written on indexes if,
in the  aggregate,  the  market  value of all such open  positions  exceeds  the
current value of the securities in its portfolio, plus or minus unrealized gains
and  losses  on  the  open  positions,  adjusted  for  the  historical  relative
volatility of the relationship between the portfolio and the positions. For this
purpose,  to the extent the Fund has written call options on specific securities
in its  portfolio,  the  value of those  securities  will be  deducted  from the
current market value of the securities portfolio.

 .........In order to comply with Commodity Futures Trading Commission Regulation
4.5 and thereby avoid being deemed a "commodity  pool  operator,"  the Fund will
use  commodity  futures  or  commodity  options  contracts  solely for bona fide
hedging  purposes within the meaning and intent of Regulation  1.3(z),  or, with
respect to positions in commodity  futures and commodity  options contracts that
do not come  within the  meaning  and intent of 1.3(z),  the  aggregate  initial
margin and premiums  required to establish  such positions will not exceed 5% of
the fair  market  value of the assets of the Fund,  after  taking  into  account
unrealized  profits and  unrealized  losses on any such contracts it has entered
into [in the case of an option that is in-the-money at the time of purchase, the
in-the-money   amount  (as  defined  in  Section  190.01(x)  of  the  Commission
Regulations) may be excluded in computing such 5%].

Taxation of Options and Futures

 .........If  the Fund exercises a call or put option that it holds,  the premium
paid for the option is added to the cost basis of the security  purchased (call)
or deducted  from the proceeds of the security sold (put).  For cash  settlement
options and futures  options  exercised by the Fund, the difference  between the
cash received at exercise and the premium paid is a capital gain or loss.

 .........If a call or put option  written by the Fund is exercised,  the premium
is included in the  proceeds of the sale of the  underlying  security  (call) or
reduces the cost basis of the  security  purchased  (put).  For cash  settlement
options and futures options written by the Fund, the difference between the cash
paid  at  exercise  and  the  premium  received  is  a  capital  gain  or  loss.
 .........Entry  into a closing purchase  transaction will result in capital gain
or loss. If an option  written by the Fund was  in-the-money  at the time it was
written  and the  security  covering  the  option  was held  for  more  than the
long-term  holding period prior to the writing of the option,  any loss realized
as a result of a closing  purchase  transaction  will be long-term.  The holding
period of the securities  covering an  in-the-money  option will not include the
period of time the option is outstanding.

 .........If  the Fund  writes an equity  call  option4  other than a  "qualified
covered call option," as defined in the Internal  Revenue Code, any loss on such
option transaction, to the extent it does not exceed the unrealized gains on the
securities  covering the option, may be subject to deferral until the securities
covering the option have been sold.

 .........A  futures contract held until delivery results in capital gain or loss
equal to the  difference  between  the price at which the futures  contract  was
entered into and the settlement  price on the earlier of delivery notice date or
expiration date. If the Fund delivers  securities under a futures contract,  the
Fund also realizes a capital gain or loss on those securities.

 .........For  federal  income tax  purposes,  the Fund  generally is required to
recognize as income for each taxable year its net unrealized gains and losses as
of the end of the  year on  futures,  futures  options  and  non-equity  options
positions ("year-end  mark-to-market").  Generally,  any gain or loss recognized
with respect to such positions  (either by year-end  mark-to-market or by actual
closing of the positions) is considered to be 60% long-term and 40%  short-term,
without regard to the holding periods of the contracts.  However, in the case of
positions classified as part of a "mixed straddle," the recognition of losses on
certain positions (including options, futures and futures options positions, the
related securities and certain successor positions thereto) may be deferred to a
later  taxable  year.  Sale of futures  contracts or writing of call options (or
futures call  options) or buying put options (or futures put  options)  that are
intended to hedge against a change in the value of securities  held by the Fund:
(1) will affect the holding period of the hedged  securities;  and (2) may cause
unrealized  gain or loss on such securities to be recognized upon entry into the
hedge.

 .........If  the Fund  were to enter  into a short  index  future,  short  index
futures  option or short index  option  position and the Fund's  portfolio  were
deemed to "mimic" the  performance of the index  underlying  such contract,  the
option or futures  contract  position  and the Fund's stock  positions  would be
deemed to be positions in a mixed straddle,  subject to the above-mentioned loss
deferral rules.

 .........In  order for the Fund to continue  to qualify  for federal  income tax
treatment as a regulated  investment  company,  at least 90% of its gross income
for a taxable  year must be derived from  qualifying  income;  i.e.,  dividends,
interest,  income derived from loans of  securities,  and gains from the sale of
securities or foreign currencies,  or other income (including but not limited to
gains from options,  futures, or forward contracts).  Any net gain realized from
futures (or futures options)  contracts will be considered gain from the sale of
securities  and  therefore  be  qualifying   income  for  purposes  of  the  90%
requirement.

 .........The  Fund  distributes to  shareholders  annually any net capital gains
that have been  recognized for federal income tax purposes  (including  year-end
mark-to-market  gains) on options and futures  transactions.  Such distributions
are combined with  distributions  of capital gains  realized on the Fund's other
investments, and shareholders are advised of the nature of the payments.
 .........The  Taxpayer Relief Act of 1997 (the "Act") imposed  constructive sale
treatment for federal  income tax purposes on certain  hedging  strategies  with
respect to appreciated  securities.  Under these rules, taxpayers will recognize
gain, but not loss, with respect to securities if they enter into short sales of
"offsetting  notional principal contracts" (as defined by the Act) or futures or
"forward  contracts"  (as  defined  by the  Act)  with  respect  to the  same or
substantially  identical  property,  or if they enter into such transactions and
then  acquire  the  same or  substantially  identical  property.  These  changes
generally  apply to  constructive  sales  after June 8, 1997.  Furthermore,  the
Secretary of the Treasury is  authorized  to  promulgate  regulations  that will
treat as constructive  sales certain  transactions  that have  substantially the
same effect as short sales, offsetting notional principal contracts, and futures
or forward contracts to deliver the same or substantially similar property.


<PAGE>


                             INVESTMENT RESTRICTIONS

 .........The Funds          operate under the following investment
 restrictions.  No Fund          may:

 .........
 .........(1) with respect to 75% of its total assets, invest more than 5% of its
total assets, taken at market value at the time of a particular purchase, in the
securities of a single issuer, except for securities issued or guaranteed by the
U. S.  Government  or any of its  agencies or  instrumentalities  or  repurchase
agreements for such securities,  and except that all or substantially all of the
assets of the Fund may be  invested  in another  registered  investment  company
having  the same  investment  objective  and  substantially  similar  investment
policies as the Fund;

 .........(2)  acquire more than 10%, taken at the time of a particular purchase,
of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of any one  issuer,  except that all or
substantially  all of the  assets  of  the  Fund  may  be  invested  in  another
registered   investment  company  having  the  same  investment   objective  and
substantially similar investment policies as the Fund;

 .........(3)  act as an underwriter  of securities,  except insofar as it may be
deemed an underwriter  for purposes of the Securities Act of 1933 on disposition
of securities  acquired subject to legal or contractual  restrictions on resale,
except that all or  substantially  all of the assets of the Fund may be invested
in another registered  investment  company having the same investment  objective
and substantially similar investment policies as the Fund;

 .........(4)  purchase or sell real estate (although it may purchase  securities
secured by real estate or interests  therein,  or securities issued by companies
which invest in real estate or  interests  therein),  commodities,  or commodity
contracts,  except that it may enter into (a) futures and options on futures and
(b) forward contracts;

 .........(5)  make loans,  although  it may (a) lend  portfolio  securities  and
participate  in an  interfund  lending  program  with other  Stein Roe Funds and
Portfolios provided that no such loan may be made if, as a result, the aggregate
of such loans would  exceed 33 1/3% of the value of its total  assets  (taken at
market value at the time of such loans);  (b) purchase money market  instruments
and enter into repurchase  agreements;  and (c) acquire publicly  distributed or
privately placed debt securities;

 .........(6)  borrow except that it may (a) borrow for nonleveraging,  temporary
or emergency  purposes,  (b) engage in reverse  repurchase  agreements  and make
other borrowings,  provided that the combination of (a) and (b) shall not exceed
33 1/3% of the value of its total assets  (including  the amount  borrowed) less
liabilities  (other than borrowings) or such other percentage  permitted by law,
and (c) enter into futures and options  transactions;  it may borrow from banks,
other Stein Roe Funds and Portfolios,  and other persons to the extent permitted
by applicable law;

 .........(7) invest in a security if more than 25% of its total assets (taken at
market  value at the time of a  particular  purchase)  would be  invested in the
securities of issuers in any particular  industry,  except that this restriction
does not apply to securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S.  Government or its
agencies or  instrumentalities,  and except that all or substantially all of the
assets of the Fund may be  invested  in another  registered  investment  company
having  the same  investment  objective  and  substantially  similar  investment
policies as the Fund; or

 .........(8) issue any senior security except to the extent permitted under the
 Investment Company Act of 1940.

 .........The above  restrictions  (other than bracketed  portions  thereof other
than 1 and 2) are  fundamental  policies  and may not be changed  without the
approval of a "majority of the outstanding voting securities" as defined above.
Each Fund and,          ,  together  with  restrictions  1 and 2 above,  is also
subject to the
following  non-fundamental  restrictions  and policies, which may be  changed
by the Board of  Trustees.  None of the  following  restrictions  shall prevent
a Fund from  investing  all or substantially  all of its assets in another
investment  company  having  the same  investment  objective and substantially
the same investment policies as the Fund.  No Fund        :

 .........(a) invest in any of the  following:  (i)  interests  in oil,  gas, or
other  mineral leases or exploration or development programs (except readily
marketable securities,  including but not limited to master limited partnership
interests,  that may represent indirect interests in oil, gas, or other mineral
exploration or development  programs);  (ii) puts, calls,  straddles,  spreads,
or any combination  thereof (except that it may enter into transactions in
options,  futures,  and options on futures);  (iii) shares of other open-end
investment companies,  except in connection with a merger,  consolidation,
acquisition,  or reorganization;  and (iv) limited partnerships in real estate
unless they are readily marketable;

 .........(b) invest in companies for the purpose of exercising control or
management;

 .........(c) purchase more than 3% of the stock of another investment company or
purchase stock of other investment  companies equal to more than 5% of its total
assets  (valued  at time of  purchase)  in the case of any one other  investment
company and 10% of such assets  (valued at time of  purchase) in the case of all
other investment  companies in the aggregate;  any such purchases are to be made
in the open  market  where no  profit to a sponsor  or dealer  results  from the
purchase,  other than the customary broker's  commission,  except for securities
acquired as part of a merger, consolidation or acquisition of assets;

 .........(d) invest more than 5% of its net assets (valued at time of purchase)
in  warrants,  nor more than 2% of its net assets in warrants that are not
listed on the New York or American Stock Exchange;

 .........(e) write an option on a security unless the option is issued by the
Options Clearing Corporation,  an exchange, or similar entity;

 .........(f) invest more than 25% of its total assets (valued at time of
 purchase)  in  securities  of foreign  issuers  (other than securities
represented by American Depositary Receipts (ADRs) or securities guaranteed by
 a U.S. person);

 .........(g) purchase a put or call option if the  aggregate  premiums paid for
all put and call options  exceed 20% of its net assets (less the amount by which
any such positions are in-the-money), excluding put and call options purchased
as closing transactions;

 .........(h)  [Small  Company  Growth Fund only]  purchase  securities on margin
(except for use of  short-term  credits as are  necessary  for the  clearance of
transactions);  [all other Funds          purchase  securities on margin (except
for  use  of   short-term   credits  as  are  necessary  for  the  clearance  of
transactions),  or sell securities  short unless (i) it owns or has the right to
obtain securities  equivalent in kind and amount to those sold short at no added
cost or (ii)  the  securities  sold are  "when  issued"  or  "when  distributed"
securities which it expects to receive in a recapitalization, reorganization, or
other  exchange for  securities  it  contemporaneously  owns or has the right to
obtain and  provided  that  transactions  in  options,  futures,  and options on
futures are not treated as short sales;

 .........(i) invest more than 5% of its total  assets (taken at market value at
the time of a particular  investment)  in  restricted securities, other than
securities eligible for resale pursuant to Rule 144A under the Securities Act
of 1933;

 .........(j)  invest  more than 15% of its net  assets (taken at market value
at the time of a  particular  investment)  in  illiquid securities, including
repurchase agreements maturing in more than seven days.


                      ADDITIONAL INVESTMENT CONSIDERATIONS

 .........Stein Roe seeks to provide  superior  long-term  investment  results
through a  disciplined,  research-intensive  approach to investment  selection
and prudent risk  management.  In working to take sensible  risks and make
intelligent  investments  it has been guided by three primary  objectives which
it believes are the  foundation of a successful  investment  program.  These
objectives are preservation  of capital,  limited  volatility  through  managed
risk, and  consistent  above-average returns as appropriate for the particular
client or  managed  account.  Because  every  investor's  needs are  different,
Stein Roe  mutual  funds are  designed  to accommodate  different investment
objectives,  risk tolerance levels, and time horizons.  In selecting a mutual
fund, investors should ask the following questions:

What are my investment goals?

It is important to a choose the Fund that has investment  objectives  compatible
with your investment goals.

What is my investment time frame?

If you have a short  investment  time frame  (e.g.,  less than three  years),  a
mutual fund that seeks to provide a stable share  price,  such as a money market
fund, or one that seeks capital  preservation  as one of its  objectives  may be
appropriate.  If you  have a  longer  investment  time  frame,  you may  seek to
maximize  your  investment  returns by  investing  in a mutual  fund that offers
greater yield or appreciation potential in exchange for greater investment risk.

What is my tolerance for risk?

All  investments,  including  those in mutual funds,  have risks which will vary
depending on investment objective and security type. However,  mutual funds seek
to  reduce  risk  through  professional   investment  management  and  portfolio
diversification.

 .........In   general,   equity  mutual  funds   emphasize   long-term   capital
appreciation  and tend to have more volatile net asset values than bond or money
market mutual funds.  Although  there is no guarantee  that they will be able to
maintain  a stable  net  asset  value of $1.00 per  share,  money  market  funds
emphasize  safety of  principal  and  liquidity,  but tend to offer lower income
potential than bond funds. Bond funds tend to offer higher income potential than
money  market  funds  but  tend to have  greater  risk of  principal  and  yield
volatility.

