Funding is available to help new and aspiring business owners successful launch their dream businesses. Business Gateway West Lothian’s Start Up Advisers can provide support with finding and applying for funding opportunities.
Intro to Business Grant
The Intro to Business Grant has been created to assist eligible West Lothian residents with the costs of starting a new business (such as purchasing essential equipment and tools), and to help them overcome any barriers that are preventing them from getting started.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The business must be based in West Lothian
- This fund is only available for businesses that have been trading for a maximum of 6 months
To learn more or apply, please email bgateway@westlothian.gov.uk
High Growth Start Up Grant
The High Growth Start Up Grant is exclusive to businesses within the first 18 months of trading. Businesses can receive grant support of up to £4,000 to bring new products to market, attend trade events and build capacity within the business.
Eligibility Criteria:
- Businesses must be VAT registered or turnover of £60K+
- Be in commercial premises
- Employ a minimum of one member of staff or have the potential to create employment within 6 months
- Due to budgetary restraints we can no longer accept applications from professional service businesses.
To learn more or apply, please email bgateway@westlothian.gov.uk
Parental Business Start Up Grant
Delivered by Access2Employment’s Parental Employment Support team, this fund is available to support West Lothian parents with funding towards starting their own businesses.
Eligibility Criteria:
- The resident must be based in West Lothian
- The resident must be a parent. All parents are entitled to apply for support, however, funding priority will be given to parents that identify under one or more of the priority groups:
- Lone parent
- Parent with a disability or disabled child
- Parent of 3+ children
- Parent of a child under 1
- Parent aged under 25
- Minority ethnic families
- Households under the minimum income calculation
- This funding is not available to any business owners that have already received the Intro to Business Grant.
To learn more or apply, please email pesf@westlothian.gov.uk
The Shop Front Improvement Scheme
The Shop Front Improvement Scheme provides eligible businesses across West Lothian with funding to help towards the costs of external frontage improvements to their premises, such as painting or new signage.
This gives business owners the opportunity to update and enhance their exteriors, create a strong and attractive appearance, whilst also having a positive visual impact and benefit on West Lothian’s town and village centres. It should be noted that shopfront works might need planning permission and/or building warrant, and the display of signage may require advertisement consent.
Eligibility Criteria
- The business premises must be located in one of West Lothian’s traditional town centres or villages
To learn more or apply, please email nairn.pearson@westlothian.gov.uk
West Lothian Chamber of Commerce
We can organise 12 months free membership to the West Lothian Chamber of Commerce for new business owners in the local area. This will give you access to a network of local businesses and discounted rates for Chamber events.
To learn more or apply, please email bgateway@westlothian.gov.uk
Our budgets are limited. Grants are awarded at our discretion and based on their likely economic impact. Where a business is awarded a grant, they may not reapply for further funding within 18 months.
Funding Success Story - Edinburgh Documentary Films
West Lothian based business Edinburgh Documentary Films successfully applied for and received the High Growth Start Up Grant, which allowed them to invest in a full editing suite. This enabled them to bring post production in house, increasing productivity and efficiency.
