Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation have announced the 40 winners of the third annual L.O.C.A.L. Small Business Grant program, providing $5,000 grants to small businesses across Nassau and Suffolk counties.
The program, whose name stands for “Lifting Our Community Businesses Across Long Island,” is designed to help local entrepreneurs invest in their businesses, create opportunities and strengthen the communities they serve.
Among this year’s recipients are Barber & Beauty Institute of New York in Hempstead, which will use its grant to purchase equipment, student kits and supplies for its barber training programs while continuing to offer free haircuts to underserved residents.
Burger Boys Bar and Grill in Glen Cove plans to put its funding toward the first phase of an outdoor patio project, creating additional seating and space for community gatherings and live events.
PRIDE EMBROIDERY in Bay Shore will use its grant to promote its new location, develop an e-commerce website and upgrade its server. Save the Great South Bay in Babylon, meanwhile, will invest in equipment, supplies and volunteer coordination to expand its water-quality cleanup and oyster restoration efforts.
The 40 businesses will be recognized at the 2026 Small Business Summit on June 16, hosted by Optimum Business in partnership with the LIA Foundation. The event will bring together small business owners and community members from across Long Island.
Optimum Business and the LIA Foundation also expect to select two grand-prize winners later this summer, with each receiving an additional $20,000.
Since the grant program launched in 2024, the partnership has awarded $500,000 to 90 Long Island small businesses. With this year’s recipients included, 130 businesses will have been impacted by the program.
The LIA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Long Island Association, continues to work with the Long Island Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Long Island African American Chamber of Commerce to expand the program’s reach among businesses throughout the region.
The initiative comes as the Long Island Association celebrates its 100th anniversary, highlighting the role small businesses continue to play in the region’s economy.
The full list of 2026 grant recipients and additional information about the program is available through Optimum Business.