                                   MANAGEMENT

 .......The Board of Trustees of the Trust has overall management  responsibility
for the Trust and the Fund. The following  table sets forth certain  information
with respect to the trustees and officers of the Trust:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
<S>    <C>                         <C>                      <C>

                                    Position(s) held          Principal occupation(s)
        Name, Age; Address          with the Trust            during past five years

William D. Andrews, 52;             Executive Vice-President  Executive vice president of Stein Roe
One South Wacker Drive,
Chicago, IL  60606 (4)
(4)

John A. Bacon Jr., 72;              Trustee                  Private investor
4N640Honey Hill Road, Box 296
Wayne, IL 60184 (3)(4)

Christine Balzano, 34;             Vice-President           Senior vice president of Liberty Funds Services, Inc.;
245 Summer Street,                                          formerly vice president and assistant vice president
Boston, MA 02210

William W. Boyd, 72;               Trustee                  Chairman and director of Sterling Plumbing (manufacturer
 2900 Golf  Road,                                           of plumbing products)
 Rolling Meadows, IL  60008(2)(3)(4)

David P. Brady, 35;                Vice-President            Senior vice president of Stein Roe
One South Wacker Drive                                       since March 1998;  vice president of Stein Roe
Chicago,  IL 60606                                           from Nov. 1995 to March (4) 1998;
                                                             portfolio manager for Stein Roe since 1993

Daniel K. Cantor, 40;              Vice-President           Senior vice president of Stein Roe
1330 Avenue of the Americas,
 New York, NY
10019 (4)



Kevin M. Carome, 43; One           Executive                Senior vice president, legal, Liberty Funds Group LLC
Financial Center, Boston, MA       Vice-President;          (an affiliate of Stein Roe) since Jan. 1999; general
02111  (4)                         Assistant Secretary      counsel and secretary of Stein Roe since Jan. 1998;
                                                            associate general counsel and vice president of Liberty
                                                            Financial Companies, Inc. (the indirect parent of Stein
                                                            Roe) through Jan. 1999

Denise E. Chasmer, 31;             Vice President           Employee of Liberty Funds Services, Inc. and assistant
12100 East Iliff Avenue                                     vice president of Stein Roe since November 1999; manager
Aurora, CO 80014 (4)                                        with Scudder Kemper Investments from October 1995 to
                                                            November 1999; assistant manager with Scudder Kemper
prior thereto

J. Kevin Connaughton, 35;         Vice-President;           Controller of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
245 Summer Street,                Controller                Controller and Chief Accounting Officer of the Liberty
Boston, MA 02210(4)                                         Funds since February 1998, Vice president of Colonial
                                                            Management Associates,  Inc. ("CMA") since
                                                            February 1998;  senior tax  manager, Coopers & Lybrand,
                                                            LLP from  April 1996 to   January   1998; vice
president,  440
                                                            Financial Group/First Data Investor Services Group prior
thereto

Nancy L. Conlin, 46;             Senior Vice President      Secretary of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
One Financial Center             and Secretary              Secretary of the Liberty Funds since April 1998
Boston, MA 02111 (4)                                        (formerly Assistant Secretary from July 1994 to April
                                                            1998);     Director,
                                                            Senior          Vice
                                                            President    General
                                                            Counsel,  Clerk  and
                                                            Secretary         of
                                                            Colonial  Management
                                                            Associates,     Inc.
                                                            since   April   1998
                                                            (formerly       Vice
                                                            President,  Counsel,
                                                            Assistant  Secretary
                                                            and Assistant  Clerk
                                                            from  July  1994  to
                                                            April  1998);   Vice
                                                            President,   General
                                                            Counsel          and
                                                            Secretary of Liberty
                                                            Funds   Group  since
                                                            December        1998
                                                            (formerly       Vice
                                                            President,   General
                                                            Counsel and Clerk of
                                                            The  Colonial  Group
                                                            from  April  1998 to
                                                            December        1998
                                                            (formerly  Assistant
                                                            Clerk from July 1994
                                                            to April 1998)

Lindsay Cook, 47;               Trustee                     Executive vice president of Liberty Financial Companies,
600 Atlantic Avenue,                                        Inc. since March 1997; senior vice president prior
thereto
Boston, MA 02210 (1)(2)(4)

William M. Garrison, 33;        Vice-President              Vice president of Stein Roe since Feb. 1998; associate
One South Wacker Drive,                                     portfolio manager for Stein Roe since August 1994
Chicago, IL 60606 (4)



Stephen E. Gibson, 46;         President                    Vice chairman of Stein Roe since Aug. 1998; chairman,
One Financial Center,                                       CEO, president and director of Liberty Funds Group since
Boston, MA 02111 (4)                                        Dec. 1998; chairman of the Colonial Group from July 1998
                                                            to Dec. 1998; president of the Colonial Group from Dec.
                                                            1996 to Dec. 1998; chairman of Colonial Management
                                                            Associates, Inc. since Dec. 1998; CEO, president and
                                                            director of Colonial Management Associates since July
                                                            1996; managing director of Putnam Financial Services
                                                            from June 1992 through June 1996

Erik P. Gustafson,  35;  Vice-President  Senior portfolio  manager of Stein Roe;
senior One South  Wacker  Drive vice  president  of Stein Roe since  April 1996;
Chicago, IL 60606 vice president (4) of Stein Roe prior thereto


PM: Investment, Advisor, Base,

SRVIT

Douglas A. Hacker, 43;        Trustee                        Senior vice president and chief financial officer of
P.O. Box 66100,                                              UAL, Inc. (airline)
Chicago, IL 60666 (3) (4)

Loren A. Hansen, 51; Executive Vice-President Chief investment officer/equity of
CMA since 1997;  One South Wacker Drive  executive  vice  president of Stein Roe
since Dec.  1995;  Chicago,  IL 60606(4)  vice  president of The Northern  Trust
(bank) prior thereto

Harvey B.  Hirschhorn,  49;  Vice-President  Executive  vice  president,  senior
portfolio  manager,  One  South  Wacker  Drive  Chicago,   chief  economist  and
investment  strategist of Stein Roe; Chicago,  IL 60606 (4) director of research
of Stein Roe, 1991 to 1995

Janet Langford Kelly, 41;     Trustee                       Executive vice president-corporate development, general
One Kellogg Square,                                         counsel and secretary of Kellogg Company since Sept.
Battle Creek, MI 49016 (3)(4)                               1999; senior vice president, secretary and general
                                                            counsel of Sara Lee Corporation (branded, packaged,
                                                            consumer-products manufacturer) from 1995 to Aug. 1999;
                                                            partner of Sidley & Austin (law firm) prior thereto

Gail D. Knudsen, 37; 245 Summer    Vice President           Vice president and assistant controller of CMA
Street, Boston, MA 02210 (4)

Pamela A. McGrath, 46:            Senior Vice President    Treasurer of the Stein Roe Funds since May 2000;
One Financial Center,             and Treasurer            Treasurer and Chief Financial Officer of the Liberty
Boston, MA02111 (4)                                        Funds and Liberty All-Star Funds since April 2000;
                                                           Treasurer, Chief Financial Officer and Vice President
                                                            of the Liberty Funds Group since December
                                                            1999;  Chief Financial Officer,
                                                            Treasurer and Senior Vice President of Colonial
Management
                                                            Associates     since
                                                            December       1999;
                                                            Senior          Vice
                                                            President        and
                                                            Director of Offshore
                                                            Accounting       for
                                                            Putnam  Investments,
                                                            Inc.,  from May 1998
                                                            to   October   1999;
                                                            Managing Director of
                                                            Scudder       Kemper
                                                            Investments     from
                                                            October,   1984   to
                                                            December 1997.

Mary D. McKenzie, 45; One          Vice President           President of Liberty Funds Services, Inc.
Financial Center, Boston, MA
02111 (4)

Charles R. Nelson, 57; Department  Trustee                  Van Voorhis Professor of Political Economy, Department
of Economics, University of                                 of Economics of the University of Washington
Washington, Seattle, WA 98195
(3)(4)

Nicholas S. Norton, 40; 12100      Vice President          Senior vice president of Liberty Funds Services, Inc.
12100 East Iliff Avenue,                                   since Aug. 1999; vice president of Scudder Kemper, Inc.
Aurora, CO 80014 (4)                                       from May 1994 to Aug. 1999

Joseph R. Palombo, 47;             Executive Vice President Executive Vice President of the Stein Roe Funds since
One Financial Center, Boston, MA                            May 2000; Vice President of the Liberty Funds since
02111 (4)                                                   April 1999; Executive Vice President and Director of
                                                            Colonial  Management
                                                            Associates     since
                                                            April          1999;
                                                            Executive       Vice
                                                            President  and Chief
                                                            Administrative
                                                            Officer    of    the
                                                            Liberty  Funds Group
                                                            since   April  1999;
                                                            Chief      Operating
                                                            Officer,      Putnam
                                                            Mutual   Funds  from
                                                            1994 to 1998.

Thomas C. Theobald, 62;              Trustee               Managing director, William Blair Capital Partners
Suite 1300, 222 West Adams Street,                        (private equity fund)
Chicago, IL 60606 (3)(4)

-------------------------
</TABLE>


(1)  Trustee  who is an  "interested  person" of the Trust and of Stein Roe,  as
defined in the  Investment  Company  Act of 1940.  (2)  Member of the  Executive
Committee of the Board of Trustees,  which is  authorized to exercise all powers
of the Board with certain

      statutory exceptions.
(3)   Member of the Audit Committee of the Board, which makes recommendations to
      the Board  regarding  the  selection  of  auditors  and  confers  with the
      auditors regarding the scope and results of the audit.

(4) This person holds the  corresponding  officer or trustee  position with SR&F
Base Trust.

         Certain of the  trustees  and  officers  of the Trust are  trustees  or
officers of other  investment  companies  managed by Stein Roe;  and some of the
officers  are also  officers  of Liberty  Funds  Distributor,  Inc.,  the Fund's
distributor.

         Officers  and  trustees  affiliated  with Stein Roe serve  without  any
compensation  from the Trust. In  compensation  for their services to the Trust,
trustees who are not "interested  persons" of the Trust or Stein Roe are paid an
annual retainer plus an attendance fee for each meeting of the Board or standing
committee  thereof  attended.  The Trust has no retirement or pension plan.  The
following table sets forth  compensation paid during the fiscal year ended Sept.
30, 1999 to each of the trustees:


<PAGE>

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>




                                                                    Compensation from the Stein Roe
                                                                             Fund Complex*
                                                                   -----------------------------------
                    Aggregate Compensation Total Average Per
<S>                                    <C>                         <C>                 <C>
       Name of Trustee                  from the Trust                Compensation         Series
------------------------------ ----------------------------------  -------------------  --------------
Thomas W. Butch**                             -0-                         -0-                -0-
Lindsay Cook                                  -0-                         -0-                -0-
John A. Bacon Jr.**                         $25,500                      $117,850          $2,562
William W. Boyd                              22,450                       104,100           2,263
Douglas A. Hacker                            20,650                        93,900           2,041
Janet Langford Kelly                         22,450                       103,400           2,248
Charles R. Nelson                            22,450                       103,900           2,259
Thomas C. Theobald                           22,450                       103,400           2,248
    ---------------
      *  At Sept. 30, 1999, the Stein Roe Fund Complex consisted of 12 series of
         the Trust, one series of Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Trust, four series of
         Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Municipal Trust,  four series of Liberty-Stein
         Roe Funds Income Trust, five series of Liberty-Stein Roe Advisor Trust,
         five series of SteinRoe  Variable  Investment  Trust,  12 portfolios of
         SR&F  Base  Trust,   Liberty-Stein  Roe  Advisor  Floating  Rate  Fund,
         Liberty-Stein  Roe  Institutional  Floating Rate Income Fund, and Stein
         Roe Floating Rate Limited Liability Company.

      **  Mr. Butch served as a trustee until Nov. 3, 1998; Mr. Bacon was
          elected a trustee effective Nov. 3, 1998.
</TABLE>

                              FINANCIAL STATEMENTS

         Please refer to the September 30, 1999 Financial Statements (management
discussion, statements of assets and liabilities and schedules of investments as
of September 30, 1999 and the statements of  operations,  changes in net assets,
financial  highlights,   and  notes  thereto)  and  the  report  of  independent
accountants  contained in the  September 30, 1999 Annual Report and in the March
31, 2000  Semi-annual  Reports.  Those  Financial  Statements  and the report of
independent accountants are incorporated herein by reference.  The Annual Report
may be obtained at no charge by telephoning 800-338-2550.


<PAGE>



                             PRINCIPAL SHAREHOLDERS

         As of June 30,  2000,  the only  persons  known by the  Trust to own of
record or "beneficially"  5% or more of the outstanding  shares of a Fund within
the  definition  of that term as  contained  in Rule 13d-3 under the  Securities
Exchange Act of 1934 were as follows:

                                                                     Approximate
                                                                   Percentage of

                                                              Outstanding Shares

           Name and Address                          Fund               Held

Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.              Capital Opportunities Fund     24.85%
Special Cusody Account for the
    exclusive benefit of our customers
Attn: Mutual Funds
101 Montgomery Street

San Francisco, CA 94104-4122
National Financial Services Corp.       Capital Opportunities Fund      5.48%
For the exclusive benefit of our
    customers
P.O. Box 3908
Church Street Station
New York, NY 10008-3908

Keyport Life Insurance Company          Small Company Growth Fund      26.32%
C/o Michelle Cote
125 High Street
Boston, MA 02101



                     INVESTMENT ADVISORY AND OTHER SERVICES

         Stein  Roe  &  Farnham  Incorporated   provides  investment  management
services and  administrative  services to the Funds. Stein Roe is a wholly owned
subsidiary of SteinRoe Services Inc. ("SSI"),  the Funds' transfer agent,  which
is a wholly owned  subsidiary of Liberty  Financial  Companies,  Inc.  ("Liberty
Financial"), which is a majority owned subsidiary of LFC Management Corporation,
which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Liberty Corporate Holdings, Inc., which is
a wholly  owned  subsidiary  of LFC  Holdings,  Inc.,  which  is a wholly  owned
subsidiary  of  Liberty  Mutual  Equity  Corporation,  which is a  wholly  owned
subsidiary of Liberty Mutual Insurance Company. Liberty Mutual Insurance Company
is a mutual insurance company,  principally in the  property/casualty  insurance
field, organized under the laws of Massachusetts in 1912.

         The director of Stein Roe is C. Allen  Merritt,  Jr. Merritt is Chief
Operating  Officer of Liberty  Financial.  The business address of Mr. Merritt
is 600 Atlantic Avenue, Boston, MA 02210.

         Stein Roe  CounselorSM is a professional  investment  advisory  service
offered by Stein Roe to Fund shareholders.  Stein Roe CounselorSM is designed to
help shareholders  construct Fund investment portfolios to suit their individual
needs. Based on information shareholders provide about their financial goals and
objectives in response to a questionnaire,  Stein Roe's investment professionals
create customized portfolio recommendations. Shareholders participating in Stein
Roe  CounselorSM  are free to self direct their  investments  while  considering
Stein Roe's  recommendations.  In addition to reviewing  shareholders' goals and
objectives  periodically and updating  portfolio  recommendations to reflect any
changes,  Stein Roe provides  shareholders  participating in these programs with
dedicated representatives. Other distinctive services include specially designed
account  statements  with portfolio  performance  and  transaction  data,  asset
allocation planning tools, newsletters,  customized website content, and regular
investment,  economic  and  market  updates.  A $50,000  minimum  investment  is
required to participate in the program.

         In return for its services,  Stein Roe is entitled to receive a monthly
administrative  fee and a monthly management fee from each Fund. The table below
shows the annual rates of such fees as a percentage of average net assets (shown
in millions),  gross fees paid for the three most recent  fiscal years,  and any
expense reimbursements by Stein Roe:
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                           <C>                <C>                            <C>            <C>          <C>

                                                          Current Rates           Year Ended    Year Ended   Year
Ended

       Fund                Type          (dollars shown in millions)      9/30/99      9/30/98      9/30/97
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------


<PAGE>


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

Large Company Focus Fund      Management          .75% up to $500, .70% next
                                                  $500, .65% next $500, .60%
                                                  thereafter                           397,850       88,815
N/A

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Administrative      .15% up to $500, .125% next
                                                  $500, .10% next $500, .075%
                                                  thereafter                            79,514       17,763
N/A

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Reimbursement       Expenses exceeding 1.50%                 -0-       13,361
N/A

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Capital Opportunities Fund    Management          .75% up to $500, .70% next
                                                  $500, .65% next $500, .60%
                                                  thereafter                         4,331,186    6,827,994
9,097,549

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Administrative      .15% up to $500, .125% next
                                                  $500, .10% next $500, .075%
                                                  thereafter                           853,783    1,298,073
1,655,427
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Small Company Growth          Management          .85%                                  20,436          N/A
N/A

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Fund                      Administrative      .15%                                   3,606          N/A
N/A

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

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                              Reimbursement       Expenses exceeding 1.50%            (53,535)          N/A
N/A
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

         Stein Roe provides  office space and executive  and other  personnel to
the  Funds,  and  bears  any sales or  promotional  expenses.  The Funds pay all
expenses  other  than  those paid by Stein  Roe,  including  but not  limited to
printing and postage  charges,  securities  registration and custodian fees, and
expenses incidental to its organization.

         The administrative  agreement provides that Stein Roe shall reimburse a
Fund to the extent that total annual  expenses of that Fund (including fees paid
to Stein Roe,  but  excluding  taxes,  interest,  commissions  and other  normal
charges incident to the purchase and sale of portfolio securities,  and expenses
of litigation to the extent  permitted  under  applicable  state law) exceed the
applicable  limits  prescribed  by any state in which shares of a Fund are being
offered for sale to the public; provided,  however, Stein Roe is not required to
reimburse  that Fund an amount  in  excess of fees paid by the Fund  under  that
agreement  for such year.  In  addition,  in the  interest  of further  limiting
expenses of the Fund,  Stein Roe may  voluntarily  waive its fees and/or  absorb
certain expenses, as described under The Funds--Your Expenses in the Prospectus.
Any such reimbursement will enhance the yield of such Fund.

         Each management  agreement  provides that neither Stein Roe, nor any of
its directors, officers, stockholders (or partners of stockholders),  agents, or
employees  shall have any liability to the Trust or any shareholder of the Trust
for any  error  of  judgment,  mistake  of law or any  loss  arising  out of any
investment,  or for any other act or omission in the performance by Stein Roe of
its duties under the  agreement,  except for  liability  resulting  from willful
misfeasance, bad faith or gross negligence on its part in the performance of its
duties or from reckless  disregard by it of its obligations and duties under the
agreement.

         Any  expenses  that  are  attributable   solely  to  the  organization,
operation,  or  business  of a series of the Trust  are paid  solely  out of the
assets of that series.  Any  expenses  incurred by the Trust that are not solely
attributable to a particular  series are apportioned in such manner as Stein Roe
determines is fair and appropriate,  unless otherwise  specified by the Board of
Trustees.

