The creation of an entrepreneurial spirit among rural women will assist in rapidly achieving rural development through the building of motivation, increasing self-confidence and helping women to further use of their potential in other aspects. This survey investigated factors affecting the entrepreneurial spirit among rural women and avenues for promoting it. The research population was rural women from Nimrooz County in the south eastern of Iran. A research sample was selected using stratified random sampling with proportional allocation and data was collected via questionnaire. The result indicates that education has an effect on entrepreneurial spirit in such a way that the higher the educational level women held, the higher their entrepreneurial spirit was. In addition, the result indicates a difference between single and married women in terms of entrepreneurial spirit. However, there are no significant relationships between other variables such as savings, the background of setting up a business within the family, occupational status and entrepreneurial spirit. Accordingly, promoting entrepreneurship at all educational levels and acquainting girls with entrepreneurial activities from high school, and promoting entrepreneurial culture within the society through cultural institutions can be effective in strengthening entrepreneurial spirit.
