The Long Island Association Foundation and Optimum Business awarded grants to 40 Long Island small businesses during its third annual LOCAL Small Business Grant program. The businesses represent various communities in Nassau and Suffolk counties, including Freeport, and have received $5,000 each to help support financial growth and stability.
Theresa Aydelott, the owner of consulting firm Ayd-enVision based in Freeport, was the sole Freeport recipient, and expressed appreciation for the funding and acknowledgments the Long Island Association and Optimum.
“Being recognized in this way by LIA and Optimum is pivotal both personally and professionally,” Aydelott told the Herald. “I am truly grateful and honored because it affirms the legitimacy of the business model I envisioned for Ayd-enVision and the services it is designed to render to other businesses.”
Aydelott plans to use the $5,000 grant to expand her business operations on Long Island, investment in artificial intelligence and other technology tools and the development of a “library-based outreach initiative” in Nassau County. She added that it is important to embrace a growth mindset amidst the adversity small businesses often face.
“Adversity is nothing new, it is the fuel to strengthen Ayd-enVision’s impact through innovation, agility and closely connected to industry partners and technology,” she said. “For me, that means continuing to listen carefully, refine my services and position them as real solutions to the operational and growth challenges businesses face.”
Aydelott also acknowledged the New York Knicks’ recent championship win in the 2026 NBA Finals as “a reminder of the beneficial outcomes of persistence, drive and collaborative networks.”
Both Optimum and the Long Island Association spoke highly of the innovation and drive of Long Island small business owners ahead of their joint 2026 Small Business Summit on June 16.
“At Optimum Business, we’re proud to continue investing in the small businesses that help Long Island communities grow and thrive,” Andrew Rainone, senior vice president of National Business Sales at Optimum, said. “These 2026 grant winners reflect the passion, innovation and resilience of local entrepreneurs across Nassau and Suffolk counties.”
Long Island Association Board Chair Lawrence Waldman added, “Small businesses comprise the majority of business on Long Island, and that’s why it’s so important to provide them with resources to help them grow and create new jobs across our communities.”
Two small business grand prize winners are expected to be announced later this summer, each receiving a $20,000 grant. The full list of grant recipients and information on the LOCAL Small Business Grant program can be found at optimum.com/business/local-2026.