Bookkeeping and Accounting Agreement

         Pursuant to a separate  agreement with the Trust,  Stein Roe receives a
fee for  performing  certain  bookkeeping  and  accounting  services.  For  such
services,  Stein Roe  receives an annual fee of $25,000 per series plus .0025 of
1% of average net assets over $50  million.  During the fiscal years ended Sept.
30, 1997, 1998 and 1999, Stein Roe received aggregate fees of $315,067, $358,936
and $354,273,  respectively,  from the Trust for services  performed  under this
Agreement.

                                   DISTRIBUTOR

         Shares of the Funds are distributed by Liberty Funds Distributor,  Inc.
(the  "Distributor"),  One  Financial  Center,  Boston,  MA 02111,  an  indirect
subsidiary  of  Liberty   Financial,   under  a  Distribution   Agreement.   The
Distribution  Agreement  continues  in effect from year to year,  provided  such
continuance  is  approved  annually  (i) by a majority  of the  trustees or by a
majority  of the  outstanding  voting  securities  of the  Trust,  and (ii) by a
majority of the  trustees  who are not parties to the  Agreement  or  interested
persons of any such  party  ("independent  trustees").  The  Distributor  has no
obligation,  as underwriter,  to buy Fund shares, and purchases shares only upon
receipt of orders from  authorized  financial  service firms or  investors.  The
Trust has agreed to pay all  expenses in  connection  with  registration  of its
shares with the Securities and Exchange  Commission and auditing and filing fees
in connection  with  registration of its shares under the various state blue sky
laws and assumes the cost of preparation of prospectuses and other expenses.

12b-1 Plan

         The  Trustees of the Trust have  adopted a plan  pursuant to Rule 12b-1
under the Investment  Company Act of 1940 (the "Plan").  The Plan provides that,
as  compensation  for personal  service  and/or the  maintenance  of shareholder
accounts, the Distributor receives a service fee at an annual rate not to exceed
0.35% of net assets attributed to Class A shares. The Plan also provides that as
compensation  for the promotion and  distribution of shares of a Funds including
its  expenses  related to sale and  promotion of Fund  shares,  the  Distributor
receives from such Fund a distribution fee at an annual rate not exceeding 0.10%
of the  average  net assets  attributed  to Class A shares.  At this  time,  the
Distributor  has  voluntarily  agreed to limit the Class A  distribution  fee to
0.25% annually.  The Distributor may terminate this voluntary limitation without
shareholder approval. The Distributor generally pays this amount to institutions
that  distribute  Fund  shares  and  provide  services  to the  Funds  and their
shareholders. Those institutions may use the payments for, among other purposes,
compensating employees engaged in sales and/or shareholder servicing. The amount
of fees  paid by the Fund  during  any year may be more or less than the cost of
distribution or other services provided to the Fund. NASD rules limit the amount
of  annual  distribution  fees  that may be paid by a mutual  fund and  impose a
ceiling on the  cumulative  sales charges  paid.  The Trust's Plan complies with
those rules.

         The trustees believe that the Plan could be a significant factor in the
growth and  retention of Fund assets  resulting in a more  advantageous  expense
ratio and  increased  investment  flexibility  which could benefit each class of
shareholders.  The Plan will  continue  in  effect  from year to year so long as
continuance  is  specifically  approved  at  least  annually  by a  vote  of the
trustees,  including the  independent  trustees.  The Plan may not be amended to
increase  the fee  materially  without  approval  by a vote of a majority of the
outstanding  voting  securities of the relevant class of shares and all material
amendments  of the Plan must be approved by the trustees in the manner  provided
in the foregoing sentence. The Plan may be terminated at any time by a vote of a
majority  of  the  independent  trustees  or by a  vote  of a  majority  of  the
outstanding voting securities of the relevant Class of shares.

         Each Fund offers two classes of shares (Class A and Class S). The Funds
may in the future offer other  classes of shares.  Class A shares are offered at
net asset  value  plus a  front-end  sales  charge to be  imposed at the time of
purchase and are subject to a Rule 12b-1 fee.

                                 TRANSFER AGENT

         SteinRoe Services Inc.  ("SSI"),  One South Wacker Drive,  Chicago,  IL
60606,  is the agent of the Trust for the  transfer of shares,  disbursement  of
dividends,  and maintenance of shareholder  accounting  records.  For performing
these  services,  SSI  receives  fees from the Funds  based on an annual rate of
[0.236% of average net assets of Class A shares.  The Trust believes the charges
by SSI to the  Funds  are  comparable  to those of  other  companies  performing
similar services. (See Investment Advisory and Other Services.) Under a separate
agreement,  SSI  also  provides  certain  investor  accounting  services  to the
Portfolios.

         Some financial  services firms ("FSF") or other  intermediaries  having
special selling arrangements with the Distributor,  including certain bank trust
departments,   wrap  fee  programs  and   retirement   plan  service   providers
("Intermediaries")  that  maintain  nominee  accounts  with the  Funds for their
clients who are Fund  shareholders,  may be paid a fee from SSI for  shareholder
servicing and  accounting  services they provide with respect to the  underlying
Fund shares.

                            PURCHASES AND REDEMPTIONS

         Purchases and  redemptions  are discussed in the  Prospectus  under the
heading Your Account,  and that information is incorporated herein by reference.
It  is  the   responsibility  of  any  investment   dealers,   banks,  or  other
institutions,  including  retirement  plan service  providers,  through whom you
purchase  or  redeem  shares  to  establish   procedures   insuring  the  prompt
transmission to the Trust of any order.

         The Funds will accept unconditional orders for shares to be executed at
the public offering price based on the net asset value per share next determined
after the order is received in good order.  The public offering price is the net
asset value plus the applicable sales charge,  if any. In the case of orders for
purchase of shares placed through FSFs or  Intermediaries,  the public  offering
price will be determined on the day the order is placed in good order,  but only
if the FSF or Intermediary  receives the order prior to the time at which shares
are  valued and  transmits  it to a Fund  before  that  day's  transactions  are
processed.  If the FSF or Intermediary fails to transmit before a Fund processes
that day's transactions,  the customer's entitlement to that day's closing price
must be settled between the customer and the FSF or Intermediary.  If the FSF or
Intermediary  receives  the  order  after  the time at which a Fund  values  its
shares,  the price  will be based on the net asset  value  determined  as of the
close  of the NYSE on the next day it is  open.  If funds  for the  purchase  of
shares are sent  directly to the  Transfer  Agent,  they will be invested at the
public offering price next determined  after receipt in good order.  Payment for
shares of a Fund must be in U.S.  dollars;  if made by check,  the check must be
drawn on a U.S. bank.

         A Fund receives the entire net asset value of shares sold.  Since Class
A shares are subject to an initial sales charge, the Distributor's commission is
the sales charge shown in the Prospectus less any applicable FSF or Intermediary
discount.  The  FSF or  Intermediary  discount  is the  same  for  all  FSFs  or
Intermediaries,  except that the Distributor  retains the entire sales charge on
any sales made to a shareholder  who does not specify an FSF or  Intermediary on
the  application,  and except that the Distributor may from time to time reallow
additional  amounts to all or certain FSFs or  Intermediaries.  The  Distributor
generally  retains 100% of any asset-based  sales charge  (distribution  fee) or
contingent   deferred  sales  charge.   Such  charges  generally  reimburse  the
Distributor  for  any  up-front  and/or  ongoing  commissions  paid  to  FSFs or
Intermediaries.

         Checks  presented for the purchase of Fund shares which are returned by
the  purchaser's  bank will subject the  purchaser to a $15 service fee for each
check returned.

         The Transfer Agent acts as the shareholder's agent whenever it receives
instructions  to carry out a  transaction  on the  shareholder's  account.  Upon
receipt of  instructions  that shares are to be  purchased  for a  shareholder's
account,  the designated FSF or Intermediary  will receive the applicable  sales
commission.  Shareholders  may  change  FSFs or  Intermediaries  at any  time by
written notice to the Transfer Agent, provided the new FSF or Intermediary has a
sales agreement with the Distributor.

Determination of Net Asset Value

         The net asset  value per share for each Class is  determined  as of the
close of business (normally 3:00 p.m., Central time, or 4:00 p.m., Eastern time)
on days on which the New York Stock  Exchange  (the "NYSE") is open for trading,
except  that  certain  classes of assets,  such as index  futures  for which the
market close occurs shortly after regular  trading on the NYSE will be priced at
the  closing  time of the markets on which they trade but in no event later than
5:00 p.m.  The NYSE is  regularly  closed on  Saturdays  and  Sundays and on New
Year's Day,  the third Monday in January,  the third  Monday in  February,  Good
Friday, the last Monday in May, Independence Day, Labor Day,  Thanksgiving,  and
Christmas. If one of these holidays falls on a Saturday or Sunday, the NYSE will
be closed on the preceding  Friday or the following  Monday,  respectively.  Net
asset value will not be  determined on days when the NYSE is closed  unless,  in
the  judgment  of the Board of  Trustees,  net asset value of the Fund should be
determined on any such day, in which case the determination will be made at 3:00
p.m., Central time.

         The Funds may invest in securities that are listed primarily on foreign
exchanges  that are open and  allow  trading  on days on which  the Funds do not
determine net asset value. This may significantly  affect the net asset value of
the Fund's  redeemable  securities  on days when an investor  cannot redeem such
securities.  Debt  securities  generally  are valued by a pricing  service which
determines    valuations   based   upon   market    transactions   for   normal,
institutional-size   trading   units  of   similar   securities.   However,   in
circumstances  where such prices are not  available  or where Stein Roe deems it
appropriate  to do so, an  over-the-counter  or exchange bid  quotation is used.
Securities listed on an exchange or on Nasdaq are valued at the last sale price.
Listed  securities  for which  there were no sales  during the day and  unlisted
securities  are valued at the last  quoted bid price.  Options are valued at the
last sale price or in the  absence of a sale,  the mean  between the last quoted
bid and offering  prices.  Short-term  obligations with a maturity of 60 days or
less are valued at amortized cost pursuant to procedures adopted by the Board of
Trustees.  The values of foreign  securities  quoted in foreign  currencies  are
translated  into U.S.  dollars at the exchange rate for that day.  Positions for
which there are no such  valuations and other assets are valued at fair value as
determined in good faith under the direction of the Board of Trustees.

         Generally,  trading in certain securities (such as foreign  securities)
is  substantially  completed each day at various times prior to the close of the
NYSE.  Trading on certain foreign  securities  markets may not take place on all
NYSE business days, and trading on some foreign  securities  markets takes place
on days that are not NYSE  business  days and on which  net  asset  value is not
calculated.  The values of these  securities used in determining net asset value
are computed as of such times.  Also,  because of the amount of time required to
collect  and  process  trading  information  as to large  numbers of  securities
issues,  the values of  certain  securities  (such as  convertible  bonds,  U.S.
government securities, and tax-exempt securities) are determined based on market
quotations  collected earlier in the day at the latest practicable time prior to
the  close  of the  NYSE.  Occasionally,  events  affecting  the  value  of such
securities  may occur between such time and the close of the NYSE which will not
be reflected in the  computation  of the net asset value.  If events  materially
affecting  the value of such  securities  occur during such  period,  then these
securities will be valued at their fair value following  procedures  approved by
the Board of Trustees.

         The Trust  intends to pay all  redemptions  in cash and is obligated to
redeem  shares solely in cash up to the lesser of $250,000 or one percent of the
net  assets of the Trust  during  any  90-day  period  for any one  shareholder.
However,  redemptions  in excess of such limit may be paid wholly or partly by a
distribution  in kind of  securities.  If  redemptions  were  made in kind,  the
redeeming  shareholders  might incur transaction costs in selling the securities
received in the redemptions.

         Due to the relatively high cost of maintaining  smaller  accounts,  the
Trust may deduct $10 (payable to the  Transfer  Agent) from  accounts  valued at
less than $1,000  unless the account  value has dropped below $1,000 solely as a
result of share depreciation. An investor will be notified that the value of his
account  is less than that  minimum  and  allowed  at least 60 days to bring the
value of the  account  up to at least  $1,000  before the fee is  deducted.  The
Agreement and  Declaration  of Trust also  authorizes the Trust to redeem shares
under certain other circumstances as may be specified by the Board of Trustees.

         The Trust reserves the right to suspend or postpone redemptions of Fund
shares  during any  period  when:  (a)  trading  on the NYSE is  restricted,  as
determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission,  or the NYSE is closed for
other than  customary  weekend  and holiday  closings;  (b) the  Securities  and
Exchange Commission has by order permitted such suspension; or (c) an emergency,
as determined by the Securities and Exchange Commission, exists, making disposal
of portfolio  securities  or valuation of net assets of the Fund not  reasonably
practicable.

Special Purchase Programs/Investor Services

         The  following  special  purchase  programs/investor  services  may  be
changed or eliminated at any time.

         Automatic  Investment  Plan. As a convenience  to investors,  shares of
most funds advised by Colonial,  Newport  Management,  Inc., Crabbe Huson Group,
Inc.  and Stein Roe may be  purchased  through the  Automatic  Investment  Plan.
Preauthorized  monthly bank drafts or  electronic  funds  transfers  for a fixed
amount at least $50 are used to purchase a fund's shares at the public  offering
price next determined after the distributor receives the proceeds from the draft
(normally  the  5th or  the  20th  of  each  month,  or the  next  business  day
thereafter).  If your Automatic  Investment Plan purchase is by electronic funds
transfer,  you may request  the  Automatic  Investment  Plan  purchase  any day.
Further information and application forms are available from the distributor.

         Automated  Dollar Cost Averaging.  The Automated  Dollar Cost Averaging
program  allows you to exchange  $100 or more on a monthly basis from any mutual
fund advised by Colonial,  Newport Fund  Management,  Inc.,  Crabbe Huson Group,
Inc.,  and Stein Roe in which you have a current  balance of at least $5000 into
the same  class of shares of up to four  other  funds.  Complete  the  Automated
Dollar Cost Averaging section of the Application.  The designated amount will be
exchanged on the third  Tuesday of each month.  There is no charge for exchanges
made pursuant to the Automated  Dollar Cost  Averaging  program.  Exchanges will
continue so long as your fund balance is sufficient  to complete the  transfers.
Your normal  rights and  privileges  as a  shareholder  remain in full force and
effect.  Thus you can buy any fund, exchange between the same class of shares of
funds written  instruction  or by telephone  exchange if you have so elected and
withdraw  amounts from any fund,  subject to the  imposition  of any  applicable
CDSC.

Any additional  payments or exchanges into your fund will extend the time of the
Automated Dollar Cost Averaging program.

An exchange is generally a capital sale  transaction  for federal and income tax
purposes.

You may terminate  your program,  change the amount of the exchange  (subject to
the $100 minimum) or change your selection of funds, by telephone or in writing;
if in writing  to Liberty  Funds  Services,  Inc.,  P.O.  Box 1722,  Boston,  MA
02105-1722.

You should  consult  your  investment  advisor to  determine  whether or not the
Automated Dollar Cost Averaging program is appropriate for you.

The  Distributor  offers  several plans by which an investor may obtain  reduced
initial or  contingent  deferred  sales  charges.  These plans may be altered or
discontinued  at any time.  See  "Programs  for  Reducing or  Eliminating  Sales
Charges" for more information.

         Tax-Sheltered   Retirement  Plans.  The  Distributor  offers  prototype
tax-qualified plans, including Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and pension
and  profit-sharing  plans  for  individuals,  corporations,  employees  and the
self-employed.  The minimum initial  investment for a retirement account is $25.
Investor's  Bank & Trust  Company  is the  Trustee  of the  prototype  plans and
charges an $18 annual fee. The annual fee will be waived if your  aggregated IRA
(Traditional IRA, Roth IRA and Education IRA) assets total $25,000 or more. This
waiver  will be based on the  assets of  record  when the fees are  assessed  in
December.  If you close your account during the year, the  Distributor  will not
aggregate  the IRAs and you will be  subject to that  year's  annual fee per IRA
regardless  of total  assets.  Further  Detailed  information  concerning  these
retirement  plans and  copies of the  retirement  plans are  available  from the
Distributor.

         Participants in other prototype retirement plans (other than IRAs) also
are charged a $10 annual fee unless the plan  maintains an omnibus  account with
the Transfer  Agent.  Participants in prototype plans offered by the Distributor
(other than IRAs) who  liquidate  the total value of their  account will also be
charged a $15 close-out processing fee payable to the Transfer Agent. The fee is
in addition to any applicable  CDSC.  The fee will not apply if the  participant
uses the  proceeds to open an IRA Rollover  account in any fund,  or if the plan
maintains an omnibus account.

         Consultation with a competent financial and tax advisor regarding these
plans and consideration of the suitability of Fund shares as an investment under
the Employee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 or otherwise is recommended.

         Telephone  Address  Change  Services.  By calling the  Transfer  Agent,
shareholders, beneficiaries or their FSF or Intermediary of record may change an
address on a recorded  telephone line.  Confirmations  of address change will be
sent to both the old and the new addresses.  Telephone redemption privileges are
suspended for 30 days after an address change is effected.

