This study aims to analyze the influence of social entrepreneurship on the sustainability of the Free Nutritious Meal (MBG) program, with community leadership serving as a moderating variable. Employing an explanatory quantitative design, data were collected via a 1–5 Likert scale survey across four regions in East Java: Batu City, Probolinggo City, Sidoarjo Regency, and Ngawi Regency. Based on the Lemeshow formula, a sample of 385 respondents comprising program managers, local food MSMEs, community leaders, kitchen/school operators, and beneficiaries was analyzed using Structural Equation Modeling–Partial Least Squares (SEM-PLS) via SmartPLS. The results demonstrate that social entrepreneurship has a positive and significant effect on program sustainability, as does community leadership. However, community leadership does not significantly moderate this relationship. Consequently, policy interventions should focus on strengthening social entrepreneurship and community leadership independently and in parallel, rather than relying on interaction effects.
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