Natixis Funds Trust I

04/30/2024 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 04/30/2024 10:28

Summary Prospectus by Investment Company - Form 497K

Summary Prospectus
May 1, 2024

Vaughan Nelson Small Cap Value Fund

Ticker Symbol: Class A (NEFJX), Class C (NEJCX), Class N (VSCNX), Class T* (NEJTX) and Class Y (NEJYX)

* Class T shares of the Fund are not currently available for purchase.


Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund's Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund's Prospectus, reports to shareholders, and other information about the Fund online at im.natixis.com/fund-documents. You can also get this information at no cost by calling 800-225-5478 or by sending an e-mail request to [email protected]. The Fund's Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, each dated May 1, 2024, as may be revised or supplemented from time to time, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.

Investment Goal

The Fund seeks capital appreciation.

Fund Fees & Expenses

The following table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy, hold, and sell shares of the Fund. You may pay other fees, such as brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries, which are not reflected in this table. You may qualify for sales charge discounts if you and your family invest, or agree to invest in the future, at least $50,000 in the Natixis Funds Complex. More information about these and other discounts is available from your financial professional and in the section "How Sales Charges Are Calculated" on page 61 of the Prospectus, in Appendix A to the Prospectus and on page 111 in the section "Reduced Sales Charges" of the Statement of Additional Information ("SAI").

Shareholder Fees

(fees paid directly from your investment)

Class A

Class C

Class N

Class T

Class Y

Maximum sales charge (load) imposed on purchases (as a percentage of offering price)

5.75%
None
None
2.50%
None

Maximum deferred sales charge (load) (as a percentage of original purchase price or redemption proceeds, as applicable)

None*
1.00%
None
None
None

Redemption fees

None
None
None
None
None
* A 1.00% contingent deferred sales charge ("CDSC") may apply to certain purchases of Class A shares of $1,000,000 or more that are redeemed within eighteen months of the date of purchase.

Annual Fund Operating Expenses

(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)

Class A

Class C

Class N

Class T

Class Y

Management fees

0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%
0.85%

Distribution and/or service (12b-1) fees

0.25%
1.00%
0.00%
0.25%
0.00%

Other expenses1

0.27%
0.27%
0.23%
0.27%2
0.27%

Total annual fund operating expenses

1.37%
2.12%
1.08%
1.37%
1.12%

Fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement3,4

0.11%
0.11%
0.12%
0.11%
0.11%

Total annual fund operating expenses after fee waiver and/or expense reimbursement

1.26%
2.01%
0.96%
1.26%
1.01%
1 The expense information shown in the table above includes acquired fund fees and expenses of less than 0.01%; the ratios differ from the expense information disclosed in the Fund's financial highlights table because the financial highlights table reflects the operating expenses of the Fund and does not include acquired fund fees and expenses.
2 Other expenses for Class T shares are estimated for the current fiscal year.
3 The Fund's investment adviser has given a binding contractual undertaking to the Fund to limit the amount of the Fund's total annual fund operating expenses to 1.25%, 2.00%, 0.95%, 1.25% and 1.00% of the Fund's average daily net assets for Class A, Class C, Class N, Class T and Class Y shares, respectively, exclusive of brokerage expenses, interest expense, taxes, acquired fund fees and expenses, organizational and extraordinary expenses, such as litigation and indemnification expenses. This undertaking is in effect through April 30, 2025 and may be terminated before then only with the consent of the Fund's Board of Trustees. The Adviser will be permitted to recover, on a class-by-class basis, management fees waived and/or expenses reimbursed to the extent that expenses in later periods fall below both (1) the class' applicable expense limitation at the time such amounts were waived/reimbursed and (2) the class' current applicable expense limitation. The Fund will not be obligated to repay any such waived/reimbursed fees and expenses more than one year after the end of the fiscal year in which the fees or expenses were waived/reimbursed.
4 Natixis Advisors, LLC ("Natixis Advisors") has given a binding contractual undertaking to the Fund to reimburse any and all transfer agency expenses for Class N shares. This undertaking is in effect through April 30, 2025 and may be terminated before then only with the consent of the Fund's Board of Trustees.