         Cash  Connection.  Dividends  and any  other  distributions,  including
Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) payments,  may be automatically  deposited to a
shareholder's bank account via electronic funds transfer.  Shareholders  wishing
to avail  themselves of this electronic  transfer  procedure should complete the
appropriate sections of the Application.

         Automatic    Dividend    Diversification.    The   automatic   dividend
diversification reinvestment program (ADD) generally allows shareholders to have
all distributions from a fund automatically invested in the same class of shares
of  another  fund.  An ADD  account  must in the same name as the  shareholder's
existing open account with the  particular  Fund.  Call for more  information at
1-800-422-3737.

Programs for Reducing or Eliminating Sales Charges

         Right of Accumulation and Statement of Intent. Reduced sales charges on
Class A shares  can be  effected  by  combining  a current  purchase  with prior
purchases  of Class A, B, C, T, and Z shares of other funds  managed by Colonial
Management  Associates,  Inc.  or  distributed  by the  Distributor  (such funds
hereinafter  referred to as "Colonial  Funds").  The applicable sales charged is
based on the  combined  total of: (1) the current  purchase and (2) the value at
the public  offering  price at the close of business on the  previous day of all
Colonial  Fund's Class A shares held by the  shareholder  (except  shares of any
Colonial  money market fund,  unless such shares were  acquired by exchange from
Class A shares of another Colonial Fund other than a money market fund and Class
B, C, T and Z shares).

         The  Distributor  must be  promptly  notified  of each  purchase  which
entitles a shareholder to a reduced sales charge. Such reduced sales charge will
be applied  upon  confirmation  of the  shareholder's  holdings by the  Transfer
Agent. A Colonial Fund may terminate or amend this right of Accumulation.

         Any person may qualify for reduced sales charges on purchase of Class A
shares  made  within  a  13-month  period  pursuant  to a  Statement  of  Intent
("Statement").  A shareholder may include,  as an accumulation credit toward the
completion  of such  Statement,  the  value of all Class A, B, C, T and Z shares
held by the  shareholder  on the date of the  Statement in the Trust's Funds and
Colonial  Funds (except  shares of any Colonial  money market fund,  unless such
shares were acquired by exchange from Class A shares of another non-money market
Colonial Fund). The value is determined at the public offering price on the date
of the Statement.  Purchases made through  reinvestment of  distributions do not
count toward satisfaction of the Statement.

         During the term of a Statement,  the Transfer Agent will hold shares in
escrow to secure payment of the higher sales charge applicable to Class A shares
actually  purchased.  Dividends  and capital  gains will be paid on all escrowed
shares and these  shares will be  released  when the amount  indicated  has been
purchased. A Statement does not obligate the investor to buy or the Fund to sell
the amount of the Statement.

         If a  shareholder  exceeds the amount of the  Statement  and reaches an
amount which would qualify for a further quantity discount,  a retroactive price
adjustment  will  be  made  at the  time of  expiration  of the  Statement.  The
resulting  difference in offering price will purchase  additional shares for the
shareholder's  account at the then-current  applicable offering price. As a part
of this adjustment,  the FSF or Intermediary shall return to the Distributor the
excess commission previously paid during the 13-month period.

         If the amount of the Statement is not purchased,  the shareholder shall
remit to the  Distributor  an amount equal to the  difference  between the sales
charge paid and the sales charge that should have been paid. If the  shareholder
fails  within 20 days after a written  request to pay such  difference  in sales
charge,  the Transfer  Agent will redeem that number of escrowed  Class A shares
equal to such difference.  The additional amount of FSF or Intermediary discount
from the applicable offering price shall be remitted to the shareholder's FSF or
Intermediary of record.

         Additional  information about and the terms of Statements of Intent are
available  from  your  FSF  or  Intermediary  or  from  the  Transfer  Agent  at
1-800-345-6611.

         Reinstatement  Privilege. An investor who has redeemed Fund shares may,
upon request, reinstate within one year a portion or all of the proceeds of such
sale in  shares  of the same  class of that  Fund at the net  asset  value  next
determined after the Transfer Agent receives a written reinstatement request and
payment. Any contingent deferred sales charge paid at the time of the redemption
will be credited to the shareholder upon  reinstatement.  The period between the
redemption  and the  reinstatement  will not be counted in aging the  reinstated
shares for  purposes of  calculating  any  contingent  deferred  sales charge or
conversion date.  Investors who desire to exercise this privilege should contact
their FSF or Intermediary  or the  Distributor.  Shareholders  may exercise this
privilege  an unlimited  number of times.  Exercise of this  privilege  does not
alter the federal  income tax  treatment  of any capital  gains  realized on the
prior sale of Fund  shares,  but to the extent  any such  shares  were sold at a
loss,  some or all of the loss may be disallowed for tax purposes.  Consult your
tax advisor.

         Shareholders   may   reinvest  all  or  a  portion  of  a  recent  cash
distribution  without a sales  charge.  A  shareholder  request must be received
within 30 calendar days of the  distribution.  A  shareholder  may exercise this
privilege only once. No charge is currently made for reinvestment.

         Privileges of Adviser Employees, FSFs or Intermediaries. Class A shares
may be sold at net asset value to the following  individuals  whether  currently
employed or retired:  Trustees of funds advised or  administered by Stein Roe or
an affiliate of Stein Roe; directors,  officers and employees of Stein Roe or an
affiliate  of Stein  Roe,  including  the  Transfer  Agent and the  Distributor;
registered  representatives  and employees of FSFs or Intermediaries  (including
their  affiliates)  that  are  parties  to  dealer  agreements  or  other  sales
arrangements  with  the  Distributor;  and  such  persons'  families  and  their
beneficial accounts.

         Sponsored  Arrangements.  Class A shares may be purchased at reduced or
no sales charge pursuant to sponsored arrangements, which include programs under
which an organization  makes  recommendations  to, or permits group solicitation
of, its employees,  members or  participants  in connection with the purchase of
Fund shares on an  individual  basis.  The amount of the sales charge  reduction
will  reflect  the  anticipated  reduction  in  sales  expense  associated  with
sponsored  arrangements.  The  reduction in sales  expense,  and  therefore  the
reduction in sales charge,  will vary  depending on factors such as the size and
stability of the organization's group, the term of the organization's  existence
and certain  characteristics  of the members of its group. The Funds reserve the
right to revise the terms of or to  suspend or  discontinue  sales  pursuant  to
sponsored plans at any time.

         Class A shares may also be  purchased  at reduced or no sales charge by
clients of dealers,  brokers or registered investment advisers that have entered
into agreements with the Distributor  pursuant to which a Fund is included as an
investment option in programs involving fee-based compensation arrangements.

         Waiver of Contingent Deferred Sales Charges (Class A accounts in excess
of $1,000,000).  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be waived on redemptions
in the following situations with the proper documentation:

1. Death.  Contingent deferred sales charges may be waived on redemptions within
one  year  following  the  death of (i) the sole  shareholder  on an  individual
account,  (ii) a joint tenant where the surviving joint tenant is the deceased's
spouse,  or (iii) the  beneficiary  of a Uniform  Gifts to Minors Act  ("UGMA"),
Uniform  Transfers to Minors Act ("UTMA") or other custodial  account.  If, upon
the occurrence of one of the foregoing, the account is transferred to an account
registered in the name of the deceased's estate,  the contingent  deferred sales
charge will be waived on any redemption from the estate account occurring within
one year after the death.  If the shares are not redeemed within one year of the
death,  they will remain  subject to the  applicable  contingent  deferred sales
charge,  when  redeemed  from  the  transferee's  account.  If  the  account  is
transferred  to a new  registration  and then a  redemption  is  requested,  the
applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be charged.

2. Systematic  Withdrawal Plan (SWP).  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be
waived on redemptions  occurring pursuant to a monthly,  quarterly or semiannual
SWP  established  with the Transfer  Agent, to the extent the redemptions do not
exceed,  on an annual basis,  12% of the account's value, so long as at the time
of the first SWP  redemption  the account  had  distributions  reinvested  for a
period at least equal to the period of the SWP (e.g.,  if it is a quarterly SWP,
distributions  must have been  reinvested  at least for the three  month  period
prior to the first SWP redemption);  otherwise contingent deferred sales charges
will be charged on SWP  redemptions  until this  requirement  is met.  See below
under How to Sell Shares--Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

3.  Disability.  Contingent  deferred sales charges may be waived on redemptions
occurring within one year after the sole shareholder on an individual account or
a joint tenant on a spousal joint tenant account becomes disabled (as defined in
Section  72(m)(7) of the Internal Revenue Code). To be eligible for such waiver,
(i) the disability must arise after the purchase of shares and (ii) the disabled
shareholder must have been under age 65 at the time of the initial determination
of disability.  If the account is transferred to a new  registration  and then a
redemption is requested, the applicable contingent deferred sales charge will be
charged.

4.  Death of a  trustee.  Contingent  deferred  sales  charges  may be waived on
redemptions  occurring upon  dissolution of a revocable  living or grantor trust
following  the death of the sole  trustee  where (i) the grantor of the trust is
the sole trustee and the sole life beneficiary,  (ii) death occurs following the
purchase and (iii) the trust document provides for dissolution of the trust upon
the  trustee's  death.  If the  account  is  transferred  to a new  registration
(including  that of a successor  trustee),  the applicable  contingent  deferred
sales charge will be charged upon any subsequent redemption.

5. Returns on excess  contributions.  Contingent  deferred  sales charges may be
waived on redemptions required to return excess contributions made to retirement
plans  or  IRAs,  so  long as the  FSF or  Intermediary  agrees  to  return  the
applicable portion of any commission paid by the Distributor.

6. Qualified  Retirement Plans.  Contingent deferred sales charges may be waived
on redemptions  required to make distributions  from qualified  retirement plans
following  (i)  normal  retirement  (as  stated  in the plan  document)  or (ii)
separation  from service.  For shares  purchased in a prototype  401K plan after
Sept.  1,  1997,  contingent  deferred  sales  charges  will not be waived  upon
separation  from  service  except  if such plan is held in an  omnibus  account.
Contingent deferred sales charges also will be waived on SWP redemptions made to
make required minimum  distributions  from qualified  retirement plans that have
invested in the Fund for at least two years.

         The  contingent  deferred sales charge also may be waived where the FSF
or Intermediary agrees to return all or an agreed upon portion of the commission
earned on the sale of the shares being redeemed.

How to Sell ("Redeem") Shares

         Shares may be sold on any day the NYSE is open,  either  directly  to a
Fund or through an FSF or Intermediary.  Sale proceeds generally are sent within
seven days  (usually on the next  business day after your request is received in
good form).  However,  for shares recently purchased by check, a Fund will delay
sending  proceeds  for 15 days in order to protect  the Fund  against  financial
losses and dilution in net asset value  caused by  dishonored  purchase  payment
checks.  To avoid delays in payment,  investors  are advised to purchase  shares
unconditionally,  such as by  certified  check  or other  immediately  available
funds.

         To  sell  shares  directly  to  the  Fund,  send  a  signed  letter  of
instruction  to the Transfer  Agent.  The sale price is the net asset value next
determined (less any applicable contingent deferred sales charge) after the Fund
or an FSF or Intermediary  receives the request in proper form.  Signatures must
be guaranteed by a bank, a member firm of a national  stock  exchange or another
eligible guarantor institution.  Additional  documentation is required for sales
by corporations,  agents,  fiduciaries,  surviving joint owners and IRA holders.
Call the Transfer Agent for more information at (800) 345-6611.

         FSFs and Intermediaries  must receive requests before the time at which
Fund  shares  are  valued to  receive  that day's  price,  are  responsible  for
furnishing all necessary  documentation to the Transfer Agent and may charge for
this service.

         Systematic  Withdrawal  Plan. If a shareholder's  account balance is at
least $5,000,  the shareholder may establish a SWP. A specified dollar amount or
percentage of the then-current net asset value of the  shareholder's  investment
in a Fund  designated  by the  shareholder  will be paid  monthly,  quarterly or
semiannually  to a designated  payee.  The amount or percentage the  shareholder
specifies generally may not, on an annualized basis, exceed 12% of the value, as
of the time the shareholder makes the election of the shareholder's  investment.
If a shareholder  wishes to participate in a SWP, the shareholder  must elect to
have all income dividends and other distributions  payable in Fund shares rather
than in cash.

         A shareholder or its FSF or  Intermediary of record may establish a SWP
account by telephone  on a recorded  line.  However,  SWP checks will be payable
only to the shareholder and sent to the address of record.  SWPs from retirement
accounts cannot be established by telephone.

         Purchasing   additional   shares  (other  than  through   dividend  and
distribution   reinvestment)   while   receiving   SWP  payments  is  ordinarily
disadvantageous  because  of  duplicative  sales  charges.  For this  reason,  a
shareholder  may not  maintain a plan for the  accumulation  of shares of a Fund
(other than through the reinvestment of dividends) and a SWP at the same time.

         SWP payments are made through share redemptions,  which may result in a
gain or  loss  for tax  purposes,  may  involve  the  use of  principal  and may
eventually use up all of the shares in a shareholder's account.

         A Fund may terminate a shareholder's SWP if the  shareholder's  account
balance  falls below $5,000 due to any transfer or  liquidation  of shares other
than  pursuant  to the  SWP.  SWP  payments  will  be  terminated  on  receiving
satisfactory  evidence of the death or incapacity of a  shareholder.  Until this
evidence is received, the Transfer Agent will not be liable for any payment made
in accordance with the provisions of a SWP.

         The cost of  administering  SWPs for the  benefit of  shareholders  who
participate in them is borne by the Funds as an expense of all shareholders.

         Shareholders  whose positions are held in "street name" by certain FSFs
or  Intermediaries  may not be able to participate in a SWP. If a  shareholder's
Fund shares are held in "street name," the shareholder should consult his or her
FSF or Intermediary to determine whether he or she may participate in a SWP.

         Telephone Redemptions.  Telephone redemption privileges are described
in the Prospectus.

         Non-Cash Redemptions.  For redemptions of any single shareholder within
any 90-day  period  exceeding the lesser of $250,000 or 1% of a Fund's net asset
value, that Fund may make the payment or a portion of the payment with portfolio
securities  held by it instead of cash, in which case the redeeming  shareholder
may incur brokerage and other costs in selling the securities received.

How to Exchange Shares

         Class A share  exchanges at net asset value may be made among shares of
the same  class of any  other  fund  that is a  series  of the  Trust or of most
Colonial  Funds.  With  respect  to  Class A  shares,  for a  period  of 90 days
following the purchase of shares, exchanges at net asset value may be made among
Class A shares of Colonial  Municipal  Money Market Fund or Colonial  Government
Money Market Fund (or its successor).  Thereafter,  exchanges at net asset value
may be made among Class A shares of any other fund that is a series of the Trust
or of most Colonial Funds.  For more information on the Colonial Funds, see your
FSF or Intermediary or call (800) 345-6611.

         Before  exchanging  into another fund, you should obtain the prospectus
for the fund in which you wish to invest and read it carefully.  Prospectuses of
Colonial  Funds are  available by calling (800)  426-3750.  Consult the Transfer
Agent before requesting an exchange.

         By  calling  the  Transfer   Agent,   shareholders   or  their  FSF  or
Intermediary of record may exchange among accounts with identical registrations,
provided that the shares are held on deposit.  During  periods of unusual market
changes and/or  shareholder  activity,  shareholders  may  experience  delays in
contacting  the Transfer  Agent by telephone to exercise the telephone  exchange
privilege. Because an exchange involves a redemption and reinvestment in another
fund, completion of an exchange may be delayed under unusual circumstances, such
as if the Fund suspends  repurchases or postpones  payment for Fund shares being
exchanged in accordance  with federal  securities  law. The Transfer  Agent will
also  make  exchanges  upon  receipt  of a  written  exchange  request.  If  the
shareholder is a corporation,  partnership, agent, or surviving joint owner, the
Transfer Agent will require customary additional documentation.

         A loss to a  shareholder  may result from an  unauthorized  transaction
reasonably believed to have been authorized.  No shareholder is obligated to use
the telephone to execute transactions.

         In all cases,  the shares to be  exchanged  must be  registered  on the
records of the Fund in the name of the shareholder desiring to exchange.

         An  exchange  is a capital  sale  transaction  for  federal  income tax
purposes. The exchange privilege may be revised,  suspended or terminated at any
time.

                                    CUSTODIAN

         State Street Bank and Trust Company (the "Bank"),  225 Franklin Street,
Boston,  MA 02101, is the custodian for the Trust. It is responsible for holding
all  securities  and  cash,  receiving  and  paying  for  securities  purchased,
delivering against payment securities sold, receiving and collecting income from
investments,  making  all  payments  covering  expenses,  and  performing  other
administrative  duties, all as directed by authorized persons. The Bank does not
exercise  any  supervisory  function  in such  matters as  purchase  and sale of
portfolio securities, payment of dividends, or payment of expenses.

