December 27, 2012     
 
Prospectus
              
 

BlackRock Funds SM   |  Investor and Institutional Shares

>  BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund

Fund



   

   

   
Investor A
Shares

   
Investor C
Shares

   
Institutional
Shares

BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund
              
 
    
 
    
BSTAX
    
BSTCX
    
BSTIX
 

This Prospectus contains information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Please read it before you invest and keep it for future reference.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this Prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

Not FDIC Insured  • No Bank Guarantee • May Lose Value
              
 
 
 

Table of Contents


Fund Overview               
Key facts and details about the Fund, including investment objective, principal strategies, risk factors, fee and expense information, and historical performance
                   
                             3     
                             3     
                             4     
                             5     
                             8     
                             8     
                             8     
                             9     
                             9     
                             9     
 
Details About the Fund                            10     
                             12     
 
Account Information               
Information about account services, sales charges & waivers, shareholder transactions, and distribution and other payments
                   
                             20     
                             22     
                             25     
                             26     
                             33     
                             34     
                             35     
                             35     
 
Management of the Fund               
Information about BlackRock and the Portfolio Managers
                   
                             37     
                             38     
                             38     
                             40     
                             40     
                             42     
 
Financial Highlights                            43     
 
General Information                            44     
                             44     
                             45     
 
Glossary                            46     
 
For More Information                            Inside Back Cover      
                             Back Cover      
 
 
 

Fund Overview

Investment Objective

The investment objective of BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund (“Strategic Risk Allocation Fund” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds SM (the “Trust”), is to seek total return.

Fees and Expenses of the Fund

This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $25,000 in the fund complex advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock”) or its affiliates. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the “Details About the Share Classes” section on page 22 of the Fund’s prospectus and in the “Purchase of Shares” section on page II-58 of the Fund’s statement of additional information.

Shareholder Fees
(fees paid directly from your investment)



   
Investor A
Shares

   
Investor C
Shares

   
Institutional
Shares

Maximum Sales Charge (Load) Imposed on Purchases
(as percentage of offering price)
                      5.25 %          None      None
Maximum Deferred Sales Charge (Load) (as percentage of
offering price or redemption proceeds, whichever is lower)
              
None 1
            1.00 % 2           None
 
Annual Fund Operating Expenses
(expenses that you pay each year as a
percentage of the value of your investment)



   
Investor A
Shares

   
Investor C
Shares

   
Institutional
Shares

Management Fee
                      0.75 %                 0.75 %                 0.75 %    
Distribution and/or Service (12b-1) Fees
                      0.25 %                 1.00 %             None
Other Expenses 3
                      0.83 %                 0.83 %                 0.72 %    
Other Expenses of the Fund
              
0.81%
    
0.81%
    
0.70%
Other Expenses of the Subsidiary
              
0.02%
    
0.02%
    
0.02%
Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses 4
                      0.09 %                 0.09 %                 0.09 %    
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses
                      1.92 %                 2.67 %                 1.56 %    
Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements 5
                      (0.58 )%                 (0.58 )%                 (0.47 )%    
Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers
and/or Expense Reimbursements 5
                      1.34 %                 2.09 %                 1.09 %    
 
1   A contingent deferred sales charge (“CDSC”) of 1.00% is assessed on certain redemptions of Investor A Shares made within 18 months after purchase where no initial sales charge was paid at time of purchase as part of an investment of $1,000,000 or more.
2   There is no CDSC on Investor C Shares after one year.
3   Other Expenses are based on estimated amounts for the current year.
4   Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses are estimated for the current year.
5   As described in the “Management of the Fund” section of the Fund’s prospectus on pages 37-42, BlackRock has contractually agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses in order to limit Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waivers and/or Expense Reimbursements (excluding Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses) as a percentage of average daily net assets to 1.25% (for Investor A Shares), 2.00% (for Investor C Shares) and 1.00% (for Institutional Shares) through December 31, 2013. The Fund may have to repay some of these waivers and reimbursements to BlackRock in the following two years. The agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

3

 
 

Example:

This Example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The Example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The Example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:




   
1 Year
   
3 Years
Investor A Shares
              
$654
    
$1,043
Investor C Shares
              
$312
    
$  774
Institutional Shares
              
$111
    
$  447
 

You would pay the following expenses if you did not redeem your shares:

 
              
 
    
 
Investor C Shares
              
$212
    
$  774
 

Portfolio Turnover:

The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example, affect the Fund’s performance.

Principal Investment Strategies of the Fund

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a broad range of global asset classes, such as equity securities, fixed and floating rate debt instruments, derivatives, other investment companies, including money market funds and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and commodity-related instruments. The Fund will have flexibility with respect to the relative weighting of each asset class to produce total return and reduce risk.

The Fund applies a risk-factor approach to seek to produce total return more efficiently from a risk/return perspective than a traditional combination of equity and fixed income securities. Through its research, BlackRock has identified macro risk factors that influence the returns of asset classes. BlackRock uses this research to determine the ideal allocation of the portfolio with reference to the risk factors and translates that allocation into asset classes. Such allocation across a range of asset classes and risk factors is expected to result in lower risk than a portfolio consisting solely of global equity securities. In determining the appropriate allocation across asset classes, the Fund will seek to manage exposure to risks such as: interest rate risk, credit risk, inflation risk, liquidity risk, business cycle risk and emerging markets risk. Allocations are computed not only in terms of capital but also in terms of risk in order to avoid any overconcentration in any particular risk factor and to broaden the sources of returns.

The Fund will normally invest in both U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including companies located in emerging markets and in securities denominated in both U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, non-convertible preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers of any market capitalization.

The Fund’s investment in debt securities may include fixed and floating rate government and corporate bonds and other fixed income instruments, such as medium term notes. The Fund may invest in debt securities of any rating, which may include high yield securities (commonly called “junk bonds”).

The Fund may invest in derivatives, including but not limited to, total return and credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, options, futures, options on futures and swaps, indexed and inverse securities and foreign exchange transactions, for hedging purposes, as well as to enhance the return on its portfolio investments. There is no limit to the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives. The Fund may engage in short sales of securities either to hedge against potential declines in the value of a security held in the portfolio or to realize appreciation when a security the Fund does not own declines in value.

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including money market funds and ETFs, which may be affiliated with BlackRock. Following commencement of operations and until otherwise determined by BlackRock, the Fund may invest significantly in ETFs in order to implement its investment strategies.

With respect to its cash investments, the Fund may hold high quality U.S. and non-U.S. money market securities, including, among others, short term U.S. Government securities, U.S. Government agency securities, securities issued by U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises and U.S. Government instrumentalities, short-term obligations of foreign

4

 
 


issuers, bank obligations, commercial paper, including asset-backed commercial paper, corporate notes, repurchase agreements and obligations of supranational organizations. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in money market funds, including those advised by BlackRock or its affiliates.

The Fund may invest in U.S. and non-U.S. REITs and other real estate related securities.

The Fund may invest in commodity-related instruments. The Fund may make such investments through investments in BlackRock Cayman Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, Ltd. (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund formed in the Cayman Islands, which invests primarily in commodity-related instruments and other derivatives. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets (measured at the time of investment) in the Subsidiary.

The Fund is a non-diversified fund, which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer companies than a diversified fund.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

Risk is inherent in all investing. The value of your investment in Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, as well as the amount of return you receive on your investment, may fluctuate significantly from day to day and over time. You may lose part or all of your investment in the Fund or your investment may not perform as well as other similar investments. The following is a summary description of principal risks of investing in the Fund.

n
  Commodities Related Investments Risks — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative investments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments.
n
  Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock.
n
  Counterparty Risk — The counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of the Fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations.
n
  Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make payments of interest and principal when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer.
n
  Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve credit risk. Debt securities are also subject to interest rate risk.
n
  Depositary Receipts Risk — The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose information that is, in the United States, considered material. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding these issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be converted.
n
  Derivatives Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate perfectly with the overall securities markets. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately. Derivatives may give rise to a form of leverage and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. Recent legislation calls for new regulation of the derivatives markets. The extent and impact of the regulation is not yet known and may not be known for some time. New regulation may make derivatives more costly, may limit the availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives.

5

 
 

n
  Emerging Markets Risk — Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging securities markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets.
n
  Equity Securities Risk — Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities fluctuates based on changes in a company’s financial condition and overall market and economic conditions.
n
  Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall.
n    

Foreign Currency Transactions Risk — The Fund may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts do not eliminate movements in the value of non-U.S. currencies and securities but rather allow the Fund to establish a fixed rate of exchange for a future point in time. This strategy can have the effect of reducing returns and minimizing opportunities for gain.

n
  Foreign Securities Risk — Foreign investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. These risks include:
  The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories, which may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business and may be subject to only limited or no regulatory oversight.
  Changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio.
  The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position.
  The governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in their capital markets or in certain industries.
  Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as does the United States and may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws.
  Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets may result in delays in payment for or delivery of securities not typically associated with settlement and clearance of U.S. investments.
  The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of several European countries. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the Euro and may spread to other countries in Europe, including countries that do not use the Euro. These events may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments.
n
  Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Certain indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate.
n
  Interest Rate Risk — Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of bonds and other fixed-income securities will increase as interest rates fall, and decrease as interest rates rise.
n
  Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies. To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited.
n
  Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund.
n
  Leverage Risk — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.

6

 
 

n
  Market Risk and Selection Risk — Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.
n
  Mid-Cap Securities Risk — The securities of mid-cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies.
n    

Money Market Securities Risk — If market conditions improve while the Fund has temporarily invested some or all of its assets in high quality money market securities, this strategy could result in reducing the potential gain from the market upswing, thus reducing the Fund’s opportunity to achieve its investment objective.

n
  Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is a non-diversified fund. Because the Fund may invest in securities of a smaller number of issuers, it may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer than a fund that invests more widely.
n
  Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities.
n
  Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields.
n
  Real Estate Related Securities Risks — The main risk of real estate related securities is that the value of the underlying real estate may go down. Many factors may affect real estate values. These factors include both the general and local economies, the amount of new construction in a particular area, the laws and regulations (including zoning and tax laws) affecting real estate and the costs of owning, maintaining and improving real estate. The availability of mortgages and changes in interest rates may also affect real estate values. If the Fund’s real estate related investments are concentrated in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property type.
n
  REIT Investment Risk — Investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume, may engage in dilutive offerings of securities and may be more volatile than other securities. REIT issuers are also subject to the possibilities of failing to qualify for tax free pass-through of income and failing to maintain their exemptions from investment company registration.
n    

Short Sales Risk — Because making short sales in securities that it does not own exposes the Fund to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. The Fund may incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security sold short.

n
  Small Cap and Emerging Growth Securities Risks — Small cap or emerging growth companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a more limited management group than larger capitalized companies.
n
  Sovereign Debt Risk — Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that a governmental entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the governmental entity’s debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies.
n
  Subsidiary Risk — By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The instruments held by the Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Fund and are subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments if held directly by the Fund. There can be no assurance that the investment objective of the Subsidiary will be achieved. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), and, unless otherwise noted in this prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the Investment Company Act. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, and the Fund and the Subsidiary are both managed by BlackRock, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in this prospectus and the Statement of Additional Information and could adversely affect the Fund.
n
  Supranational Entities Risk — The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank). If one or more stockholders of the World Bank fail to make necessary additional capital contributions, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments.

7

 
 

n
  Tax and Regulatory Risk — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivative instruments, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority that could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains and distributions. Other future regulatory developments may also impact the Fund’s ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives.
  In late July 2011, the IRS suspended the granting of private letter rulings that concluded that the income and gain generated by a registered investment company’s investments in commodity-linked notes, and the income generated from investments in controlled foreign subsidiaries that invest in physical commodities and/or commodity-linked derivative instruments, would be “qualifying income” for regulated investment company qualification purposes. As a result, there can be no assurance that the IRS will treat such income and gain as “qualifying income.” If the IRS makes an adverse determination relating to the treatment of such income and gain, the Fund would likely need to change its investment strategies, which could adversely affect the Fund.
n
  Treasury Obligations Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so.
n
  U.S. Government Obligations Risk — Certain securities in which the Fund may invest, including securities issued by certain U.S. Government agencies and U.S. Government sponsored enterprises, are not guaranteed by the U.S. Government or supported by the full faith and credit of the United States.
n
  Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.
n
  Volatility Risk — Although the Fund intends to implement strategies designed to limit volatility during times of market stress, the effectiveness of these strategies may depend on particular market conditions and other factors that are beyond the control of Fund management. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s efforts to limit volatility will be successful or that any particular level of volatility will be achieved.

Performance Information

Because Strategic Risk Allocation Fund has not commenced operations, it does not have performance information an investor would find useful in evaluating the risks of investing in the Fund.

Investment Manager

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund’s investment manager is BlackRock Advisors, LLC (previously defined as “BlackRock”). The Fund’s sub-advisers are BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. and BlackRock International Limited (together, the “Sub-Advisers”). Where applicable, “BlackRock” refers also to the Sub-Advisers.

Portfolio Managers

Name



   
Portfolio Manager
of the Fund Since

   
Title
Ked Hogan, PhD
              
2012
    
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Philip Green
              
2012
    
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Philip Hodges, PhD
              
2012
    
Director of BlackRock, Inc.
Ugo Montrucchio, CFA, CAIA
              
2012
    
Director of BlackRock, Inc.
 

8

 
 

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

You may purchase or redeem shares of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund each day the New York Stock Exchange is open. To purchase or sell shares you should contact your financial intermediary or financial professional, or, if you hold your shares through the Fund, you should contact the Fund by phone at (800) 441-7762, by mail (c/o BlackRock Funds, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019), or by the Internet at www.blackrock.com/funds. The Fund’s initial and subsequent investment minimums generally are as follows, although the Fund may reduce or waive the minimums in some cases:




   
Investor A and
Investor C Shares

   
Institutional Shares
Minimum Initial Investment
              
$1,000 for all accounts except:
· $250 for certain fee-based programs.
· $100 for retirement plans.
· $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan.
    
$2 million for institutions and individuals.
Institutional Shares are available to clients of registered investment advisors who have $250,000 invested in the Fund.
Minimum Additional Investment
              
$50 for all accounts except certain retirement plans and payroll deduction programs may have a lower minimum.
    
No subsequent minimum.
 

Tax Information

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund’s dividends and distributions may be subject to Federal income taxes and may be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are a tax-exempt investor or are investing through a retirement plan, in which case you may be subject to Federal income tax upon withdrawal from such tax-deferred arrangements.

Payments to Broker/Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, the Fund and BlackRock Investments, LLC, the Fund’s distributor, or its affiliates may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary and your individual financial professional to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your individual financial professional or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.

9

 
 

Details About the Fund

Included in this prospectus are sections that tell you about buying and selling shares, management information, shareholder features of BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund (“Strategic Risk Allocation Fund” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds SM (the “Trust”), and your rights as a shareholder.

How the Fund Invests

Investment Objective

The investment objective of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund is to seek total return. Total return consists of income and capital appreciation.

Should the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”) determine that the investment objective of the Fund should be changed, shareholders will be given at least 30 days’ notice before any such change is made. However, such change can be effected without shareholder approval.

Investment Process

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund applies a risk-factor approach to seek to produce total return more efficiently from a risk/return perspective than a traditional combination of equity and fixed income securities. Through its research, BlackRock has identified macro risk factors that influence the returns of asset classes. BlackRock uses this research to determine the ideal allocation of the portfolio with reference to the risk factors and translates that allocation into asset classes. Such allocation across a range of asset classes and risk factors is expected to result in lower risk than a portfolio consisting solely of global equity securities.

In determining the appropriate allocation across asset classes, the Fund will seek to manage exposure to risks such as: interest rate risk, credit risk, inflation risk, liquidity risk, business cycle risk and emerging markets risk. These and other systematic risk factors are expected to earn a premium over long periods. Allocations are computed not only in terms of capital but also in terms of risk in order to avoid any overconcentration in any particular risk factor and to broaden the sources of returns. For each risk factor, BlackRock uses a combination of quantitative and fundamental techniques to determine the long-run expected return, risk (which may include volatility and other forms of risk measurement) and expected performance in different economic environments.

From time to time, the behavior of investors may create market dislocations between the fundamental value of assets and the market prices of such assets. BlackRock will seek to identify these dislocations and take appropriate measures to minimize the impact of any possible future losses when in BlackRock’s opinion, a risk factor is extremely overvalued. Conversely, the Fund may increase the allocation to capture any additional risk premium when a risk factor is extremely undervalued by the market. As a result, the asset allocation of the Fund to one or several factors will change over time. There is no assurance that BlackRock will correctly predict when these dislocations will occur. In addition, BlackRock may change the overall risk level of the Fund by reducing or increasing the allocation to all risk factors simultaneously. Any reduction in risk level may lead to a large increase in economic exposure to cash.

Principal Investment Strategies

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing in a broad range of global asset classes, such as equity securities, fixed and floating rate debt instruments, derivatives, other investment companies, including money market funds and exchange traded funds (“ETFs”), real estate investment trusts (“REITs”) and commodity-related instruments. The Fund will have flexibility with respect to the relative weighting of each asset class to produce total return and reduce risk.

The Fund will normally invest in both U.S. and non-U.S. companies, including companies located in emerging markets and in securities denominated in both U.S. dollars and foreign currencies. Equity securities include common stock, preferred stock, securities convertible into common stock, non-convertible preferred stock and depositary receipts. The Fund may invest in securities of issuers of any market capitalization.

The Fund’s investment in debt securities may include fixed and floating rate government and corporate bonds and other fixed income instruments, such as medium term notes. The Fund may invest in debt securities of any rating, which may include high yield securities (commonly called “junk bonds”).

10

 
 

The Fund may invest in derivatives, including but not limited to, total return and credit default swaps, interest rate swaps, options, futures, options on futures and swaps, indexed and inverse securities and foreign exchange transactions, for hedging purposes, as well as to enhance the return on its portfolio investments. There is no limit to the Fund’s ability to invest in derivatives. The Fund may engage in short sales of securities either to hedge against potential declines in the value of a security held in the portfolio or to realize appreciation when a security the Fund does not own declines in value.

The Fund may invest in other investment companies, including money market funds and ETFs, which may be affiliated with BlackRock. Following commencement of operations and until otherwise determined by BlackRock, the Fund may invest significantly in ETFs in order to implement its investment strategies.

With respect to its cash investments, the Fund may hold high quality U.S. and non-U.S. money market securities, including, among others, short term U.S. Government securities, U.S. Government agency securities, securities issued by U.S. Government-sponsored enterprises and U.S. Government instrumentalities, short-term obligations of foreign issuers, bank obligations, commercial paper, including asset-backed commercial paper, corporate notes, repurchase agreements and obligations of supranational organizations. The Fund may invest a significant portion of its assets in money market funds, including those advised by BlackRock or its affiliates.