1

Fund Summary

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 (except where indicated). The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund's operating expenses remain the same except that the example is based on the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses After Fee Waiver and/or Expense Reimbursement assuming that such waiver and/or reimbursement will only be in place through the date noted above and on the Total Annual Fund Operating Expenses for the remaining periods.The example for Class C shares for the ten-year period reflects the conversion to Class A shares after eight years.The example does not take into account brokerage commissions and other fees to financial intermediaries that you may pay on your purchases and sales of shares of the Fund. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:

If shares are redeemed:

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Class A

$

696

$

974

$

1,272

$

2,118

Class C

$

304

$

653

$

1,129

$

2,252

Class N

$

98

$

332

$

584

$

1,306

Class T

$

375

$

662

$

971

$

1,846

Class Y

$

103

$

345

$

606

$

1,353

If shares are not redeemed:

1 year

3 years

5 years

10 years

Class C

$

204

$

653

$

1,129

$

2,252

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 rate may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes for you if your Fund 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. During its most recently ended fiscal year, the Fund's portfolio turnover rate was 72% of the average value of its portfolio.

Investments, Risks and Performance

Principal Investment Strategies

Under normal circumstances, the Fund will invest at least 80% of its net assets (plus any borrowings made for investment purposes) in the equity securities, including common stocks and preferred stocks, of "small-capitalization companies." Equity securities may take the form of stock in corporations, limited partnership interests, interests in limited liability companies, real estate investment trusts ("REITs") or other trusts and other similar securities representing direct or indirect ownership interests in business organizations. Currently, the Fund defines a small-capitalization company to be one whose market capitalization, at the time of purchase, either falls within the capitalization range of the Russell 2000® Value Index or is $3.5 billion or less. While the market capitalization range for the Russell 2000® Value Index fluctuates, at December 31, 2023, it was $16.95 million to $10.58 billion. The Fund may, however, invest in companies with large-capitalizations.

Vaughan Nelson Investment Management, L.P. ("Vaughan Nelson") invests in small-capitalization companies with a focus on those companies meeting Vaughan Nelson's return expectations. Vaughan Nelson uses a bottom-up value oriented investment process in constructing the Fund's portfolio. Vaughan Nelson seeks companies with the following characteristics, although not all of the companies selected will have these attributes:

• Companies earning a positive return on capital with stable-to-improving returns.
• Companies valued at a discount to their asset value.
• Companies with an attractive and sustainable dividend level.

In selecting investments for the Fund, Vaughan Nelson generally employs the following strategies:

• Value-driven investment philosophy that selects stocks selling at a relatively low value based on discounted cash flow models. Vaughan Nelson selects companies that it believes are out of favor or misunderstood.
• Vaughan Nelson starts with an investment universe of 5,000 securities. Vaughan Nelson then uses value-driven screens to create a research universe of companies with market capitalizations of at least $100 million.
• Vaughan Nelson uses fundamental analysis to construct a portfolio of 60 to 80 securities that, in the opinion of Vaughan Nelson, is made up of quality companies with the potential to provide significant increases in share price over a three year period.
• Vaughan Nelson will generally sell a security when it reaches Vaughan Nelson's price target or when the issuer shows a change in financial condition, competitive pressures, poor management decisions or internal or external forces reducing future expected returns from those expected at the time of investment.

The Fund may also:

2

Fund Summary

• Invest in convertible preferred stock and convertible debt securities.
• Invest in foreign securities, including emerging market securities.
• Invest in REITs.
• Invest in securities offered in initial public offerings ("IPOs").

Principal Investment Risks

The principal risks of investing in the Fund are summarized below. The Fund does not represent a complete investment program. You may lose money by investing in the Fund.

Fund shares are not bank deposits and are not guaranteed, endorsed or insured by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or any other government agency, and are subject to investment risks, including possible loss of the principal invested.

The significance of any specific risk to an investment in the Fund will vary over time, depending on the composition of the Fund's portfolio, market conditions, and other factors. You should read all of the risk information presented below carefully, because any one or more of these risks may result in losses to the Fund.