         Portfolio  securities  purchased  in the  U.S.  are  maintained  in the
custody  of the  Bank or of other  domestic  banks  or  depositories.  Portfolio
securities  purchased  outside  of the U.S.  are  maintained  in the  custody of
foreign banks and trust  companies that are members of the Bank's Global Custody
Network  and  foreign  depositories  ("foreign  sub-custodians").  Each  of  the
domestic and foreign custodial  institutions  holding  portfolio  securities has
been approved by the Board of Trustees in accordance with regulations  under the
Investment Company Act of 1940.

         Each Board of Trustees reviews, at least annually, whether it is in the
best interests of the Fund and their  shareholders to maintain assets in each of
the countries in which the Fund invests with particular  foreign  sub-custodians
in such  countries,  pursuant  to  contracts  between  such  respective  foreign
sub-custodians  and the Bank. The review  includes an assessment of the risks of
holding  assets  in any  such  country  (including  risks  of  expropriation  or
imposition of exchange controls),  the operational capability and reliability of
each such  foreign  sub-custodian,  and the  impact  of local  laws on each such
custody arrangement.  Each Board of Trustees is aided in its review by the Bank,
which has assembled the network of foreign  sub-custodians,  as well as by Stein
Roe and counsel.  However, with respect to foreign sub-custodians,  there can be
no  assurance  that the Fund and the value of its shares  will not be  adversely
affected by acts of foreign governments,  financial or operational  difficulties
of the foreign sub-custodians,  difficulties and costs of obtaining jurisdiction
over or enforcing judgments against the foreign  sub-custodians,  or application
of  foreign  law to the  foreign  sub-custodial  arrangements.  Accordingly,  an
investor  should  recognize  that the  non-investment  risks involved in holding
assets  abroad are greater than those  associated  with  investing in the United
States.

         The Fund may invest in obligations of the Bank and may purchase or sell
securities from or to the Bank.

                             INDEPENDENT ACCOUNTANTS

         The  independent  accountants  for the Funds is  PricewaterhouseCoopers
LLP, 160 Federal Street,  Boston,  MA 02110. The accountants audit and report on
the annual financial  statements and provide tax return preparation services and
assistance  and  consultation  in  connection  with the  review of  various  SEC
filings.

                             PORTFOLIO TRANSACTIONS

         Stein Roe  places the orders  for the  purchase  and sale of  portfolio
securities and options and futures contracts for its clients,  including private
clients and mutual fund clients ("Clients"). Stein Roe's overriding objective in
selecting  brokers and dealers to effect  portfolio  transactions is to seek the
best combination of net price and execution.  The best net price,  giving effect
to  brokerage  commissions,  if any, is an  important  factor in this  decision;
however,  a number of other judgmental factors may also enter into the decision.
These factors  include  Stein Roe's  knowledge of  negotiated  commission  rates
currently  available  and other  current  transaction  costs;  the nature of the
security  being  purchased  or sold;  the size of the  transaction;  the desired
timing of the transaction;  the activity existing and expected in the market for
the  particular  security;   confidentiality;   the  execution,   clearance  and
settlement  capabilities of the broker or dealer selected and others considered;
Stein  Roe's  knowledge  of the  financial  condition  of the  broker  or dealer
selected and such other brokers and dealers; and Stein Roe's knowledge of actual
or apparent operation problems of any broker or dealer.

         Recognizing the value of these factors, Stein Roe may cause a Client to
pay a  brokerage  commission  in excess of that  which  another  broker may have
charged for effecting the same transaction.  Stein Roe has established  internal
policies  for the  guidance of its  trading  personnel,  specifying  minimum and
maximum  commissions to be paid for various types and sizes of transactions  and
effected for Clients in those cases where Stein Roe has discretion to select the
broker  or  dealer by which the  transaction  is to be  executed.  Stein Roe has
discretion  for all  trades  of the  Funds.  Transactions  which  vary  from the
guidelines  are subject to periodic  supervisory  review.  These  guidelines are
reviewed  and  periodically   adjusted,  and  the  general  level  of  brokerage
commissions  paid is  periodically  reviewed  by Stein Roe.  Evaluations  of the
reasonableness of brokerage  commissions,  based on the factors described in the
preceding  paragraph,  are made by Stein Roe's trading personnel while effecting
portfolio  transactions.  The general  level of  brokerage  commissions  paid is
reviewed by Stein Roe, and reports are made annually to the Board of Trustees.

         Stein Roe maintains and periodically updates a list of approved brokers
and dealers which, in Stein Roe's judgment,  are generally  capable of providing
best price and execution  and are  financially  stable.  Stein Roe's traders are
directed to use only  brokers and dealers on the  approved  list,  except in the
case of Client  designations  of brokers or dealers to effect  transactions  for
such Clients' accounts.  Stein Roe generally posts certain Client information on
the  "Alert"  broker  database  system  as a means  of  facilitating  the  trade
affirmation and settlement process.

         It is Stein Roe's practice,  when feasible,  to aggregate for execution
as a single transaction orders for the purchase or sale of a particular security
for the accounts of several Clients, in order to seek a lower commission or more
advantageous  net  price.  The  benefit,  if any,  obtained  as a result of such
aggregation  generally is allocated pro rata among the accounts of Clients which
participated in the aggregated transaction.  In some instances, this may involve
the use of an "average price" execution  wherein a broker or dealer to which the
aggregated  order has been given  will  execute  the order in  several  separate
transactions  during the course of a day at differing  prices and, in such case,
each Client  participating  in the aggregated order will pay or receive the same
price and commission, which will be an average of the prices and commissions for
the several separate transactions executed by the broker or dealer.

         Stein Roe sometimes makes use of an indirect  electronic  access to the
New York  Stock  Exchange's  "SuperDOT"  automated  execution  system,  provided
through a NYSE member floor  broker,  W&D  Securities,  Inc.,  a  subsidiary  of
Jeffries & Co., Inc., particularly for the efficient execution of smaller orders
in NYSE listed equities.  Stein Roe sometimes uses similar  arrangements through
Billings & Co.,  Inc. and  Driscoll & Co.,  Inc.,  floor  broker  members of the
Chicago Stock Exchange,  for  transactions  to be executed on that exchange.  In
using these arrangements,  Stein Roe must instruct the floor broker to refer the
executed transaction to another brokerage firm for clearance and settlement,  as
the  floor  brokers  do not deal  with the  public.  Transactions  of this  type
sometimes are referred to as "step-in" or "step-out" transactions. The brokerage
firm to which the executed  transaction is referred may include,  in the case of
transactions  effected  through W&D  Securities,  brokerage  firms which provide
Stein Roe investment research or related services.

         Stein Roe places  certain  trades for the Funds  through its  affiliate
AlphaTrade,  Inc.  ("ATI").  ATI  is  a  wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  Colonial
Management  Associates,  Inc. ATI is a fully disclosed  introducing  broker that
limits its activities to electronic  execution of  transactions in listed equity
securities.  The Funds pay ATI a commission  for these  transactions.  The Funds
have  adopted  procedures  consistent  with  Investment  Company  Act Rule 17e-1
governing  such  transactions.  Certain of Stein  Roe's  officers  also serve as
officers, directors and/or employees of ATI.

         Consistent with the Rules of Fair Practice of the National  Association
of Securities Dealers, Inc. and subject to seeking best execution and such other
policies as the  trustees  of the Funds may  determine,  Stein Roe may  consider
sales  of  shares  of  each  of  the  Funds  as a  factor  in the  selection  of
broker-dealers to execute such mutual fund securities transactions.

Investment Research Products and Services Furnished by Brokers and Dealers

         Stein Roe engages in the long-standing practice in the money management
industry of acquiring  research and brokerage  products and services  ("research
products")  from  broker-dealer  firms in return  directing  trades  for  Client
accounts to those firms.  In effect,  Stein Roe is using the commission  dollars
generated  from these Client  accounts to pay for these research  products.  The
money management industry uses the term "soft dollars" to refer to this industry
practice.  Stein Roe may engage in soft dollar  transactions on trades for those
Client   accounts  for  which  Stein  Roe  has  the  discretion  to  select  the
broker-dealers.

         The ability to direct  brokerage  for a Client  account  belongs to the
Client and not to Stein Roe.  When a Client  grants Stein Roe the  discretion to
select  broker-dealers for Client trades,  Stein Roe has a duty to seek the best
combination of net price and execution.  Stein Roe faces a potential conflict of
interest  with this  duty when it uses  Client  trades  to  obtain  soft  dollar
products.  This conflict exists because Stein Roe is able to use the soft dollar
products in managing its Client  accounts  without paying cash ("hard  dollars")
for the product. This reduces Stein Roe's expenses.

         Moreover,  under a provision of the federal  securities laws applicable
to soft  dollars,  Stein Roe is not  required to use the soft dollar  product in
managing those accounts that generate the trade.  Thus, the Client accounts that
generate the brokerage  commission  used to acquire the soft dollar  product may
not benefit  directly from that  product.  In effect,  those  accounts are cross
subsidizing  Stein  Roe's  management  of the  other  accounts  that do  benefit
directly from the product. This practice is explicitly sanctioned by a provision
of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934,  which creates a "safe harbor" for soft
dollar transactions  conducted in a specified manner.  Although it is inherently
difficult,  if not  impossible,  to document,  Stein Roe believes that over time
most,  if not all,  Clients  benefit from soft dollar  products  such that cross
subsidizations even out.

         Stein Roe  attempts to reduce or eliminate  this  conflict by directing
Client  trades for soft dollar  products  only if Stein Roe  concludes  that the
broker-dealer supplying the product is capable of providing a combination of the
best net price and execution on the trade.  As noted above,  the best net price,
while significant,  is one of a number of judgmental factors Stein Roe considers
in determining  whether a particular broker is capable of providing the best net
price and  execution.  Stein Roe may cause a Client  account to pay a  brokerage
commission in a soft dollar trade in excess of that which another  broker-dealer
might have charged for the same transaction.

         Stein Roe  acquires  two types of soft dollar  research  products:  (i)
proprietary  research created by the broker-dealer  firm executing the trade and
(ii) other  products  created by third  parties  that are  supplied to Stein Roe
through the broker-dealer firm executing the trade.

         Proprietary   research  consists  primarily  of  traditional   research
reports, recommendations and similar materials produced by the in house research
staffs  of  broker-dealer   firms.  This  research   includes   evaluations  and
recommendations of specific companies or industry groups, as well as analyses of
general  economic and market  conditions and trends,  market data,  contacts and
other  related  information  and  assistance.   Stein  Roe's  research  analysts
periodically  rate the  quality  of  proprietary  research  produced  by various
broker-dealer  firms.  Based on these  evaluations,  Stein Roe  develops  target
levels of  commission  dollars on a  firm-by-firm  basis.  Stein Roe attempts to
direct trades to each firm to meet these targets.

         Stein Roe also uses soft dollars to acquire  products  created by third
parties  that are  supplied to Stein Roe through  broker-dealers  executing  the
trade (or other  broker-dealers  who "step in" to a  transaction  and  receive a
portion of the brokerage  commission for the trade).  These products include the
following:

o    Database   Services--comprehensive   databases  containing  current  and/or
     historical  information  on  companies  and  industries.  Examples  include
     historical securities prices,  earnings estimates,  and SEC filings.  These
     services  may  include  software  tools  that  allow the user to search the
     database  or to prepare  value-added  analyses  related  to the  investment
     process  (such as  forecasts  and models used in the  portfolio  management
     process).

o    Quotation/Trading/News Systems--products that provide real time market data
     information,  such as pricing of individual  securities and  information on
     current trading, as well as a variety of news services.

o    Economic Data/Forecasting  Tools--various macro economic forecasting tools,
     such as economic  data and economic  and  political  forecasts  for various
     countries or regions.

o  Quantitative/Technical  Analysis--software  tools that assist in quantitative
and   technical   analysis  of   investment   data.   o   Fundamental   Industry
Analysis--industry-specific  fundamental  investment  research.  o Fixed  Income
Security  Analysis--data and analytical tools that pertain specifically to fixed
income securities. These tools

     assist in creating  financial  models,  such as cash flow  projections  and
     interest  rate  sensitivity  analyses,  that are  relevant to fixed  income
     securities.

o    Other Specialized  Tools--other  specialized products,  such as specialized
     economic   consulting   analyses  and  attendance  at  investment  oriented
     conferences.

         Many third-party  products  include  computer  software or on-line data
feeds.  Certain  products also include  computer  hardware  necessary to use the
product.

         Certain of these third party  services may be available  directly  from
the  vendor  on  a  hard  dollar  basis.   Others  are  available  only  through
broker-dealer  firms for soft  dollars.  Stein Roe  evaluates  each  product  to
determine a cash ("hard  dollars")  value of the product to Stein Roe. Stein Roe
then on a product-by-product basis targets commission dollars in an amount equal
to a  specified  multiple  of the hard dollar  value to the  broker-dealer  that
supplies the product to Stein Roe. In general,  these  multiples range from 1.25
to 1.85 times the hard dollar value. Stein Roe attempts to direct trades to each
firm to meet these targets. (For example, if the multiple is 1.5:1.0, assuming a
hard  dollar  value of  $10,000,  Stein  Roe will  target  to the  broker-dealer
providing the product trades generating $15,000 in total commissions.)

         The targets that Stein Roe  establishes  for both  proprietary  and for
third party research products typically will reflect  discussions that Stein Roe
has  with  the  broker-dealer  providing  the  product  regarding  the  level of
commissions  it expects to receive for the product.  However,  these targets are
not binding commitments, and Stein Roe does not agree to direct a minimum amount
of commissions to any broker-dealer  for soft dollar products.  In setting these
targets,  Stein  Roe makes a  determination  that the  value of the  product  is
reasonably  commensurate  with the  cost of  acquiring  it.  These  targets  are
established on a calendar year basis. Stein Roe will receive the product whether
or not commissions directed to the applicable broker-dealer are less than, equal
to or in excess of the  target.  Stein Roe  generally  will  carry  over  target
shortages and excesses to the next year's  target.  Stein Roe believes that this
practice  reduces  the  conflicts  of  interest   associated  with  soft  dollar
transactions,   since  Stein  Roe  can  meet  the  non-binding  expectations  of
broker-dealers providing soft dollar products over flexible time periods. In the
case of third party products,  the third party is paid by the  broker-dealer and
not by Stein  Roe.  Stein Roe may enter  into a  contract  with the third  party
vendor to use the product. (For example, if the product includes software, Stein
Roe will enter into a license to use the software from the vendor.)

         In certain cases,  Stein Roe uses soft dollars to obtain  products that
have both research and non-research purposes.  Examples of non-research uses are
administrative  and  marketing  functions.  These are referred to as "mixed use"
products. As of the date of this SAI, Stein Roe acquires two mixed use products.
These  are (i) a fixed  income  security  data  service  and (ii) a mutual  fund
performance  ranking  service.  In each  case,  Stein  Roe  makes  a good  faith
evaluation  of the  research  and  non-research  uses of these  services.  These
evaluations  are based upon the time spent by Firm  personnel  for  research and
non-research  uses. Stein Roe pays the provider in cash ("hard dollars") for the
non-research portion of its use of these products.

         Stein Roe may use  research  obtained  from soft  dollar  trades in the
management of any of its discretionary accounts.  Thus, consistent with industry
practice,  Stein Roe does not require that the Client account that generates the
trade  receive any benefit  from the soft dollar  product  obtained  through the
trade.  As noted above,  this may result in cross  subsidization  of soft dollar
products among Client  accounts.  As noted therein,  this practice is explicitly
sanctioned by a provision of the Securities  Exchange Act of 1934, which creates
a "safe harbor" for soft dollar transactions conducted in a specified manner.

         In certain  cases,  Stein Roe will direct a trade to one  broker-dealer
with the  instruction  that it  execute  the trade and pay over a portion of the
commission from the trade to another broker-dealer who provides Stein Roe with a
soft dollar research product. The broker-dealer  executing the trade "steps out"
of a portion of the commission in favor of the other broker-dealer providing the
soft dollar product.  Stein Roe may engage in step out  transactions in order to
direct soft dollar  commissions to a broker-dealer  which provides  research but
may not be able  to  provide  best  execution.  Brokers  who  receive  step  out
commissions  typically are brokers  providing a third party soft dollar  product
that is not available on a hard dollars basis. Stein Roe has not engaged in step
out transactions as a manner of compensating  broker-dealers that sell shares of
investment companies managed by Stein Roe.