The Fund may invest in U.S. and non-U.S. REITs and other real estate related securities.

The Fund may invest in commodity-related instruments. The Fund may gain exposure to commodities through investments in BlackRock Cayman Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, Ltd. (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund formed in the Cayman Islands, which will invest primarily in commodity-related instruments and other derivatives. The Fund will not invest more than 25% of its total assets (measured at the time of investment) in the Subsidiary.

The Subsidiary is managed pursuant to compliance policies and procedures that are the same, in all material respects, as the policies and procedures adopted by the Fund. As a result, BlackRock, in managing the Subsidiary’s portfolio, is subject to the same investment policies and restrictions that apply to the management of the Fund, and, in particular, to the requirements relating to portfolio leverage, liquidity, brokerage, and the timing and method of the valuation of the Subsidiary’s portfolio investments and shares of the Subsidiary. These policies and restrictions are described in detail in the Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”). The Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer oversees implementation of the Subsidiary’s policies and procedures, and makes periodic reports to the Board regarding the Subsidiary’s compliance with its policies and procedures. The Fund and Subsidiary test for compliance with certain investment restrictions on a consolidated basis, except that with respect to its investments in certain securities that may involve leverage, the Subsidiary complies with asset segregation requirements to the same extent as the Fund.

BlackRock provides investment management and other services to the Subsidiary. BlackRock does not receive separate compensation from the Subsidiary for providing it with investment management or administrative services. However, the Fund pays BlackRock based on the Fund’s assets, including the assets invested in the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary will also enter into separate contracts for the provision of custody, transfer agency, and audit services with the same or with affiliates of the same service providers that provide those services to the Fund.

The financial statements of the Subsidiary will be consolidated with the Fund’s financial statements in the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports are distributed to shareholders, and copies of the reports are provided without charge upon request as indicated on the back cover of this prospectus. Please refer to the SAI for additional information about the organization and management of the Subsidiary.

The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), which means that it can invest more of its assets in fewer companies than a diversified fund.

Other Strategies Applicable to the Fund

In addition to the principal strategies discussed above, the Fund may also invest or engage in the following investments/strategies:

n
  Borrowing — The Fund may borrow from banks in amounts aggregating not more than 33 1 / 3 % of the value of its total assets. The Fund may also borrow an additional 5% of its total assets without regard to the foregoing limitation for temporary purposes such as clearance of portfolio transactions and share redemptions.
n
  Illiquid/Restricted Securities — The Fund may invest up to 15% of its net assets in illiquid securities that it cannot sell within seven days at approximately current value. The Fund may also invest in restricted securities, which are securities that cannot be offered for public resale unless registered under the applicable securities laws or that have a contractual restriction that prohibits or limits their resale ( i.e. , Rule 144A securities). They may include private placement securities that have not been registered under the applicable securities laws. Restricted

11

 
 

  securities may not be listed on an exchange and may have no active trading market and therefore may be considered to be illiquid. Rule 144A securities are restricted securities that can be resold to qualified institutional buyers but not to the general public and may be considered to be liquid securities.
n
  Securities Lending — The Fund may lend securities with a value up to 33 1 / 3 % of its total assets to financial institutions that provide cash or securities issued or guaranteed by the U.S. Government as collateral.
ABOUT THE PORTFOLIO MANAGEMENT TEAM OF STRATEGIC RISK ALLOCATION FUND         
Strategic Risk Allocation Fund is managed by a team of financial professionals. Ked Hogan, PhD, Philip Green, Philip Hodges, PhD and Ugo Montrucchio, CFA, CAIA are the portfolio managers and are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund. Please see “Management of the Fund — Portfolio Manager Information” for additional information about the portfolio management team.
              
 

Investment Risks

This section contains a discussion of the general risks of investing in Strategic Risk Allocation Fund. The “Investment Objective and Policies” section in the SAI also includes more information about the Fund, its investments and the related risks. As with any fund, there can be no guarantee that the Fund will meet its objective or that the Fund’s performance will be positive for any period of time. An investment in the Fund is not a deposit in any bank and is not insured or guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or by any bank or governmental agency.

Principal Risks of Investing in the Fund

Commodities Related Investments Risks — Exposure to the commodities markets may subject the Fund to greater volatility than investments in traditional securities. The value of commodity-linked derivative investments may be affected by changes in overall market movements, commodity index volatility, changes in interest rates, or factors affecting a particular industry or commodity, such as drought, floods, weather, embargoes, tariffs and international economic, political and regulatory developments.

Convertible Securities Risk — The market value of a convertible security performs like that of a regular debt security; that is, if market interest rates rise, the value of a convertible security usually falls. In addition, convertible securities are subject to the risk that the issuer will not be able to pay interest or dividends when due, and their market value may change based on changes in the issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of the issuer’s creditworthiness. Since it derives a portion of its value from the common stock into which it may be converted, a convertible security is also subject to the same types of market and issuer risks that apply to the underlying common stock.

Counterparty Risk — The counterparty to an over-the-counter derivatives contract or a borrower of the Fund’s securities may be unable or unwilling to make timely principal, interest or settlement payments, or otherwise to honor its obligations.

Credit Risk — Credit risk refers to the possibility that the issuer of a security will not be able to make principal and interest payments when due. Changes in an issuer’s credit rating or the market’s perception of an issuer’s creditworthiness may also affect the value of the Fund’s investment in that issuer. The degree of credit risk depends on both the financial condition of the issuer and the terms of the obligation.

Debt Securities Risk — Debt securities, such as bonds, involve credit risk. Debt securities are also subject to interest rate risk.

Depositary Receipts Risk —The issuers of unsponsored depositary receipts are not obligated to disclose information that is, in the United States, considered material. Therefore, there may be less information available regarding these issuers and there may not be a correlation between such information and the market value of the depositary receipts. Depositary receipts are generally subject to the same risks as the foreign securities that they evidence or into which they may be converted.

Derivatives Risk — The Fund’s use of derivatives may reduce the Fund’s returns and/or increase volatility. Volatility is defined as the characteristic of a security, an index or a market to fluctuate significantly in price within a short time period. A risk of the Fund’s use of derivatives is that the fluctuations in their values may not correlate perfectly with the overall securities markets. Derivatives are also subject to counterparty risk, which is the risk that the other party in the transaction will not fulfill its contractual obligation. In addition, some derivatives are more sensitive to interest rate changes and market price fluctuations than other securities. The possible lack of a liquid secondary market for derivatives and the resulting inability of the Fund to sell or otherwise close a derivatives position could expose the

12

 
 


Fund to losses and could make derivatives more difficult for the Fund to value accurately. The Fund could also suffer losses related to its derivatives positions as a result of unanticipated market movements, which losses are potentially unlimited. Finally, BlackRock may not be able to predict correctly the direction of securities prices, interest rates and other economic factors, which could cause the Fund’s derivatives positions to lose value. When a derivative is used as a hedge against a position that the Fund holds, any loss generated by the derivative generally should be substantially offset by gains on the hedged investment, and vice versa. While hedging can reduce or eliminate losses, it can also reduce or eliminate gains. Hedges are sometimes subject to imperfect matching between the derivative and the underlying security, and there can be no assurance that the Fund’s hedging transactions will be effective. The income from certain derivatives may be subject to Federal income tax. Swap agreements involve the risk that the party with whom the Fund has entered into the swap will default on its obligation to pay the Fund and the risk that the Fund will not be able to meet its obligations to pay the other party to the agreement. Credit default swaps involve special risks in addition to those mentioned above because they are difficult to value, are highly susceptible to liquidity and credit risk, and generally pay a return to the party that has paid the premium only in the event of an actual default by the issuer of the underlying obligation (as opposed to a credit downgrade or other indication of financial difficulty). Recent legislation calls for new regulation of the derivatives markets. The extent and impact of the regulation is not yet known and may not be known for some time. New regulation may make derivatives more costly, may limit the availability of derivatives, or may otherwise adversely affect the value or performance of derivatives.

Emerging Markets Risk — The risks of foreign investments are usually much greater for emerging markets. Investments in emerging markets may be considered speculative. Emerging markets include those in countries defined as emerging or developing by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation or the United Nations. Emerging markets are riskier than more developed markets because they tend to develop unevenly and may never fully develop. They are more likely to experience hyperinflation and currency devaluations, which adversely affect returns to U.S. investors. In addition, many emerging markets have far lower trading volumes and less liquidity than developed markets. Since these markets are often small, they may be more likely to suffer sharp and frequent price changes or long-term price depression because of adverse publicity, investor perceptions or the actions of a few large investors. In addition, traditional measures of investment value used in the United States, such as price to earnings ratios, may not apply to certain small markets. Also, there may be less publicly available information about issuers in emerging markets than would be available about issuers in more developed capital markets, and such issuers may not be subject to accounting, auditing and financial reporting standards and requirements comparable to those to which U.S. companies are subject.

Many emerging markets have histories of political instability and abrupt changes in policies. As a result, their governments are more likely to take actions that are hostile or detrimental to private enterprise or foreign investment than those of more developed countries, including expropriation of assets, confiscatory taxation, high rates of inflation or unfavorable diplomatic developments. In the past, governments of such nations have expropriated substantial amounts of private property, and most claims of the property owners have never been fully settled. There is no assurance that such expropriations will not reoccur. In such an event, it is possible that the Fund could lose the entire value of its investments in the affected market. Some countries have pervasiveness of corruption and crime that may hinder investments. Certain emerging markets may also face other significant internal or external risks, including the risk of war, and ethnic, religious and racial conflicts. In addition, governments in many emerging market countries participate to a significant degree in their economies and securities markets, which may impair investment and economic growth. National policies that may limit the Fund’s investment opportunities include restrictions on investment in issuers or industries deemed sensitive to national interests.

Emerging markets may also have differing legal systems and the existence or possible imposition of exchange controls, custodial restrictions or other foreign or U.S. governmental laws or restrictions applicable to such investments. Sometimes, they may lack or be in the relatively early development of legal structures governing private and foreign investments and private property. In addition to withholding taxes on investment income, some countries with emerging markets may impose differential capital gains taxes on foreign investors.

Practices in relation to settlement of securities transactions in emerging markets involve higher risks than those in developed markets, in part because the Fund will need to use brokers and counterparties that are less well capitalized, and custody and registration of assets in some countries may be unreliable. The possibility of fraud, negligence, undue influence being exerted by the issuer or refusal to recognize ownership exists in some emerging markets, and, along with other factors, could result in ownership registration being completely lost. The Fund would absorb any loss resulting from such registration problems and may have no successful claim for compensation. In addition, communications between the United States and emerging market countries may be unreliable, increasing the risk of delayed settlements or losses of security certificates.

 
 

Equity Securities Risk — Common and preferred stocks represent equity ownership in a company. Stock markets are volatile. The price of equity securities will fluctuate and can decline and reduce the value of a portfolio investing in equities. The value of equity securities purchased by the Fund could decline if the financial condition of the companies the Fund invests in decline or if overall market and economic conditions deteriorate. They may also decline due to factors that affect a particular industry or industries, such as labor shortages or an increase in production costs and competitive conditions within an industry. In addition, they may decline due to general market conditions that are not specifically related to a company or industry, such as real or perceived adverse economic conditions, changes in the general outlook for corporate earnings, changes in interest or currency rates or generally adverse investor sentiment.

Extension Risk — When interest rates rise, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more slowly than anticipated, causing the value of these securities to fall. Rising interest rates tend to extend the duration of securities, making them more sensitive to changes in interest rates. The value of longer-term securities generally changes more in response to changes in interest rates than shorter-term securities. As a result, in a period of rising interest rates, securities may exhibit additional volatility and may lose value.

Foreign Currency Transactions Risk — The Fund may invest in forward foreign currency exchange contracts. Forward foreign currency exchange contracts do not eliminate movements in the value of non-U.S. currencies and securities but rather allow the Fund to establish a fixed rate of exchange for a future point in time. This strategy can have the effect of reducing returns and minimizing opportunities for gain.

Foreign Securities Risk — Securities traded in foreign markets have often (though not always) performed differently from securities traded in the United States. However, such investments often involve special risks not present in U.S. investments that can increase the chances that the Fund will lose money. In particular, the Fund is subject to the risk that because there may be fewer investors on foreign exchanges and a smaller number of securities traded each day, it may be more difficult for the Fund to buy and sell securities on those exchanges. In addition, prices of foreign securities may go up and down more than prices of securities traded in the United States.

Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States — The Fund generally holds its foreign securities and cash in foreign banks and securities depositories. Some foreign banks and securities depositories may be recently organized or new to the foreign custody business. In addition, there may be limited or no regulatory oversight of their operations. Also, the laws of certain countries limit the Fund’s ability to recover its assets if a foreign bank, depository or issuer of a security, or any of their agents, goes bankrupt. In addition, it is often more expensive for the Fund to buy, sell and hold securities in certain foreign markets than in the United States. The increased expense of investing in foreign markets reduces the amount the Fund can earn on its investments and typically results in a higher operating expense ratio for the Fund than for investment companies invested only in the United States.

Currency Risk — Securities and other instruments in which the Fund invests may be denominated or quoted in currencies other than the U.S. dollar. For this reason, changes in foreign currency exchange rates can affect the value of the Fund’s portfolio.

Generally, when the U.S. dollar rises in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency loses value because the currency is worth fewer U.S. dollars. Conversely, when the U.S. dollar decreases in value against a foreign currency, a security denominated in that currency gains value because the currency is worth more U.S. dollars. This risk, generally known as “currency risk,” means that a strong U.S. dollar will reduce returns for U.S. investors while a weak U.S. dollar will increase those returns.

Foreign Economy Risk — The economies of certain foreign markets may not compare favorably with the economy of the United States with respect to such issues as growth of gross national product, reinvestment of capital, resources and balance of payments position. Certain foreign economies may rely heavily on particular industries or foreign capital and are more vulnerable to diplomatic developments, the imposition of economic sanctions against a particular country or countries, changes in international trading patterns, trade barriers and other protectionist or retaliatory measures. Investments in foreign markets may also be adversely affected by governmental actions such as the imposition of capital controls, nationalization of companies or industries, expropriation of assets or the imposition of punitive taxes. In addition, the governments of certain countries may prohibit or impose substantial restrictions on foreign investments in their capital markets or in certain industries. Any of these actions could severely affect securities prices or impair the Fund’s ability to purchase or sell foreign securities or transfer the Fund’s assets or income back into the United States, or otherwise adversely affect the Fund’s operations.

Other potential foreign market risks include foreign exchange controls, difficulties in pricing securities, defaults on foreign government securities, difficulties in enforcing legal judgments in foreign courts and political and social instability. Diplomatic and political developments, including rapid and adverse political changes, social instability,

14

 
 

regional conflicts, terrorism and war, could affect the economies, industries and securities and currency markets, and the value of the Fund’s investments, in non-U.S. countries. These factors are extremely difficult, if not impossible, to predict and take into account with respect to the Fund’s investments.

Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards — Many foreign governments do not supervise and regulate stock exchanges, brokers and the sale of securities to the same extent as such regulations exist in the United States. They also may not have laws to protect investors that are comparable to U.S. securities laws. For example, some foreign countries may have no laws or rules against insider trading. Insider trading occurs when a person buys or sells a company’s securities based on material non-public information about that company. In addition, some countries may have legal systems that may make it difficult for the Fund to vote proxies, exercise shareholder rights, and pursue legal remedies with respect to its foreign investments. Accounting standards in other countries are not necessarily the same as in the United States. If the accounting standards in another country do not require as much detail as U.S. accounting standards, it may be harder for Fund management to completely and accurately determine a company’s financial condition.

Settlement Risk — Settlement and clearance procedures in certain foreign markets differ significantly from those in the United States. Foreign settlement and clearance procedures and trade regulations also may involve certain risks (such as delays in payment for or delivery of securities) not typically associated with the settlement of U.S. investments.

At times, settlements in certain foreign countries have not kept pace with the number of securities transactions. These problems may make it difficult for the Fund to carry out transactions. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a purchase of securities, it may miss attractive investment opportunities and certain of its assets may be uninvested with no return earned thereon for some period. If the Fund cannot settle or is delayed in settling a sale of securities, it may lose money if the value of the security then declines or, if it has contracted to sell the security to another party, the Fund could be liable for any losses incurred.

European Economic Risk — The European financial markets have recently experienced volatility and adverse trends due to concerns about economic downturns in, or rising government debt levels of several European countries. These events have adversely affected the exchange rate of the Euro and may spread to other countries in Europe, including countries that do not use the Euro. These events may affect the value and liquidity of certain of the Fund’s investments.

Responses to the financial problems by European governments, central banks and others, including austerity measures and reforms, may not work, may result in social unrest and may limit future growth and economic recovery or have other unintended consequences. Further defaults or restructurings by governments and others of their debt could have additional adverse effects on economies, financial markets and asset valuations around the world. In addition, one or more countries may abandon the Euro, the common currency of the European Union, and/ or withdraw from the European Union. The impact of these actions, especially if they occur in a disorderly fashion, is not clear but could be significant and far reaching.

Indexed and Inverse Securities Risk — Certain indexed and inverse securities have greater sensitivity to changes in interest rates or index levels than other securities, and the Fund’s investment in such instruments may decline significantly in value if interest rates or index levels move in a way Fund management does not anticipate.

Interest Rate Risk — Interest rate risk is the risk that prices of fixed-income securities generally increase when interest rates decline and decrease when interest rates increase. Prices of longer-term securities generally change more in response to interest rate changes than prices of shorter-term securities. The Fund may lose money if short-term or long-term interest rates rise sharply or otherwise change in a manner not anticipated by Fund management.

Investment in Other Investment Companies Risk — As with other investments, investments in other investment companies, including ETFs, are subject to market and selection risk. In addition, if the Fund acquires shares of investment companies, including ones affiliated with the Fund, shareholders bear both their proportionate share of expenses in the Fund (including management and advisory fees) and, indirectly, the expenses of the investment companies. To the extent the Fund is held by an affiliated fund, the ability of the Fund itself to hold other investment companies may be limited.

Junk Bonds Risk — Although junk bonds generally pay higher rates of interest than investment grade bonds, junk bonds are high risk investments that may cause income and principal losses for the Fund. The major risks of junk bond investments include:

n
  Junk bonds may be issued by less creditworthy issuers. Issuers of junk bonds may have a larger amount of outstanding debt relative to their assets than issuers of investment grade bonds. In the event of an issuer’s bankruptcy, claims of other creditors may have priority over the claims of junk bond holders, leaving few or no assets available to repay junk bond holders.

