Evaluation Brief

Evaluation Brief

Down to Brass Tacks – NLHF funded Project

Status: Freelance Contract

Fee: £5,000

Duration: January 2026 – December 2028

Closing Date: 1200hrs – 22 December 2025

Background to Project:

Based in Carlisle Castle, Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life looks after a comprehensive military collection with strong ties to Cumbria and the Castle. We are continuing the onsite military presence which extends from the Romans to present day.

Using money raised by National Lottery players, The National Lottery Heritage Fund supports projects that connect people and communities with the UK’s heritage. The Down to Brass Tacks inventory project has been made possible with The National Lottery Heritage Fund.

Thanks to National Lottery players, we have been able to undertake a collections inventory project to help us better understand what we hold, its condition and locations. The Museum has over 19,500 objects plus an archive and photographic collection. This project is the first step of our collections’ development ambitions. Undertaking this inventory will put us in a better position to research and use collections to engage audiences and our communities, lead to a collections review and rationalisation and inform how we better store and care for the collection.

To build capacity, we will recruit a Project Co-ordinator who will help embed the collections work into the Museum’s daily role. Additionally, we will be reintroducing our volunteer programme and will recruit a Volunteer and Engagement Co-ordinator to oversee this task. Volunteers will not only support our work on Brass Tacks but undertake a variety of different roles within both collections and engagement.

Project Overview:

The Down to Brass Tacks Project aims to complete a full inventory of the Museum’s collection, enhance volunteer engagement, and improve public access through digital initiatives. This initiative aligns with the Museum’s charitable objectives, which include:

Collection and Preservation: Collecting, documenting, preserving, and interpreting material evidence related to the Regiment’s history 1702 to the present day
Public Benefit and Education: Providing public benefit through education and enjoyment for the inhabitants of Cumbria, North Lancashire and visitors.

Evaluation Objectives:

The evaluation will assess the project’s impact on:

Collections Management: Completion and quality of the collections inventory.
Volunteer Development: Enhancement of volunteer skills, confidence, and wellbeing.
Community Engagement: Increased public access and participation through digital and physical initiatives.
Sustainability: Embedding sustainable practices for future collections development and volunteer engagement.

The Brief:

Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life are seeking an experienced freelance evaluator(s) to:

Develop an Evaluation Framework: Create a comprehensive plan outlining methodologies, data collection tools, and timelines.
Data Collection: Gather quantitative and qualitative data through surveys, interviews, focus groups, and analytics.
Data Analysis: Analyse data to assess progress towards objectives and identify areas for improvement.
Reporting: Produce a final evaluation report detailing findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Deliverables:

Evaluation Framework: A detailed plan outlining methodologies and data collection tools
Interim Report: A mid-project report assessing progress and suggesting adjustments.
Final Evaluation Report: A comprehensive report with findings, lessons learned, and recommendations.

Timeline:

Evaluation Framework: To be developed within the first month.
Data Collection: Ongoing throughout the project, with key milestones at the start, mid-point, and end.
Interim Report: Due at the mid-point of the project, approximately November 2027.
Final Report: Due within one month of project completion, approximately November 2028.
NLHF end of Project report: Supporting the Museum Manager with the final report to the NLHF, due December 2028

Budget and timescale:

The budget available for this piece of work is £5,000 inclusive of VAT and expenses.

Payment schedule will be £2,000 on signing of the contract; £2,000 on an interim report and final £1,000 on submission of the final report

Project Management:

The project will be managed by Jules Wooding, Museum Manager with assistance from the Brass-Tacks steering group

How to apply:

We recognise that this is a long-term piece of work and would welcome submissions from freelancers and agencies.

Please submit tender by email to:

Museum Manager
Cumbria’s Museum of Military Life
The Castle, Carlisle, CA3 8UR
Email: jules.wooding@cmoml.org
Website: www.cumbriasmuseumofmilitarylife.org

by 1200hrs on 22 December 2025 which must include: