Rural social enterprises (RSEs) operate in rural areas, which disproportionately face intractable challenges such as poverty and inequality. They need to identify and develop the factors critical for their success. Data were collected in rural Uganda on a case study basis, using semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions, and analysed with Content Analysis. This identifies 40 factors critical for the success of RSEs. A relevance/manageability matrix reveals eight internal factors that are of central importance for the success of RSEs. These findings advance understanding of RSEs and have important practical applications for such enterprises.