15

 
 

n
  Prices of junk bonds are subject to extreme price fluctuations. Adverse changes in an issuer’s industry and general economic conditions may have a greater impact on the prices of junk bonds than on other higher rated fixed-income securities.
n
  Issuers of junk bonds may be unable to meet their interest or principal payment obligations because of an economic downturn, specific issuer developments, or the unavailability of additional financing.
n
  Junk bonds frequently have redemption features that permit an issuer to repurchase the security from the Fund before it matures. If the issuer redeems junk bonds, the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in bonds with lower yields and may lose income.
n
  Junk bonds may be less liquid than higher rated fixed-income securities, even under normal economic conditions. There are fewer dealers in the junk bond market, and there may be significant differences in the prices quoted for junk bonds by the dealers. Because they are less liquid, judgment may play a greater role in valuing certain of the Fund’s securities than is the case with securities trading in a more liquid market.
n
  The Fund may incur expenses to the extent necessary to seek recovery upon default or to negotiate new terms with a defaulting issuer.

The credit rating of a high yield security does not necessarily address its market value risk. Ratings and market value may change from time to time, positively or negatively, to reflect new developments regarding the issuer.

Leverage Risk — Some transactions may give rise to a form of economic leverage. These transactions may include, among others, derivatives, and may expose the Fund to greater risk and increase its costs. As an open-end investment company registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”), the Fund is subject to the federal securities laws, including the Investment Company Act, the rules thereunder, and various SEC and SEC staff interpretive positions. In accordance with these laws, rules and positions, the Fund must “set aside” liquid assets (often referred to as “asset segregation”), or engage in other SEC- or staff-approved measures, to “cover” open positions with respect to certain kinds of instruments. The use of leverage may cause the Fund to liquidate portfolio positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations or to meet any required asset segregation requirements. Increases and decreases in the value of the Fund’s portfolio will be magnified when the Fund uses leverage.

Market Risk and Selection Risk — Market risk is the risk that one or more markets in which the Fund invests will go down in value, including the possibility that the markets will go down sharply and unpredictably. Selection risk is the risk that the securities selected by Fund management will underperform the markets, the relevant indices or the securities selected by other funds with similar investment objectives and investment strategies. This means you may lose money.

Mid-Cap Securities Risk — The securities of mid-cap companies generally trade in lower volumes and are generally subject to greater and less predictable price changes than the securities of larger capitalization companies.

Money Market Securities Risk — If market conditions improve while the Fund has temporarily invested some or all of its assets in high quality money market securities, this strategy could result in reducing the potential gain from the market upswing, thus reducing the Fund’s opportunity to achieve its investment objective.

Non-Diversification Risk — The Fund is a non-diversified fund. Because the Fund may invest in securities of a smaller number of issuers, it may be more exposed to the risks associated with and developments affecting an individual issuer than a fund that invests more widely.

Preferred Securities Risk — Preferred securities may pay fixed or adjustable rates of return. Preferred securities are subject to issuer-specific and market risks applicable generally to equity securities. In addition, a company’s preferred securities generally pay dividends only after the company makes required payments to holders of its bonds and other debt. For this reason, the value of preferred securities will usually react more strongly than bonds and other debt to actual or perceived changes in the company’s financial condition or prospects. Preferred securities of smaller companies may be more vulnerable to adverse developments than preferred stock of larger companies.

Prepayment Risk — When interest rates fall, certain obligations will be paid off by the obligor more quickly than originally anticipated, and the Fund may have to invest the proceeds in securities with lower yields. In periods of falling interest rates, the rate of prepayments tends to increase (as does price fluctuation) as borrowers are motivated to pay off debt and refinance at new lower rates. During such periods, reinvestment of the prepayment proceeds by the management team will generally be at lower rates of return than the return on the assets that were prepaid. Prepayment reduces the yield to maturity and the average life of the security.

16

 
 

Real Estate Related Securities Risks — The main risk of real estate related securities is that the value of the underlying real estate may go down. Many factors may affect real estate values. These factors include both the general and local economies, the amount of new construction in a particular area, the laws and regulations (including zoning and tax laws) affecting real estate and the costs of owning, maintaining and improving real estate. The availability of mortgages and changes in interest rates may also affect real estate values. If the Fund’s real estate related investments are concentrated in one geographic area or in one property type, the Fund will be particularly subject to the risks associated with that area or property type.

REIT Investment Risk — In addition to the risks facing real estate related securities, such as a decline in property values due to increasing vacancies, a decline in rents resulting from unanticipated economic, legal or technological developments or a decline in the price of securities of real estate companies due to a failure of borrowers to pay their loans or poor management, investments in REITs involve unique risks. REITs may have limited financial resources, may trade less frequently and in limited volume and may be more volatile than other securities.

Short Sales Risk — Because making short sales in securities that it does not own exposes the Fund to the risks associated with those securities, such short sales involve speculative exposure risk. The Fund will incur a loss as a result of a short sale if the price of the security increases between the date of the short sale and the date on which the Fund replaces the security sold short. The Fund will realize a gain if the security declines in price between those dates. As a result, if the Fund makes short sales in securities that increase in value, it will likely underperform similar funds that do not make short sales in securities they do not own. There can be no assurance that the Fund will be able to close out a short sale position at any particular time or at an acceptable price. Although the Fund’s gain is limited to the amount at which it sold a security short, its potential loss is limited only by the maximum attainable price of the security, less the price at which the security was sold. The Fund may also pay transaction costs and borrowing fees in connection with short sales.

Small Cap and Emerging Growth Securities Risks — Small cap or emerging growth companies may have limited product lines or markets. They may be less financially secure than larger, more established companies. They may depend on a small number of key personnel. If a product fails or there are other adverse developments, or if management changes, the Fund’s investment in a small cap company may lose substantial value. In addition, it is more difficult to get information on smaller companies, which tend to be less well known, have shorter operating histories, do not have significant ownership by large investors and are followed by relatively few securities analysts.

The securities of small cap or emerging growth companies generally trade in lower volumes and are subject to greater and more unpredictable price changes than larger cap securities or the market as a whole. In addition, small cap securities may be particularly sensitive to changes in interest rates, borrowing costs and earnings. Investing in small cap securities requires a longer term view.

Sovereign Debt Risk — Sovereign debt instruments are subject to the risk that a governmental entity may delay or refuse to pay interest or repay principal on its sovereign debt, due, for example, to cash flow problems, insufficient foreign currency reserves, political considerations, the relative size of the governmental entity’s debt position in relation to the economy or the failure to put in place economic reforms required by the International Monetary Fund or other multilateral agencies. If a governmental entity defaults, it may ask for more time in which to pay or for further loans. There is no legal process for collecting sovereign debt that a government does not pay nor are there bankruptcy proceedings through which all or part of the sovereign debt that a governmental entity has not repaid may be collected.

Subsidiary Risk — By investing in the Subsidiary, the Fund is indirectly exposed to the risks associated with the Subsidiary’s investments. The instruments held by the Subsidiary are generally similar to those that are permitted to be held by the Fund and are subject to the same risks that apply to similar investments if held directly by the Fund. (See “Commodities Related Investments Risks” above.) There can be no assurance that the investment objective of the Subsidiary will be achieved. The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act, and, unless otherwise noted in this prospectus, is not subject to all the investor protections of the Investment Company Act. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, and the Fund and the Subsidiary are both managed by BlackRock, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Board has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund’s role as sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. The Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions and limitations, and follow the same compliance policies and procedures, as the Fund, except that the Subsidiary may invest without limitation in commodity-related instruments. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in this prospectus and the SAI and could adversely affect the Fund. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns. In addition, in late July 2011, the IRS suspended the

17

 
 

issuance of private letter rulings relating to the tax treatment of income and gain generated by investments in commodity-linked notes and income generated by investments in controlled foreign corporations, such as the Subsidiary, that invest in commodity-related instruments. As a result, there can be no assurance that the tax treatment of income from the Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary will not be changed by unfavorable legislation or other guidance and that such change will not have retroactive effect. See “Tax and Regulatory Risk” below.

Supranational Entities Risk — The Fund may invest in obligations issued or guaranteed by the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (the World Bank). The government members, or “stockholders,” usually make initial capital contributions to the World Bank and in many cases are committed to make additional capital contributions if the World Bank is unable to repay its borrowings. There is no guarantee that one or more stockholders of the World Bank will continue to make any necessary additional capital contributions. If such contributions are not made, the entity may be unable to pay interest or repay principal on its debt securities, and the Fund may lose money on such investments.

Tax and Regulatory Risk — Certain aspects of the tax treatment of derivative instruments, including swap agreements and commodity-linked derivatives, are currently unclear and may be affected by changes in legislation, regulations or other legally binding authority that could affect the character, timing and amount of the Fund’s taxable income or gains and distributions. Other future regulatory developments may also impact the Fund’s ability to invest or remain invested in certain derivatives. Legislation or regulation may also change the way in which the Fund itself is regulated.


BlackRock cannot predict the effects of any new governmental regulation that may be implemented on the ability of the Fund to use swaps or any other financial derivative product, and there can be no assurance that any new governmental regulation will not adversely affect the Fund’s ability to achieve its investment objective. For example, in February 2012, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission amended Rule 4.5, and the exemption from registration as a commodity pool operator may no longer be available to BlackRock. If BlackRock is required to register as a commodity pool operator, the Fund is not expected to be adversely affected by such registration.

In late July 2011, the IRS suspended the granting of private letter rulings that concluded that the income and gain generated by a registered investment company’s investments in commodity-linked notes, and the income generated from investments in controlled foreign subsidiaries that invest in physical commodities and/or commodity-linked derivative instruments, would be “qualifying income” for regulated investment company qualification purposes. As a result, there can be no assurance that the IRS will treat such income and gain as “qualifying income.” If the IRS makes an adverse determination relating to the treatment of such income and gain, the Fund would likely need to change its investment strategies, which could adversely affect the Fund.

Treasury Obligations Risk — Treasury obligations may differ in their interest rates, maturities, times of issuance and other characteristics. Obligations of U.S. Government agencies and authorities are supported by varying degrees of credit but generally are not backed by the full faith and credit of the U.S. Government. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government will provide financial support to its agencies and authorities if it is not obligated by law to do so.

U.S. Government Obligations Risk — Obligations of U.S. Government agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises have historically involved little risk of loss of principal if held to maturity. However, not all U.S. Government securities are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States. Obligations of certain agencies, authorities, instrumentalities and sponsored enterprises of the U.S. Government are backed by the full faith and credit of the United States ( e.g. , the Government National Mortgage Association); other obligations are backed by the right of the issuer to borrow from the U.S. Treasury ( e.g. , the Federal Home Loan Banks) and others are supported by the discretionary authority of the U.S. Government to purchase an agency’s obligations. Still others are backed only by the credit of the agency, authority, instrumentality or sponsored enterprise issuing the obligation. No assurance can be given that the U.S. Government would provide financial support to any of these entities if it is not obligated to do so by law.

Variable and Floating Rate Instrument Risk — The absence of an active market for these securities could make it difficult for the Fund to dispose of them if the issuer defaults.

Volatility Risk — Although the Fund intends to implement strategies designed to limit volatility during times of market stress, the effectiveness of these strategies may depend on particular market conditions and other factors that are beyond the control of Fund management. There can be no assurance that the Fund’s efforts to limit volatility will be successful or that any particular level of volatility will be achieved.

Other Risks of Investing in the Fund

The Fund may also be subject to certain other risks associated with its investments and investment strategies, including:

Borrowing Risk — Borrowing may exaggerate changes in the net asset value of Fund shares and in the return on the Fund’s portfolio. Borrowing will cost the Fund interest expense and other fees. The costs of borrowing may reduce the Fund’s return. Borrowing may cause the Fund to liquidate positions when it may not be advantageous to do so to satisfy its obligations.

18

 
 

Expense Risk — Fund expenses are subject to a variety of factors, including fluctuations in the Fund’s net assets. Accordingly, actual expenses may be greater or less than those indicated. For example, to the extent that the Fund’s net assets decrease due to market declines or redemptions, the Fund’s expenses will increase as a percentage of Fund net assets. During periods of high market volatility, these increases in the Fund’s expense ratio could be significant.

Liquidity Risk — Liquidity risk exists when particular investments are difficult to purchase or sell. The Fund’s investments in illiquid securities may reduce the returns of the Fund because it may be difficult to sell the illiquid securities at an advantageous time or price. To the extent that the Fund’s principal investment strategies involve derivatives or securities with substantial market and/or credit risk, the Fund will tend to have the greatest exposure to liquidity risk. Liquid investments may become illiquid after purchase by the Fund, particularly during periods of market turmoil. Illiquid investments may be harder to value, especially in changing markets, and if the Fund is forced to sell these investments to meet redemption requests or for other cash needs, the Fund may suffer a loss. In addition, when there is illiquidity in the market for certain securities, the Fund, due to limitations on illiquid investments, may be subject to purchase and sale restrictions.

Securities Lending Risk — Securities lending involves the risk that the borrower may fail to return the securities in a timely manner or at all. As a result, the Fund may lose money and there may be a delay in recovering the loaned securities. The Fund could also lose money if it does not recover the securities and/or the value of the collateral falls, including the value of investments made with cash collateral. These events could trigger adverse tax consequences for the Fund.

19

 
 

Account Information

How to Choose the Share Class that Best Suits Your Needs

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund currently offers multiple share classes (Investor A, Investor C and Institutional Shares in this prospectus), each with its own sales charge and expense structure, allowing you to invest in the way that best suits your needs. Each share class represents an ownership interest in the same investment portfolio of the Fund. When you choose your class of shares, you should consider the size of your investment and how long you plan to hold your shares. Either your financial professional or your selected securities dealer, broker, investment adviser, service provider or industry professional (“financial intermediary”) can help you determine which share class is best suited to your personal financial goals. Investor A and Investor C Shares are sometimes referred to herein collectively as “Investor Shares.”

For example, if you select Institutional Shares of the Fund, you will not pay any sales charge. However, only certain investors may buy Institutional Shares. If you select Investor A Shares of the Fund, you generally pay a sales charge at the time of purchase and an ongoing service fee of 0.25% per year. You may be eligible for a sales charge reduction or waiver.

If you select Investor C Shares, you will invest the full amount of your purchase price, but you will be subject to a distribution fee of 0.75% per year and a service fee of 0.25% per year under a plan adopted pursuant to Rule 12b-1 under the Investment Company Act. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. In addition, you may be subject to a deferred sales charge when you sell Investor C Shares of the Fund. Classes with lower expenses will have higher net asset values and dividends relative to other share classes.

The Fund’s shares are distributed by BlackRock Investments, LLC (the “Distributor”), an affiliate of BlackRock.

The table on the following pages summarizes key features of each of the share classes offered by this prospectus.

20

 
 

Share Classes at a Glance 1




   
Investor A Shares
   
Investor C Shares 2,3
   
Institutional Shares
Availability
              
Generally available through financial intermediaries.
    
Generally available through financial intermediaries.
    
Limited to certain investors, including:
· Current Institutional shareholders that meet certain requirements
· Certain retirement plans
· Participants in certain programs sponsored by BlackRock or its affiliates or other financial intermediaries
· Certain employees and affiliates of BlackRock or its affiliates
Minimum Investment
              
$1,000 for all accounts except:
· $250 for certain fee-based programs.
· $100 for retirement plans.
· $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan.
    
$1,000 for all accounts except:
· $250 for certain fee-based programs.
· $100 for retirement plans.
· $50, if establishing an Automatic Investment Plan.
    
$2 million for institutions and individuals.
Institutional Shares are available to clients of registered investment advisors who have $250,000 invested in the Fund.
Initial Sales Charge?
              
Yes. Payable at time of purchase. Lower sales charges are available for larger investments.
    
No. Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
    
No. Entire purchase price is invested in shares of the Fund.
Deferred Sales Charge?
              
No. (May be charged for purchases of $1 million or more that are redeemed within eighteen months).
    
Yes. Payable if you redeem within one year of purchase.
    
No.
Distribution and Service
(12b-1) Fees?
              
No Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee.
    
0.75% Annual Distribution Fee.
0.25% Annual Service Fee.
    
No.
Redemption Fees?
              
No.
    
No.
    
No.
Conversion to Investor A Shares?
              
N/A.
    
No.
    
No.
Advantage
              
Makes sense for investors who are eligible to have the sales charge reduced or eliminated or who have a long-term investment horizon because there are no ongoing distribution fees.
    
No up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares. These shares may make sense for investors who have a shorter investment horizon relative to Investor A Shares.
    
No up-front sales charge so you start off owning more shares.
Disadvantage
              
You pay a sales charge up-front, and therefore you start off owning fewer shares.
    
You pay ongoing distribution fees each year you own shares, which means that over the long term you can expect higher total fees per share than Investor A Shares and, as a result, lower total performance.
    
Limited availability.
 
1   Please see “Details About the Share Classes” for more information about each share class.
2   If you establish a new account directly with the Fund and do not have a financial intermediary associated with your account, you may only invest in Investor A Shares. Applications without a financial intermediary that select Investor C Shares will not be accepted.
3   The Fund will not accept a purchase order of $500,000 or more for Investor C Shares. Your financial professional may set a lower maximum for Investor C Shares.

The following pages will cover the additional details of each share class, including the Institutional Share requirements, the sales charge table for Investor A Shares, reduced sales charge information, Investor C Share CDSC information, and sales charge waivers. More information about existing sales charge reductions and waivers is available free of charge in a clear and prominent format via hyperlink at www.blackrock.com and in the SAI, which is available on the website or on request.

21

 
 

Details About the Share Classes

Investor A Shares — Initial Sales Charge Option

The following table shows the front-end sales charges that you may pay if you buy Investor A Shares. The offering price for Investor A Shares includes any front-end sales charge. The front-end sales charge expressed as a percentage of the offering price may be higher or lower than the charge described below due to rounding. Similarly, any contingent deferred sales charge paid upon certain redemptions of Investor A Shares expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount may be higher or lower than the charge described below due to rounding. You may qualify for a reduced front-end sales charge. Purchases of Investor A Shares at certain fixed dollar levels, known as “breakpoints,” cause a reduction in the front-end sales charge. Once you achieve a breakpoint, you pay that sales charge on your entire purchase amount (and not just the portion above the breakpoint). If you select Investor A Shares, you will pay a sales charge at the time of purchase as shown in the following table.

Your Investment



   
Sales Charge
as a % of
Offering Price

   
Sales Charge
as a % of Your
Investment 1

   
Dealer
Compensation
as a % of
Offering Price

Less than $25,000
              
5.25%
    
5.54%
            5.00 %    
$25,000 but less than $50,000
              
4.75%
    
4.99%
            4.50 %    
$50,000 but less than $100,000
              
4.00%
    
4.17%
            3.75 %    
$100,000 but less than $250,000
              
3.00%
    
3.09%
            2.75 %    
$250,000 but less than $500,000
              
2.50%
    
2.56%
            2.25 %    
$500,000 but less than $750,000
              
2.00%
    
2.04%
            1.75 %    
$750,000 but less than $1,000,000
              
1.50%
    
1.52%
            1.25 %    
$1,000,000 and over 2
              
0.00%
    
0.00%
            2     
 
1   Rounded to the nearest one-hundredth percent.
2   If you invest $1,000,000 or more in Investor A Shares, you will not pay an initial sales charge. In that case, BlackRock compensates the financial intermediary from its own resources. However, if you redeem your shares within 18 months after purchase, you may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% of the lesser of the original cost of the shares being redeemed or your redemption proceeds. Such deferred sales charge may be waived in connection with certain fee-based programs.

