SEC Form DEF 14A filed by Blackrock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund

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UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

SCHEDULE 14A INFORMATION

Proxy Statement Pursuant to Section 14(a) of the

Securities Exchange Act of 1934

Filed by the Registrant ☒

Filed by a Party other than the Registrant ☐

BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund

(Name of Registrant as Specified In Its Charter)

(Name of Person(s) Filing Proxy Statement, if Other than the Registrant)

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May 22, 2025

Dear Shareholder:

An annual meeting of the shareholders of the BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund (“MPA” or the “Fund”) will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time), to consider and vote on the proposal discussed in the enclosed proxy statement. The meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. Shareholders will not have to travel to attend the meeting but will be able to view the meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek shareholder approval of the nominees named in the enclosed proxy statement to the Board of Trustees (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of the Fund. The Board has unanimously approved the nominees named in the enclosed proxy statement on behalf of the Fund (the “Board Nominees”), subject to approval by the Fund’s shareholders. The Board has reviewed the qualifications and backgrounds of the Board Nominees and believes that they possess the requisite experience in overseeing investment companies and that their election is in your best interest.

The Board Members responsible for the Fund recommend that you vote “FOR” the Board Nominees for the Fund. In connection with your vote, we urge you to read the full text of the enclosed proxy statement.

You have received this proxy statement because you were a shareholder of record of the Fund on May 19, 2025 (the “Record Date”). Certain other BlackRock Closed-End Funds will also hold annual meetings of shareholders on the date stated above, but at a different time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of one or more of such other funds, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card(s) relating to such fund(s). Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

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We would like to assure you of our commitment to ensuring that the annual meeting provides shareholders with a meaningful opportunity to participate, including the ability to ask questions of the Board and management. To support these efforts, we will:

Your vote is important. Attendance at the annual meeting will be limited to the Fund’s shareholders as of the Record Date.

If your shares in the Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MDYK99Y by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting.

If you are a beneficial shareholder of the Fund (that is if you hold your shares of the Fund through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) and want to attend the meeting you must register in advance of the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC, the Fund’s tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected]. Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson LLC (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the meeting.

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Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please promptly follow the enclosed instructions to submit your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. Alternatively, you may submit voting instructions by signing and dating each proxy card you receive, and if received by mail, returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope.

We encourage you to carefully review the enclosed materials, which explain this proposal in more detail. As a shareholder, your vote is important, and we hope that you will respond today to ensure that your shares will be represented at the meeting. You may vote using one of the methods below by following the instructions on your proxy card or voting instruction form:

If you do not vote using one of these methods, you may be called by Georgeson LLC, the Fund’s proxy solicitor, to vote your shares.

If you have any questions about the proposal to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies, toll free at 1-866-328-5445.

Sincerely,

Janey Ahn

Secretary of the Fund

50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001

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IMPORTANT INFORMATION

FOR FUND SHAREHOLDERS

While we encourage you to read the full text of the enclosed proxy statement, for your convenience we have provided a brief overview of the matters to be voted on.

Questions and Answers

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May 22, 2025

NOTICE OF ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

TO BE HELD ON JULY 11, 2025

To the Shareholders:

An annual meeting of the shareholders of BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund (NYSE Ticker: MPA) (“MPA” or the “Fund”) will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time), to consider and vote on the proposal, as more fully discussed in the accompanying proxy statement. The meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only. Shareholders will not have to travel to attend the meeting but will be able to view the meeting live and cast their votes by accessing a web link.

The purpose of the meeting is to seek shareholder approval of the nominees named in the accompanying proxy statement to the Board of Trustees (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of the Fund. The Board has unanimously approved the nominees on behalf of the Fund (the “Board Nominees”), subject to approval by the Fund’s shareholders. The Board has reviewed the qualifications and backgrounds of the Board Nominees and believes that the Board Nominees possess the requisite experience in overseeing investment companies and that their election is in your best interest.

Your Board unanimously recommends that you vote “FOR” the Board Nominees with respect to which you are being asked to vote.

Shareholders of record of the Fund as of the close of business on May 19, 2025 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to vote at the meeting and at any adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. A list of the Fund’s shareholders as of the Record Date will be available electronically for inspection by any record shareholder of the Fund beginning two business days after notice is given of the meeting and continuing through the meeting. Shareholders interested in inspecting the list of shareholders for the Fund should contact Georgeson LLC at [email protected] for additional information.

Certain other BlackRock Closed-End Funds will also hold their annual meetings of shareholders at the place and on the date stated above, but not at the same time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of one or more of such other funds, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card(s) relating to such fund(s). Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

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If you have any questions about the proposal to be voted on or the virtual meeting, please call Georgeson LLC, the firm assisting us in the solicitation of proxies, toll free at 1-866-328-5445.

By Order of the Board,

Janey Ahn

Secretary of the Fund

50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001

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ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS

JULY 11, 2025

PROXY STATEMENT

This proxy statement (the “Proxy Statement”) is furnished in connection with the solicitation of proxies by the Board of Trustees (the “Board,” the members of which are referred to as “Board Members”) of BlackRock MuniYield Pennsylvania Quality Fund (the “Fund”). The proxies will be voted at the annual meeting (the “meeting”) of shareholders of the Fund and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. The meeting will be held on Friday, July 11, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. (Eastern time). The meeting will be held for the purposes set forth in the accompanying Notice of Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on July 11, 2025. The meeting will be held in a virtual meeting format only.

Distribution to shareholders of this Proxy Statement and the accompanying materials, or the Important Notice Regarding the Availability of Proxy Materials for the Annual Meeting of Shareholders to be Held on July 11, 2025 (the “Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials”), will commence on or about May 22, 2025.

The Fund is organized as a Massachusetts business trust. The Fund is a closed-end management investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (the “1940 Act”).

Shareholders of record of the Fund as of the close of business on May 19, 2025 (the “Record Date”) are entitled to notice of and to vote at the Fund’s annual meeting of shareholders and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. Shareholders of the Fund are entitled to one vote for each share held, with no shares having cumulative voting rights. Holders of Preferred Shares (as defined below) will have equal voting rights with the holders of common shares of beneficial interest (the “Common Shares”) of the Fund. Holders of Preferred Shares will vote together with the holders of Common Shares as a single class on each nominee to the Board of the Fund, except that holders of Preferred Shares are entitled to vote separately as a class to elect two Board Members of the Fund. The quorum and voting requirements for the Fund are described in the section herein entitled “Vote Required and Manner of Voting Proxies.” As used herein, the “Preferred Shares” consist of the variable rate demand preferred shares (“VRDP Shares”) of the Fund.

The number of Common Shares outstanding of the Fund and the number of VRDP Shares outstanding of the Fund as of the close of business on the Record Date are 12,949,630 and 826, respectively. The Managed Assets of the Fund on the Record Date are $253,811,821. “Managed Assets” means the total assets of the Fund minus its accrued liabilities (other than aggregate indebtedness constituting financial leverage). Except as otherwise set forth herein under “ADDITIONAL INFORMATION,” to the knowledge of the Fund, as of May 19, 2025, no person was the beneficial owner of more than five percent of a class of the Fund’s outstanding shares.

