Invest in West Lothian - November Newsletter

Celebrating Good News Stories in West Lothian

Mid-Year West Lothian Business Support Check In

Now that we are officially over halfway through the 2026 – 2027 business year, we wanted to check in and give our subscribers an update on the support that we have provided West Lothian businesses with so far.

Some of our highlights include:

• 162 new businesses supported at the start up stage, resulting in 186 new jobs created in the local area
• 426 cases of unique business support provided, including support for 51 social enterprises
• Relaunching our Expert Help Programme with new consultants
• Celebrating West Lothian Business Week 2026
• Hosting an exciting calendar of workshops and events
• Launching our Start Up Support Drop In Sessions

Watch the short video below to learn more:

If you would like to request support for your business, please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk 

Funding for Businesses in West Lothian

The Invest in West Lothian team have extensive experience of preparing funding packages for local businesses of all sizes. Each month, we will highlight a new funding opportunity that is currently available to eligible businesses in the area.

Project Grant

Our popular Project Grant is aimed at West Lothian businesses that want to enhance their competitive edge through capacity building and efficiency improvements.

With this exciting grant, eligible businesses can receive funding of up to £7,500, against a spend of at least £15,000, towards eligible capital expenditure costs, such as purchasing new equipment (excluding vehicles).

You can learn more and view the eligibility criteria here.

Upcoming Events

We are delighted to be hosting the following free events in November:

Influencing Skills

This short workshop introduces the fundamentals of effective influence, focusing on clear communication, building trust, and understanding what motivates the people you’re trying to persuade. Participants explore practical techniques for shaping conversations, presenting ideas with confidence, and navigating resistance without creating conflict. This is taking place from 9:00am – 4:00pm on Thursday, the 12th of November 2026, at the Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian office in Bathgate.

Goal Setting for Growth

This workshop gives participants the clarity, structure, and motivation they need to set meaningful goals that drive real progress, both personally and professionally. Participants will discover how to align goals with their strengths, values, and organisational priorities, how to break big ambitions into manageable steps, and how to stay accountable when motivation dips. This is taking place from 9:00am – 4:00pm on Monday, the 16th of November 2026, at the Voluntary Sector Gateway West Lothian office in Bathgate.

Pinterest for Business

This practical webinar explores how businesses can use Pinterest to increase visibility, reach new audiences and drive high-quality traffic to their website. Whether you sell products, promote services or simply want more people to discover your business, Pinterest could become a valuable part of your marketing strategy. This is taking place from 10:00am – 12:00pm on Tuesday, the 24th of November 2026.

AI Power User: Getting Real Results from LLMs

During this webinar, you will learn advanced techniques that transform how you use ChatGPT, Claude, and other AI tools - from prompting them properly to getting them to catch their own mistakes. You will walk away with real automation workflows you can implement in your business straight away, from simple AI scheduled tasks to the advanced agentic capabilities of Claude CoWork. This is taking place from 10:00am – 12:30pm on Monday, the 30th of November 2026.

1:1 Marketing and Branding Surgery Sessions

We are offering eligible West Lothian businesses the opportunity to have a 1-hour virtual 1:1 Surgery Session with Marketing and Branding expert, Paul Hunter. During the session, you can ask any questions that you have about Marketing and Branding or discuss a specific challenge your business is facing. These appointments are booked on a flexible basis on a day and time that works for you.

1:1 Procurement Surgery Sessions

1:1 free virtual surgery sessions are also available to book with procurement expert, Mandy Millar, Owner of Millar Tender Solutions. These sessions have been created to help West Lothian business owners improve their understanding of the procurement process and improve their success rate with tender bids. Sessions last 1-hour and flexible appointments are available.

To view our full calendar of events and book your free spaces, please click here.

West Lothian Construction Forum Networking Event

Join the West Lothian Construction Forum for their latest networking event on Thursday, the 19^th of November. They will be joined by West Lothian College’s Steven Morrison and Angela Bell, who will be discussing the new Local Growth Fund and the opportunities that this will create for West Lothian’s construction businesses. They will also be providing more information about the support that the College can offer local firms, including new funding available for training and upskilling within the sector. This is taking place from 4:30pm – 5:30pm at The Eco House at West Lothian College in Livingston.

You can book your space here.

If you have any questions about any of the topics covered, please email invest@westlothian.gov.uk .

Have a brilliant month!