No initial sales charge applies to Investor A Shares that you buy through reinvestment of Fund dividends or capital gains.

Sales Charges Reduced or Eliminated for Investor A Shares

There are several ways in which the sales charge can be reduced or eliminated. Purchases of Investor A Shares at certain fixed dollar levels, known as “breakpoints,” cause a reduction in the front-end sales charge (as described above in the “Investor A Shares — Initial Sales Charge Option” section). Additionally, the front-end sales charge can be reduced or eliminated through one or a combination of the following: a Letter of Intent, right of accumulation, the reinstatement privilege (described under “Account Services and Privileges”), or a waiver of the sales charge (described below).

Reductions or eliminations through the Letter of Intent or right of accumulation will apply to the value of all qualifying holdings in shares of mutual funds sponsored and advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (“BlackRock Funds”) owned by (a) the investor, or (b) the investor’s spouse and any children and a trust, custodial account or fiduciary account for the benefit of any such individuals. For this purpose, the value of an investor’s holdings means the offering price of the newly purchased shares (including any applicable sales charge) plus the current value (including any sales charges paid) of all other shares the investor already holds taken together.

Qualifying Holdings:     
  Investor Shares, Institutional Shares (in most BlackRock Funds) and investments in the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program

Qualifying Holdings may include shares held in accounts held at a financial intermediary, including personal accounts, certain retirement accounts, UGMA/UTMA accounts, Joint Tenancy accounts, trust accounts and Transfer on Death accounts, as well as shares purchased by a trust of which the investor is a beneficiary. For purposes of the Letter of Intent and right of accumulation, the investor may not combine with the investor’s other holdings shares held in pension, profit sharing or other employee benefit plans if those shares are held in the name of a nominee or custodian.

22

 
 

In order to receive a reduced sales charge, at the time an investor purchases shares of the Fund, the investor should inform the financial intermediary and/or BlackRock Funds of any other shares of the Fund or any other BlackRock Fund that qualify for a reduced sales charge. Failure by the investor to notify the financial intermediary or BlackRock Funds may result in the investor not receiving the sales charge reduction to which the investor is otherwise entitled.

The financial intermediary or BlackRock Funds may request documentation — including account statements and records of the original cost of the shares owned by the investor, the investor’s spouse and/or children showing that the investor qualifies for a reduced sales charge. The investor should retain these records because — depending on where an account is held or the type of account — the Fund and/or the investor’s financial intermediary or BlackRock Funds may not be able to maintain this information.

For more information, see the SAI or contact your financial intermediary.

Letter of Intent

An investor may qualify for a reduced front-end sales charge immediately by signing a “Letter of Intent” stating the investor’s intention to buy a specified amount of Investor A, Investor C and/or Institutional Shares and/or make an investment through the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program in one or more BlackRock Funds within the next 13 months that would, if bought all at once, qualify the investor for a reduced sales charge. The initial investment must meet the minimum initial purchase requirement. The 13-month Letter of Intent period commences on the day that the Letter of Intent is received by the Fund, and the investor must tell the Fund that later purchases are subject to the Letter of Intent. Purchases submitted prior to the date the Letter of Intent is received by the Fund are not counted toward the sales charge reduction. During the term of the Letter of Intent, the Fund will hold Investor A Shares representing up to 5% of the indicated amount in an escrow account for payment of a higher sales load if the full amount indicated in the Letter of Intent is not purchased. If the full amount indicated is not purchased within the 13-month period, and the investor does not pay the higher sales load within 20 days, the Fund will redeem enough of the Investor A Shares held in escrow to pay the difference.

Right of Accumulation

Investors have a “right of accumulation” under which the current value of (i) an investor’s existing BlackRock Funds Investor A and A1, Investor B, B1, B2 and B3, Investor C, C1, C2 and C3 and Institutional Shares and/or (ii) the investment in the BlackRock CollegeAdvantage 529 Program by the investor or by or on behalf of the investor’s spouse and children may be combined with the amount of the current purchase in determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge. Financial intermediaries may value current holdings of their customers differently for purposes of determining whether an investor qualifies for a breakpoint and a reduced front-end sales charge, although customers of the same financial intermediary will be treated similarly. In order to use this right, the investor must alert BlackRock to the existence of any previously purchased shares.

Other Front-End Sales Charge Waivers

The following persons may also buy Investor A Shares without paying a sales charge:

n
  Authorized qualified employee benefit plans or savings plans;
n
  Rollovers of current investments through authorized qualified employee benefit plans or savings plans, provided the shares are transferred to the same BlackRock Fund as either a direct rollover, or subsequent to distribution, the rolled-over proceeds are contributed to a BlackRock individual retirement account (“IRA”) through an account directly with the Fund;
n
  Persons investing through an authorized payroll deduction plan;
n
  Persons investing through an authorized investment plan for organizations that operate under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Internal Revenue Code”);
n
  Registered investment advisers, trust companies and bank trust departments exercising discretionary investment authority with respect to amounts to be invested in the Fund;
n
  Persons participating in a fee-based program (such as a wrap account) under which they (i) pay advisory fees to a broker-dealer or other financial institution or (ii) pay fees to a broker-dealer or other financial institution for providing transaction processing and other administrative services, but not investment advisory services;
n
  Financial intermediaries who have entered into an agreement with the Distributor and have been approved by the Distributor to offer Fund shares to self-directed investment brokerage accounts that may or may not charge a transaction fee;

23

 
 

n
  Persons associated with the Fund, the Fund’s manager, the Fund’s sub-adviser, transfer agent, Distributor, fund accounting agents, Barclays PLC (“Barclays”) and their respective affiliates (to the extent permitted by these firms) including: (a) officers, directors and partners; (b) employees and retirees; (c) employees of firms who have entered into selling agreements to distribute shares of BlackRock-advised funds; (d) immediate family members of such persons; and (e) any trust, pension, profit-sharing or other benefit plan for any of the persons set forth in (a) through (d); and
n
  Certain state sponsored 529 college savings plans.

Investor A Shares at Net Asset Value

If you invest $1,000,000 or more in Investor A Shares, you will not pay any initial sales charge. However, if you redeem your Investor A Shares within 18 months after purchase, you may be charged a deferred sales charge of 1.00% of the lesser of the original cost of the shares being redeemed or your redemption proceeds. For a discussion on waivers see “Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Waivers.”

If you are eligible to buy both Investor A and Institutional Shares, you should buy Institutional Shares since Investor A Shares are subject to a front end sales charge and an annual 0.25% service fee, while Institutional Shares are not. The Distributor normally pays the annual Investor A Shares service fee to dealers as a shareholder servicing fee on a monthly basis.

Investor C Shares — Deferred Sales Charge Options

If you select Investor C Shares, you do not pay an initial sales charge at the time of purchase. However, if you redeem your Investor C Shares within one year after purchase, you may be required to pay a deferred sales charge of 1.00%. The charge will apply to the lesser of the original cost of shares being redeemed or the proceeds of your redemption. When you redeem Investor C Shares, the redemption order is processed so that the lowest deferred sales charge is charged. Investor C Shares that are not subject to the deferred sales charge are redeemed first. In addition, you will not be charged a deferred sales charge when you redeem shares that you acquire through reinvestment of Fund dividends or capital gains. Any CDSC paid on the redemptions of Investor C Shares expressed as a percentage of the applicable redemption amount may be higher or lower than the charge described due to rounding.

Investor C Shares do not offer a conversion privilege.

You will also pay ongoing distribution fees of 0.75% and ongoing service fees of 0.25% for Investor C Shares. Because these fees are paid out of the Fund’s assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. The Distributor uses the money that it receives from the deferred sales charges and the distribution fees to cover the costs of marketing, advertising and compensating the financial intermediary who assists you in purchasing Fund shares.

The Distributor currently pays dealers a sales concession of 1.00% of the purchase price of Investor C Shares from its own resources at the time of sale. The Distributor pays the annual Investor C Shares distribution fee and the annual Investor C Shares service fee as an ongoing concession and as a shareholder servicing fee, respectively, to dealers for Investor C Shares held for over a year and normally retains the Investor C Shares distribution fee and service fee during the first year after purchase. For certain qualified employee benefit plans, the Distributor will pay the full Investor C Shares distribution fee and service fee to dealers beginning in the first year after purchase in lieu of paying the sales concession.

Contingent Deferred Sales Charge Waivers

The deferred sales charge relating to Investor Shares may be reduced or waived in certain circumstances, such as:

n
  Redemptions of shares purchased through authorized qualified employee benefit plans or savings plans and rollovers of current investments in the Fund through such plans;
n
  Exchanges pursuant to the exchange privilege, as described in “How to Exchange Shares or Transfer your Account”;
n
  Redemptions made in connection with minimum required distributions from IRA or 403(b)(7) accounts due to the shareholder reaching the age of 70 1 / 2 ;
n
  Certain post-retirement withdrawals from an IRA or other retirement plan if you are over 59 1 / 2 years old;
n
  Redemptions made with respect to certain retirement plans sponsored by the Fund, BlackRock or an affiliate;
n
  Redemptions resulting from shareholder death as long as the waiver request is made within one year of death or, if later, reasonably promptly following completion of probate (including in connection with the distribution of account assets to a beneficiary of the decedent);

24

 
 

n
  Withdrawals resulting from shareholder disability (as defined in the Internal Revenue Code) as long as the disability arose subsequent to the purchase of the shares;
n
  Involuntary redemptions made of shares in accounts with low balances;
n
  Certain redemptions made through the Systematic Withdrawal Plan offered by the Fund, BlackRock or an affiliate;
n
  Redemptions related to the payment of BNY Mellon Investment Servicing Trust Company custodial IRA fees; and
n
  Redemptions when a shareholder can demonstrate hardship, in the absolute discretion of the Fund.

More information about existing sales charge reductions and waivers is available free of charge in a clear and prominent format via hyperlink at www.blackrock.com and in the SAI, which is available on the website or on request.

Institutional Shares

Institutional Shares are not subject to any sales charge. Only certain investors are eligible to buy Institutional Shares. Your financial intermediary can help you determine whether you are eligible to buy Institutional Shares. The Fund may permit a lower initial investment for certain investors if their purchase, combined with purchases by other investors received together by the Fund, meets the minimum investment requirement.

Eligible Institutional investors include the following:

n
  Investors who currently own Institutional Shares of the Fund may make additional purchases of Institutional Shares of the Fund directly from the Fund;
n
  Institutional and individual retail investors with a minimum investment of $2 million who purchase directly from the Fund;
n
  Certain qualified retirement plans;
n
  Investors in selected fee-based programs;
n
  Clients of registered investment advisers who have $250,000 invested in the Fund;
n
  Trust department clients of PNC Bank and Bank of America, N.A. and their affiliates for whom they (i) act in a fiduciary capacity (excluding participant directed employee benefit plans); (ii) otherwise have investment discretion; or (iii) act as custodian for at least $2 million in assets;
n
  Unaffiliated banks, thrifts or trust companies that have agreements with the Distributor;
n
  Holders of certain Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. (“Merrill Lynch”) sponsored unit investment trusts (“UITs”) who reinvest dividends received from such UITs in shares of the Fund; and
n
  Employees, officers and directors/trustees of BlackRock Inc., BlackRock Funds, The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. (“PNC”), Merrill Lynch, Barclays or their respective affiliates.

Distribution and Shareholder Servicing Plan

The Trust, on behalf of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, has adopted a plan (the “Plan”) with respect to the Investor Shares that allows the Fund to pay distribution fees for the sale of its shares under Rule 12b-1 of the Investment Company Act and shareholder servicing fees for certain services provided to its shareholders.

Plan Payments

Under the Plan, Investor C Shares pay a fee (“distribution fees”) to the Distributor and/or its affiliates, including PNC and its affiliates, for distribution and sales support services. The distribution fees may be used to pay the Distributor for distribution services and to pay the Distributor and affiliates of BlackRock and PNC for sales support services provided in connection with the sale of Investor C Shares. The distribution fees may also be used to pay brokers, dealers, financial institutions and industry professionals (including BlackRock, PNC and their respective affiliates) (each a “Financial Intermediary”) for sales support services and related expenses. All Investor C Shares pay a maximum distribution fee per year that is a percentage of the average daily net asset value of the Fund attributable to Investor C Shares. Institutional and Investor A Shares do not pay a distribution fee.

Under the Plan, the Trust also pays shareholder servicing fees (also referred to as shareholder liaison services fees) on behalf of the Fund to Financial Intermediaries for providing support services to their customers who own Investor Shares. The shareholder servicing fee payment is calculated as a percentage of the average daily net asset value of Investor Shares of the Fund. All Investor Shares pay this shareholder servicing fee. Institutional Shares do not pay a shareholder servicing fee.

25

 
 

In return for the shareholder servicing fee, Financial Intermediaries (including BlackRock) may provide one or more of the following services to their customers who own Investor Shares:

n
  Responding to customer questions on the services performed by the Financial Intermediary and investments in Investor Shares;
n
  Assisting customers in choosing and changing dividend options, account designations and addresses; and
n
  Providing other similar shareholder liaison services.

The shareholder servicing fees payable pursuant to the Plans are paid to compensate Financial Intermediaries for the administration and servicing of shareholder accounts and are not costs which are primarily intended to result in the sale of the Fund’s shares. Because the fees paid by the Fund under the Plan are paid out of Fund assets on an ongoing basis, over time these fees will increase the cost of your investment and may cost you more than paying other types of sales charges. In addition, the distribution fees paid by Investor C Shares may over time cost investors more than the front-end sales charge on Investor A Shares. For more information on the Plan, including a complete list of services provided thereunder, see the SAI.

Other Payments by the Fund

In addition to, rather than in lieu of, fees that the Fund may pay to a Financial Intermediary pursuant to the Plan and fees that the Fund pays to its transfer agent, BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. (the “Transfer Agent”), BlackRock, on behalf of the Fund, may enter into non-Plan agreements with a Financial Intermediary pursuant to which the Fund will pay a Financial Intermediary for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and shareholder services. These non-Plan payments are generally based on either (1) a percentage of the average daily net assets of Fund shareholders serviced by a Financial Intermediary or (2) a fixed dollar amount for each account serviced by a Financial Intermediary. The aggregate amount of these payments may be substantial.

Other Payments by BlackRock

The Plan permits BlackRock, the Distributor and their affiliates to make payments relating to distribution and sales support activities out of their past profits or other sources available to them (and not as an additional charge to the Fund). From time to time, BlackRock, the Distributor or their affiliates also may pay a portion of the fees for administrative, networking, recordkeeping, sub-transfer agency and shareholder services described above at its or their own expense and out of its or their legitimate profits. BlackRock, the Distributor and their affiliates may compensate affiliated and unaffiliated Financial Intermediaries for the sale and distribution of shares of the Fund or for these other services to the Fund and shareholders. These payments would be in addition to the Fund payments described in this prospectus and may be a fixed dollar amount, may be based on the number of customer accounts maintained by the Financial Intermediary, or may be based on a percentage of the value of shares sold to, or held by, customers of the Financial Intermediary. The aggregate amount of these payments by BlackRock, the Distributor and their affiliates may be substantial. Payments by BlackRock may include amounts that are sometimes referred to as “revenue sharing” payments. In some circumstances, these revenue sharing payments may create an incentive for a Financial Intermediary, its employees or associated persons to recommend or sell shares of the Fund to you. Please contact your Financial Intermediary for details about payments it may receive from the Fund or from BlackRock, the Distributor or their affiliates. For more information, see the SAI.

How to Buy, Sell, Exchange and Transfer Shares

The chart on the following pages summarizes how to buy, sell, exchange and transfer shares through your financial intermediary. You may also buy, sell, exchange and transfer shares through BlackRock if your account is held directly with BlackRock. To learn more about buying, selling, exchanging or transferring shares through BlackRock, call (800) 441-7762. Because the selection of a mutual fund involves many considerations, your financial intermediary may help you with this decision.

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund may reject any purchase order, modify or waive the minimum initial or subsequent investment requirements for any shareholders and suspend and resume the sale of any share class of the Fund at any time for any reason. In addition, the Fund may waive certain requirements regarding the purchase, sale, exchange or transfer of shares described below.

Under certain circumstances, if no activity occurs in an account within a time period specified by state law, a shareholder’s shares in the Fund may be transferred to that state.

26

 
 

How to Buy Shares




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Initial Purchase
              
First, select the share class appropriate for you
    
 
    
Refer to the “Share Classes at a Glance” table in this prospectus (be sure to read this prospectus carefully). When you place your initial order, you must indicate which share class you select (if you do not specify a share class and do not qualify to purchase Institutional Shares, you will receive Investor A Shares).
 
              
 
    
 
    
Certain factors, such as the amount of your investment, your time frame for investing and your financial goals, may affect which share class you choose. Your financial intermediary can help you determine which share class is appropriate for you.
 
              
Next, determine the amount of your investment
    
 
    
Refer to the minimum initial investment in the “Share Classes at a Glance” table of this prospectus. Be sure to note the maximum investment amounts in Investor C Shares.
 
              
 
    
 
    
See “Account Information — Details About the Share Classes” for information on a lower initial investment requirement for certain Fund investors if their purchase, combined with purchases by other investors received together by the Fund, meets the minimum investment requirement.
 
              
Have your financial intermediary submit your purchase order
    
 
    
The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the Fund’s net asset value after your order is placed. Any purchase orders placed prior to the close of business on the New York Stock Exchange (the “Exchange”) (generally 4:00 P.M. Eastern time) will be priced at the net asset value determined that day. Certain financial intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time. Purchase orders placed after that time will be priced at the net asset value determined on the next business day. A broker-dealer or financial institution maintaining the account in which you hold shares may charge a separate account, service or transaction fee on the purchase or sale of Fund shares that would be in addition to the fees and expenses shown in the Fund’s “Fees and Expenses” table.
 
              
 
    
 
    
The Fund may reject any order to buy shares and may suspend the sale of shares at anytime. Financial intermediaries may charge a processing fee to confirm a purchase.
 
              
Or contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock)
    
 
    
To purchase shares directly from BlackRock, call (800) 441-7762 and request a new account application. Mail the completed application along with a check payable to “BlackRock Funds” to the Transfer Agent at the address on the application.
Add to Your
Investment
              
Purchase additional shares
    
 
    
For Investor A and Investor C Shares, the minimum investment for additional purchases is generally $50 for all accounts except that certain retirement plans and payroll deduction programs may have a lower minimum for additional purchases. Institutional Shares have no minimum for additional purchases.
 
              
Have your financial intermediary submit your purchase order for additional shares.
    
 
    
To purchase additional shares you may contact your financial intermediary. For more details on purchasing by Internet see below.
 