Equity Securities Risk: The value of the Fund's investments in equity securities could be subject to unpredictable declines in the value of individual securities and periods of below-average performance in individual securities or in the equity market as a whole. Value stocks can perform differently from the market as a whole and from other types of stocks. Value stocks also present the risk that their lower valuations fairly reflect their business prospects and that investors will not agree that the stocks represent favorable investment opportunities, and they may fall out of favor with investors and underperform growth stocks during any given period.Securities issued in IPOs tend to involve greater market risk than other equity securities due, in part, to public perception and the lack of publicly available information and trading history. In the event an issuer is liquidated or declares bankruptcy, the claims of owners of the issuer's bonds generally take precedence over the claims of those who own preferred stock or common stock. Securities of real estate-related companies and REITs in which the Fund may invest may be considered equity securities, thus subjecting the Fund to the risks of investing in equity securities generally.

Small-Capitalization Companies Risk: Small-capitalization companies are more likely than larger companies to have limited product lines, markets or financial resources, or to depend on a small, inexperienced management group. Stocks of these companies often trade less frequently and in limited volume and their prices may fluctuate more than stocks of larger companies. Stocks of small-capitalization companies may therefore be more vulnerable to adverse developments than those of larger companies.

Market/Issuer Risk: The market value of the Fund's investments will move up and down, sometimes rapidly and unpredictably, based upon overall market and economic conditions, as well as a number of reasons that directly relate to the issuers of the Fund's investments, such as management performance, financial condition and demand for the issuers' goods and services.

Management Risk: A strategy used by the Fund's portfolio managers may fail to produce the intended result.

Liquidity Risk: Liquidity risk is the risk that the Fund may be unable to find a buyer for its investments when it seeks to sell them or to receive the price it expects. Decreases in the number of financial institutions willing to make markets in the Fund's investments or in their capacity or willingness to transact may increase the Fund's exposure to this risk. Events that may lead to increased redemptions, such as market disruptions or increases in interest rates, may also negatively impact the liquidity of the Fund's investments when it needs to dispose of them. If the Fund is forced to sell its investments at an unfavorable time and/or under adverse conditions in order to meet redemption requests, such sales could negatively affect the Fund. During times of market turmoil, there may be no buyers or sellers for securities in certain asset classes. In other circumstances, liquid investments may become illiquid. Liquidity issues may also make it difficult to value the Fund's investments. The Fund may invest in liquid investments that become illiquid due to financial distress, or geopolitical events such as sanctions, trading halts or wars.

Convertible Securities Risk: Convertible securities have investment characteristics of both equity and debt securities. Investments in convertible securities are subject to the usual risks associated with debt instruments, such as interest rate risk and credit risk. Convertible securities also react to changes in the value of the common stock into which they convert, and are thus subject to many of the same risks as investing in common stock. The Fund may convert a convertible security at an inopportune time, which may decrease the Fund's return.

Cybersecurity and Technology Risk: The Fund, its service providers, and other market participants increasingly depend on complex information technology and communications systems, which are subject to a number of different threats and risks that could adversely affect the Fund and its shareholders. Cybersecurity and other operational and technology issues may result in financial losses to the Fund and its shareholders.

Emerging Markets Risk: In addition to the risks of investing in foreign investments generally, emerging markets investments are subject to greater risks arising from political or economic instability, war, nationalization or confiscatory taxation, currency exchange or repatriation restrictions, sanctions by other countries (such as the United States or the European Union), new or inconsistent government treatment of or restrictions on issuers and instruments, and an issuer's unwillingness or inability to make dividend, principal or interest payments on its securities. Emerging markets companies may be smaller and have shorter operating histories than companies in developed markets.

Foreign Securities Risk: Investments in foreign securities may be subject to greater political, economic, environmental, credit/counterparty and information risks. The Fund's investments in foreign securities also are subject to foreign currency fluctuations and other foreign currency-related risks. Foreign securities may be subject to higher volatility than U.S. securities, varying degrees of regulation and limited liquidity.

3

Fund Summary

REITs Risk: Investments in the real estate industry, including REITs, are particularly sensitive to economic downturns and are sensitive to factors such as changes in real estate values, property taxes and tax laws, interest rates, cash flow of underlying real estate assets, occupancy rates, government regulations affecting zoning, land use and rents and the management skill and creditworthiness of the issuer. Companies in the real estate industry also may be subject to liabilities under environmental and hazardous waste laws. In addition, the value of a REIT is affected by changes in the value of the properties owned by the REIT or mortgage loans held by the REIT. REITs are also subject to default and prepayment risk. Many REITs are highly leveraged, increasing their risk. The Fund will indirectly bear its proportionate share of expenses, including management fees, paid by each REIT in which it invests in addition to the expenses of the Fund.