The Fund is named on the proxy card or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials. Even if you plan to attend the meeting, please sign, date and return the proxy card you receive or, if you provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet, please vote on each proposal affecting the Fund. If you vote by telephone or via the Internet, you will be asked to enter a unique code that has been assigned to you, which is printed on your proxy card or Notice of Internet Availability of

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Proxy Materials, as applicable. This code is designed to confirm your identity, provide access to the voting website and confirm that your voting instructions are properly recorded.

All properly executed proxies received prior to the meeting will be voted at the meeting and at any and all adjournments, postponements or delays thereof. On any matter coming before the meeting as to which a shareholder has specified a choice on that shareholder’s proxy, the shares will be voted accordingly. If a proxy card is properly executed and returned and no choice is specified with respect to the proposal, the shares will be voted “FOR” the proposal. Shareholders who execute proxies or provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet may revoke them with respect to the proposal at any time before a vote is taken on the proposal by filing with the Fund a written notice of revocation (addressed to the Secretary of the Fund at the principal executive offices of the Fund at the New York address provided herein), by delivering a duly executed proxy bearing a later date, or by attending the virtual meeting and voting at the meeting, in all cases prior to the exercise of the authority granted in the proxy card. Merely attending the meeting, however, will not revoke any previously executed proxy. If you hold shares through a bank, broker or other intermediary, please consult your bank, broker or intermediary regarding your ability to revoke voting instructions after such instructions have been provided.

Certain other BlackRock Closed-End Funds will also hold their annual meetings of shareholders on the date stated above, but at a different time. If you were also a shareholder of record on the Record Date of one or more of those other funds, you will receive a separate proxy statement and proxy card(s) relating to such fund(s). Please be certain to vote by telephone or via the Internet with respect to each fund in which you are a shareholder of record or sign, date and return each proxy card you receive from us.

If your shares in the Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MDYK99Y by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting. If you are a beneficial shareholder of the Fund (that is if you hold your shares of the Fund through a bank, broker, financial intermediary or other nominee) you will not be able to vote at the virtual meeting unless you have registered in advance to attend the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson LLC (“Georgeson”), the Fund’s tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected]. Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the meeting. Even if you plan to participate in the virtual meeting, please promptly follow the enclosed instructions to submit voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. Alternatively, you may submit voting instructions by signing and dating the proxy card and voting instruction form you receive, and returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope.

The Fund will furnish, without charge, a copy of its annual report and most recent semi-annual report succeeding the annual report, if any, to a shareholder upon request. Such requests should be directed to the Fund at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001, or by calling toll free at 1-800-882-0052. Copies of annual and semi-annual reports of the Fund are also available on the EDGAR Database on the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission’s website at www.sec.gov.

BlackRock, Inc. (“BlackRock”) will update performance and certain other data for the Fund on a monthly basis on its website in the “Closed-End Funds” section of http://www.blackrock.com as

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well as certain other material information as necessary from time to time. Investors and others are advised to check the website for updated performance information and the release of other material information about the Fund. This reference to BlackRock’s website is intended to allow investors public access to information regarding the Fund and does not, and is not intended to, incorporate BlackRock’s website in this Proxy Statement.

Please note that only one annual or semi-annual report or this Proxy Statement or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials may be delivered to two or more shareholders of the Fund who share an address, unless the Fund has received instructions to the contrary. To request a separate copy of an annual report or semi-annual report or this Proxy Statement or Notice of Internet Availability of Proxy Materials, or for instructions on how to request a separate copy of these documents or as to how to request a single copy if multiple copies of these documents are received, shareholders should contact the Fund at the Delaware address and phone number provided above.

Please vote now. Your vote is important.

To avoid the wasteful and unnecessary expense of further solicitation and no matter how large or small your holdings may be, we urge you to indicate your voting instructions on the enclosed proxy card, and if received by mail, date and sign it and return it promptly in the postage-paid envelope provided, or record your voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet. If you submit a properly executed proxy card but do not indicate how you wish your shares to be voted, your shares will be voted “FOR” the election of the Board Nominees. If your shares of the Fund are held through a broker, you must provide voting instructions to your broker about how to vote your shares in order for your broker to vote your shares as you instruct at the meeting.

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YOUR VOTE IS IMPORTANT.

PLEASE VOTE PROMPTLY BY SIGNING AND RETURNING THE

ENCLOSED PROXY CARD/VOTING INSTRUCTION FORM OR BY RECORDING YOUR

VOTING INSTRUCTIONS BY TELEPHONE OR VIA THE INTERNET, NO MATTER HOW

MANY SHARES YOU OWN.

IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING THE AVAILABILITY OF PROXY MATERIALS FOR

THE ANNUAL MEETING OF SHAREHOLDERS TO BE HELD ON JULY 11, 2025.

THE PROXY STATEMENT FOR THIS MEETING IS AVAILABLE AT:

https://www.proxy-direct.com/blk-34553

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PROPOSAL 1—ELECTION OF BOARD NOMINEES

The purpose of Proposal 1 is to elect Board Members for the Fund.

Nominees for the Fund. The Board of the Fund consists of ten Board Members, eight of whom are not “interested persons” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) (the “Independent Board Members”). The Board Members for the Fund elected at the meeting will serve until the later of the date of the Fund’s 2026 annual meeting or until his or her successor is elected and qualifies, or until his or her earlier death, resignation, retirement or removal.

The owners of Preferred Shares are entitled to vote as a separate class to elect two of the Board Members (the “Preferred Shares Nominees”) for the Fund. This means that owners of Common Shares are not entitled to vote in connection with the election of the Preferred Shares Nominees. However, the owners of Common Shares and the owners of Preferred Shares, voting together as a single class, are entitled to elect the remainder of the Board Nominees. Catherine A. Lynch and W. Carl Kester are standing for election this year as Preferred Shares Nominees.

The Board recommends a vote “FOR” the election of Cynthia L. Egan, Robert Fairbairn, Lorenzo A. Flores, Stayce D. Harris, J. Phillip Holloman, R. Glenn Hubbard, W. Carl Kester, Catherine A. Lynch, John M. Perlowski and Arthur P. Steinmetz (the “Board Nominees”). To vote for the Board Nominees, please vote by telephone or via the Internet, as described in the proxy card, or date and sign the enclosed proxy card and return it promptly in the enclosed postage-paid envelope. Each of the Board Nominees has consented to being named in this Proxy Statement and to serve as a Board Member if elected.