              
Or contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock)
    
 
    
Purchase by Telephone: Call (800) 441-7762 and speak with one of our representatives. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason.
 
                   
 
    
Purchase in Writing: You may send a written request to BlackRock at the address on the back cover of this prospectus.
 
                   
 
    
Purchase by VRU: Investor Shares may also be purchased by use of the Fund’s automated voice response unit service (“VRU”) at (800) 441-7762.

27

 
 

How to Buy Shares (continued)




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Add to Your Investment
(continued)
              
Or contact BlackRock (for accounts held directly with BlackRock) (continued)
    
 
    
Purchase by Internet: You may purchase your shares and view activity in your account by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com/funds. Purchases made on the Internet using Automated Clearing House Network (“ACH”) will have a trade date that is the day after the purchase is made. Certain institutional clients’ purchase orders for Institutional Shares placed by wire prior to the close of business on the Exchange will be priced at the net asset value determined that day. Contact your financial intermediary or BlackRock for further information. The Fund limits Internet purchases in shares of the Fund to $25,000 per trade. Different maximums may apply to certain institutional investors.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Please read the On-Line Services Disclosure Statement and User Agreement, the Terms and Conditions page and the Consent to Electronic Delivery Agreement (if you consent to electronic delivery), before attempting to transact online.
 
              
 
    
 
    
The Fund employs reasonable procedures to confirm that transactions entered over the Internet are genuine. By entering into the User Agreement with the Fund in order to open an account through the website, the shareholder waives any right to reclaim any losses from the Fund or any of its affiliates incurred through fraudulent activity.
 
              
Acquire additional shares by reinvesting dividends and capital gains
    
 
    
All dividends and capital gains distributions are automatically reinvested without a sales charge. To make any changes to your dividend and/or capital gains distributions options, please call (800) 441-7762, or contact your financial intermediary (if your account is not held directly with BlackRock).
 
              
Participate in the Automatic Investment Plan (AIP)
    
 
    
BlackRock’s Automatic Investment Plan (“AIP”) allows you to invest a specific amount on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account into your investment account.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Refer to the “Account Services and Privileges” section of this prospectus for additional information.
How to Pay for Shares
              
Making payment for purchases
    
 
    
Payment for an order must be made in Federal funds or other immediately available funds by the time specified by your financial intermediary, but in no event later than 4:00 p.m. (Eastern time) on the third business day (in the case of Investor Shares) or the first business day (in the case of Institutional Shares) following BlackRock’s receipt of the order. If payment is not received by this time, the order will be canceled, and you and your financial intermediary will be responsible for any loss to the Fund.
 
              
 
    
 
    
For shares purchased directly from the Fund, a check payable to BlackRock Funds which bears the name of the Fund you are purchasing must accompany a completed purchase application.
 
              
 
    
 
    
There is a $20 fee for each purchase check that is returned due to insufficient funds. The Fund does not accept third-party checks. You may also wire Federal funds to the Fund to purchase shares, but you must call (800) 441-7762 before doing so to confirm the wiring instructions.
 

28

 
 

How to Sell Shares




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares
              
Have your financial intermediary submit your sales order
    
 
    
You can make redemption requests through your financial intermediary. Shareholders should indicate whether they are redeeming Investor A, Investor C or Institutional Shares. The price of your shares is based on the next calculation of the Fund’s net asset value after your order is placed. For your redemption request to be priced at the net asset value on the day of your request, you must submit your request to your financial intermediary prior to that day’s close of business on the Exchange (generally 4:00 P.M. Eastern time). Certain financial intermediaries, however, may require submission of orders prior to that time. Any redemption request placed after that time will be priced at the net asset value at the close of business on the next business day.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Financial intermediaries may charge a fee to process a redemption of shares. Shareholders should indicate which class of shares they are redeeming. The Fund may reject an order to sell shares under certain circumstances.
 
              
Selling shares held directly with BlackRock
    
 
    
Methods of Redeeming
              Redeem by Telephone: You may sell Investor Shares held directly with BlackRock by telephone request if certain conditions are met and if the amount being sold is less than (i) $100,000 for payments by check or (ii) $250,000 for payments through ACH or wire transfer. Certain redemption requests, such as those in excess of these amounts, must be in writing with a medallion signature guarantee. For Institutional Shares, certain redemption requests may require written instructions with a medallion signature guarantee. Call (800) 441-7762 for details. You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp from a bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable. 
 
              
 
    
 
    
The Fund, its administrators and the Distributor will employ reasonable procedures to confirm that instructions communicated by telephone are genuine. The Fund and its service providers will not be liable for any loss, liability, cost or expense for acting upon telephone instructions that are reasonably believed to be genuine in accordance with such procedures. The Fund may refuse a telephone redemption request if it believes it is advisable to do so. During periods of substantial economic or market change, telephone redemptions may be difficult to complete. Please find alternate redemption methods below.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Redeem by VRU: Investor Shares may also be redeemed by use of the Fund’s automated VRU service. Payment for Investor Shares redeemed by VRU may be made for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to $25,000, either through check, ACH or wire.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Redeem by Internet: You may redeem in your account by logging onto the BlackRock website at www.blackrock.com/funds. Proceeds from Internet redemptions may be sent via check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record. Payment for Investor Shares redeemed by Internet may be made for non-retirement accounts in amounts up to $25,000, either through check, ACH or wire. Different maximums may apply to investors in Institutional Shares.

29

 
 

How to Sell Shares (continued)




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued)
              
Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
    
 
    
Redeem in Writing: You may sell shares held with BlackRock by writing to BlackRock, P.O. Box 9819, Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019, or for overnight delivery, 4400 Computer Drive, Westborough, Massachusetts 01588. All shareholders on the account must sign the letter. A medallion signature guarantee will generally be required but may be waived in certain limited circumstances. You can obtain a medallion signature guarantee stamp from a bank, securities dealer, securities broker, credit union, savings and loan association, national securities exchange or registered securities association. A notary public seal will not be acceptable. If you hold stock certificates, return the certificates with the letter. Proceeds from redemptions may be sent via check, ACH or wire to the bank account of record.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Payment of Redemption Proceeds
Redemption proceeds may be paid by check or, if the Fund has verified banking information on file, through ACH or by wire transfer.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Payment by Check: BlackRock will normally mail redemption proceeds within seven days following receipt of a properly completed request. Shares can be redeemed by telephone and the proceeds sent by check to the shareholder at the address on record. Shareholders will pay $15 for redemption proceeds sent by check via overnight mail. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Payment by Wire Transfer: Payment for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on a business day is normally made in Federal funds wired to the redeeming shareholder on the next business day, provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Payment for redemption orders received after 4:00 P.M. (Eastern time) or on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed is normally wired in Federal funds on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business. The Fund reserves the right to wire redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund.
 
              
 
    
 
    
If a shareholder has given authorization for expedited redemption, shares can be redeemed by Federal wire transfer to a single previously designated bank account. Shareholders will pay $7.50 for redemption proceeds sent by Federal wire transfer. You are responsible for any additional charges imposed by your bank for this service. No charge for wiring redemption payments with respect to Institutional Shares is imposed by the Fund.
 
              
 
    
 
    
The Fund is not responsible for the efficiency of the Federal wire system or the shareholder’s firm or bank. To change the name of the single, designated bank account to receive wire redemption proceeds, it is necessary to send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus.

30

 
 

How to Sell Shares (continued)




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Full or Partial Redemption of Shares (continued)
              
Selling shares held directly with BlackRock (continued)
    
 
    
Payment by ACH: Redemption proceeds may be sent to the shareholder’s bank account (checking or savings) via ACH. Payment for redeemed shares for which a redemption order is received before 4:00 P.M. (Eastern time) on a business day is normally sent to the redeeming shareholder the next business day with receipt at the receiving bank within the next two business days (48-72 hours), provided that the Fund’s custodian is also open for business. Payment for redemption orders received after 4:00 P.M. (Eastern time) or on a day when the Fund’s custodian is closed is normally sent on the next business day following redemption on which the Fund’s custodian is open for business.
 
              
 
    
 
    
The Fund reserves the right to send redemption proceeds within seven days after receiving a redemption order if, in the judgment of the Fund, an earlier payment could adversely affect the Fund. No charge for sending redemption payments via ACH is imposed by the Fund.
 
              
 
    
 
    
* * *
 
              
 
    
 
    
If you make a redemption request before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares, the Fund may delay mailing your proceeds. This delay will usually not exceed ten days.
 

How to Exchange Shares or Transfer your Account

Exchange Privilege
              
Selling shares of one fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”)
    
 
    
Investor and Institutional Shares of the Fund are generally exchangeable for shares of the same class of another BlackRock Fund.
              You can exchange $1,000 or more of Investor A or Investor C Shares from one fund into the same class of another fund which offers that class of shares (you can exchange less than $1,000 of Investor Shares if you already have an account in the fund into which you are exchanging). Investors who currently own Institutional Shares of the Fund may make exchanges into Institutional Shares of other BlackRock Funds except for investors holding shares through certain client accounts at financial intermediaries that are omnibus with the Fund and do not meet applicable minimums. There is no required minimum amount with respect to exchanges of Institutional Shares. 
 
              
 
    
 
    
You may only exchange into a share class and fund that are open to new investors or in which you have a current account if the fund is closed to new investors.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Some of the BlackRock Funds impose a different deferred sales charge schedule. The CDSC will continue to be measured from the date of the original purchase. The CDSC Schedule Applicable to your original purchase will apply to the shares you receive in the exchange and any subsequent exchange.
 
              
 
    
 
    
To exercise the exchange privilege, you may contact your financial intermediary. Alternatively, if your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may: (i) call (800) 441-7762 and speak with one of our representatives, (ii) make the exchange via the Internet by accessing your account online at www.blackrock.com/funds, or (iii) send a written request to the Fund at the address on the back cover of this prospectus. Please note, if you indicated on your New Account Application that you did not want the Telephone Exchange Privilege, you will not be able to place exchanges via the telephone until you update this option either in writing or by calling (800) 441-7762. The Fund has the right to reject any telephone request for any reason.

31

 
 

How to Exchange Shares or Transfer your Account (continued)




   
Your Choices
   

   
Important Information for You to Know
Exchange Privilege (continued)
              
Selling shares of one fund to purchase shares of another BlackRock Fund (“exchanging”) (continued)
    
 
    
Although there is currently no limit on the number of exchanges that you can make, the exchange privilege may be modified or terminated at any time in the future. The Fund may suspend or terminate your exchange privilege at any time for any reason, including if the Fund believes in its sole discretion that you are engaging in market timing activities. See “Short-Term Trading Policy” below. For Federal income tax purposes, a share exchange is a taxable event, and a capital gain or loss may be realized. Please consult your tax adviser or other financial professional before making an exchange request.
Transfer Shares to Another Financial Intermediary
              
Transfer to a participating financial intermediary
    
 
    
You may transfer your shares of the Fund only to another financial intermediary that has entered into an agreement with the Distributor. Certain shareholder services may not be available for the transferred shares. All future trading of these assets must be coordinated by the receiving firm.
 
              
 
    
 
    
If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your financial intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares.
 
              
Transfer to a non-participating financial intermediary
    
 
    
You must either:
· Transfer your shares to an account with the Fund; or
· Sell your shares, paying any applicable deferred sales charge.
 
              
 
    
 
    
If your account is held directly with BlackRock, you may call (800) 441-7762 with any questions; otherwise please contact your financial intermediary to accomplish the transfer of shares.
 

32

 
 

Account Services and Privileges

The following table provides examples of account services and privileges available in your BlackRock account. Certain of these account services and privileges are only available to shareholders of Investor Shares whose accounts are held directly with BlackRock. If your account is held directly with BlackRock, please call (800) 441-7762 or visit www.blackrock.com/funds for additional information as well as forms and applications. Otherwise, please contact your financial intermediary for assistance in requesting one or more of the following services and privileges.

Automatic Investment Plan (AIP)
              
Allows systematic investments on a periodic basis from a checking or savings account.
    
 
    
BlackRock’s AIP allows you to invest a specific amount on a periodic basis from your checking or savings account into your investment account. You may apply for this option upon account opening or by completing the Automatic Investment Plan application. The minimum investment amount for an automatic investment plan is $50 per portfolio.
Dividend Allocation Plan
              
Automatically invests your distributions into another BlackRock Fund of your choice pursuant to your instructions without any fees or sales charges.
    
 
    
Dividend and capital gains distributions may be reinvested in your account to purchase additional shares or paid in cash. Using the Dividend Allocation Plan, you can direct your distributions to your bank account (checking or savings), to purchase shares of another fund at BlackRock without any fees or sales charges, or by check to special payee. Please call (800) 441-7762 for details. The fund into which you request your distributions be invested must be open to new purchases.
EZ Trader
              
Allows an investor to purchase or sell Investor Shares by telephone or over the Internet through ACH.
    
 
    
(NOTE: This option is offered to shareholders whose accounts are held directly with BlackRock. Please speak with your financial intermediary if your account is held elsewhere).
        Prior to establishing an EZ Trader account, please contact your bank to confirm that it is a member of the ACH system. Once confirmed, complete an application, making sure to include the appropriate bank information, and return the application to the address listed on the form.
 
              
Prior to placing a telephone or internet purchase or sale order, please call (800) 441-7762 to confirm that your bank information has been updated on your account. Once this is established, you may place your request to sell shares with the Fund by telephone or Internet.
 
              
 
Proceeds will be sent to your pre-designated bank account.
Systematic Exchange Plan
              
This feature can be used by investors to systematically exchange money from one fund to up to four other funds.
    
 
    
A minimum of $10,000 in the initial BlackRock Fund is required and investments in any additional funds must meet minimum initial investment requirements.
Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP)
              
This feature can be used by investors who want to receive regular distributions from their accounts.
    
 
    
To start an SWP, a shareholder must have a current investment of $10,000 or more in a BlackRock Fund.
            Shareholders can elect to receive cash payments of $50 or more at any interval they choose. Shareholders may sign up by completing the SWP Application Form which may be obtained from BlackRock.
 
                        
Shareholders should realize that if withdrawals exceed income the invested principal in their account will be depleted.
 
              
 
    
To participate in the SWP, shareholders must have their dividends reinvested. Shareholders may change or cancel the SWP at any time, with a minimum of 24 hours notice. If a shareholder purchases additional Investor A Shares of a fund at the same time he or she redeems shares through the SWP, that investor may lose money because of the sales charge involved. No CDSC will be assessed on redemptions of Investor Shares made through the SWP that do not exceed 12% of the account’s net asset value on an annualized basis. For example, monthly, quarterly, and semi-annual SWP redemptions of Investor Shares will not be subject to the CDSC if they do not exceed 1%, 3% and 6%, respectively, of an account’s net asset value on the redemption date. SWP redemptions of Investor Shares in excess of this limit will still pay any applicable CDSC.
 
              
 
    
 
    
Ask your financial intermediary for details.

33

 
 



Reinstatement Privilege
              
 
    
 
    
If you redeem Investor A or Institutional Shares, and within 60 days buy new Investor A Shares of the same or another BlackRock Fund (equal to all or a portion of the redemption amount), you will not pay a sales charge on the new purchase amount. This right may be exercised once a year and within 60 days of the redemption, provided that the Investor A Share class of that fund is currently open to new investors or the shareholder has a current account in that closed fund. Shares will be purchased at the net asset value calculated at the close of trading on the day the request is received. To exercise this privilege, the Fund must receive written notification from the shareholder of record or the financial intermediary of record at the time of purchase. Investors should consult a tax advisor concerning the tax consequences of exercising this reinstatement privilege.
 

Fund’s Rights

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund may:

n
  Suspend the right of redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act;
n
  Postpone the date of payment upon redemption if trading is halted or restricted on the Exchange or under other emergency conditions described in the Investment Company Act or if a redemption request is made before the Fund has collected payment for the purchase of shares;
n
  Redeem shares for property other than cash if conditions exist which make cash payments undesirable in accordance with its rights under the Investment Company Act; and
n
  Redeem shares involuntarily in certain cases, such as when the value of a shareholder account falls below a specified level.

Note on Low Balance Accounts. Because of the high cost of maintaining smaller shareholder accounts, BlackRock has set a minimum balance of $500 in each Fund position you hold within your account (“Fund Minimum”), and may take one of two actions if the balance in the Fund falls below the Fund Minimum.

First, the Fund may redeem the shares in your account (without charging any deferred sales charge) if the net asset value of your account falls below $250 for any reason, including market fluctuation. You will be notified that the value of your account is less than $250 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption. The notification will provide you with a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment in order to bring the value of your account to at least $250 before the Fund makes an involuntary redemption or to the Fund Minimum in order not to be assessed an annual low balance fee of $20, as set forth below. This involuntary redemption may not apply to accounts of authorized qualified employee benefit plans, selected fee-based programs, accounts established under the Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minors Acts, and certain intermediary accounts.

Second, the Fund charges an annual $20 low balance fee on all Fund accounts that have a balance below the Fund Minimum for any reason, including market fluctuation. The low balance fee will be assessed on Fund accounts in all BlackRock Funds, regardless of the Fund’s minimum investment amount. The fee will be deducted from the Fund account only once per calendar year. You will be notified that the value of your account is less than the Fund Minimum before the fee is imposed. You will then have a 90 calendar day period to make an additional investment to bring the value of your account to the Fund Minimum before the Fund imposes the low balance fee. This low balance fee does not apply to accounts of authorized qualified employee benefit plans, selected fee-based programs or accounts established under the Uniform Gifts or Transfers to Minors Acts.

34

 
 

Participation in Fee-Based Programs

If you participate in certain fee-based programs offered by BlackRock or an affiliate of BlackRock, or by financial intermediaries that have agreements with the Distributor or in certain fee-based programs in which BlackRock participates, you may be able to buy Institutional Shares, including by exchange from other share classes. Sales charges on the shares being exchanged may be reduced or waived under certain circumstances. You generally cannot transfer shares held through a fee-based program into another account. Instead, you will have to redeem your shares held through the program and purchase shares of another class, which may be subject to distribution and service fees. This may be a taxable event, and you will pay any applicable sales charges or redemption fee.

Shareholders that participate in a fee-based program generally have two options at termination. The program can be terminated and the shares liquidated, or the program can be terminated and the shares held in an account. In general, when a shareholder chooses to continue to hold the shares, whatever share class was held in the program can be held after termination. Shares that have been held for less than specified periods within the program may be subject to a fee upon redemption. Shareholders that held Investor A or Institutional Shares in the program are eligible to purchase additional shares of the respective share class of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, but may be subject to upfront sales charges with respect to Investor A Shares. Additional purchases of Institutional Shares are permitted only if you have an existing position at the time of purchase or are otherwise eligible to purchase Institutional Shares.

Details about these features and the relevant charges are included in the client agreement for each fee-based program and are available from your financial intermediary.