Risk/Return Bar Chart and Table

The bar chart and table shown below provide some indication of the risks of investing in the Fund by showing changes in the Fund's performance from year-to-year and by showing how the Fund's average annual returns for the one-year, five-year, ten-year and life-of-class periods (as applicable) compare to those of a a broad-based securities market index that reflects the performance of the overall market applicable to the Fund and an additional index that represents the market sectors in which the Fund primarily invests. Performance for Class C shares includes the automatic conversion to Class A shares after eight years, where applicable. The Fund's past performance (before and after taxes) does not necessarily indicate how the Fund will perform in the future. Updated performance information is available online at im.natixis.com and/or by calling the Fund toll-free at 800-225-5478.

The chart does not reflect any sales charge that you may be required to pay when you buy or redeem the Fund's shares. A sales charge will reduce your return. To the extent that a class of shares was subject to the waiver or reimbursement of certain expenses during a period, had such expenses not been waived or reimbursed during the period, total returns would have been lower.

Total Returns for Class Y Shares

Highest Quarterly Return:
Fourth Quarter 2020, 28.00%

Lowest Quarterly Return:
First Quarter 2020, -29.83%

Average Annual Total Returns

(for the periods ended December 31, 2023)

Past 1 Year

Past 5 Years

Past 10 Years

Life of Class N
(5/1/17)

Class Y - Return Before Taxes

25.10%
14.94%
9.14%
-

Return After Taxes on Distributions

24.96%
13.06%
6.38%
-

Return After Taxes on Distributions and Sale of Fund Shares

14.95%
11.34%
6.37%
-

Class A - Return Before Taxes

17.61%
13.31%
8.23%
-

Class C - Return Before Taxes

22.93%
13.80%
8.22%
-

Class N - Return Before Taxes

25.24%
15.03%
-
9.63%

Class T - Return Before Taxes

21.69%
14.08%
8.60%
-

Russell 3000® Index1

25.96%
15.16%
11.48%
12.32%

Russell 2000® Value Index

14.65%
10.00%
6.76%
6.28%
1 Effective May 1, 2024, the Fund's primary broad-based performance index changed to the Russell 3000® Index. The Russell 3000® Index is a broad-based securities market index that represents the overall market applicable to the Fund. The Fund will retain Russell 2000® Value Index as its additional benchmark for performance comparison.

The Fund did not have Class T shares outstanding during the periods shown above. The returns of Class T shares would have been substantially similar to the returns of the Fund's other share classes because they would have been invested in the same portfolio of securities and would only differ to the extent the other share classes did not have the same expenses. Performance of Class T shares shown above is that of Class A shares, which have the same expenses as Class T shares, restated to reflect the different sales load applicable to Class T shares.

After-tax returns are calculated using the historical highest individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor's tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who

4

Fund Summary

hold their shares through tax-advantaged arrangements, such as 401(k) plans, qualified plans, education savings accounts, such as 529 plans, or individual retirement accounts. The after-tax returns are shown for only one class of the Fund.After-tax returns for the other classes of the Fund will vary. Index performance reflects no deduction for fees, expenses or taxes.

Management

Investment Adviser

Natixis Advisors

Subadviser

Vaughan Nelson

Portfolio Managers

James Eisenman, CFA®, Portfolio Manager of Vaughan Nelson, has served as co-manager of the Fund since 2022.

Chris D. Wallis, CFA®, Chief Executive Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager of Vaughan Nelson, has served as co-manager of the Fund since 2004.

Purchase and Sale of Fund Shares

Class A and C Shares

The following chart shows the investment minimums for various types of accounts:

Type of Account

Minimum Initial Purchase

Any account other than those listed below

$2,500

For shareholders participating in Natixis Funds' Automatic Investment Plan

$1,000

For Traditional IRA, Roth IRA, Rollover IRA, SEP-IRA and Keogh plans

$1,000

There is no subsequent investment minimum for these shares. There is no initial investment minimum for:

• Fee Based Programs (such as wrap accounts) where an advisory fee is paid to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. Please consult your financial representative to determine if your fee based program is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
• Certain Retirement Plans. Please consult your retirement plan administrator to determine if your retirement plan is subject to additional or different conditions or fees imposed by the plan administrator.
• Clients of a Registered Investment Adviser where the Registered Investment Adviser receives an advisory, management or consulting fee.