Board Members’/Nominees’ Biographical Information. Please refer to the below table which identifies the Board Nominees and Preferred Shares Nominees for election to the Board and sets forth certain biographical information about the Board Nominees. Each Board Nominee was reviewed by the Governance and Nominating Committee (the “Governance Committee”) of the Board and nominated by the full Board. R. Glenn Hubbard was selected to serve as the Chair of the Board, and W. Carl Kester was selected to serve as the Vice Chair of the Board. All of the closed-end investment companies registered under the 1940 Act advised by BlackRock Advisors, LLC (the “Advisor”), including the Fund, are referred to collectively as the “BlackRock Closed-End Funds.” The BlackRock Closed-End Funds, together with certain other registered investment companies advised by the Advisor or its affiliates, are included in a complex of funds referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.

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The Independent Board Members have adopted a statement of policy that describes the experiences, qualifications, skills and attributes that are necessary and desirable for potential Independent Board Member candidates (the “Statement of Policy”). The Board believes that each Independent Board Member satisfied, at the time he or she was initially elected or appointed as a Board Member, and continues to satisfy, the standards contemplated by the Statement of Policy as well as the standards set forth in the Fund’s By-laws. Furthermore, in determining that a particular Board Member was and continues to be qualified to serve as a Board Member, the Board has considered a variety of criteria, none of which, in isolation, was controlling. The Board believes that, collectively, the Board Members/Nominees have balanced and diverse experiences, skills, attributes and qualifications, which allow the Board to operate effectively in governing the Fund and protecting the interests of shareholders. Among the attributes common to all Board Members/Nominees is their ability to review critically, evaluate, question and discuss information provided to them, to interact effectively with the Fund’s investment adviser, sub-advisers, other service providers, counsel and independent auditors, and to exercise effective business judgment in the performance of their duties as Board Members. Each Board Member’s/Nominee’s ability to perform his or her duties effectively is evidenced by his or her educational background or professional training; business, consulting, public service or academic positions; experience from service as a board member of the Fund or the other funds in the BlackRock fund complexes (and any predecessor funds), other investment funds, public companies, or not-for-profit entities or other organizations; ongoing commitment and participation in Board and committee meetings, as well as their leadership of standing and other committees throughout the years; or other relevant life experiences.

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The table below discusses some of the experiences, qualifications and skills of the Board Members, including the Board Nominees, that support the conclusion that they should serve (or continue to serve) on the Board.

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Board Leadership Structure and Oversight

The Board consists of ten Board Members, eight of whom are Independent Board Members. The registered investment companies advised by the Advisor or its affiliates (the “BlackRock-advised Funds”) are organized into the BlackRock Multi-Asset Complex, the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex, and the iShares Complex (each, a “BlackRock Fund Complex”). The Fund is included in the BlackRock Fund Complex referred to as the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. The Board Members also oversee as board members the operations of the other open-end and closed-end registered investment companies included in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.

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The Board has overall responsibility for the oversight of the Fund. The Chair of the Board and the Chief Executive Officer are different people. Not only is the Chair an Independent Board Member, but also the Chair of each Board committee (each, a “Committee”) is an Independent Board Member. The Board has seven standing Committees: an Audit Committee, a Governance Committee, a Compliance Committee, a Performance Oversight Committee, a Securities Lending Committee, a Discount Committee and an Executive Committee.

The Board currently oversees the Fund’s usage of leverage, including the Fund’s incurrence, refinancing and maintenance of leverage and, to the extent necessary or appropriate, authorizes or approves the execution of documentation in respect thereto. The Executive Committee of the Fund has authority to make any such authorizations or approvals that are required between regular meetings of the Board.

The Fund does not have a compensation committee because its executive officers, other than the Fund’s Chief Compliance Officer (“CCO”), do not receive any direct compensation from the Fund and the CCO’s compensation is comprehensively reviewed by the Board. The role of the Chair of the Board is to preside over all meetings of the Board and to act as a liaison with service providers, officers, attorneys, and other Board Members between meetings. The Chair of each Committee performs a similar role with respect to such Committee. The Chair of the Board or Chair of a Committee may also perform such other functions as may be delegated by the Board or the Committees from time to time. The Independent Board Members meet regularly outside the presence of the Fund’s management, in executive sessions or with other service providers to the Fund. The Board has regular meetings five times a year, including a meeting to consider the approval of the Fund’s investment management agreements and, if necessary, may hold special meetings before its next regular meeting. The Audit Committee, the Governance Committee, the Compliance Committee, the Performance Oversight Committee and the Securities Lending Committee each meets regularly and the Executive Committee and the Discount Committee each meets on an ad hoc basis 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 Board to enhance oversight.

The Board decided to separate the roles of Chief Executive Officer from the Chair because it believes that having an independent Chair:

The Board has engaged the Advisor to manage the Fund on a day-to-day basis. The Board is responsible for overseeing the Advisor, other service providers, the operations of the Fund and associated risks in accordance with the provisions of the 1940 Act, state law, other applicable laws, the Fund’s charter, and the Fund’s investment objective(s) 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 Advisor and its role in running the operations of the Fund.

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Day-to-day risk management with respect to the Fund is the responsibility of the Advisor or other service providers (depending on the nature of the risk), subject to the supervision of the Advisor. 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 Advisor or other service providers, as applicable, it is not possible to eliminate all of the risks applicable to the Fund. Risk oversight is 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 Committees, also reviews reports from, among others, management, the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund, the Advisor, and internal auditors for the Advisor or its affiliates, as appropriate, regarding risks faced by the Fund and management’s or the service providers’ risk functions. The Committee system facilitates the timely and efficient consideration of matters by the Board Members and facilitates effective oversight of compliance with legal and regulatory requirements and of the Fund’s activities and associated risks. The Board has approved the appointment of a Chief Compliance Officer, who oversees the implementation and testing of the Fund’s compliance program and reports regularly to the Board regarding compliance matters for the Fund and its service providers. The Independent Board Members have engaged independent legal counsel to assist them in performing their oversight responsibilities.

Compensation. Information relating to compensation paid to the Board Members for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year is set forth in Appendix A.

Equity Securities Owned by Board Members/Nominees. Information relating to the amount of equity securities owned by Board Members/Nominees in the Fund as of February 28, 2025 is set forth in Appendix B.

Attendance of Board Members at Annual Shareholders’ Meetings. It is the policy of the Fund to encourage Board Members to attend the annual shareholders’ meeting. One Board Member of the Fund in office at the time attended last year’s annual shareholders’ meeting.

Board Meetings. During the calendar year 2024, the Board met ten times. During the Fund’s most recent full fiscal year ended July 31, 2024, the Board met twelve times. No incumbent Board Member attended less than 75% of the aggregate number of meetings of the Board and of each Committee on which the Board Member served during the Fund’s most recently completed full fiscal year.

Committees of the Boards. Information relating to the various standing Committees of the Board is set forth in Appendix C.

Delinquent Section 16(a) Reports. None to report.

Executive Officers of the Fund. Information about the executive officers of the Fund, including their year of birth and their principal occupations during the past five years, is set forth in Appendix D.

Your Board recommends that you vote “FOR” the election of each Board Nominee to the Board.

