The cultivation of solid leadership abilities and the implementation of effective strategies are of utmost importance in facilitating collaboration among community college institutions and businesses, fostering agility and creativity, promoting diverse thinking, facilitating effective pedagogical practices, supporting professional development, and fostering entrepreneurial initiatives in rural areas throughout the 21st century. The collaboration between community colleges and businesses enables the achievement of two primary objectives: providing students with comprehensive education leading to the attainment of certificates or degrees and promoting regional economic development through active involvement with local companies and industries. The primary objective was to investigate the leadership strategies and skills necessary for educational and business leaders to effectively collaborate to address the educational and economic needs of rural communities in Ohio. The eleven participants exhibited a comprehensive understanding of leadership strategies. However, their awareness regarding the impact of these strategies on economic growth or educational attainment was limited. Enhancing the diversity of the survey participants beyond business or academic leaders would enable a more holistic comprehension of community partners. Forthcoming researchers should broaden their inquiry to include community members engaged in volunteer organizations who do not occupy leadership positions but make significant contributions to the community. This would facilitate an examination of the extent to which the leadership strategies and capabilities recognized in the volunteer agencies' facilitation of transformative change can be applied to different contexts. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://bibliotheek.ehb.be:2222/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]