The minimum investment requirements for Class A shares may be waived or lowered for investments effected through certain financial intermediaries that have entered into special arrangements with Natixis Distribution, LLC (the "Distributor"). Consult your financial intermediary for additional information regarding the minimum investment requirement applicable to your investment.

Class N Shares

Class N shares of the Fund are subject to a $1,000,000 initial investment minimum. This minimum applies to Fee Based Programs and accounts (such as wrap accounts) where an advisory fee is paid to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. There is no subsequent investment minimum for these shares. There is no initial investment minimum for:

• Certain Retirement Plans. Please consult your retirement plan administrator to determine if your retirement plan is subject to additional or different conditions or fees imposed by the plan administrator.
• Sub-accounts held within an omnibus account, where the omnibus account has at least $1,000,000.
• Funds of funds that are distributed by the Distributor.

In its sole discretion, the Distributor may waive the investment minimum requirement for accounts as to which the Distributor reasonably believes will have enough assets to exceed the investment minimum requirement within a relatively short period of time following the establishment date of such accounts in Class N. The Distributor and the Fund, at any time, reserve the right to liquidate these accounts or any other account that does not meet the eligibility requirements of this class.

Class T Shares

Class T shares of the Fund are not currently available for purchase.

Class T shares of the Fund may only be purchased by investors who are investing through an authorized third party, such as a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary, that has entered into a selling agreement with the Distributor. Investors may not hold Class T shares directly with the Fund. Class T shares are subject to a minimum initial investment of $2,500. There is no subsequent investment minimum for these shares. Not all financial intermediaries make Class T shares available to their clients.

5

Fund Summary

Class Y Shares

Class Y shares of the Fund are generally subject to a minimum initial investment of $100,000. There is no subsequent investment minimum for these shares. There is no minimum initial investment for:

• Fee Based Programs (such as wrap accounts) where an advisory fee is paid to the broker-dealer or other financial intermediary. Please consult your financial representative to determine if your fee based program is subject to additional or different conditions or fees.
• Certain Retirement Plans. Please consult your retirement plan administrator to determine if your retirement plan is subject to additional or different conditions or fees imposed by the plan administrator.
• Certain Individual Retirement Accounts if the amounts invested represent rollover distributions from investments by any of the retirement plans invested in the Fund.
• Clients of a Registered Investment Adviser where the Registered Investment Adviser receives an advisory, management or consulting fee.
• Fund Trustees, former Fund trustees, employees of affiliates of the Natixis Funds and other individuals who are affiliated with any Natixis Fund (this also applies to any spouse, parents, children, siblings, grandparents, grandchildren and in-laws of those mentioned) and Natixis affiliate employee benefit plans.

At the discretion of Natixis Advisors, clients of Natixis Advisors and its affiliates may purchase Class Y shares of the Fund below the stated minimums.

Due to operational limitations at your financial intermediary, certain fee based programs, retirement plans, individual retirement accounts and accounts of registered investment advisers may be subject to the investment minimums described above.

The Fund's shares are available for purchase and are redeemable on any business day through your investment dealer, directly from the Fund by writing to the Fund at Natixis Funds, P.O. Box 219579, Kansas City, MO 64121-9579, by exchange, by wire, by internet at im.natixis.com (certain restrictions may apply), through the Automated Clearing House system, or, in the case of redemptions, by telephone at 800-225-5478 or by the Systematic Withdrawal Plan.

Tax Information

Fund distributions are generally taxable to you as ordinary income or capital gains, except for distributions to retirement plans and other investors that qualify for tax-advantaged treatment under U.S. federal income tax law generally. Investments through such tax-advantaged plans will generally be taxed only upon withdrawal of monies from the tax-advantaged arrangement.

Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries

If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), the Fund and its related companies may pay the intermediary for the sale of the Fund shares and related services. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary's website for more information.

UVSC77-0524