VOTE REQUIRED AND MANNER OF VOTING PROXIES

A quorum of shareholders is required to take action at the meeting. The presence in person or by proxy of the holders of shares entitled to cast a majority of the votes entitled to be cast on any

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matter at a shareholder meeting shall constitute a quorum for purposes of conducting business on such matter.

The affirmative vote of a majority of the shares represented in person or by proxy at a meeting at which a quorum is present is necessary to elect each of the respective Board Nominees under Proposal 1 for the Fund. Withheld votes, abstentions and broker non-votes, if any, will be counted as represented at the meeting and will have the same effect as a vote against Proposal 1.

Votes cast by proxy or in person at each meeting will be tabulated by the inspectors of election appointed for that meeting. The inspectors of election will determine whether or not a quorum is present at the meeting. The inspectors of election will treat withheld votes, abstentions and “broker non-votes,” if any, as present for purposes of determining a quorum. Broker non-votes occur when shares are held by brokers or nominees, typically in “street name,” for which proxies have been returned but (a) voting instructions have not been received from the beneficial owners or persons entitled to vote, (b) the broker or nominee does not have discretionary voting power or elects not to exercise discretion on a particular matter and (c) the shares are present at the meeting. Preferred Shares of the Fund held in “street name” may be counted for purposes of establishing a quorum of shareholders of the Fund if no instructions are received one business day before the applicable meeting or, if adjourned, postponed, or delayed, one business day before the day to which the meeting is adjourned, postponed, or delayed.

If you hold your shares directly (not through a broker-dealer, bank or other financial institution) and if you return a signed and dated proxy card that does not specify how you wish to vote on a proposal, your shares will be voted “FOR” the Board Nominees in Proposal 1.

Broker-dealer firms holding shares of the Fund in “street name” for the benefit of their customers and clients will request the instructions of such customers and clients on how to vote their shares on Proposal 1 before the meeting. The Fund understands that, under the rules of the New York Stock Exchange, such broker-dealer firms may for certain “routine” matters, without instructions from their customers and clients, grant discretionary authority to the proxies designated by the Board to vote if no instructions have been received prior to the date specified in the broker-dealer firm’s request for voting instructions. Proposal 1 is a “routine” matter and beneficial owners who do not provide proxy instructions or who do not return a proxy card may have their shares voted by broker-dealer firms in favor of Proposal 1. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a beneficial owner of Fund shares that does not specify how the beneficial owner’s shares should be voted on Proposal 1 may be deemed an instruction to vote such shares in favor of Proposal 1.

If you hold shares of the Fund through a bank, broker, other financial institution or intermediary (called a service agent), the service agent may be the record holder of your shares. At the meeting, a service agent will vote shares for which it receives instructions from its customers in accordance with those instructions. A properly executed proxy card or other authorization by a shareholder that does not specify how the shareholder’s shares should be voted on a proposal may be deemed to authorize a service provider to vote such shares in favor of the proposal. Depending on its policies, applicable law or contractual or other restrictions, a service agent may be permitted to vote shares with respect to which it has not received specific voting instructions from its customers. In those cases, the service agent may, but is not required to, vote such shares in the same proportion as those shares for which the service agent has received voting instructions. This practice is commonly referred to as “echo voting.”

If you beneficially own shares that are held in “street name” through a broker-dealer or that are held of record by a service agent, and if you do not give specific voting instructions for your

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shares, they may not be voted at all or, as described above, they may be voted in a manner that you may not intend. Therefore, you are strongly encouraged to give your broker-dealer or service agent specific instructions as to how you want your shares to be voted.

INDEPENDENT REGISTERED PUBLIC ACCOUNTING FIRM

The Board Members, including a majority of the Independent Board Members, of the Fund have selected Deloitte & Touche LLP (“D&T”) as the independent registered public accounting firm for the Fund.

A representative of D&T is expected to be present at the meeting. The representative of D&T will have the opportunity to make a statement at the meeting if he or she desires to do so and is expected to be available to respond to appropriate questions.

The Fund’s Audit Committee has discussed with D&T the matters required to be discussed by the applicable requirements of the Public Company Accounting Oversight Board (“PCAOB”) and the SEC.

The Fund’s Audit Committee has received from D&T the written disclosures and the letter required by PCAOB Ethics and Independence Rule 3526, Communication with Audit Committees Concerning Independence, has discussed D&T’s independence with D&T, and has considered the compatibility of non-audit services with the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm.

The Fund’s Audit Committee also reviews and discusses the Fund’s financial statements with Fund management and the independent registered public accounting firm. If any material concerns arise during the course of the audit and the preparation of the audited financial statements mailed to shareholders and included in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders, the Audit Committee would be notified by Fund management or the independent registered public accounting firm. The Audit Committee received no such notifications for the Fund during its most recently completed fiscal year. Following the Fund’s Audit Committee’s review and discussion with the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm, pursuant to authority delegated by the Board, the Fund’s Audit Committee approved the Fund’s audited financial statements for the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year ended July 31, 2024 for inclusion in the Fund’s annual report to shareholders.

Appendix E sets forth the fees billed by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm for the two most recent fiscal years for all audit, non-audit, tax and all other services provided directly to the Fund. The fee information in Appendix E is presented under the following captions:

(a) Audit Fees—fees related to the audit and review of the financial statements included in annual reports and registration statements, and other services that are normally provided in connection with statutory and regulatory filings or engagements, including out-of-pocket expenses.

(b) Audit-Related Fees—fees related to assurance and related services that are reasonably associated with the performance of the audit or review of financial statements, but not reported under “Audit Fees,” including accounting consultations, agreed-upon procedure reports, attestation reports, comfort letters and internal control reviews not required by regulators.

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(c) Tax Fees—fees associated with tax compliance and/or tax preparation, as applicable. Tax compliance and preparation include services such as the filing or amendment of federal, state or local income tax returns, and services relating to regulated investment company qualification reviews, taxable income and tax distribution calculations. All of the fees included under “Tax Fees” in Appendix E relate solely to services provided for tax compliance and/or tax preparation, and none of such fees relate to tax advice, tax planning or tax consulting.

(d) All Other Fees—fees for products and services provided to the Fund other than those reported under “Audit Fees,” “Audit-Related Fees” and “Tax Fees.”

(e) Aggregate Non-Audit Fees for Services Provided to the Fund and its Affiliated Service Providers Pre-Approved by the Audit Committee—the sum of the fees shown under “Audit-Related Fees,” “Tax Fees,” and “All Other Fees,” and fees paid by the Fund’s Affiliated Service Providers to the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

The Fund’s Audit Committee is required to approve all audit engagement fees and terms for the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee also is required to consider and approve (i) the provision by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm of any non-audit services to the Fund, and (ii) the provision by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm of non-audit services to BlackRock and any entity controlling, controlled by or under common control with BlackRock that provides ongoing services to the Fund (“Affiliated Service Providers”) to the extent that such approval (in the case of this clause (ii)) is required under applicable regulations of the SEC. See Appendix E to this Proxy Statement for information about the fees paid by the Fund, its investment adviser, and Affiliated Service Providers to the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm.