<PAGE>
<TABLE>
<CAPTION>



         The table below shows information on brokerage  commissions paid by the
Funds:
<S>                                                       <C>            <C>           <C>         <C>

                                                          -----------------------------------------------------
                                                               Large          Capital       Small
                                                              Company             Opportunities  Company

Focus Fund                Growth Fund

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal
year ended 9/30/99                                               $51,496    $1,692,241     $867,578     $15,944
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Amount of commissions paid to brokers or dealers who
supplied research services to Stein Roe                           31,435     1,012,153      609,016       7,694
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total dollar amount involved in such transactions (000
omitted)                                                         178,047     5,927,255    1,591,956       8,360
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal
year ended 9/30/98                                                43,465     2,301,286      732,013          --
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Total amount of brokerage commissions paid during fiscal
year ended 9/30/97                                                    --       766,278      543,951          --
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>


 .........Each Trust has arranged for its  custodian to act as a soliciting
dealer to accept any fees  available to the  custodian as a soliciting  dealer
in connection  with any tender offer for  portfolio  securities.  The custodian
will credit any such fees received against  its  custodial  fees.  In addition,
the  Board of  Trustees  has  reviewed  the  legal  developments  pertaining
to and the practicability  of attempting to recapture  underwriting  discounts
or selling  concessions when portfolio securities are purchased in underwritten
offerings.  However,  the Board has been advised by counsel that recapture by a
mutual fund  currently is not  permitted under the Rules of the Association of
the National Association of Securities Dealers.

       During the last fiscal year, no Fund held any securities issued by one or
more of its regular  broker-dealers  or the parent of such  broker-dealers  that
derive more than 15% of gross revenue from securities-related activities.

                      ADDITIONAL INCOME TAX CONSIDERATIONS

         Each Fund intends to qualify under Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue
Code and to comply with the special provisions of the Internal Revenue Code that
relieve it of federal income tax to the extent of its net investment  income and
capital gains currently distributed to shareholders.

         Because  dividend  and  capital  gains  distributions  reduce net asset
value, a shareholder who purchases  shares shortly before a record date will, in
effect,  receive a return of a portion of his  investment in such  distribution.
The  distribution  would  nonetheless  be taxable to him,  even if the net asset
value of shares were reduced  below his cost.  However,  for federal  income tax
purposes the shareholder's original cost would continue as his tax basis.

         Each Fund expects that less than 100% of its dividends will qualify for
the deduction for dividends received by corporate shareholders.

         To the extent a Fund invests in foreign  securities,  it may be subject
to  withholding  and other  taxes  imposed by foreign  countries.  Tax  treaties
between  certain  countries and the United  States may reduce or eliminate  such
taxes.  Investors may be entitled to claim U.S. foreign tax credits with respect
to such taxes,  subject to certain  provisions and limitations  contained in the
Code. Specifically,  if more than 50% of the Fund's total assets at the close of
any fiscal year consist of stock or securities of foreign corporations, the Fund
may file an  election  with  the  Internal  Revenue  Service  pursuant  to which
shareholders  of the Fund will be  required  to (i)  include in  ordinary  gross
income (in  addition  to taxable  dividends  actually  received)  their pro rata
shares of  foreign  income  taxes  paid by the Fund  even  though  not  actually
received,  (ii) treat such  respective  pro rata shares as foreign  income taxes
paid by them,  and (iii) deduct such pro rata shares in computing  their taxable
incomes,  or,  alternatively,  use  them as  foreign  tax  credits,  subject  to
applicable limitations,  against their United States income taxes.  Shareholders
who do not itemize deductions for federal income tax purposes will not, however,
be able to deduct  their pro rata  portion  of  foreign  taxes paid by the Fund,
although such shareholders will be required to include their share of such taxes
in gross income.  Shareholders who claim a foreign tax credit may be required to
treat a portion of dividends  received from the Fund as separate category income
for purposes of computing the limitations on the foreign tax credit available to
such shareholders. Tax-exempt shareholders will not ordinarily benefit from this
election   relating  to  foreign  taxes.   Each  year,  the  Funds  will  notify
shareholders of the amount of (i) each  shareholder's  pro rata share of foreign
income  taxes  paid by the Fund and (ii) the  portion  of Fund  dividends  which
represents income from each foreign country, if the Fund qualifies to pass along
such credit.

                             INVESTMENT PERFORMANCE

         A Fund may quote  certain  total  return  figures  from time to time. A
"Total Return" on a per share basis is the amount of dividends  distributed  per
share plus or minus the change in the net asset value per share for a period.  A
"Total Return  Percentage" may be calculated by dividing the value of a share at
the end of a period by the value of the share at the beginning of the period and
subtracting  one. For a given  period,  an "Average  Annual Total Return" may be
computed by finding  the  average  annual  compounded  rate that would  equate a
hypothetical initial amount invested of $1,000 to the ending redeemable value.

       Average Annual Total Return is computed as follows:  ERV  =  P(1+T)n

       Where:      P       =   a hypothetical initial payment of $1,000
                   T       =   average annual total return
                   n       =   number of years
                   ERV     =   ending  redeemable  value of a  hypothetical
                               $1,000  payment made at the beginning of the
                               period at the end of the period (or fractional
                               portion).

The total return performance as of September 30, 1999* was:

                                                             10 Years or Life of

                                        1 Year     5 Years     Fund (if shorter)

                          13.57      10.64              10.96


             Large Company Focus Fund   35.05        N/A              13.93**

           Capital Opportunities Fund   13.43      13.66              10.21

            Small Company Growth Fund   33.06        N/A              15.37**

                  *Performance  information  is  based  on each  Fund's  Class S
shares.

                  **Life of Fund is from date of public  offering of Fund or its
                      predecessor:  June 26, 1998 for Large  Company Focus Fund;
                      and March 25, 1996 for predecessor of Small Company

                                  Growth Fund.


         Investment performance figures assume reinvestment of all dividends and
distributions  and do not take into account any federal,  state, or local income
taxes which  shareholders  must pay on a current basis. They are not necessarily
indicative  of  future  results.  The  performance  of the Fund is a  result  of
conditions  in the  securities  markets,  portfolio  management,  and  operating
expenses. Although investment performance information is useful in reviewing the
Fund's  performance  and in  providing  some  basis for  comparison  with  other
investment  alternatives,  it  should  not be used  for  comparison  with  other
investments using different reinvestment assumptions or time periods.

         A Fund may note its mention or recognition in newspapers, magazines, or
other media from time to time.  However,  the Funds assume no responsibility for
the accuracy of such data.  Newspapers  and  magazines  which might  mention the
Funds include, but are not limited to, the following:


<PAGE>


                                                     1

Architectural Digest
Arizona Republic
Atlanta Constitution
Atlantic Monthly
Associated Press
Barron's
Bloomberg
Boston Globe
Boston Herald
Business Week
Chicago Tribune
Chicago Sun-Times
Cleveland Plain Dealer
CNBC
CNN

Crain's Chicago  Business  Consumer Reports Consumer Digest Dow Jones Investment
Advisor Dow Jones Newswire Fee Advisor Financial Planning Financial World Forbes
Fortune Fund Action Fund Marketing Alert Gourmet Individual  Investor Investment
Dealers' Digest Investment News Investor's Business Daily

Kiplinger's  Personal Finance Magazine  Knight-Ridder Lipper Analytical Services
Los Angeles Times Louis  Rukeyser's Wall Street Money Money on Line  Morningstar
Mutual Fund Market News Mutual Fund News Service Mutual Funds  Magazine  Newsday
Newsweek New York Daily News The New York Times  No-Load Fund  Investor  Pension
World Pensions and Investment Personal Investor  Physicians  Financial News Jane
Bryant Quinn (syndicated column) Reuters The San Francisco Chronicle  Securities
Industry Daily Smart Money Smithsonian  Strategic Insight Street.com Time Travel
& Leisure USA Today U.S. News & World Report Value Line The Wall Street  Journal
The Washington Post Working Women Worth Your Money


<PAGE>


                                                     1

         In  advertising  and  sales  literature,   the  Fund  may  compare  its
performance with that of other mutual funds, indexes or averages of other mutual
funds,  indexes  of  related  financial  assets  or data,  and  other  competing
investment  and  deposit  products  available  from or through  other  financial
institutions.  The composition of these indexes or averages differs from that of
the Funds.  Comparison of the Fund to an alternative  investment  should be made
with consideration of differences in features and expected  performance.  All of
the indexes and averages noted below will be obtained from the indicated sources
or reporting services,  which the Funds believe to be generally accurate. All of
the Funds may compare their performance to the Consumer Price Index (All Urban),
a widely recognized measure of inflation. The Fund's performance may be compared
to the following indexes or averages:

Dow-Jones Industrial Average            New York Stock Exchange Composite Index
Standard & Poor's 500 Stock Index       American Stock Exchange Composite Index
Standard & Poor's 400 Industrials       Nasdaq Composite
Russell 2000 Index                      Nasdaq Industrials

Wilshire 5000
(These indexes are widely recognized    (These indexes generally reflect the
indicators of general U.S. stock market   performance of stocks traded in the
results.)                                  indicated markets.)



<PAGE>


<TABLE>
<CAPTION>

         In  addition,  the  Fund  may  compare  performance  to  the  indicated
benchmarks:
<S>                     <C>                                  <C>

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
                         Benchmark                                                Fund(s)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Capital Appreciation Fund Average                     Capital Opportunities Fund, Large Company Focus
                                                                            Fund
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Capital Appreciation Fund Index                       Capital Opportunities Fund,  Large Company Focus
                                                                            Fund
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Equity Fund Average                                   All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper General Equity Fund Average                           All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Growth Fund Average                                   Small Company Growth Fund

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Growth Fund Index                                     Small Company Growth Fund

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Lipper Midcap Value Average

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Aggressive Growth Fund Average                   Capital Opportunities Fund, Large Company Focus
                                                                            Fund
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar All Equity Funds Average                         All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Domestic Stock Average                           All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Equity Fund Average                              All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar General Equity Average*                          All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Growth Fund Average                              Small Company Growth Fund

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Hybrid Fund Average                              Small Company Growth Fund

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Midcap Value Average

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar Total Fund Average                               All Funds

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Morningstar U.S. Diversified Average                         Small Company Growth Fund
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Value Line Index                                             Capital Opportunities Fund,  Large Company Focus
      (Widely recognized indicator of the performance of     Fund
      small- and medium-sized company stocks)
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
</TABLE>

*Includes Morningstar Aggressive Growth, Growth, Balanced, Equity Income, and
 Growth and Income Averages.

         Lipper Growth Fund Index  reflects the net asset value  weighted  total
return of the largest  thirty  growth funds and thirty  growth and income funds,
respectively,  as calculated and published by Lipper. The Lipper and Morningstar
averages are unweighted  averages of total return performance of mutual funds as
classified, calculated, and published by these independent services that monitor
the performance of mutual funds. The Funds may also use comparative  performance
as computed in a ranking by Lipper or category averages and rankings provided by
another  independent  service.  Should Lipper or another service  reclassify the
Fund to a  different  category  or  develop  (and  place  the  Fund  into) a new
category,  that Fund may compare its  performance or ranking with those of other
funds in the newly assigned category, as published by the service.

         A Fund may also  cite its  rating,  recognition,  or other  mention  by
Morningstar  or any  other  entity.  Morningstar's  rating  system  is  based on
risk-adjusted total return performance and is expressed in a star-rating format.
The risk-adjusted number is computed by subtracting the Fund's risk score (which
is a function of the fund's monthly returns less the 3-month T-bill return) from
its  load-adjusted  total return score.  This numerical score is then translated
into  rating  categories,  with the top 10%  labeled  five star,  the next 22.5%
labeled four star,  the next 35% labeled three star,  the next 22.5% labeled two
star, and the bottom 10% one star. A high rating reflects  either  above-average
returns or below-average risk, or both.

         Of course, past performance is not indicative of future results.

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

         To  illustrate  the  historical  returns on various  types of financial
assets, the Funds may use historical data provided by Ibbotson Associates,  Inc.
("Ibbotson"),  a Chicago-based investment firm. Ibbotson constructs (or obtains)
very long-term  (since 1926) total return data  (including,  for example,  total
return  indexes,  total return  percentages,  average  annual total  returns and
standard deviations of such returns) for the following asset types:

                                     Common stocks
                                     Small company stocks
                                     Long-term corporate bonds
                                     Long-term government bonds
                                     Intermediate-term government bonds
                                     U.S. Treasury bills
                                     Consumer Price Index
                                                         ---------------------

       A Fund may also use  hypothetical  returns  to be used as an example in a
mix of asset allocation  strategies.  One such example is reflected in the chart
below, which shows the effect of tax deferral on a hypothetical investment. This
chart  assumes  that an  investor  invested  $2,000 a year on January 1, for any
specified  period, in both a Tax-Deferred  Investment and a Taxable  Investment,
that both  investments earn either 6%, 8% or 10% compounded  annually,  and that
the investor withdrew the entire amount at the end of the period. (A tax rate of
39.6% is applied  annually to the Taxable  Investment  and on the  withdrawal of
earnings on the Tax-Deferred Investment.) <TABLE> <CAPTION>


                 Tax-Deferred Investment vs. Taxable Investment
<S>                       <C>           <C>         <C>           <C>          <C>           <C>
Interest Rate              6%            8%          10%           6%            8%           10%
     Compounding

        Years                 Tax-Deferred Investment                    Taxable Investment
        -----                 -----------------------                    ------------------
         30                $124,992     $171,554     $242,340      $109,197     $135,346      $168,852
         25                  90,053      115,177      150,484        82,067       97,780       117,014
         20                  62,943       75,543       91,947        59,362       68,109        78,351
         15                  41,684       47,304       54,099        40,358       44,675        49,514
         10                  24,797       26,820       29,098        24,453       26,165        28,006
          5                  11,178       11,613       12,072        11,141       11,546        11,965
          1                   2,072        2,096        2,121         2,072        2,096         2,121
</TABLE>

         Dollar Cost Averaging.  Dollar cost averaging is an investment strategy
that requires investing a fixed amount of money in Fund shares at set intervals.
This  allows you to purchase  more  shares when prices are low and fewer  shares
when  prices are high.  Over time,  this  tends to lower your  average  cost per
share.  Like any investment  strategy,  dollar cost averaging  can't guarantee a
profit or protect  against losses in a steadily  declining  market.  Dollar cost
averaging  involves  uninterrupted  investing  regardless  of  share  price  and
therefore may not be appropriate for every investor.

         From  time to time,  a Fund  may  offer in its  advertising  and  sales
literature  to  send  an  investment  strategy  guide,  a tax  guide,  or  other
supplemental information to investors and shareholders.  It may also mention the
Stein  Roe  CounselorSM  program  and  asset  allocation  and  other  investment
strategies.

 APPENDIX--RATINGS

RATINGS IN GENERAL

         A rating of a rating service represents the service's opinion as to the
credit quality of the security being rated. However, the ratings are general and
are not absolute  standards of quality or guarantees as to the  creditworthiness
of an  issuer.  Consequently,  Stein  Roe  believes  that  the  quality  of debt
securities invests should be continuously  reviewed and that individual analysts
give different  weightings to the various factors involved in credit analysis. A
rating is not a recommendation  to purchase,  sell or hold a security because it
does  not  take  into  account  market  value or  suitability  for a  particular
investor. When a security has received a rating from more than one service, each
rating  should  be  evaluated  independently.   Ratings  are  based  on  current
information  furnished  by the issuer or  obtained by the rating  services  from
other sources which they consider reliable. Ratings may be changed, suspended or
withdrawn as a result of changes in or unavailability  of such  information,  or
for other reasons.

         The following is a  description  of the  characteristics  of ratings of
corporate debt securities used by Moody's Investors  Service,  Inc.  ("Moody's")
and Standard & Poor's ("S&P").

RATINGS BY MOODY'S

Aaa. Bonds rated Aaa are judged to be the best quality.  They carry the smallest
degree of investment risk and are generally referred to as "gilt edge." Interest
payments  are  protected  by a  large  or an  exceptionally  stable  margin  and
principal  is secure.  Although  the various  protective  elements are likely to
change,  such  changes  as can be  visualized  are more  unlikely  to impair the
fundamentally strong position of such bonds.

Aa. Bonds rated Aa are judged to be of high quality by all  standards.  Together
with the Aaa group they comprise  what are generally  known as high grade bonds.
They are rated lower than the best bonds because  margins of protection  may not
be as large as in Aaa bonds or  fluctuation  of  protective  elements  may be of
greater  amplitude  or  there  may be  other  elements  present  which  make the
long-term risks appear somewhat larger than in Aaa bonds.

A. Bonds rated A possess  many  favorable  investment  attributes  and are to be
considered  as upper  medium  grade  obligations.  Factors  giving  security  to
principal  and interest  are  considered  adequate,  but elements may be present
which suggest a susceptibility to impairment sometime in the future.

