This study aims to identify and validate the key factors shaping the economic resilience of rural businesses and to develop an operational framework to support evidence-based policymaking in Damghan County. A mixed-methods research design with an exploratory sequential strategy was employed. Grounded Theory was applied through semi-structured interviews with 30 experts in rural development, enabling the identification of the principal dimensions of economic resilience. A researcher-developed questionnaire was administered to 360 rural businesses in Damghan County. The validity of the instrument was confirmed through expert evaluation, while its reliability was verified using Cronbach's alpha (α = 0.887). Data were analyzed using Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to identify the latent dimensions of resilience and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) to evaluate the adequacy of the proposed measurement model. The EFA results revealed six interrelated dimensions that collectively explained 72.5% of the total variance in the economic resilience of rural businesses. These dimensions comprise access to financial resources (19.4%), institutional support (15.2%), diversification of economic activities (12.8%), entrepreneurial knowledge and skills (11.6%), market access (7.9%), and social capital (5.6%). The CFA results confirmed the robustness and satisfactory fit of the proposed measurement model. The overall economic resilience of rural businesses was rated at a moderate level, with a mean score of 3.12 on a five-point scale. Among the identified dimensions, access to financial resources achieved the highest mean score (3.58), whereas social capital demonstrated the lowest (2.47), indicating that strengthening local social networks and collaborative capacities remains a major development challenge. Rural businesses in Damghan County possess a moderate capacity to withstand and adapt to economic shocks; however, enhancing their resilience requires integrated policy interventions. The findings underscore the importance of strengthening institutional support mechanisms, improving access to financial resources, promoting economic diversification, expanding market opportunities, fostering entrepreneurial capabilities, and reinforcing social capital.