The Audit Committee of the Fund complies with applicable laws and regulations with regard to the pre-approval of services. Audit, audit-related and tax compliance services provided to the Fund on an annual basis require specific pre-approval by the Fund’s Audit Committee. As noted above, the Fund’s Audit Committee must also approve other non-audit services provided by the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm to the Fund and to the Fund’s Affiliated Service Providers that relate directly to the operations and financial reporting of the Fund. The Fund’s Audit Committee has implemented policies and procedures by which such services may be approved other than by the full Audit Committee. Subject to such policies and procedures, including applicable dollar limitations, the Fund’s Audit Committee may pre-approve, without consideration on a specific case-by-case basis (“general pre-approval”), certain permissible non-audit services that the Audit Committee believes are (a) consistent with the SEC’s auditor independence rules and (b) routine and recurring services that will not impair the independence of the independent registered public accounting firm. Each service approved subject to general pre-approval is presented to the Fund’s Audit Committee for ratification at the next regularly scheduled Board meeting.

For the Fund’s two most recently completed fiscal years, there were no services rendered by D&T to the Fund for which the general pre-approval requirement was waived.

Fees for non-audit services provided to the Fund’s Affiliated Service Providers for which pre-approval by the Fund’s Audit Committee was required for the calendar years ended December 31, 2024 and December 31, 2023 were $2,149,000 and $2,154,000, respectively. These fees were paid in their entirety by BlackRock in connection with services provided to the Affiliated Service Providers of the Fund and of other BlackRock open-end and closed-end funds primarily for a service organization controls review and secondarily, a subscription to the Deloitte Accounting Research Tool. These amounts represent the aggregate fees paid by BlackRock and were not specifically allocated on a per fund basis.

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The Fund’s Audit Committee has considered the provision of non-audit services that were rendered by D&T to the Fund’s Affiliated Service Providers that were not pre-approved (and did not require pre-approval) in connection with determining such auditor’s independence. All services provided by D&T to the Fund and the Fund’s Affiliated Service Providers that required pre-approval were pre-approved during the Fund’s most recently completed fiscal year.

The Audit Committee of the Fund consists of the following Board Members:

Catherine A. Lynch (Chair);

Arthur P. Steinmetz;

Lorenzo A. Flores; and

J. Phillip Holloman.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

5% Beneficial Share Ownership

As of April 30, 2025, to the best of the Fund’s knowledge, based on filings made on or before April 30, 2025 (unless otherwise indicated), the following persons beneficially owned more than 5% of the outstanding shares of the class of the Fund:

Investment Advisor and Administrator

The Advisor provides investment advisory and administrative services to the Fund. The Advisor is responsible for the management of the Fund’s portfolio and provides the necessary personnel, facilities, equipment and certain other services necessary to the operation of the Fund. The Advisor, located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001, is a wholly owned subsidiary of BlackRock.

Distributor

BlackRock Investments, LLC serves as the placement agent for the common shares of certain other BlackRock Closed-End Funds through various specified transactions, including at-the-market offerings pursuant to Rule 415 under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, subject to various conditions. BlackRock Investments, LLC is located at 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.

Submission of Shareholder Proposals

A shareholder proposal intended to be presented at a future meeting of shareholders of the Fund must be received at the offices of the Fund, 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001, in accordance with the timing requirements set forth below. Timely submission of a proposal does not guarantee that such proposal will be included in a proxy statement.

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If a Fund shareholder intends to present a proposal at the 2026 annual meeting of the Fund’s shareholders and desires to have the proposal included in the Fund’s proxy statement and form of proxy for that meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act, the shareholder must deliver the proposal to the offices of the Fund by Thursday, January 22, 2026. In the event the Fund moves the date of its 2026 annual shareholder meeting by more than 30 days from the anniversary of its 2025 annual shareholder meeting, shareholder submissions of proposals for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy statement and proxy card for the 2026 annual shareholder meeting pursuant to Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act must be delivered to the Fund at a reasonable time before the Fund begins to print and send its proxy materials in connection with the 2026 annual shareholder meeting.

Shareholders who do not wish to submit a proposal for inclusion in the Fund’s proxy statement and form of proxy for the 2026 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act may submit a proposal for consideration at the 2026 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with the By-laws of the Fund. The By-laws for the Fund require that advance notice be given to the Fund in the event a shareholder desires to transact any business, including business from the floor, at an annual meeting of shareholders, including the nomination of Board Members. Notice of any such business or nomination for consideration at the 2026 annual shareholder meeting must be in writing, comply with the requirements of the Fund’s By-laws and, assuming that the 2026 annual shareholder meeting is held within 25 days of July 11, 2026, must be received by the Fund between Wednesday, February 11, 2026 and Friday, March 13, 2026.

In order for a shareholder proposal made outside of Rule 14a-8 under the Exchange Act to be considered “timely” within the meaning of Rule 14a-4(c) under the Exchange Act, such proposal must be received at the Fund’s principal executive offices by Friday, March 13, 2026. In the event the Fund moves the date of its 2026 annual shareholder meeting by more than 25 days from the anniversary of its 2025 annual shareholder meeting, shareholders who wish to submit a proposal or nomination for consideration at the 2026 annual shareholder meeting in accordance with the advance notice provisions of the By-laws of the Fund must deliver such proposal or nomination not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which the notice of the date of the meeting was mailed or such public disclosure of the meeting date was made, whichever comes first. If such proposals are not “timely” within the meaning of Rule 14a-4(c), then proxies solicited by the Board for the 2026 annual shareholder meeting may confer discretionary authority to the Board to vote on such proposals.

Copies of the By-laws of the Fund are available on the EDGAR Database on the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov. The Fund will also furnish, without charge, a copy of its By-laws to a shareholder upon request. Such requests should be directed to the Fund at 100 Bellevue Parkway, Wilmington, DE 19809, or by calling toll free at 1-800-882-0052. For further information, please see Appendix C—Committees of the Board—Governance Committee.

Written proposals (including nominations of Board Members) and notices should be sent to the Secretary of the Fund, 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001.

Shareholder Communications

Shareholders who want to communicate with the Board or any individual Board Member should write to the attention of the Secretary of the Fund, 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001. Shareholders may communicate with the Board electronically by sending an e-mail to [email protected]. The communication should indicate that you are a Fund shareholder. If the communication is intended for a specific Board Member and so indicates, it will

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be sent only to that Board Member. If a communication does not indicate a specific Board Member, it will be sent to the Chair of the Governance Committee and the outside counsel to the Independent Board Members for further distribution as deemed appropriate by such persons.

Additionally, shareholders with complaints or concerns regarding accounting matters may address letters to the CCO, 50 Hudson Yards, New York, NY 10001. Shareholders who are uncomfortable submitting complaints to the CCO may address letters directly to the Chair of the Audit Committee of the Board that oversees the Fund. Such letters may be submitted on an anonymous basis.