Short-Term Trading Policy

The Board has determined that the interests of long-term shareholders and Strategic Risk Allocation Fund’s ability to manage its investments may be adversely affected when shares are repeatedly bought, sold or exchanged in response to short-term market fluctuations — also known as “market timing.” The Fund is not designed for market timing organizations or other entities using programmed or frequent purchases and sales or exchanges. The exchange privilege is not intended as a vehicle for short-term trading. Excessive purchase and sale or exchange activity may interfere with portfolio management, increase expenses and taxes and may have an adverse effect on the performance of the Fund and its shareholders. For example, large flows of cash into and out of the Fund may require the management team to allocate a significant amount of assets to cash or other short-term investments or sell securities, rather than maintaining such assets in securities selected to achieve the Fund’s investment objective. Frequent trading may cause the Fund to sell securities at less favorable prices, and transaction costs, such as brokerage commissions, can reduce the Fund’s performance.

The Fund’s investment in non-U.S. securities is subject to the risk that an investor may seek to take advantage of a delay between the change in value of the Fund’s portfolio securities and the determination of the Fund’s net asset value as a result of different closing times of U.S. and non-U.S. markets by buying or selling Fund shares at a price that does not reflect their true value. A similar risk exists for funds that invest in securities of small capitalization companies, securities of issuers located in emerging markets or high yield securities (“junk bonds”) that are thinly traded and therefore may have actual values that differ from their market prices. This short-term arbitrage activity can reduce the return received by long-term shareholders. The Fund will seek to eliminate these opportunities by using fair value pricing, as described in “Valuation of Fund Investments” below.

The Fund discourages market timing and seeks to prevent frequent purchases and sales or exchanges of Fund shares that it determines may be detrimental to the Fund or long-term shareholders. The Board has approved the policies discussed below to seek to deter market timing activity. The Board has not adopted any specific numerical restrictions on purchases, sales and exchanges of Fund shares because certain legitimate strategies will not result in harm to the Fund or shareholders.

If as a result of its own investigation, information provided by a financial intermediary or other third party, or otherwise, the Fund believes, in its sole discretion, that your short-term trading is excessive or that you are engaging in market timing activity, it reserves the right to reject any specific purchase or exchange order. If the Fund rejects your purchase or exchange order, you will not be able to execute that transaction, and the Fund will not be responsible for any losses you therefore may suffer. For transactions placed directly with the Fund, the Fund may consider the trading history of accounts under common ownership or control for the purpose of enforcing these policies. Transactions placed through the same financial intermediary on an omnibus basis may be deemed part of a group for the purpose of this policy and may be rejected in whole or in part by the Fund. Certain accounts, such as omnibus accounts and accounts at financial intermediaries, however, include multiple investors and such accounts typically provide the Fund with net purchase or redemption and exchange requests on any given day where purchases, redemptions and exchanges of

35

 
 


shares are netted against one another and the identity of individual purchasers, redeemers and exchangers whose orders are aggregated may not be known by the Fund. While the Fund monitors for market timing activity, the Fund may be unable to identify such activities because the netting effect in omnibus accounts often makes it more difficult to locate and eliminate market timers from the Fund. The Distributor has entered into agreements with respect to financial professionals and other financial intermediaries that maintain omnibus accounts with the Fund pursuant to which such financial professionals and other financial intermediaries undertake to cooperate with the Distributor in monitoring purchase, exchange and redemption orders by their customers in order to detect and prevent short-term or excessive trading in the Fund’s shares through such accounts. Identification of market timers may also be limited by operational systems and technical limitations. In the event that a financial intermediary is determined by the Fund to be engaged in market timing or other improper trading activity, the Fund’s Distributor may terminate such financial intermediary’s agreement with the Distributor, suspend such financial intermediary’s trading privileges or take other appropriate actions.

There is no assurance that the methods described above will prevent market timing or other trading that may be deemed abusive.

The Fund may from time to time use other methods that it believes are appropriate to deter market timing or other trading activity that may be detrimental to the Fund or long-term shareholders.

36

 
 

Management of the Fund

BlackRock

BlackRock manages Strategic Risk Allocation Fund’s investments and its business operations subject to the oversight of the Board. While BlackRock is ultimately responsible for the management of the Fund, it is able to draw upon the trading, research and expertise of its asset management affiliates for portfolio decisions and management with respect to certain portfolio securities. BlackRock is an indirect, wholly-owned subsidiary of BlackRock, Inc.

BlackRock, a registered investment adviser, was organized in 1994 to perform advisory services for investment companies. BlackRock Financial Management, Inc. (“BFM”), a registered investment adviser and a commodity pool operator organized in 1994, and BlackRock International Limited (“BIL” and together with BFM, the “Sub-Advisers”), a registered investment adviser organized in 1995, are affiliates of BlackRock, and each acts as a sub-adviser for the Fund. BlackRock and its affiliates had approximately $3.673 trillion in investment company and other portfolio assets under management as of September 30, 2012.

BlackRock serves as manager to the Fund pursuant to a management agreement (the “Management Agreement”). Pursuant to the Management Agreement, BlackRock is entitled to fees computed daily and payable monthly.

The maximum annual management fees that can be paid to BlackRock (as a percentage of average daily net assets) are calculated as follows:

Average Daily Net Assets



   
Management
Fee Rate

First $1 billion
              
0.75%
$1 billion – $3 billion
              
0.71%
$3 billion – $5 billion
              
0.68%
$5 billion – $10 billion
              
0.65%
Greater than $10 billion
              
0.64%
 

BlackRock has agreed to cap net expenses (excluding (i) interest, taxes, dividends tied to short sales, brokerage commissions, and other expenditures which are capitalized in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles; (ii) expenses incurred directly or indirectly by the Fund as a result of investments in other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles; (iii) other expenses attributable to, and incurred as a result of, the Fund’s investments; and (iv) other extraordinary expenses (including litigation expenses) not incurred in the ordinary course of the Fund’s business, if any) of each share class of the Fund at the levels shown below and in the Fund’s fees and expenses table in the “Fund Overview” section of this prospectus. Items (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv) in the preceding sentence are referred to in this prospectus as “Dividend Expense, Interest Expense, Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses and certain other Fund expenses.” To achieve these expense caps, BlackRock has agreed to waive and/or reimburse fees or expenses if the Fund’s operating expenses exceed a certain limit.




   
Contractual Cap 1 on Total Annual
Fund Operating Expenses 2
(excluding Dividend Expense,
Interest Expense, Acquired Fund
Fees and Expenses and certain
other Fund expenses)

Investor A Shares
              
1.25%
Investor C Shares
              
2.00%
Institutional Shares
              
1.00%
 
1   As a percentage of average daily net assets
2   The contractual cap is in effect through December 31, 2013. The contractual agreement may be terminated upon 90 days’ notice by a majority of the non-interested trustees of the Trust or by a vote of a majority of the outstanding voting securities of the Fund.

37

 
 

With respect to this contractual agreement, if during the Fund’s fiscal year the operating expenses of a share class, that at any time during the prior two fiscal years received a waiver or reimbursement from BlackRock, are less than the expense limit for that share class, the share class is required to repay BlackRock up to the lesser of (a) the amount of fees waived or expenses reimbursed during those prior two fiscal years under the agreement and (b) the amount by which the expense limit for that share class exceeds the operating expenses of the share class for the current fiscal year, provided that (i) the Fund has more than $50 million in assets and (ii) BlackRock or an affiliate serves as the Fund’s manager or administrator.

BlackRock has voluntarily agreed to waive its management fees by the amount of management fees the Fund pays to BlackRock indirectly through its investment in affiliated mutual funds including affiliated money market funds.

BlackRock entered into separate sub-advisory agreements with the Sub-Advisers, under which BlackRock pays each Sub-Adviser for services it provides a fee equal to a percentage of the management fee paid to BlackRock under the Management Agreement. The Sub-Advisers are each responsible for the day-to-day management of a portion of the Fund’s portfolio.

A discussion of the basis for the approval by the Board of the Management Agreement with BlackRock and the sub-advisory agreement between BlackRock and the Sub-Adviser will be included in the Fund’s semi-annual shareholder report for the fiscal period ending January 31, 2013.

From time to time, a manager, analyst, or other employee of BlackRock or its affiliates may express views regarding a particular asset class, company, security, industry, or market sector. The views expressed by any such person are the views of only that individual as of the time expressed and do not necessarily represent the views of BlackRock or any other person within the BlackRock organization. Any such views are subject to change at any time based upon market or other conditions and BlackRock disclaims any responsibility to update such views. These views may not be relied on as investment advice and, because investment decisions for the Fund are based on numerous factors, may not be relied on as an indication of trading intent on behalf of the Fund.

Portfolio Manager Information

Information regarding the portfolio managers of Strategic Risk Allocation Fund is set forth below. Further information regarding the portfolio managers, including other accounts managed, compensation, ownership of Fund shares, and possible conflicts of interest, is available in the Fund’s SAI.

Portfolio Manager



   
Primary Role
   
Since
   
Title and Recent Biography
Ked Hogan, PhD
              
Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund.
    
2012
    
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2009; Member of Global Market Strategies Group and Scientific Active Equity Group; various positions with Barclays Global Investors from 1997 to 2009.
Philip Green
              
Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund.
    
2012
    
Managing Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2006; Managing Director of Merrill Lynch Investment Managers, L.P. from 1999 to 2006.
Philip Hodges, PhD
              
Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund.
    
2012
    
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2011; Member of Market Advantage Investment Committee since 2009; Associate at Barclays Global Investors from 2007 to 2009.
Ugo Montrucchio, CFA, CAIA
              
Jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio, including setting the Fund’s overall investment strategy and overseeing the management of the Fund.
    
2012
    
Director of BlackRock, Inc. since 2010; Member of Market Advantage Investment Committee since 2009; Researcher and Manager of Diversified Growth Strategies at Barclays Global Investors from 2006 to 2009.
 

Prior Performance of Comparable Funds

Ked Hogan, PhD, Philip Green, Philip Hodges, PhD and Ugo Montrucchio, CFA, CAIA are jointly and primarily responsible for the day-to-day management of the Fund’s portfolio. Messrs. Hogan, Green, Hodges and Montrucchio are members of the portfolio management team that is responsible for managing two other funds with investment objectives,

38

 
 


policies and strategies substantially similar in all material respects to those of the Fund. One is an open-ended investment company that qualifies as a Part I UCITS (Undertaking for Collective Investment in Transferable Securities) (the “UCITS Fund”), and the other is an exempted company incorporated under the laws of the Cayman Islands to operate as a private investment fund and falls within the definition of a “Mutual Fund” under the Mutual Funds Law of the Cayman Islands (the “Cayman Islands Fund” and together with the UCITS Fund, the “Comparable Funds”). Although there have been personnel changes within the portfolio management team since 2009, the portfolio management team has been responsible for the management of the Cayman Islands Fund since its inception in March 2009 and of the UCITS Fund since July 2009 and will be responsible for the portfolio management of the Fund.

The UCITS Fund commenced operations on July 31, 2007, and the Cayman Islands Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2009. Prior to May 1, 2009, the UCITS Fund utilized an investment strategy that varied from that of the Fund. On or about May 1, 2009, the UCITS Fund began restructuring its portfolio in accordance with an investment objective, policies and strategies that are substantially similar in all material respects to those of the Fund. The transition was completed on July 1, 2009. Although the Fund and the Comparable Funds will be managed pursuant to substantially similar investment strategies, following the commencement of the Fund’s operations and until otherwise determined by BlackRock, the Fund may implement its investment strategies by investing significantly in ETFs rather than by making direct investments. The Comparable Funds are the only accounts managed by BlackRock with investment objectives, policies and strategies substantially similar to those of the Fund.

The following table sets forth performance data relating to the historical performance of a class of shares of each Comparable Fund. The data provided, which is net of all actual fees and expenses of the respective Comparable Fund, illustrates the past performance of the portfolio management team in managing substantially similar accounts as measured against the MSCI World Hedged USD Net, the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and a customized weighted index comprised of the returns of the MSCI World Hedged USD Net (60%) and the Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index (40%). The Comparable Funds are not subject to the same types of expenses to which the Fund is subject, nor the specific tax restrictions and investment limitations imposed by the Investment Company Act or Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code. Consequently, the performance results for each Comparable Fund expressed below could have been adversely affected if such Comparable Fund had been regulated as an investment company under the Federal securities laws. Each Comparable Fund is a separate fund and its historical performance is not indicative of the potential performance of the Fund.

Sales charges are not reflected in the returns shown. If they were, returns would be less than those shown. Share prices and investment returns will fluctuate reflecting market conditions, changes in currency rates as well as changes in company-specific fundamentals of portfolio securities.

As of 12/31/11
Average Annual Total Returns



   
1 Year
   
Since Inception
UCITS Fund (Class A) — U.S. Dollars 1
                      (1.75 )%                 7.06% 2     
UCITS Fund (Class A) — Euros
                      1.53 %                 10.42% 2     
Cayman Islands Fund (Class A) — U.S. Dollars
                      2.02 %                 15.49% 3     
60% MSCI World Hedged USD Net/40% Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index — U.S. Dollars
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
                      (0.07 )%         
8.92% 4 /12.14% 5
MSCI World Hedged USD Net 6 — U.S. Dollars
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
                      (5.45 )%         
9.43% 4 /14.82% 5
Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index 7 — U.S. Dollars
(Reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes)
                      7.83 %         
7.36% 4 /7.35% 5
 
1   The UCITS Fund is denominated in Euros. Performance data has also been provided based on conversion to U.S. Dollars.
2   Performance shown is for the period from July 1, 2009, the date the UCITS Fund had fully transitioned to an investment objective, policies and strategies that are substantially similar in all material respects to those of the Fund, through December 31, 2011.
3   The Cayman Islands Fund commenced operations on March 31, 2009.
4   Since July 1, 2009.
5   Since March 31, 2009, the inception date of the Cayman Islands Fund.
6   The MSCI World Hedged USD Net is composed of the following 24 developed market country indices: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States and is calculated with net dividends reinvested daily on the ex-dividends date 100% hedged to USD using 1-month forward exchange rates.
7   The Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index is a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, mortgage-backed securities (agency fixed-rate and hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage pass-throughs), asset-backed securities, and commercial mortgage-backed securities.

39

 
 

Conflicts of Interest

The investment activities of BlackRock and its affiliates (including BlackRock, Inc. and PNC and their affiliates, directors, partners, trustees, managing members, officers and employees (collectively, the “Affiliates”)) in the management of, or their interest in, their own accounts and other accounts they manage, may present conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock and its Affiliates provide investment management services to other funds and discretionary managed accounts that follow an investment program similar to that of the Fund. BlackRock and its Affiliates are involved worldwide with a broad spectrum of financial services and asset management activities and may engage in the ordinary course of business in activities in which their interests or the interests of their clients may conflict with those of the Fund. One or more Affiliates act or may act as an investor, investment banker, research provider, investment manager, financier, advisor, market maker, trader, prime broker, lender, agent and principal, and have other direct and indirect interests, in securities, currencies and other instruments in which the Fund directly and indirectly invests. Thus, it is likely that the Fund will have multiple business relationships with and will invest in, engage in transactions with, make voting decisions with respect to, or obtain services from entities for which an Affiliate performs or seeks to perform investment banking or other services. One or more Affiliates may engage in proprietary trading and advise accounts and funds that have investment objectives similar to those of the Fund and/or that engage in and compete for transactions in the same types of securities, currencies and other instruments as the Fund. The trading activities of these Affiliates are carried out without reference to positions held directly or indirectly by the Fund and may result in an Affiliate having positions that are adverse to those of the Fund. No Affiliate is under any obligation to share any investment opportunity, idea or strategy with the Fund. As a result, an Affiliate may compete with the Fund for appropriate investment opportunities. The results of the Fund’s investment activities, therefore, may differ from those of an Affiliate and of other accounts managed by an Affiliate, and it is possible that the Fund could sustain losses during periods in which one or more Affiliates and other accounts achieve profits on their trading for proprietary or other accounts. The opposite result is also possible. In addition, the Fund may, from time to time, enter into transactions in which an Affiliate or its other clients have an adverse interest. Furthermore, transactions undertaken by Affiliate-advised clients may adversely impact the Fund. Transactions by one or more Affiliate-advised clients or BlackRock may have the effect of diluting or otherwise disadvantaging the values, prices or investment strategies of the Fund. The Fund’s activities may be limited because of regulatory restrictions applicable to one or more Affiliates, and/or their internal policies designed to comply with such restrictions. In addition, the Fund may invest in securities of companies with which an Affiliate has or is trying to develop investment banking relationships or in which an Affiliate has significant debt or equity investments. The Fund also may invest in securities of companies for which an Affiliate provides or may some day provide research coverage. An Affiliate may have business relationships with and purchase or distribute or sell services or products from or to distributors, consultants or others who recommend the Fund or who engage in transactions with or for the Fund, and may receive compensation for such services. The Fund may also make brokerage and other payments to Affiliates in connection with the Fund’s portfolio investment transactions.

Under a securities lending program approved by the Board, the Trust, on behalf of the Fund, has retained an Affiliate of BlackRock to serve as the securities lending agent for the Fund to the extent that the Fund participates in the securities lending program. For these services, the lending agent may receive a fee from the Fund, including a fee based on the returns earned on the Fund’s investment of the cash received as collateral for the loaned securities. In addition, one or more Affiliates may be among the entities to which the Fund may lend its portfolio securities under the securities lending program.

The activities of Affiliates may give rise to other conflicts of interest that could disadvantage the Fund and its shareholders. BlackRock has adopted policies and procedures designed to address these potential conflicts of interest. See the SAI for further information.

Valuation of Fund Investments

When you buy shares, you pay the net asset value, plus any applicable sales charge. This is the offering price. Shares are also redeemed at their net asset value, minus any applicable deferred sales charge. Strategic Risk Allocation Fund calculates the net asset value of each class of its shares (generally by using market quotations) each day the Exchange is open as of the close of business on the Exchange, based on prices at the time of closing. The Exchange generally closes at 4:00 P.M. Eastern time. The net asset value used in determining your share price is the next one calculated after your purchase or redemption order is placed.

40

 
 

Generally, Institutional Shares will have the highest net asset value because that class has the lowest expenses. Investor A Shares will have a higher net asset value than Investor C Shares. Also, dividends paid on Investor A and Institutional Shares will generally be higher than dividends paid on Investor C Shares because Investor A and Institutional Shares have lower expenses.

The Fund’s assets and liabilities are valued primarily on the basis of market quotations. Equity investments and other instruments for which market quotations are readily available are valued at market value, which is generally determined using the last reported sale price on the exchange or market on which the security or instrument is primarily traded at the time of valuation. The Fund values fixed-income portfolio securities and non-exchange traded derivatives using market prices provided directly from one or more broker-dealers, market makers, or independent third-party pricing services which may use matrix pricing and valuation models to derive values, each in accordance with valuation procedures approved by the Board. Short-term debt securities with remaining maturities of 60 days or less may be valued on the basis of amortized cost.

