Invest in West Lothian - August Newsletter
Welcome to the August edition of the Invest in West Lothian newsletter! In our newsletter, we will be sharing the latest news stories, funding opportunities, and events for businesses in West Lothian.
Here at Invest in West Lothian, we are committed to helping businesses in West Lothian grow by providing confidential and impartial advice, highlighting funding opportunities, and sharing helpful resources. We can help new and established businesses that are currently based in West Lothian, or are looking to relocate to the area. You can learn more about the support we offer by visiting www.investinwestlothian.com .
Celebrating Good News Stories in West Lothian
Nominations are Open for the West Lothian Business Excellence Awards!
West Lothian’s premier business awards are back!
The West Lothian Chamber of Commerce are now accepting nominations for their Business Excellence Awards, which celebrate the talent, drive, achievements and success of businesses in the local area. All West Lothian-based businesses are eligible to apply, and can submit nominations on behalf of themselves or other organisations.
Categories include:
- Best Business Award
- Shona Sibbald Woman in Business
- Environmental Champion
- Innovation & Resilience Award
- Entrepreneur & Business Start Up
- DYW Regional Employer
Nominations close on the 15th of October, and the winners will be announced at a prestigious Awards Dinner on the 28th of November.
To submit a nomination, please email team@wlchamber.com
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.
Trade Development Grant
Exhibiting at trade shows is a great way to raise the profile of your business and introduce your products and services to a wider audience.
With our exciting Trade Development Grant, eligible West Lothian businesses can receive funding of up to 50% of eligible costs (up to a maximum of £2000 and a minimum of £250) to help them attend exhibitions.
Eligible costs include:
- Renting, setting up and running an exhibition space
- Stand and electricity costs
- Marketing costs, including the production of banners, brochures and other promotional materials
- Accommodation and air/rail travel costs
Please note that any projects funded must be completed by the 31st of January 2026.
To learn more about the Trade Development Grant, please click here.
Upcoming Events
We are delighted to be hosting the following free events in August:
Negotiating and Influencing Skills
Join us on Thursday, the 21st of August, for our brand-new Negotiating and Influencing Skills workshop! You will leave the session with greater confidence and self-belief when negotiating, and a better awareness of how to overcome the barriers to negotiation. This workshop will be delivered by the fantastic Mark Douglas from Blue Ptarmigan, and is taking place at Almond Valley Heritage Centre in Livingston from 9:30am – 4:00pm.
1:1 Procurement Surgery Sessions
We are offering eligible West Lothian businesses the opportunity to book a free, 1:1 virtual surgery session with a procurement expert from Intend Business Development Ltd. 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 learn more and book your free space at any of our events, please click here.