Baa. Bonds rated Baa are considered as medium grade obligations;  i.e., they are
neither highly  protected nor poorly  secured.  Interest  payments and principal
security appear adequate for the present but certain protective  elements may be
lacking or may be  characteristically  unreliable over any great length of time.
Such  bonds  lack  outstanding  investment  characteristics  and  in  fact  have
speculative characteristics as well.

Ba.  Bonds  which are rated Ba are judged to have  speculative  elements;  their
future cannot be considered  as well assured.  Often the  protection of interest
and  principal  payments may be very  moderate and thereby not well  safeguarded
during  both  good  and bad  times  over the  future.  Uncertainty  of  position
characterizes bonds in this class.

B. Bonds  which are rated B  generally  lack  characteristics  of the  desirable
investment.  Assurance of interest and principal  payments or of  maintenance of
other terms of the contract over any long period of time may be small.

Caa.  Bonds which are rated Caa are of poor  standing.  Such  issues may be in
default or there may be present  elements of danger with respect to principal
or interest.

Ca. Bonds which are rated Ca represent  obligations  which are speculative in a
high degree. Such issues are often in default or have other marked shortcomings.

         NOTE:  Moody's applies numerical  modifiers 1, 2, and 3 in each generic
rating classification from Aa through B in its corporate bond rating system. The
modifier 1 indicates  that the  security  ranks in the higher end of its generic
rating category;  the modifier 2 indicates a mid-range ranking; and the modifier
3  indicates  that  the  issue  ranks in the  lower  end of its  generic  rating
category.

RATINGS BY S&P

AAA.  Debt rated AAA has the highest rating.  Capacity to pay interest and repay
principal is extremely strong.

AA. Debt rated AA has a very strong capacity to pay interest and repay principal
and differs from the highest rated issues only in small degree.

A. Debt  rated A has a strong  capacity  to pay  interest  and  repay  principal
although it is somewhat more  susceptible  to the adverse  effects of changes in
circumstances and economic conditions than debt in higher rated categories.

BBB.  Debt rated BBB is regarded as having an adequate  capacity to pay interest
and  repay  principal.   Whereas  it  normally  exhibits   adequate   protection
parameters,  adverse  economic  conditions  or changing  circumstances  are more
likely to lead to a weakened  capacity to pay interest and repay  principal  for
debt in this category than for debt in higher rated categories.

BB, B, CCC, CC, and C. Debt rated BB, B, CCC, CC, or C is regarded,  on balance,
as predominantly  speculative with respect to capacity to pay interest and repay
principal in  accordance  with the terms of the  obligation.  BB  indicates  the
lowest degree of speculation and C the highest degree of speculation. While such
debt will likely have some  quality and  protective  characteristics,  these are
outweighed by large uncertainties or major risk exposures to adverse conditions.

C1. This rating is reserved for income bonds on which no interest is being paid.

D. Debt rated D is in  default,  and  payment of interest  and/or  repayment  of
principal  is in  arrears.  The D  rating  is also  used  upon the  filing  of a
bankruptcy petition if debt service payments are jeopardized.

NOTES:

The  ratings  from AA to CCC may be  modified  by the  addition of a plus (+) or
minus (-) sign to show  relative  standing  within the major rating  categories.
Foreign  debt is  rated  on the  same  basis  as  domestic  debt  measuring  the
creditworthiness of the issuer; ratings of foreign debt do not take into account
currency exchange and related uncertainties.

The  "r"  is  attached  to  highlight  derivative,  hybrid,  and  certain  other
obligations that S&P believes may experience high volatility or high variability
in expected returns due to non-credit  risks.  Examples of such obligations are:
securities   whose   principal  or  interest  return  is  indexed  to  equities,
commodities,  or  currencies;  certain swaps and options;  and interest only and
principal only mortgage  securities.  The absence of an "r" symbol should not be
taken  as an  indication  that an  obligation  will  exhibit  no  volatility  or
variability in total return.

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


--------
1 A "majority of the outstanding  voting  securities"  means the approval of the
lesser of (i) 67% or more of the shares at a meeting if the holders of more than
50% of the  outstanding  shares are present or represented by proxy or (ii) more
than 50% of the outstanding shares.

2 A futures  contract on an index is an agreement  pursuant to which two parties
agree to take or make  delivery  of an  amount of cash  equal to the  difference
between  the  value of the  index at the  close of the last  trading  day of the
contract  and the price at which  the index  contract  was  originally  written.
Although the value of a  securities  index is a function of the value of certain
specified securities, no physical delivery of those securities is made.

3 A call option is  "in-the-money"  if the value of the futures contract that is
the  subject  of  the  option  exceeds  the  exercise  price.  A put  option  is
"in-the-money"  if the exercise price exceeds the value of the futures  contract
that is the  subject of the  option.  4 An equity  option is defined to mean any
option  to buy or sell  stock,  and any  other  option  the  value  of  which is
determined  by reference to an index of stocks of the type that is ineligible to
be traded on a  commodity  futures  exchange  (e.g.,  an  option  contract  on a
sub-index  based on the price of nine  hotel-casino  stocks).  The definition of
equity  option  excludes  options  on  broad-based  stock  indexes  (such as the
Standard & Poor's 500 index).

<PAGE>


PART C.  OTHER INFORMATION

ITEM  23.  EXHIBITS  [Note:  As  used  herein,   the  term  "PEA"  refers  to  a
post-effective amendment to the Registration Statement of the Registrant on Form
N-1A under the Securities Act of 1933, No. 33-11351.]

(a)      Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated
         as amended on 7/28/2000.
 (b)(1) By-Laws of Registrant as amended through February
       3, 1993. (Exhibit 2 to PEA #34).*
   (2) Amendment to By-Laws dated February 4, 1998.
       (Exhibit 2(a) to PEA #45.)*

(c)    None.

(d)(1) Management   Agreement  between   Registrant  and  Stein  Roe  &  Farnham
       Incorporated dated 8/15/95, as amended through 2/2/99. (Exhibit (d)(1) to
       PEA #58.)*

   (2) Management  Agreement  between  SR&F  Base  Trust and Stein Roe & Farnham
       Incorporated dated 8/15/95,  as amended through 6/28/99.  (Exhibit (d)(2)
       to PEA #59.)*

   (3) Sub-Advisory Agreement among Registrant, Stein Roe &
       Farnham Incorporated, and Newport Pacific Management,
       Inc. dated 8/3/99 relating to the series Stein Roe
       Asia Pacific Fund.(Exhibit (d)(3) to PEA #59.)*

(e)(1) Underwriting Agreement between Registrant and Liberty
       Funds Distributor, Inc. dated 8/4/99.  (Exhibit (e)(1)
       to PEA #59.)*
   (2) Specimen copy of selected dealer agreement.  (Exhibit
       6(b) to PEA #40.)*

(f)    None.

(g)    Custodian  Contract  between  Registrant  and State Street Bank and Trust
       Company dated 3/3/87, as amended through 5/8/95.(Exhibit 8 to PEA #31.)*

(h)(1) Restated Transfer Agency Agreement between Registrant and
       SteinRoe Services Inc. dated 8/1/95 as amended through
       3/31/99.  (Exhibit(h)(1) to PEA #58.)*
   (2) Accounting and Bookkeeping Agreement between Registrant
       and Stein Roe & Farnham Incorporated dated 8/3/99.
       (Exhibit (h)(2) to PEA #59.)*

   (3) Administrative  Agreement  between  Registrant  and  Stein  Roe & Farnham
       Incorporated 8/15/95 as amended through 6/28/99.

       (Exhibit (h)(3) to PEA #59.)*

   (4) Sub-Transfer Agent Agreement with Liberty Funds Services,
       Inc. (formerly named Colonial Investors Service Center)
       dated 7/3/96, as amended through 3/31/99.  (Exhibit (h)(4)
       to PEA #58.)*

(i)(1) Opinions and consents of Ropes & Gray. (Exhibit
       10(a) to PEA #34).*
   (2) Opinions  and  consents  of Bell,  Boyd & Lloyd with  respect to SteinRoe
       Prime Equities (now named Stein Roe Advisor Select Growth & Income Fund),
       Stein Roe Capital  Opportunities  Fund, Stein Roe Special Fund (now named
       Stein Roe Disciplined  Stock Fund),  SteinRoe Stock Fund (now named Stein
       Roe Growth Stock Fund),  SteinRoe  Total Return Fund (now named Stein Roe
       Balanced Fund),  Stein Roe  International  Fund, Stein Roe Young Investor
       Fund, and Stein Roe Special Venture Fund. (Exhibit 10(b) to PEA #34).*

   (3) Opinion  and  consent  of Bell,  Boyd & Lloyd  with  respect to Stein Roe
       Growth Opportunities Fund (now named Stein Roe Midcap Growth Fund).
       (Exhibit 10(d) to PEA #39.)*

   (4) Opinion and consent of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd with
       respect to Stein Roe Large Company Focus Fund.
       (Exhibit 10(e) to PEA #45.)*
   (5) Opinion and consent of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd with
       respect to Stein Roe Asia Pacific Fund.  (Exhibit
       10(f) to PEA #46.)*
   (6) Opinion and consent of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd with
       respect to Stein Roe Small Company Growth Fund.
       (Exhibit (i)(6) to PEA #54.)*
   (7) Opinion and Consent of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLC.

(j)(1) Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.

(2)   Consent of Morningstar, Inc. (Exhibit 11(b) to PEA #34).*

(k)    None.

(l)    Inapplicable.

(m)    Rule 12b-1 Plan.  (Exhibit (m) to PEA #62.)*

(n)    Rule 18f-3 Plan.  (Exhibit (n) to PEA #62.)*
---------
*Incorporated by reference.

ITEM 24.  PERSONS CONTROLLED BY OR UNDER COMMON CONTROL WITH
REGISTRANT.

The Registrant does not consider that it is directly or indirectly  controlling,
controlled  by, or under common control with other persons within the meaning of
this Item.  See  "Investment  Advisory and Other  Services,"  "Management,"  and
"Transfer  Agent" in the Statement of Additional  Information,  each of which is
incorporated herein by reference.

ITEM 25.  INDEMNIFICATION.

Article Tenth of the Agreement and  Declaration of Trust of Registrant  (Exhibit
(a)),  which  Article  is  incorporated  herein  by  reference,   provides  that
Registrant shall provide indemnification of its trustees and officers (including
each  person  who serves or has served at  Registrant's  request as a  director,
officer, or trustee of another organization in which Registrant has any interest
as a shareholder,  creditor or otherwise)  ("Covered  Persons")  under specified
circumstances.

Section 17(h) of the  Investment  Company Act of 1940 ("1940 Act") provides that
neither the Agreement and  Declaration  of Trust nor the By-Laws of  Registrant,
nor  any  other  instrument   pursuant  to  which  Registrant  is  organized  or
administered,  shall contain any provision which protects or purports to protect
any trustee or officer of Registrant  against any liability to Registrant or its
shareholders  to which he would  otherwise  be  subject  by  reason  of  willful
misfeasance,  bad faith,  gross negligence,  or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office.  In accordance  with Section 17(h) of the
1940 Act,  Article  Tenth shall not protect any person  against any liability to
Registrant or its  shareholders to which he would otherwise be subject by reason
of willful  misfeasance,  bad faith, gross negligence,  or reckless disregard of
the duties involved in the conduct of his office.

Unless otherwise permitted under the 1940 Act,

     (i)  Article  Tenth does not protect any person  against any  liability  to
Registrant  or to its  shareholders  to which he would  otherwise  be subject by
reason  of  willful  misfeasance,  bad  faith,  gross  negligence,  or  reckless
disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of his office;

     (ii) in the  absence of a final  decision on the merits by a court or other
body before whom a proceeding  was brought that a Covered  Person was not liable
by reason of willful  misfeasance,  bad faith,  gross  negligence,  or  reckless
disregard   of  the  duties   involved  in  the   conduct  of  his  office,   no
indemnification  is permitted  under Article Tenth unless a  determination  that
such person was not so liable is made on behalf of Registrant by (a) the vote of
a majority of the trustees who are neither  "interested  persons" of Registrant,
as defined in Section  2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act,  nor parties to the  proceeding
("disinterested,  non-party  trustees"),  or (b) an independent legal counsel as
expressed in a written opinion; and

     (iii)  Registrant  will  not  advance  attorneys'  fees or  other  expenses
incurred by a Covered Person in connection with a civil or criminal action, suit
or proceeding unless  Registrant  receives an undertaking by or on behalf of the
Covered Person to repay the advance (unless it is ultimately  determined that he
is entitled to indemnification) and (a) the Covered Person provides security for
his  undertaking,  or (b) Registrant is insured against losses arising by reason
of any lawful  advances,  or (c) a  majority  of the  disinterested,  non- party
trustees of Registrant or an independent legal counsel as expressed in a written
opinion,  determine, based on a review of readily available facts (as opposed to
a full trial- type  inquiry),  that there is reason to believe  that the Covered
Person ultimately will be found entitled to indemnification.

Any approval of  indemnification  pursuant to Article Tenth does not prevent the
recovery  from any Covered  Person of any amount paid to such Covered  Person in
accordance  with Article  Tenth as  indemnification  if such  Covered  Person is
subsequently  adjudicated by a court of competent jurisdiction not to have acted
in good faith in the reasonable belief that such Covered Person's action was in,
or not opposed to, the best  interests of  Registrant  or to have been liable to
Registrant  or its  shareholders  by reason of willful  misfeasance,  bad faith,
gross negligence, or reckless disregard of the duties involved in the conduct of
such Covered Person's office.

Article  Tenth  also  provides  that  its  indemnification  provisions  are  not
exclusive.

Insofar as indemnification  for liabilities  arising under the Securities Act of
1933 may be permitted  to trustees,  officers,  and  controlling  persons of the
Registrant pursuant to the foregoing  provisions,  or otherwise,  Registrant has
been advised that in the opinion of the Securities and Exchange  Commission such
indemnification  is  against  public  policy  as  expressed  in the  Act and is,
therefore,  unenforceable. In the event that a claim for indemnification against
such liabilities  (other than the payment by Registrant of expenses  incurred or
paid  by a  trustee,  officer,  or  controlling  person  of  Registrant  in  the
successful  defense of any  action,  suit,  or  proceeding)  is asserted by such
trustee,  officer, or controlling person in connection with the securities being
registered, Registrant will, unless in the opinion of its counsel the matter has
been  settled  by  controlling  precedent,  submit  to a  court  of  appropriate
jurisdiction  the  question  of whether  such  indemnification  by it is against
public  policy  as  expressed  in the Act  and  will be  governed  by the  final
adjudication of such issue.

Registrant,  its  trustees  and  officers,  its  investment  adviser,  the other
investment  companies advised by Stein Roe & Farnham  Incorporated,  and persons
affiliated with them are insured against certain expenses in connection with the
defense of actions, suits, or proceedings, and certain liabilities that might be
imposed as a result of such actions, suits, or proceedings.  Registrant will not
pay any portion of the premiums for coverage under such insurance that would (1)
protect  any trustee or officer  against  any  liability  to  Registrant  or its
shareholders  to which he would  otherwise  be  subject  by  reason  of  willful
misfeasance,  bad faith,  gross negligence,  or reckless disregard of the duties
involved in the conduct of his office or (2) protect its  investment  adviser or
principal  underwriter,  if any,  against any  liability  to  Registrant  or its
shareholders  to which  such  person  would  otherwise  be  subject by reason of
willful misfeasance,  bad faith, or gross negligence,  in the performance of its
duties,  or by reason of its reckless  disregard  of its duties and  obligations
under its  contract  or  agreement  with the  Registrant;  for this  purpose the
Registrant  will rely on an allocation  of premiums  determined by the insurance
company.

Pursuant to the  indemnification  agreement among the  Registrant,  its transfer
agent and its  investment  adviser  dated  July 1,  1995,  the  Registrant,  its
trustees,  officers and employees,  its transfer agent and the transfer  agent's
directors,  officers and employees are  indemnified by  Registrant's  investment
adviser against any and all losses,  liabilities,  damages,  claims and expenses
arising out of any act or  omission  of the  Registrant  or its  transfer  agent
performed  in  conformity  with a request  of the  investment  adviser  that the
transfer  agent and the  Registrant  deviate  from their  normal  procedures  in
connection with the issue,  redemption or transfer of shares for a client of the
investment adviser.

