Disclosed are examples of systems, apparatus, methods and computer program products for providing a bi-directional notification framework within a content management system. A database system maintains a number of users within a content management system, with each of the users being associated with one or more organizations. The system sends a first notification message from an organization to a user associated with the organization. The first notification message is targeted to at least that user, and contains information about an assignment. The system then processes a user event indicating activity associated with the assignment, and in response to the user event, sends a second notification message from the client device to one or more entities within the content management system, including the organization. The second notification message is targeted to those entities, and contains information about the user activity associated with the assignment.