Expense of Proxy Solicitation

The cost of preparing, printing and mailing the enclosed proxy, accompanying notice and this Proxy Statement, and costs in connection with the solicitation of proxies and hosting the virtual meeting will be borne by the Fund. Additional out-of-pocket costs, such as legal expenses and auditor fees, incurred in connection with the preparation of this Proxy Statement, also will be borne by the Fund.

Solicitation may be made by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or the Internet by officers or employees of the Advisor, or by dealers and their representatives. Brokerage houses, banks and other fiduciaries may be requested to forward proxy solicitation material to their principals to obtain authorization for the execution of proxies. The Fund will reimburse brokerage firms, custodians, banks and fiduciaries for their expenses in forwarding this Proxy Statement and proxy materials to the beneficial owners of the Fund’s shares. The Fund and BlackRock have retained Georgeson, 51 West 52^nd Street, 6^th Floor, New York, NY 10019, a proxy solicitation firm, to assist in the distribution of proxy materials, the solicitation and tabulation of proxies and the hosting of the virtual meeting. It is anticipated that Georgeson will be paid approximately $11,000 for such services (including reimbursements of out-of-pocket expenses). Georgeson may solicit proxies personally and by mail, telephone, fax, e-mail or the Internet.

Standstill Agreements

Karpus Standstill Agreement

On May 3, 2024, the Fund and the Advisor entered into a standstill agreement with Karpus Management, Inc. (“Karpus”). During the effective period of the standstill agreement, Karpus, the Fund and the Advisor agreed to be bound by the terms of such agreement, which include an agreement by Karpus to (1) abide by certain standstill covenants, and (2) vote its Common Shares in accordance with the recommendation of the Fund’s Board on all proposals submitted to shareholders. The standstill agreement will remain in effect until the earlier of (A) May 3, 2027 and (B) 10 days prior to the record date for the Fund’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders, unless the agreement is terminated earlier by the parties.

Saba Standstill Agreements

On January 20, 2025, the Fund and the Advisor entered into a standstill agreement with Saba Capital Management, L.P. (“Saba”). During the effective period of the standstill agreement, Saba, the Fund and the Advisor agreed to be bound by the terms of such agreement, which include an agreement by Saba to (1) abide by certain customary standstill covenants, (2) withdraw the shareholder proposal previously submitted for consideration at the Fund’s 2025 annual meeting of shareholders, and (3) vote its common shares of beneficial interest, if any, in accordance with the recommendation of the Fund’s Board on all matters submitted to shareholders. The standstill

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agreement will remain in effect until the day following completion of the Fund’s 2027 annual meeting of shareholders or August 31, 2027, whichever is earlier, unless the agreement is terminated earlier by the parties.

If You Plan to Attend the Annual Meeting

Attendance at the annual meeting will be limited to the Fund’s shareholders as of the Record Date. If your shares in the Fund are registered in your name, you may attend and participate in the meeting at meetnow.global/MDYK99Y by entering the control number found in the shaded box on your proxy card on the date and time of the meeting. You may vote during the meeting by following the instructions that will be available on the meeting website during the meeting. If you are a beneficial shareholder of the Fund, you will not be able to vote at the virtual meeting unless you have registered in advance to attend the meeting. To register, you must submit proof of your proxy power (legal proxy) reflecting your Fund holdings along with your name and email address to Georgeson, the Fund’s tabulator. You may email an image of your legal proxy to [email protected]. Requests for registration must be received no later than 5:00 p.m. (Eastern time) three business days prior to the meeting date. You will receive a confirmation email from Georgeson (through Computershare) of your registration and a control number and security code that will allow you to vote at the meeting.

Privacy Principles of the Fund

The Fund is committed to maintaining the privacy of their current and former shareholders and to safeguarding their non-public personal information. The following information is provided to help you understand what personal information the Fund collects, how the Fund protects that information and why, in certain cases, the Fund may share such information with select parties.

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

The Fund obtains or verifies personal non-public information from and about you from different sources, including the following: (i) information the Fund receives from you or, if applicable, your financial intermediary, on applications, forms or other documents; (ii) information about your transactions with the Fund, its affiliates or others; (iii) information the Fund receives from a consumer reporting agency; and (iv) information the Fund receives from visits to the Fund’s or its affiliates’ websites.

The Fund does not sell or disclose to non-affiliated third parties any non-public personal information about its current and former shareholders, except as permitted by law or as is necessary to respond to regulatory requests or to service shareholder accounts. These non-affiliated third parties are required to protect the confidentiality and security of this information and to use it only for its intended purpose.

The Fund may share information with its 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, the Fund restricts access to non-public personal information about their current and former shareholders to those BlackRock employees with a legitimate business need for the information. The Fund maintains physical, electronic and procedural safeguards that are designed to protect the non-public personal information of their current and former shareholders, including procedures relating to the proper storage and disposal of such information.

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General

Management does not intend to present and does not have reason to believe that any other items of business will be presented at the 2025 annual shareholder meeting. However, if other matters are properly presented to the meeting for a vote, the proxies will be voted by the persons named in the enclosed proxy upon such matters in accordance with their judgment of what is in the best interests of the Fund.

A list of the Fund’s shareholders as of the Record Date will be available electronically for inspection by any record shareholder of the Fund beginning two business days after notice is given of the annual shareholder meeting and continuing through the annual shareholder meeting. Shareholders interested in inspecting the list of shareholders for the Fund should contact Georgeson LLC at [email protected] for additional information.

Failure of a quorum to be present at any meeting may necessitate adjournment. The Board of the Fund, prior to any shareholder meeting being convened, may postpone such meeting from time to time to a date not more than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the original record date. The chair of any shareholder meeting may also adjourn such meeting from time to time to reconvene at the same or some other place, and notice of any such adjourned meeting need not be given if the time and place by which shareholders may be deemed to be present in person and vote at such adjourned meeting are announced at the meeting at which the adjournment is taken. The chair of any shareholder meeting may adjourn such meeting under various circumstances, including to permit further solicitation of proxies with respect to a proposal if the chair determines that adjournment is reasonable and in the best interests of shareholders. At the adjourned shareholder meeting, the Fund may transact any business which might have been transacted at the original meeting. Any adjourned shareholder meeting may be held as adjourned one or more times without further notice not later than one hundred and twenty (120) days after the original record date.

Please vote promptly by signing and dating each enclosed proxy card, and if received by mail, returning it in the accompanying postage-paid return envelope OR by following the enclosed instructions to provide voting instructions by telephone or via the Internet.