Registrant,  its  trustees,  officers,  employees and  representatives  and each
person,  if any, who controls the Registrant within the meaning of Section 15 of
the Securities Act of 1933 are  indemnified by the  distributor of  Registrant's
shares (the "distributor"), pursuant to the terms of the distribution agreement,
which  governs the  distribution  of  Registrant's  shares,  against any and all
losses, liabilities, damages, claims and expenses arising out of the acquisition
of any shares of the  Registrant  by any person  which (i) may be based upon any
wrongful act by the distributor or any of the distributor's directors, officers,
employees  or  representatives  or (ii) may be based  upon any untrue or alleged
untrue  statement  of a material  fact  contained in a  registration  statement,
prospectus,  statement of additional  information,  shareholder  report or other
information  covering  shares  of the  Registrant  filed or made  public  by the
Registrant  or any amendment  thereof or  supplement  thereto or the omission or
alleged  omission to state therein a material fact required to be stated therein
or necessary to make the statement  therein not  misleading if such statement or
omission was made in reliance upon  information  furnished to the  Registrant by
the  distributor  in  writing.  In no  case  does  the  distributor's  indemnity
indemnify an indemnified  party against any liability to which such  indemnified
party would otherwise be subject by reason of willful misfeasance, bad faith, or
negligence  in the  performance  of its or his duties or by reason of its or his
reckless  disregard of its or his obligations and duties under the  distribution
agreement.

ITEM 26.  BUSINESS AND OTHER CONNECTIONS OF INVESTMENT ADVISER.

Stein Roe & Farnham  Incorporated  ("Stein Roe"), the investment  adviser,  is a
wholly owned subsidiary of SteinRoe  Services Inc.  ("SSI"),  which in turn is a
wholly  owned  subsidiary  of  Liberty  Financial  Companies,  Inc.,  which is a
majority owned  subsidiary of Liberty  Corporation  Holdings,  Inc.,  which is a
wholly owned subsidiary of LFC Holdings,  Inc., which in turn is a subsidiary of
Liberty  Mutual  Equity  Corporation,  which in turn is a subsidiary  of Liberty
Mutual Insurance  Company.  Stein Roe acts as investment adviser to individuals,
trustees, pension and profit-sharing plans, charitable organizations,  and other
investors.  In addition to  Registrant,  it also acts as  investment  adviser to
other investment companies having different investment policies.

For a two-year  business  history of officers and directors of Stein Roe, please
refer to the Form ADV of Stein Roe & Farnham  Incorporated and to the section of
the statement of additional  information (Part B) entitled  "Investment Advisory
and Other Services."

Certain  directors and officers of Stein Roe also serve and have during the past
two years served in various  capacities as officers,  directors,  or trustees of
SSI, of Colonial Management  Associates,  Inc. (which is a subsidiary of Liberty
Financial Companies, Inc.), and of the Registrant and other investment companies
managed by SteinRoe. (The listed entities are located at One South Wacker Drive,
Chicago, Illinois 60606, except for Colonial Management Associates,  Inc., which
is located at One Financial  Center,  Boston,  MA 02111,  and SteinRoe  Variable
Investment Trust and Liberty  Variable  Investment  Trust,  which are located at
Federal  Reserve Plaza,  Boston,  MA 02210.) A list of such  capacities is given
below.

                                                              POSITION FORMERLY
                                                    HELD WITHIN
                     CURRENT POSITION              PAST TWO YEARS
                     -------------------           --------------
STEINROE SERVICES INC.
Kevin M. Carome       Assistant Clerk

Kenneth J. Kozanda                                VP; Treasurer
C. Allen Merritt, Jr. Director; Vice President

COLONIAL MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATES, INC.
Ophelia L. Barsketis  Senior Vice President
Kevin M. Carome       Senior Vice President
William M. Garrison   Vice President
Stephen E. Gibson     Chairman, President and

                             Chief Executive Officer

Loren A. Hansen       Senior Vice President
Clare M. Hounsell     Vice President
Deborah A. Jansen     Senior Vice President
North T. Jersild      Vice President
Joseph R. Palombo  Executive Vice President
Yvonne T. Shields     Vice President

SR&F BASE TRUST

William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
Christine Balzano Vice President
David P. Brady        Vice-President
Daniel K. Cantor      Vice-President

Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP                     VP; Secretary
Denise Chasmer              Vice President
Nancy L. Conlin    Senior VP;Secy.              VP; Asst. Secy.
J. Kevin Connaughton        VP and Controller
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Erik P. Gustafson     Vice-President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Harvey B. Hirschhorn  Vice-President
Michael T. Kennedy    Vice-President
Gail Knudsen                Vice President
Stephen F. Lockman    Vice-President
Pamela A. McGrath  Senior VP;Treasurer
Mary D. McKenzie   Vice President
Jane M. Naeseth       Vice-President
Maureen G. Newman     Vice-President
Joseph R. Palumbo  Executive Vice President
Veronica M. Wallace   Vice-President

LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS INCOME TRUST; LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS
INSTITUTIONAL TRUST; AND LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS TRUST
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
Christine Balzano Vice President
Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP              VP;Secy.
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Michael T. Kennedy    Vice-President
Stephen F. Lockman    Vice-President
Jane M. Naeseth       Vice-President

LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS INVESTMENT TRUST
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
David P. Brady        Vice-President
Daniel K. Cantor      Vice-President

Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP               VP; Asst. Secy.
William M. Garrison   Vice-President
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Erik P. Gustafson     Vice-President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Harvey B. Hirschhorn  Vice-President


LIBERTY-STEIN ROE ADVISOR TRUST
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
David P. Brady        Vice-President
Daniel K. Cantor      Vice-President

Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP; Secy.        VP; Asst. Secy.
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Erik P. Gustafson     Vice-President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Harvey B. Hirschhorn  Vice-President
Michael T. Kennedy    Vice-President
Stephen F. Lockman    Vice-President
Maureen G. Newman     Vice-President

LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS MUNICIPAL TRUST
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP; Secy.        VP; Asst. Secy.
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Brian M. Hartford     Vice-President
William C. Loring     Vice-President
Maureen G. Newman     Vice-President
Veronica M. Wallace   Vice-President

STEINROE VARIABLE INVESTMENT TRUST
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP; Secy.        VP; Asst. Secy.
William M. Garrison   Vice President
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Erik P. Gustafson     Vice President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President
Harvey B. Hirschhorn  Vice President
Michael T. Kennedy    Vice President
Jane M. Naeseth       Vice President
William M. Wadden IV  Vice President

LIBERTY-STEIN ROE ADVISOR FLOATING RATE FUND; LIBERTY-STEIN ROE
INSTITUTIONAL FLOATING RATE INCOME FUND, STEIN ROE FLOATING RATE
LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY
William D. Andrews    Executive Vice-President
Kevin M. Carome       Executive VP; Secy.        VP; Asst. Secy.
Stephen E. Gibson     President
Brian W. Good         Vice-President
James R. Fellows      Vice-President
Loren A. Hansen       Executive Vice-President

LIBERTY VARIABLE INVESTMENT TRUST
Ophelia L. Barsketis  Vice President
Deborah A. Jansen     Vice President
Kevin M. Carome       Vice President

ITEM 27.  PRINCIPAL UNDERWRITERS.

Registrant's   principal  underwriter,   Liberty  Funds  Distributor,   Inc.,  a
subsidiary of Colonial  Management  Associates,  Inc.,  acts as  underwriter  to
Liberty Funds Trust I, Liberty Funds Trust II, Liberty Funds Trust III,  Liberty
Funds Trust IV,  Liberty  Funds Trust V, Liberty  Funds Trust VI,  Liberty Funds
Trust VII, Liberty Funds Trust IX,  Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds  Investment  Trust,
Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Income Trust,  Liberty-Stein Roe Funds Municipal Trust,
Liberty-Stein Roe Advisor Trust,  Liberty-Stein Roe Funds  Institutional  Trust,
Liberty-Stein  Roe Funds Trust,  Liberty-Stein  Roe Advisor  Floating Rate Fund,
Liberty-Stein Roe Institutional Floating Rate Income Fund, and SteinRoe Variable
Investment  Trust.  The table below lists the  directors and officers of Liberty
Funds Distributor, Inc.


<PAGE>




                          Position and Offices      Positions and

Name and Principal        with Principal            Offices with
 Business Address*        Underwriter               Registrant
--------------------      ---------------------     -------------
Anderson, Judith           Vice President                     None
Babbitt, Debra             VP & Compliance Officer            None
Bartlett, John             Managing Director                  None
Bertrand, Thomas           Vice President                     None
Blakeslee, James           Senior Vice President              None
Bozek, James               Senior Vice President              None
Brown, Beth                Vice President                     None
Burtman, Tracy             Vice President                     None
Campbell, Patrick          Vice President                     None
Carroll, Sean                       Vice President                     None
Claiborne, Doug            Vice President                     None
Chrzanowski, Daniel        Vice President                     None
Conley, Brook                       Vice President                     None
Clapp, Elizabeth A.        Managing Director                  None
Conlin, Nancy L.           Director; Clerk                    None
Costello, Matthew          Vice President                     None
Couto, Scott                        Vice President                     None
Davey, Cynthia             Senior Vice President              None
Desilets, Marian H.        Vice President                     None
Devaney, James             Senior Vice President              None
DiMaio, Steve              Vice President                     None
Downey, Christopher        Vice President                     None
Dupree, Robert             Vice President                     None
Emerson, Kim P.            Senior Vice President              None
Evans, C. Frazier          Managing Director                  None
Evitts, Stephen            Vice President                     None
Feldman, David             Managing Director                  None
Feloney, Joseph            Vice President                     None
Fifield, Robert            Vice President                     None
Fisher, James                       Vice President                     None
Fragasso, Philip           Managing Director         None
Gariepy, Tom               Vice President                     None
Gauger, Richard            Vice President                     None
Gerokoulis, Stephen A.     Senior Vice President              None
Gibson, Stephen E.         Director; Chairman of Board        None
Goldberg, Matthew          Senior Vice President              None
Gupta, Neeti               Vice President                     None
Geunard, Brian             Vice President                     None
Grace, Anthony                      Vice President                     None
Gubala, Jeffrey            Vice President                     None
Harrington, Tom            Senior Vice President              None
Hodgkins, Joseph           Senior Vice President       None
Huennekens, James          Vice President                     None
Hussey, Robert             Senior Vice President       None
Iudice, Jr., Philip        Treasurer and CFO                  None
Ives, Curt                          Vice President                     None
Jones, Cynthia             Vice President                     None
Jones, Jonathan            Vice President                     None
Kelley, Terry M.           Vice President                     None
Kelson, David W.           Senior Vice President              None
Lewis, Blair                        Vice President                     None
Libutti, Chris             Vice President                     None
Lynch, Andrew                       Managing Director         None
Lynn, Jerry                         Vice President                     None
Martin, John               Senior Vice President              None
Martin, Peter              Vice President                     None
McCombs, Gregory           Senior Vice President              None
McKenzie, Mary             Vice President                     None
Menchin, Catherine         Senior Vice President              None
Miller, Anthony            Vice President                     None
Moberly, Ann R.            Senior Vice President              None
Morse, Jonathan            Vice President                     None
Nickodemus, Paul           Vice President                     None
O'Shea, Kevin              Managing Director                  None
Piken, Keith               Vice President                     None
Place, Jeffrey             Managing Director                  None
Powell, Douglas            Vice President                     None
Predmore, Tracy            Vice President                     None
Quirk, Frank               Vice President                     None
Raftery-Arpino, Linda      Senior Vice President              None
Ratto, Gregory             Vice President                     None
Reed, Christopher B.       Senior Vice President              None
Riegel, Joyce B.           Vice President                     None
Robb, Douglas              Vice President                     None
Sandberg, Travis           Vice President                     None
Santosuosso, Louise        Senior Vice President              None
Schulman, David            Senior Vice President              None
Scully-Power, Adam                  Vice President                     None
Shea, Terence              Vice President              None
Sideropoulos, Lou          Vice President                     None
Sinatra, Peter             Vice President                     None
Smith, Darren              Vice President                     None
Soester, Trisha            Vice President                     None
Studer, Eric               Vice President                     None
Sweeney, Maureen           Vice President                     None
Tambone, James             Chief Executive Officer            None
Tasiopoulos, Lou           President                          None
Torrisi, Susan                      Vice President                     None
Vail, Norman                        Vice President                     None
VanEtten, Keith H.         Senior Vice President              None
Warfield, James            Vice President                     None
Wess, Valerie              Senior Vice President              None
Young, Deborah             Vice President                     None
Zarker, Cynthia E.                  Senior Vice President              None
---------
* The address of Ms. Riegel is One South Wacker Drive,  Chicago,  IL 60606.  The
address of each other director and officer is One Financial  Center,  Boston, MA
02111.

ITEM 28.  LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.

Registrant  maintains  the records  required to be  maintained by it under Rules
31a-1(a), 31a-1(b), and 31a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 at its
principal executive offices at One Financial Center,  Boston, MA 02111.  Certain
records,  including  records  relating  to  Registrant's  shareholders  and  the
physical possession of its securities,  may be maintained pursuant to Rule 31a-3
at the main office of Registrant's transfer agent or custodian.

ITEM 28.  LOCATION OF ACCOUNTS AND RECORDS.

Registrant  maintains  the records  required to be  maintained by it under Rules
31a-1(a), 31a-1(b), and 31a-2(a) under the Investment Company Act of 1940 at its
principal executive offices at One Financial Center,  Boston, MA 02111.  Certain
records,  including  records  relating  to  Registrant's  shareholders  and  the
physical possession of its securities,  may be maintained pursuant to Rule 31a-3
at the main office of Registrant's transfer agent or custodian.

ITEM 29.  MANAGEMENT SERVICES.
None.

ITEM 30.  UNDERTAKINGS.
None.




<PAGE>





                           SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  the
Investment  Company Act of 1940, the  Registrant  certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for  effectiveness of this registration  statement  pursuant to
Rule 485(b) under the  Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this amendment
to the  Registration  Statement  to be signed on its behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly  authorized,  in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois on the
28th day of July, 2000.

                                   LIBERTY-STEIN ROE FUNDS
                                   INVESTMENT TRUST

                                   By   STEPHEN E. GIBSON
                                        Stephen E. Gibson
                                        President

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933,  this amendment to
the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:

Signature                       Title                 Date
------------------------    -------------------  --------------
STEPHEN E. GIBSON           President            July 28, 2000
Stephen E. Gibson
Principal Executive Officer


J. KEVIN CONNAGHTON         Controller           July 28, 2000
J. Kevin Connaghton
Principal Accounting Officer

JOHN A. BACON JR.           Trustee              July 28, 2000
John A. Bacon Jr.

WILLIAM W. BOYD             Trustee              July 28, 2000
William W. Boyd

LINDSAY COOK                Trustee              July 28, 2000
Lindsay Cook

DOUGLAS A. HACKER           Trustee              July 28, 2000
Douglas A. Hacker

JANET LANGFORD KELLY        Trustee              July 28, 2000
Janet Langford Kelly

CHARLES R. NELSON           Trustee              July 28, 2000
Charles R. Nelson

THOMAS C. THEOBALD          Trustee              July 28, 2000
Thomas C. Theobald




                           SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements  of the  Securities  Act of  1933  and  the
Investment  Company Act of 1940, the undersigned  certifies that it meets all of
the requirements for  effectiveness of this registration  statement  pursuant to
Rule 485(b) under the  Securities Act of 1933 and has duly caused this amendment
to the  Registration  Statement  to be signed on its behalf by the  undersigned,
thereunto duly  authorized,  in the City of Chicago and State of Illinois on the
14th day of July, 2000.

                                 SR&F BASE TRUST

                                   By   STEPHEN E. GIBSON
                                        Stephen E. Gibson
                                        President

Pursuant to the  requirements  of the Securities Act of 1933,  this amendment to
the Registration Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the
capacities and on the dates indicated:

Signature                       Title                 Date
------------------------    -------------------  --------------
STEPHEN E. GIBSON           President            July 28, 2000
Stephen E. Gibson
Principal Executive Officer


J. KEVIN CONNAUGHTON             Controller        July 28, 2000
J. Kevin Connaughton
Principal Accounting Officer

JOHN A. BACON JR.           Trustee              July 28, 2000
John A. Bacon Jr.

WILLIAM W. BOYD             Trustee              July 28, 2000
William W. Boyd

LINDSAY COOK                Trustee              July 28, 2000
Lindsay Cook

DOUGLAS A. HACKER           Trustee              July 28, 2000
Douglas A. Hacker

JANET LANGFORD KELLY        Trustee              July 28, 2000
Janet Langford Kelly

CHARLES R. NELSON           Trustee              July 28, 2000
Charles R. Nelson

THOMAS C. THEOBALD          Trustee              July 28, 2000
Thomas C. Theobald




VINCENT P. PIETROPAOLO
Vincent P.Pietropaolo
Attorney-in-fact for each Trustee
<PAGE>
Exhibits

(a) Amended and Restated Agreement and Declaration of Trust dated
    7/28/2000.

(i)(7) Opinion and Consent of Bell, Boyd & Lloyd LLC.

(j)(1) Consent of PricewaterhouseCoopers LLP.
(j)(2) Consent of Arthur Andersen


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