Several states have a Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) Program that helps workers while they start their own business. Usually you must have been permanently laid-off from a job, eligible for traditional unemployment insurance, and determined by the state as likely to exhaust these regular unemployment insurance benefits. Participants are given a weekly allowance, and expected to work full-time while they are starting their business, with the amount being equivalent to traditional unemployment assistance.
The following states currently have Self-Employment Assistance programs: California, Delaware, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington.