Abstract
This research investigates the impact that founding family firms in rural communities has on longer term economic growth within those communities. Prior research has clearly established the many benefits that family businesses can have for communities and we build upon that prior research to unearth a deeper and more nuanced explanation about how those benefits emerge, in what contexts, and other factors that are likely to play a role. Specifically, we look at the impact of founding family firms in more rural communities as well the role that familiness and firm size are likely to have in influencing the relationship between family firms and economic growth.