By Order of the Board,

Janey Ahn

Secretary of the Fund

May 22, 2025

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Appendix A – Compensation of the Board Members

Each Independent Board Member is paid an annual retainer of $370,000 per year for his or her services as a Board Member of the BlackRock-advised funds, including the Fund, together with out-of-pocket expenses in accordance with a Board policy on travel and other business expenses relating to attendance at meetings. In addition, the Chair of the Board and the Vice Chair of the Board are paid an additional annual retainer of $140,000 and $84,000, respectively. The Chairs of the Audit Committee, Performance Oversight Committee, Compliance Committee, Governance Committee, Discount Committee and Securities Lending Committee are each paid an additional annual retainer of $55,000, $42,500, $50,000, $42,500, $25,000 and $20,000, respectively. Each of the other members of the Audit Committee, Compliance Committee, Governance Committee, Discount Committee and Securities Lending Committee is paid an additional annual retainer of $30,000, $25,000, $25,000, $20,000 and $15,000, respectively, for his or her service on such committee. An Independent Board Member may receive additional compensation for his or her service as a member or Chair, as applicable, of one or more ad hoc committees of the Board. The Fund will pay a pro rata portion quarterly (based on relative net assets) of the foregoing Board Member fees paid by the funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex.

The Independent Board Members have agreed that a maximum of 50% of each Independent Board Member’s total compensation paid by funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex may be deferred pursuant to the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex’s deferred compensation plan. Under the deferred compensation plan, deferred amounts earn a return for the Independent Board Members as though equivalent dollar amounts had been invested in shares of certain funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex selected by the Independent Board Members. This has approximately the same economic effect for the Independent Board Members as if they had invested the deferred amounts in such funds in the BlackRock Fixed-Income Complex. The deferred compensation plan is not funded and obligations thereunder represent general unsecured claims against the general assets of a fund and are recorded as a liability for accounting purposes.

Prior to January 1, 2024, the Chair of the Board and the Vice Chair of the Board were paid an additional annual retainer of $100,000 and $60,000, respectively. The Chairs of the Audit Committee, Performance Oversight Committee, Compliance Committee, and Governance Committee were paid an additional annual retainer of $45,000, $37,500, $45,000 and $37,500, respectively.

The following table sets forth the aggregate compensation, including deferred compensation amounts, paid to each Independent Board Member by the Fund during its most recently completed fiscal year and by all BlackRock-advised funds for the most recently completed calendar year. For the number of BlackRock-advised Funds from which each Independent Board Member receives compensation, see the Biographical Information Chart in the discussion of Proposal 1. Messrs. Perlowski and Fairbairn serve without compensation from the Fund because of their affiliation with BlackRock, Inc. and the Advisor.

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Appendix B – Equity Securities Owned by Board Members and Board Nominees

The following table shows the amount of equity securities owned by the Board Members/Board Nominees in the Fund as of February 28, 2025, except as otherwise indicated. No Board Member/Board Nominee owns Preferred Shares.

As of April 30, 2025, all Board Members/Board Nominees and executive officers as a group owned less than 1% of the outstanding shares of the Fund, and the Chief Financial Officer of the Fund did not own any shares in the Fund.

As of April 30, 2025, none of the Independent Board Members nor their immediate family members had any interest in BlackRock or any person directly or indirectly controlling, controlled by, or under common control with BlackRock.

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Appendix C – Committees of the Board

The business and affairs of the Fund are managed by or under the direction of the Board.

Standing Committees. The Board of the Fund has established the following standing committees:

Audit Committee. The Board has a standing Audit Committee composed of Catherine A. Lynch (Chair), Lorenzo A. Flores, J. Phillip Holloman and Arthur P. Steinmetz, all of whom are Independent Board Members. Ms. Lynch and Messrs. Steinmetz and Flores have been determined by the Audit Committee and the Board to be Audit Committee Financial Experts. The principal responsibilities of the Audit Committee are to assist the Board in fulfilling its oversight responsibilities relating to the accounting and financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund. The Audit Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) approving and recommending to the full Board for approval the selection, retention, termination and compensation of the Fund’s independent registered public accounting firm (the “Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm”) and evaluating the independence and objectivity of the Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm; (ii) approving all audit engagement terms and fees for the Fund; (iii) reviewing the conduct and results of each audit; (iv) reviewing any issues raised by the Fund’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm or management regarding the accounting or financial reporting policies and practices of the Fund, its internal controls, and, as appropriate, the internal controls of certain service providers and management’s response to any such issues; (v) reviewing and discussing the Fund’s audited and unaudited financial statements and disclosure in the Fund’s shareholder reports relating to the Fund’s performance; (vi) assisting the Board’s responsibilities with respect to the internal controls of the Fund and its service providers with respect to accounting and financial matters; and (vii) resolving any disagreements between the Fund’s management and the Fund’s Independent Registered Public Accounting Firm regarding financial reporting.

A copy of the Audit Committee Charter for the Fund can be found in the “Corporate Governance” section of the BlackRock Closed-End Fund website at www.blackrock.com.

Governance Committee. The Board has a standing Governance Committee composed of W. Carl Kester (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan, J. Phillip Holloman, R. Glenn Hubbard and Catherine A. Lynch, all of whom are Independent Board Members.

The principal responsibilities of the Governance Committee are: (i) identifying individuals qualified to serve as Independent Board Members and recommending Board Nominees that are not “interested persons” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) for election by shareholders or appointment by the Board; (ii) advising the Board with respect to Board composition, procedures and Committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (iii) overseeing periodic self-assessments of the Board and Committees of the Board (other than the Audit Committee); (iv) reviewing and making recommendations with respect to Independent Board Member compensation; (v) monitoring corporate governance matters and making recommendations in respect thereof to the Board; (vi) acting as the administrative committee with respect to Board policies and procedures, committee policies and procedures (other than the Audit Committee) and codes of ethics as they relate to the Independent Board Members; and (vii) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board in respect of Fund share ownership by the Independent Board Members.

The Governance Committee of the Board seeks to identify individuals to serve on the Board who have a diverse range of viewpoints, qualifications, experiences, backgrounds and skill sets so

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that the Board will be better suited to fulfill its responsibility of overseeing the Fund’s activities. In so doing, the Governance Committee reviews the size of the Board, the ages of the current Board Members and their tenure on the Board, and the skills, background and experiences of the Board Members in light of the issues facing the Fund in determining whether one or more new Board Members should be added to the Board. The Board as a group strives to achieve diversity in terms of gender, race and geographic location. The Governance Committee believes that the Board Members as a group possess the array of skills, experiences and backgrounds necessary to guide the Fund. The Board Members’ biographies included in the Proxy Statement highlight the diversity and breadth of skills, qualifications and expertise that the Board Members bring to the Fund.

The Governance Committee may consider nominations for Board Members made by the Fund’s shareholders as it deems appropriate. Under the Fund’s By-laws, shareholders must follow certain procedures to nominate a person for election as a Board Member at an annual or special meeting, or to introduce an item of business at an annual meeting. Under these advance notice procedures, shareholders must submit the proposed nominee or item of business by delivering a notice to the Secretary of the Fund at its principal executive offices. The Fund must receive notice of a shareholder’s intention to introduce a nomination or proposed item of business for an annual shareholder meeting not less than 120 days nor more than 150 days before the anniversary of the prior year’s annual shareholder meeting. Assuming that the 2026 annual shareholder meeting of a Fund is held within 25 days of July 11, 2026, the Fund must receive notice pertaining to the 2026 annual meeting of shareholders no earlier than Wednesday, February 11, 2026 and no later than Friday, March 13, 2026. However, if the Fund holds its 2026 annual shareholder meeting on a date that is not within 25 days before or after July 11, 2026, such Fund must receive the notice of a shareholder’s intention to introduce a nomination or proposed item of business not later than the close of business on the tenth day following the day on which the notice of the date of the shareholder meeting was mailed or the public disclosure of the date of the shareholder meeting was made, whichever comes first.

The Fund’s By-laws provide that notice of a proposed nomination must include certain information about the shareholder and the nominee, as well as a written consent of the proposed nominee to serve if elected. A notice of a proposed item of business must include a description of and the reasons for bringing the proposed business to the meeting, any material interest of the shareholder in the business, and certain other information about the shareholder.

Further, the Fund has adopted Board Member qualification requirements which can be found in the Fund’s By-laws and are applicable to all Board Members that may be nominated, elected, appointed, qualified or seated to serve as Board Members. The qualification requirements may include: (i) age limits; (ii) limits on service on other boards; (iii) restrictions on relationships with investment advisers other than BlackRock; and (iv) character and fitness requirements. In addition to not being an “interested person” of the Fund as defined under Section 2(a)(19) of the 1940 Act, each Independent Board Member may not be or have certain relationships with a shareholder owning five percent or more of the Fund’s voting securities or owning other percentage ownership interests in investment companies registered under the 1940 Act. Reference is made to the Fund’s By-laws for more details.

A copy of the Governance Committee Charter for the Fund can be found in the “Corporate Governance” section of the BlackRock Closed-End Fund website at www.blackrock.com.

Compliance Committee. The Fund has a Compliance Committee composed of Cynthia L. Egan (Chair), Stayce D. Harris, R. Glenn Hubbard and W. Carl Kester, all of whom are Independent Board Members. The Compliance Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility with respect to the oversight of regulatory and fiduciary compliance

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matters involving the Fund, the fund-related activities of BlackRock, and any sub-advisers and the Fund’s other third party service providers. The Compliance Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) overseeing the compliance policies and procedures of the Fund and its service providers and recommending changes or additions to such policies and procedures; (ii) reviewing information on and, where appropriate, recommending policies concerning the Fund’s compliance with applicable law; (iii) reviewing information on any significant correspondence with or other actions by regulators or governmental agencies with respect to the Fund and any employee complaints or published reports that raise concerns regarding compliance matters; and (iv) reviewing reports from, overseeing the annual performance review of, and making certain recommendations in respect of the CCO, including, without limitation, determining the amount and structure of the CCO’s compensation. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board’s Compliance Committee.

Performance Oversight Committee. The Fund has a Performance Oversight Committee composed of Arthur P. Steinmetz (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan, Lorenzo A. Flores, Stayce D. Harris, J. Phillip Holloman, R. Glenn Hubbard, W. Carl Kester and Catherine A. Lynch, all of whom are Independent Board Members. The Performance Oversight Committee’s purpose is to assist the Board in fulfilling its responsibility to oversee the Fund’s investment performance relative to the Fund’s investment objective(s), policies and practices. The Performance Oversight Committee’s responsibilities include, without limitation: (i) reviewing the Fund’s investment objective(s), policies and practices; (ii) recommending to the Board any required action in respect of changes in fundamental and non-fundamental investment restrictions; (iii) reviewing information on appropriate benchmarks and competitive universes; (iv) reviewing the Fund’s investment performance relative to such benchmarks; (v) reviewing information on unusual or exceptional investment matters; (vi) reviewing whether the Fund has complied with its investment policies and restrictions; and (vii) overseeing policies, procedures and controls regarding valuation of the Fund’s investments. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board’s Performance Oversight Committee.

Discount Committee. The Fund has a Discount Committee composed of Catherine A. Lynch (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan, W. Carl Kester and Arthur P. Steinmetz, all of whom are Independent Board Members. The principal responsibilities of the Discount Committee include, without limitation, the following responsibilities with respect to the Fund when the Fund is trading at a share price lower than its net asset value (referred to as “trading at a discount”): (i) monitoring, on behalf of the Board, the Fund; (ii) seeking to identify factors driving the Fund trading at a discount; (iii) engaging with the Advisor on ways to potentially mitigate the Fund trading at a discount; (iv) reviewing and making recommendations to the Board regarding actions related to the Fund trading at a discount; and (v) addressing such other matters relating to the Fund trading at a discount as the Discount Committee deems appropriate. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board’s Discount Committee.

Securities Lending Committee. The Fund has a Securities Lending Committee composed of Catherine A. Lynch (Chair), Cynthia L. Egan and W. Carl Kester, all of whom are Independent Board Members. The principal responsibilities of the Securities Lending Committee include, without limitation: (i) supporting, overseeing and organizing on behalf of the Board the process for oversight of the Fund’s securities lending activities; and (ii) providing a recommendation to the Board regarding the annual approval of the Fund’s Securities Lending Guidelines and the Fund’s agreement with the lending agent. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board’s Securities Lending Committee.

Executive Committee. The Fund has an Executive Committee composed of R. Glenn Hubbard (Chair) and W. Carl Kester, both of whom are Independent Board Members, and

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John M. Perlowski, who serves as an interested Board Member. The principal responsibilities of the Executive Committee include, without limitation: (i) acting on routine matters between meetings of the Board; (ii) acting on such matters as may require urgent action between meetings of the Board; and (iii) exercising such other authority as may from time to time be delegated to the Executive Committee by the Board. The Board has adopted a written charter for the Board’s Executive Committee.

The Board currently oversee the Fund’s usage of leverage, including the Fund’s incurrence, refinancing and maintenance of leverage and, to the extent necessary or appropriate, authorize or approve the execution of documentation in respect thereto. The Executive Committee has authority to make any such authorizations or approvals that are required between regular meetings of the Board.

The Audit Committee, Governance Committee, Compliance Committee, Performance Oversight Committee, Discount Committee, Securities Lending Committee and Executive Committee met the following number of times for the Fund’s most recent fiscal year:

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Appendix D – Information Pertaining to the Executive Officers of the Fund

The executive officers of the Fund, their address, their year of birth and their principal occupations during the past five years (their titles may have varied during that period) are shown in the table below. Each executive officer is an “interested person” of the Fund (as defined in the 1940 Act) by virtue of that individual’s position with BlackRock or its affiliates described in the table below.

With the exception of the CCO, executive officers receive no compensation from the Fund. The Fund compensates the CCO for his services as its CCO.

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Appendix E – Audit Fees, Audit-Related Fees, Tax Fees and All Other Fees

to Independent Registered Public Accountants

Audit Fees and Audit-Related Fees

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Tax Fees and All Other Fees

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Aggregate Non-Audit Fees for Services Provided to the Fund and its Affiliated Service Providers Pre-Approved by the Audit Committee:

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