The Iowa ERA Coalition records measure 5.5 linear feet and date from 1916 to 1981. They are arranged into seven series: Administrative, Campaign Files, Fundraising, Publicity, Strategies and Planning, Topical Files, and Audio Tapes. The bulk of this collection concerns Iowa's first ERA campaign in the years 1978 to 1980; however, there is some background material dating as far back as 1972. While this collection primarily chronicles one state's efforts to pass an equal rights amendment, it does provide some clues as to how an initiative, albeit controversial, that is generally favored by a majority of the populace can be undermined by opponents who are allowed to frame the debate concerning the initiative.

The Administrative series includes budget, minutes, and general correspondence. It also contains biographical information on Peg Anderson. The governing board minutes provide a good sense of the day-to-day logistics.

The bulk of material in the Campaign Files series concerns the caravan for era. Mainly use as a promotional tour, this motorcade was envisaged as a means to garner support for the state ERA and create a "band wagon" effect. The caravan traversed across Iowa, and made stops in all of its counties. It began on October 2, 1980 and ended on November 2, 1980. The caravan had four objectives: to disseminate information about the Iowa ERA, to gain local news coverage, and to bring out supportive local community leaders. The county folders contain correspondence and other material relating to caravan visits and speakers scheduling.

The Fundraising series includes information about some of the events used to raise money and voter awareness. One highlight event was the two-day, three-city visit that Erma Bombeck and Liz Carpenter made in June 1980 as an ERA campaign fundraiser. They appeared in Council Bluffs, Des Moines, and Waterloo. There is additional information about their visit in the news clippings folder (box 11), and the press release folder (box 7).

The Publicity series is divided into four subseries: General, Speakers, Media, and Printed Material. The Speakers subseries includes resource packets intended to help speakers with speech preparation. The Media subseries contains Iowa Coalition press releases from 1979-1980. Newsletters and other printed material produced by the coalition and other groups can be found in the Printed Material subseries.

The Strategies and Planning series is divided into four subseries: General, Candidates, Political parties, Polling information. The Candidates subseries includes completed endorsement forms by Iowa state representatives and senators, many of which contain statements by the legislators in support of the ERA. Peg Anderson's testimony before the Democratic State Platform on May 10, 1980. The Polling information subseries contain results of Iowa state polls from 1975-1980 as well as national poll results and sample questions used during ERA telephone surveys. The Topical files series is composed of sixty-four folders arranged alphabetically by folder title. The folder contents cover a variety of topics that related to the work of the Iowa ERA Coalition. There are two Anti-ERA folders which contains printed literature used by a number of organizations opposed to the ERA. Included also are organizational folders such as the Iowa Association of Libertarian Feminists and the Iowa Home Economics Association.

The Audio tapes series consists of three audiocassettes and two reel-to-reel recordings, including a speech given by Peg Anderson on February 14, 1980 (AC117), pro-ERA spots by Erma Bombeck and by the Iowa ERA Coalition (AC116), and four anti-ERA radio spots produced by the Right to Be a Woman Committee (AC115).