Foreign currency exchange rates are generally determined as of the close of business on the Exchange. Foreign securities owned by the Fund may trade on weekends or other days when the Fund does not price its shares. As a result, the Fund’s net asset value may change on days when you will not be able to purchase or redeem the Fund’s shares. Generally, trading in foreign securities, U.S. government securities and money market instruments and certain fixed-income securities is substantially completed each day at various times prior to the close of business of the Exchange. The value of such securities used in computing the net asset value of the Fund’s shares are determined as of such times.

When market quotations are not readily available or are not believed by BlackRock to be reliable, the Fund’s investments are valued at fair value. Fair value determinations are made by BlackRock in accordance with procedures approved by the Board. BlackRock may conclude that a market quotation is not readily available or is unreliable if a security or other asset or liability does not have a price source due to its lack of liquidity, if BlackRock believes a market quotation from a broker-dealer or other source is unreliable, where the security or other asset or other liability is thinly traded ( e.g. , municipal securities, certain small cap and emerging growth companies and certain non-U.S. securities) or where there is a significant event subsequent to the most recent market quotation. For this purpose, a “significant event” is deemed to occur if BlackRock determines, in its business judgment prior to or at the time of pricing the Fund’s assets or liabilities, that it is likely that the event will cause a material change to the last closing market price of one or more assets or liabilities held by the Fund. For instance, significant events may occur between the foreign market close and the close of business on the Exchange that may not be reflected in the computation of the Fund’s net assets. If such event occurs, those instruments may be fair valued. Similarly, foreign securities whose values are affected by volatility that occurs in U.S. markets on a trading day after the close of foreign securities markets may be fair valued.

For certain foreign securities, a third-party vendor supplies evaluated, systematic fair value pricing based upon the movement of a proprietary multi-factor model after the relevant foreign markets have closed. This systematic fair value pricing methodology is designed to correlate the prices of foreign securities following the close of the local markets to the price that might have prevailed as of the Fund’s pricing time.

Fair value represents a good faith approximation of the value of a security. The fair value of one or more securities may not, in retrospect, be the price at which those assets could have been sold during the period in which the particular fair values were used in determining the Fund’s net asset value.

The Fund may accept orders from certain authorized financial intermediaries or their designees. The Fund will be deemed to receive an order when accepted by the intermediary or designee, and the order will receive the net asset value next computed by the Fund after such acceptance. If the payment for a purchase order is not made by a designated later time, the order will be canceled and the financial intermediary could be held liable for any losses.

41

 
 

Dividends, Distributions and Taxes

BUYING A DIVIDEND
Unless your investment is in a tax deferred account, you may want to avoid buying shares shortly before the Fund pays a dividend. The reason? If you buy shares when the Fund has declared but not yet distributed ordinary income or capital gains, you will pay the full price for the shares and then receive a portion of the price back in the form of a taxable dividend. Before investing you may want to consult your tax adviser.
 

The Fund will distribute net investment income, if any, and net realized capital gain, if any, at least annually. The Fund may also pay a special distribution at the end of the calendar year to comply with Federal tax requirements. Dividends may be reinvested automatically in shares of the Fund at net asset value without a sales charge or may be taken in cash. If you would like to receive dividends in cash, contact your financial professional, financial intermediary or the Fund. Although this cannot be predicted with any certainty, the Fund anticipates that a significant amount of its dividends, if any, will consist of capital gains. Capital gains may be taxable to you at different rates depending on how long the Fund held the assets sold.

You will pay tax on dividends from the Fund whether you receive them in cash or additional shares. If you redeem Fund shares or exchange them for shares of another fund, you generally will be treated as having sold your shares and any gain on the transaction may be subject to tax. In addition, the Fund is generally required by law to provide you and the IRS with cost basis information on the sale or redemption of any of your shares in the Fund (including any shares that you acquire through reinvestment of distributions). Certain dividend income received during taxable years beginning before January 1, 2013, including dividends received from qualifying foreign corporations, is eligible for taxation at a reduced rate that applies to non-corporate shareholders. The Fund is not expected to have such income and, unless Congress passes legislation to provide an extension, distributions from the Fund that are derived from dividends will not be eligible for taxation at the reduced rate.

If you are neither a tax resident nor a citizen of the United States or if you are a foreign entity, the Fund’s ordinary income dividends (which include distributions of net short-term capital gain) will generally be subject to a 30% U.S. withholding tax, unless a lower treaty rate applies. A previous exemption that has since expired provided that certain distributions reported by the Fund as either interest related dividends or short term capital gain dividends and paid to a foreign shareholder were eligible for an exemption from U.S. withholding tax. However, it cannot be predicted whether Congress will pass legislation to reinstate this exemption, or whether distributions of the Fund will be subject to a 30% withholding tax.

A 3.8% Medicare contribution tax will be imposed on the net investment income (which includes interest, dividends and capital gains) of U.S. individuals with income exceeding $200,000, or $250,000 if married and filing jointly, and of trusts and estates, for taxable years beginning after December 31, 2012.

A 30% withholding tax on dividends paid after December 31, 2013 and redemption proceeds paid after December 31, 2016 will be imposed on (i) certain foreign financial institutions and investment funds, unless they agree to collect and disclose to the IRS information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. account holders and (ii) certain other foreign entities unless they certify certain information regarding their direct and indirect U.S. owners. Under some circumstances, a foreign shareholder may be eligible for refunds or credits of such taxes.

Dividends and interest received by the Fund may give rise to withholding and other taxes imposed by foreign countries. Tax conventions between certain countries and the United States may reduce or eliminate such taxes. You may be able to claim a credit or take a deduction for foreign taxes paid by the Fund if certain requirements are met.

By law, your dividends and redemption proceeds will be subject to a withholding tax if you have not provided a taxpayer identification number or social security number or the number you have provided is incorrect.

This section summarizes some of the consequences under current Federal tax law of an investment in the Fund. It is not a substitute for personal tax advice. Consult your personal tax adviser about the potential tax consequences of an investment in the Fund under all applicable tax laws.

42

 
 

Financial Highlights

Strategic Risk Allocation Fund has not yet commenced operations and therefore financial highlight information is not available.

43

 
 

General Information

Shareholder Documents

Electronic Access to Annual Reports, Semi-Annual Reports and Prospectuses

Electronic copies of most financial reports and prospectuses are available on BlackRock’s website. Shareholders can sign up for e-mail notifications of quarterly statements, annual and semi-annual reports and prospectuses by enrolling in the Fund’s electronic delivery program. To enroll:

Shareholders Who Hold Accounts with Investment Advisers, Banks or Brokerages: Please contact your financial professional. Please note that not all investment advisers, banks or brokerages may offer this service.

Shareholders Who Hold Accounts Directly With BlackRock:

n
  Access the BlackRock website at http://www.blackrock.com/edelivery; and
n
  Log into your account.

Delivery of Shareholder Documents

The Fund delivers only one copy of shareholder documents, including prospectuses, shareholder reports and proxy statements, to shareholders with multiple accounts at the same address. This practice is known as “householding” and is intended to eliminate duplicate mailings and reduce expenses. Mailings of your shareholder documents may be householded indefinitely unless you instruct us otherwise. If you do not want the mailing of these documents to be combined with those for other members of your household, please contact the Fund at (800) 441-7762.

Certain Fund Policies

Anti-Money Laundering Requirements

The Fund is subject to the USA PATRIOT Act (the “Patriot Act”). The Patriot Act is intended to prevent the use of the U.S. financial system in furtherance of money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities. Pursuant to requirements under the Patriot Act, the Fund may request information from shareholders to enable it to form a reasonable belief that it knows the true identity of its shareholders. This information will be used to verify the identity of investors or, in some cases, the status of financial professionals; it will be used only for compliance with the requirements of the Patriot Act.

The Fund reserves the right to reject purchase orders from persons who have not submitted information sufficient to allow the Fund to verify their identity. The Fund also reserves the right to redeem any amounts in the Fund from persons whose identity it is unable to verify on a timely basis. It is the Fund’s policy to cooperate fully with appropriate regulators in any investigations conducted with respect to potential money laundering, terrorism or other illicit activities.

BlackRock Privacy Principles

BlackRock is committed to maintaining the privacy of its current and former fund investors and individual clients (collectively, “Clients”) and to safeguarding their nonpublic personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information BlackRock collects, how we protect that information and why in certain cases we share such information with select parties.

If you are located in a jurisdiction where specific laws, rules or regulations require BlackRock to provide you with additional or different privacy-related rights beyond what is set forth below, then BlackRock will comply with those specific laws, rules or regulations.

BlackRock obtains or verifies personal nonpublic information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information we receive from you or, if applicable, your financial intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with us, our affiliates, or others; (iii) information we receive from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) from visits to our website.

44

 
 

BlackRock does not sell or disclose to nonaffiliated third parties any nonpublic personal information about its Clients, except as permitted by law, or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service Client accounts. These nonaffiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.

We may share information with our affiliates to service your account or to provide you with information about other BlackRock products or services that may be of interest to you. In addition, BlackRock restricts access to nonpublic personal information about its Clients to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. BlackRock maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the nonpublic personal information of its Clients, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.

Statement of Additional Information

If you would like further information about Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, including how it invests, please see the SAI.

For a discussion of the Fund’s policies and procedures regarding the selective disclosure of its portfolio holdings, please see the SAI. The Fund makes its top ten holdings available on a monthly basis at www.blackrock.com generally within 5 business days after the end of the month to which the information applies.

45

 
 

Glossary

This glossary contains an explanation of some of the common terms used in this prospectus. For additional information about Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, please see the SAI.

Acquired Fund Fees and Expenses — fees and expenses charged by other investment companies and pooled investment vehicles in which the Fund invests a portion of its assets.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses — expenses that cover the costs of operating the Fund.

Barclays U.S. Aggregate Bond Index — a broad-based benchmark that measures the investment grade, U.S. dollar-denominated, fixed-rate taxable bond market, including Treasuries, government-related and corporate securities, mortgage-backed securities (agency fixed-rate and hybrid adjustable-rate mortgage pass-throughs), asset-backed securities, and commercial mortgage-backed securities.

Distribution Fees — fees used to support the Fund’s marketing and distribution efforts, such as compensating financial professionals and other financial intermediaries, advertising and promotion.

Management Fees — fees paid to BlackRock for portfolio management services.

MSCI World Hedged USD Net — an index composed of the following 24 developed market country indices: Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States and calculated with net dividends reinvested daily on the ex- dividends date 100% hedged to USD using 1-month forward exchange rates.

Other Expenses — include accounting, transfer agency, custody, professional and registration fees.

Service Fees — fees used to compensate securities dealers and other financial intermediaries for certain shareholder servicing activities.

Shareholder Fees — fees paid directly by a shareholder, including sales charges that you may pay when you buy or sell shares of the Fund.

46

 
 

For More Information

Fund and Service Providers

THE FUND

BlackRock Funds SM
     BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809

Written Correspondence:
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, Rhode Island 02940-8019

Overnight Mail:
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, Massachusetts 01588

(800) 441-7762

MANAGER AND CO-ADMINISTRATOR

BlackRock Advisors, LLC
100 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809

SUB-ADVISERS

BlackRock Financial Management, Inc.
40 East 52 nd Street
New York, New York 10022

BlackRock International Limited
40 Torpichen Street
Edinburgh, Scotland EH3 8JB

CO-ADMINISTRATOR

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809


TRANSFER AGENT

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

Deloitte & Touche LLP
200 Berkeley Street
Boston, Massachusetts 02116

ACCOUNTING SERVICES PROVIDER

BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
301 Bellevue Parkway
Wilmington, Delaware 19809

DISTRIBUTOR

BlackRock Investments, LLC
40 East 52 nd Street
New York, New York 10022

CUSTODIAN

The Bank of New York Mellon
One Wall Street
New York, New York 10286

COUNSEL

Sidley Austin LLP
787 Seventh Avenue
New York, New York 10019-6018


 
 

Additional Information

This prospectus contains important information you should know before investing, including information about risks. Read it carefully and keep it for future reference. More information about the Fund is available at no charge upon request. This information includes:

Annual/Semi-Annual Reports

These reports contain additional information about the Fund’s investments. The annual report describes the Fund’s performance, lists portfolio holdings, and discusses recent market conditions, economic trends and Fund investment strategies that significantly affected the Fund’s performance for the last fiscal year.

Statement of Additional Information

A Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”), dated December 27, 2012, has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (“SEC”). The SAI, which includes additional information about the Fund, may be obtained free of charge, along with the Fund’s annual and semi-annual reports, by calling (800) 441-7762. The SAI, as supplemented from time to time, is incorporated by reference into this prospectus.

BlackRock Investor Services

Representatives are available to discuss account balance information, mutual fund prospectuses, literature, programs and services available. Hours: 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 P.M. (Eastern time), on any business day. Call: (800) 441-7762.

Purchases and Redemptions

Call your financial professional or BlackRock Investor Services at (800) 441-7762.

World Wide Web

General fund information and specific fund performance, including the SAI and annual/semi-annual reports, can be accessed free of charge at www.blackrock.com/prospectus. Mutual fund prospectuses and literature can also be requested via this website.

Written Correspondence

BlackRock Funds SM
P.O. Box 9819
Providence, RI 02940-8019


Overnight Mail

BlackRock Funds SM
4400 Computer Drive
Westborough, MA 01588

Internal Wholesalers/Broker Dealer Support

Available to support investment professionals 8:30 a.m. to 6:00 P.M. (Eastern time), on any business day. Call: (800) 882-0052.

Portfolio Characteristics and Holdings

A description of the Fund’s policies and procedures related to disclosure of portfolio characteristics and holdings is available in the SAI.

For information about portfolio holdings and characteristics, BlackRock fund shareholders and prospective investors may call (800) 882-0052.

Securities and Exchange Commission

You may also view and copy public information about the Fund, including the SAI, by visiting the EDGAR database on the SEC’s website (http://www.sec.gov) or the SEC’s Public Reference Room in Washington, D.C. Copies of this information can be obtained, for a duplicating fee, by electronic request at the following e-mail address: publicinfo@sec.gov, or by writing to the Public Reference Room of the SEC, Washington, D.C. 20549. Information about obtaining documents on the SEC’s website without charge can be obtained by calling the SEC directly at (800) SEC-0330.

You should rely only on the information contained in this prospectus. No one is authorized to provide you with information that is different from information contained in this prospectus.

The Securities and Exchange Commission has not approved or disapproved these securities or passed upon the adequacy of this prospectus. Any representation to the contrary is a criminal offense.

BLACKROCK FUNDS SM :
INVESTMENT COMPANY ACT FILE NO. 811-05742
© BlackRock Advisors, LLC


PRO-SRA-1212
              

 
 
 
 

STATEMENT OF ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

BlackRock Funds SM

BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund

100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, Delaware 19809 • Phone No. (800) 441-7762


This Statement of Additional Information of BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund (“Strategic Risk Allocation Fund” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds SM (the “Trust”), is not a prospectus and should be read in conjunction with the Prospectus of the Fund, dated December 27, 2012, which has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the “Commission”) and can be obtained, without charge, by calling (800) 441-7762 or by writing to the Fund at the above address. The Fund’s Prospectus is incorporated by reference into this Statement of Additional Information, and Part I of this Statement of Additional Information and the portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that relate to the Fund have been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus. The portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that do not relate to the Fund do not form a part of the Fund’s Statement of Additional Information, have not been incorporated by reference into the Fund’s Prospectus and should not be relied upon by investors in the Fund.

References to the Investment Company Act of 1940, as amended (the “Investment Company Act”), or other applicable law, will include any rules promulgated thereunder and any guidance, interpretations or modifications by the Commission, Commission staff or other authority with appropriate jurisdiction, including court interpretations, and exemptive, no-action or other relief or permission from the Commission, Commission staff or other authority.


BlackRock Advisors, LLC — Manager
BlackRock Investments, LLC — Distributor


Fund

         Investor A
Shares

     Investor C
Shares

     Institutional
Shares

BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund
              
BSTAX
    
BSTCX
    
BSTIX
 

The date of this Statement of Additional Information is December 27, 2012

 
 

TABLE OF CONTENTS

PART I: INFORMATION ABOUT BLACKROCK STRATEGIC RISK ALLOCATION FUND
                             
                      I-1     
                      I-5     
                      I-7     
                      I-19     
                      I-23     
                      I-24     
                      I-24     
                      I-24     
                      I-25     
             
PART II
                             
                      II-1      
                      II-47      
                      II-50      
                      II-58      
                      II-68      
                      II-70      
                      II-74      
                      II-76      
                      II-80      
                      II-85      
                      II-86      
                      II-87      
                      A-1      
                      B-1      
 
 
 

PART I: INFORMATION ABOUT BLACKROCK STRATEGIC RISK ALLOCATION FUND

Part I of this Statement of Additional Information (“SAI”) sets forth information about BlackRock Strategic Risk Allocation Fund (“Strategic Risk Allocation Fund” or the “Fund”), a series of BlackRock Funds SM (the “Trust”). It includes information about the Trust’s Board of Trustees (the “Board”), the advisory services provided to and the management fees paid by the Fund, performance data for the Fund, and information about other fees paid by and services provided to the Fund. This Part I should be read in conjunction with the Fund’s Prospectus and those portions of Part II of this Statement of Additional Information that pertain to the Fund.

I. Investment Objective and Policies

Please see the section “Details About the Fund — How the Fund Invests” in the Fund’s Prospectus for information about the Fund’s investment objective and policies.

The Fund is classified as non-diversified under the Investment Company Act.

Organization and Management of the Wholly-Owned Subsidiary

The Fund may invest up to 25% of its total assets in the shares of BlackRock Cayman Strategic Risk Allocation Fund, Ltd. (the “Subsidiary”), a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Fund. Investments in the Subsidiary are expected to provide the Fund with exposure to the commodity markets within the limitations of Subchapter M of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the “Code”), and recent Internal Revenue Service (the “IRS”) letter rulings, as discussed below. The Subsidiary is advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (“BlackRock” or the “Manager”). The Subsidiary (unlike the Fund) may invest without limitation in commodity-related instruments. However, the Subsidiary is otherwise subject to the same fundamental, non-fundamental and certain other investment restrictions as the Fund. The Subsidiary is a company organized under the laws of the Cayman Islands, whose registered office is located at the offices of Maples Corporate Services Limited, P.O. Box 309, Ugland House, Grand Cayman KYI-1104, Cayman Islands. The Subsidiary’s affairs are overseen by a board of directors, which is comprised of Paul L. Audet and Henry Gabbay, each a Trustee of the Trust. The Fund is the sole shareholder of the Subsidiary, and shares of the Subsidiary will not be sold or offered to other investors.

The Subsidiary invests primarily in commodity-related instruments and other derivatives. The Fund may gain exposure to commodity-related instruments indirectly by investing in the Subsidiary. To the extent that BlackRock believes that these commodity-related instruments provide suitable exposure to the commodities market, the Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary will likely increase.

BlackRock manages the assets of the Subsidiary, but receives no additional compensation for doing so. BlackRock also provides certain administrative services for the Subsidiary, but receives no additional compensation for doing so. The Subsidiary will also enter into separate contracts for the provision of custody, transfer agency, and accounting agent services with the same or with affiliates of the same service providers that provide those services to the Fund.

The Subsidiary is managed pursuant to compliance policies and procedures that are the same, in all material respects, as the policies and procedures adopted by the Fund. As a result, the Manager, in managing the Subsidiary’s portfolio, is subject to the same investment policies and restrictions that apply to the management of the Fund, and, in particular, to the requirements relating to portfolio leverage, liquidity, brokerage, and the timing and method of the valuation of the Subsidiary’s portfolio investments and shares of the Subsidiary. These policies and restrictions are described elsewhere in detail in this SAI. The Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer oversees implementation of the Subsidiary’s policies and procedures, and makes periodic reports to the Trust’s Board of Trustees regarding the Subsidiary’s compliance with its policies and procedures. The Fund and Subsidiary test for compliance with certain investment restrictions on a consolidated basis, except that with respect to its investments in certain securities that may involve leverage, the Subsidiary complies with asset segregation requirements to the same extent as the Fund.

The financial statements of the Subsidiary will be consolidated with the Fund’s financial statements in the Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports. The Fund’s Annual and Semi-Annual Reports are distributed to shareholders. Copies of the Fund’s Annual Report are provided without charge upon request by calling (800) 441-7762 between 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. Eastern time on any business day.

I-1

 
 

The Subsidiary is not registered under the Investment Company Act, and, unless otherwise noted in the Fund’s Prospectus or this SAI, is not subject to all the investor protections of the Investment Company Act. However, the Fund wholly owns and controls the Subsidiary, and the Fund and the Subsidiary are both managed by BlackRock, making it unlikely that the Subsidiary will take action contrary to the interests of the Fund and its shareholders. The Trust’s Board of Trustees has oversight responsibility for the investment activities of the Fund, including its investment in the Subsidiary, and the Fund’s role as sole shareholder of the Subsidiary. As noted above, the Subsidiary will be subject to the same investment restrictions and limitations, and follow the same compliance policies and procedures, as the Fund. Changes in the laws of the United States and/or the Cayman Islands could result in the inability of the Fund and/or the Subsidiary to operate as described in the Fund’s Prospectus and this SAI and could adversely affect the Fund. For example, the Cayman Islands does not currently impose any income, corporate or capital gains tax, estate duty, inheritance tax, gift tax or withholding tax on the Subsidiary. If Cayman Islands law changes such that the Subsidiary must pay Cayman Islands taxes, Fund shareholders would likely suffer decreased investment returns.

The Fund, as a regulated investment company (“RIC”) under the Code, is required to derive at least 90 percent of its annual gross income from investment-related sources, specifically from dividends, interest, proceeds from securities lending, gains from the sales of stocks, securities and foreign currencies, other income (including, but not limited to, gains from options, futures or forward contracts) derived with respect to its business of investing in such stock, securities or currencies, or certain types of publicly traded partnerships (referred to as qualifying income). Direct investments by a RIC in commodity-related instruments generally do not, under published IRS rulings, produce qualifying income. However, in a series of private letter rulings, the IRS has indicated that income derived by a RIC from a wholly-owned subsidiary invested in commodity and financial futures and option contracts, forward contracts, swaps on commodities or commodities indexes, commodity-linked notes and fixed income securities serving as collateral for the contracts would constitute qualifying income. In late July 2011, the IRS suspended the issuance of private letter rulings relating to the tax treatment of income and gain generated by investments in commodity-linked notes and income generated by investments in controlled foreign corporations, such as the Subsidiary, that invest in commodity-related instruments. As a result, there can be no assurance that the tax treatment of income from the Fund’s investment in the Subsidiary will not be changed by unfavorable legislation or other guidance and that such change will not have retroactive effect.

The Subsidiary intends to conduct its affairs in a manner such that it will not be subject to U.S. federal income tax. It will, however, be considered a controlled foreign corporation, and the Fund will be required to include as income annually amounts earned by the Subsidiary during that year, whether or not distributed by the Subsidiary. Furthermore, the Fund will be subject to the distribution requirement on such Subsidiary income, whether or not the Subsidiary makes a distribution to the Fund during the taxable year.

* * *

Set forth below is a listing of some of the types of investments and investment strategies that the Fund may use, and the risks and considerations associated with those investments and investment strategies. Please see the Part II of this SAI for further information on these investments and investment strategies.

Only information that is clearly identified as applicable to the Fund is considered to form a part of the Fund’s SAI.

144A Securities
X
Asset-Backed Securities
X
Asset-Based Securities
X
Precious Metal-Related Securities
X
Bank Loans
X
Borrowing and Leverage
X
Cash Flows; Expenses
X
Cash Management
X
Collateralized Debt Obligations
X
Collateralized Loan Obligations
X
Collateralized Bond Obligations
 
Commercial Paper
X
Commodity-Linked Derivative Instruments and Hybrid Instruments
X

I-2

 
 

Qualifying Hybrid Instruments
X
Hybrid Instruments Without Principal Protection
X
Limitations on Leverage
X
Counterparty Risk
X
Convertible Securities
X
Debt Securities
X
Depositary Receipts (ADRs, EDRs and GDRs)
X
Derivatives
X
Hedging
X
Indexed and Inverse Securities
X
Swap Agreements
X
Credit Default Swap Agreements and Similar Instruments
X
Credit Linked Securities
X
Interest Rate Transactions and Swaptions
X
Total Return Swap Agreements
X
Types of Options
X
Options on Securities and Securities Indices
X
Call Options
X
Put Options
X
Risks Associated with Options
X
Futures
X
Risks Associated with Futures
X
Foreign Exchange Transactions
X
Forward Foreign Exchange Transactions
X
Currency Futures
X
Currency Options
X
Currency Swaps
X
Limitations on Currency Transactions
X
Risk Factors Hedging Foreign Currency Risk
X
Risk Factors in Derivatives
X
Credit Risk
X
Currency Risk
X
Leverage Risk
X
Liquidity Risk
X
Correlations Risk
X
Index Risk
X
Additional Risk Factors of OTC Transactions; Limitations on the Use of OTC Derivatives
X
Distressed Securities
X
Dollar Rolls
X
Equity Securities
X
Exchange Traded Notes (“ETNs”)
X
Foreign Investment Risks
X
Foreign Market Risk
X
Foreign Economy Risk
X
Currency Risk and Exchange Risk
X
Governmental Supervision and Regulation/Accounting Standards
X
Certain Risks of Holding Fund Assets Outside the United States
X
Publicly Available Information
X
Settlement Risk
X
Funding Agreements
X
Guarantees
 
Illiquid or Restricted Securities
X
Inflation-Indexed Bonds
X
Inflation Risk
X

I-3

 
 

Information Concerning the Indices
 
Standard & Poor’s 500 Index
 
Russell 2000 Index
 
EAFE Index
 
Initial Public Offering (“IPO”) Risk
X
Investment Grade Debt Obligations
X
Investment in Emerging Markets
X
Brady Bonds
X
Investment in Other Investment Companies
X
Exchange Traded Funds
X
Junk Bonds
X
Lease Obligations
X
Liquidity Management
X
Master Limited Partnerships
X
Merger Transaction Risk
X
Mezzanine Investments
X
Money Market Obligations of Domestic Banks, Foreign Banks and Foreign Branches of U.S. Banks
X
Mortgage-Related Securities
X
Mortgage-Backed Securities
X
Collateralized Mortgage Obligations (“CMOs”)
X
Adjustable Rate Mortgage Securities
X
CMO Residuals
X
Stripped Mortgage-Backed Securities
X
Tiered Index Bonds
X
Municipal Bonds
X
General Obligation Bonds
X
Revenue Bonds
X
PABs
X
Participation Notes
X
Pay-in-Kind Bonds
X
Portfolio Turnover Rates
X
Preferred Stock
X
Real Estate Related Securities
X
Real Estate Investment Trusts (“REITS”)
X
Repurchase Agreements and Purchase and Sale Contracts
X
Reverse Repurchase Agreements
X
Rights Offerings and Warrants to Purchase
X
Securities Lending
X
Securities of Smaller or Emerging Growth Companies
X
Short Sales
X
Sovereign Debt
X
Standby Commitment Agreements
X
Stripped Securities
X
Structured Notes
X
Supranational Entities
X
Trust Preferred Securities
X
U.S. Government Obligations
X
U.S. Treasury Obligations
X
Utility Industries
X
When Issued Securities, Delayed Delivery Securities and Forward Commitments
X
Yields and Ratings
X
Zero Coupon Securities
X

I-4

 
 

Regulation Regarding Derivatives

Effective December 31, 2012, the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (“CFTC”) adopted certain regulatory changes that subject registered investment companies and advisers to registered investment companies to regulation by the CFTC if a fund invests more than a prescribed level of its liquidation value in CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps, or if the fund markets itself as providing investment exposure to such instruments. Due to the Fund’s potential use of CFTC-regulated futures, options and swaps above the prescribed levels, it will be considered a “commodity pool” under the Commodity Exchange Act. Accordingly, BlackRock will be required to register as a “commodity pool operator” and will be subject to CFTC regulation.

II. Investment Restrictions

The Fund has adopted restrictions and policies relating to the investment of the Fund’s assets and its activities. Certain of the restrictions are fundamental policies of the Fund and may not be changed without the approval of the holders of a majority of the Fund’s outstanding voting securities (which for this purpose and under the Investment Company Act means the lesser of (i) 67% of the shares represented at a meeting at which more than 50% of the outstanding shares are represented or (ii) more than 50% of the outstanding shares). An investment policy is non-fundamental unless the Prospectus or SAI says that it is fundamental.

Under these fundamental investment restrictions, the Fund may not:

1. Concentrate its investments in a particular industry, as that term is used in the Investment Company Act.

2.Borrow money, except as permitted under the Investment Company Act.

3.Issue senior securities to the extent such issuance would violate the Investment Company Act.

4.Purchase or hold real estate, except the Fund may purchase and hold securities or other instruments that are secured by, or linked to, real estate or interests therein, securities of real estate investment trusts, mortgage-related securities and securities of issuers engaged in the real estate business, and the Fund may purchase and hold real estate as a result of the ownership of securities or other instruments.

5.Underwrite securities issued by others, except to the extent that the sale of portfolio securities by the Fund may be deemed to be an underwriting or as otherwise permitted by applicable law.

6.Purchase or sell commodities or commodity contracts, except as permitted by the Investment Company Act.

7.Make loans to the extent prohibited by the Investment Company Act.

Notations Regarding the Fund’s Fundamental Investment Restrictions

The following notations are not considered to be part of the Fund’s fundamental investment restrictions and are subject to change without shareholder approval.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to concentration set forth in (1) above, the Investment Company Act does not define what constitutes “concentration” in an industry. The Commission staff has taken the position that investment of 25% or more of a fund’s total assets in one or more issuers conducting their principal activities in the same industry or group of industries constitutes concentration. It is possible that interpretations of concentration could change in the future. The policy in (1) above will be interpreted to refer to concentration as that term may be interpreted from time to time. The policy also will be interpreted to permit investment without limit in the following: securities of the U.S. government and its agencies or instrumentalities; securities of state, territory, possession or municipal governments and their authorities, agencies, instrumentalities or political subdivisions; and repurchase agreements collateralized by any such obligations. Accordingly, issuers of the foregoing securities will not be considered to be members of any industry. There also will be no limit on investment in issuers domiciled in a single jurisdiction or country. Finance companies will be considered to be in the industries of their parents if their activities are primarily related to financing the activities of the parents. Each foreign government will be considered to be a member of a separate industry. With respect to the Fund’s industry classifications, the Fund currently utilizes any one or more of the industry sub-classifications used by one or more widely recognized market indexes or rating group indexes, and/or as defined by Fund management. The policy also will be interpreted to give broad authority to the Fund as to how to classify issuers within or among industries.

I-5

 
 

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to borrowing money set forth in (2) above, the Investment Company Act permits the Fund to borrow money in amounts of up to one-third of the Fund’s total assets from banks for any purpose, and to borrow up to 5% of the Fund’s total assets from banks or other lenders for temporary purposes. (The Fund’s total assets include the amounts being borrowed.) To limit the risks attendant to borrowing, the Investment Company Act requires the Fund to maintain at all times an “asset coverage” of at least 300% of the amount of its borrowings. Asset coverage means the ratio that the value of the Fund’s total assets (including amounts borrowed), minus liabilities other than borrowings, bears to the aggregate amount of all borrowings. Borrowing money to increase portfolio holdings is known as “leveraging.” Certain trading practices and investments, such as reverse repurchase agreements, may be considered to be borrowings or involve leverage and thus are subject to the Investment Company Act restrictions. In accordance with Commission staff guidance and interpretations, when the Fund engages in such transactions, the Fund instead of maintaining asset coverage of at least 300%, may segregate or earmark liquid assets or enter into an offsetting position, in an amount at least equal to the Fund’s exposure, on a mark-to-market basis, to the transaction (as calculated pursuant to requirements of the Commission). The policy in (2) above will be interpreted to permit the Fund to engage in trading practices and investments that may be considered to be borrowing or to involve leverage to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act and to permit the Fund to segregate or earmark liquid assets or enter into offsetting positions in accordance with the Investment Company Act. Short-term credits necessary for the settlement of securities transactions and arrangements with respect to securities lending will not be considered to be borrowings under the policy. Practices and investments that may involve leverage but are not considered to be borrowings are not subject to the policy.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to underwriting set forth in (5) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from engaging in the underwriting business or from underwriting the securities of other issuers; in fact, in the case of diversified funds, the Investment Company Act permits the Fund to have underwriting commitments of up to 25% of its assets under certain circumstances. Those circumstances currently are that the amount of the Fund’s underwriting commitments, when added to the value of the Fund’s investments in issuers where the Fund owns more than 10% of the outstanding voting securities of those issuers, cannot exceed the 25% cap. A fund engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the “Securities Act”). Although it is not believed that the application of the Securities Act provisions described above would cause the Fund to be engaged in the business of underwriting, the policy in (5) above will be interpreted not to prevent the Fund from engaging in transactions involving the acquisition or disposition of portfolio securities, regardless of whether the Fund may be considered to be an underwriter under the Securities Act or is otherwise engaged in the underwriting business to the extent permitted by applicable law.

With respect to the fundamental policy relating to lending set forth in (7) above, the Investment Company Act does not prohibit the Fund from making loans (including lending its securities); however, Commission staff interpretations currently prohibit funds from lending more than one-third of their total assets (including lending its securities), except through the purchase of debt obligations or the use of repurchase agreements. In addition, collateral arrangements with respect to options, forward currency and futures transactions and other derivative instruments (as applicable), as well as delays in the settlement of securities transactions, will not be considered loans.

Under its non-fundamental investment restrictions, which may be changed by the Board without shareholder approval, the Fund may not:

a.Purchase securities of other investment companies, except to the extent permitted by the Investment Company Act. As a matter of policy, however, the Fund will not purchase shares of any registered open-end investment company or registered unit investment trust, in reliance on Section 12(d)(1)(F) or (G) (the “fund of funds” provisions) of the Investment Company Act, at any time the Fund has knowledge that its shares are purchased by another investment company investor in reliance on the provisions of subparagraph (G) of Section 12(d)(1).

b.Make short sales of securities or maintain a short position, except to the extent permitted by the Fund’s Prospectus and SAI, as amended from time to time, and applicable law.

Unless otherwise indicated, all limitations under the Fund’s fundamental or non-fundamental investment restrictions apply only at the time that a transaction is undertaken. Any change in the percentage of the Fund’s assets invested in certain securities or other instruments resulting from market fluctuations or other changes in the Fund’s

I-6

 
 


total assets will not require the Fund to dispose of an investment until BlackRock determines that it is practicable to sell or close out the investment without undue market or tax consequences.

III. Information on Trustees and Officers

The Board consists of fourteen individuals (each, a “Trustee”), twelve of whom are not “interested persons” of the Trust as defined in the Investment Company Act (the “Independent Trustees”). The registered investment companies advised by BlackRock or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into one complex of closed-end funds (the “Closed-End Complex”), two complexes of open-end funds (the “Equity-Liquidity Complex” and the “Equity-Bond Complex”) and one complex of exchange-traded funds (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). The Trust is included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the Equity-Liquidity Complex. The Trustees also oversee as board members the operations of the other open-end registered investment companies included in the Equity-Liquidity Complex.

The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight of the Trust and the Fund. The Co-Chairs of the Board are Independent Trustees, and the Chair of each Board committee (each, a “Committee”) is an Independent Trustee. The Board has five standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance and Nominating Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight and Contract Committee and an Executive Committee. The role of the Co-Chairs of the Board is to preside at all meetings of the Board, and to act as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Trustees generally between meetings. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to the Committee. The Co-Chairs of the Board or the Chair of a Committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committee from time to time. The Independent Trustees meet regularly outside the presence of Fund management, in executive session or with other service providers to the Fund. The Board has regular meetings five times a year, and may hold special meetings if required before its next regular meeting. Each Committee meets regularly to conduct the oversight functions delegated to that Committee by the Board and reports its findings to the Board. The Board and each standing Committee conduct annual assessments of their oversight function and structure. The Board has determined that the Board’s leadership structure is appropriate because it allows the Board to exercise independent judgment over management and to allocate areas of responsibility among Committees and the full Board to enhance effective oversight.

The Board has engaged the Manager to manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Manager, other service providers, the operations of the Fund and associated risk in accordance with the provisions of the Investment Company Act, state law, other applicable laws, the Trust’s charter, and the Fund’s investment objective and strategies. The Board reviews, on an ongoing basis, the Fund’s performance, operations, and investment strategies and techniques. The Board also conducts reviews of the Manager and its role in running the operations of the Fund.

Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund is the responsibility of the Manager or of sub-advisers or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Manager. The Fund is subject to a number of risks, including investment, compliance, operational and valuation risks, among others. While there are a number of risk management functions performed by the Manager and the sub-advisers or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Fund. Risk oversight forms part of the Board’s general oversight of the Fund and is addressed as part of various Board and Committee activities. The Board, directly or through a Committee, also reviews reports from, among others, management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, sub-advisers, and internal auditors for the investment adviser or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Fund and management’s or the service provider’s risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Trustees, and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Fund’s activities and associated risks. The Board has appointed a Chief Compliance Officer, who oversees the implementation and testing of the Fund’s compliance program and reports to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its service providers. The Independent Trustees have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

The members of the Audit Committee (the “Audit Committee”) are Kenneth L. Urish (Chair), Herbert I. London and Frederick W. Winter, all of whom are Independent Trustees. 1 The principal responsibilities of the Audit