diff --git a/lib/philomena/notifications.ex b/lib/philomena/notifications.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..7bf97951
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/philomena/notifications.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,104 @@
+defmodule Philomena.Notifications do
+  @moduledoc """
+  The Notifications context.
+  """
+
+  import Ecto.Query, warn: false
+  alias Philomena.Repo
+
+  alias Philomena.Notifications.Notification
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns the list of notifications.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> list_notifications()
+      [%Notification{}, ...]
+
+  """
+  def list_notifications do
+    Repo.all(Notification)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Gets a single notification.
+
+  Raises `Ecto.NoResultsError` if the Notification does not exist.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> get_notification!(123)
+      %Notification{}
+
+      iex> get_notification!(456)
+      ** (Ecto.NoResultsError)
+
+  """
+  def get_notification!(id), do: Repo.get!(Notification, id)
+
+  @doc """
+  Creates a notification.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> create_notification(%{field: value})
+      {:ok, %Notification{}}
+
+      iex> create_notification(%{field: bad_value})
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def create_notification(attrs \\ %{}) do
+    %Notification{}
+    |> Notification.changeset(attrs)
+    |> Repo.insert()
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Updates a notification.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> update_notification(notification, %{field: new_value})
+      {:ok, %Notification{}}
+
+      iex> update_notification(notification, %{field: bad_value})
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def update_notification(%Notification{} = notification, attrs) do
+    notification
+    |> Notification.changeset(attrs)
+    |> Repo.update()
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Deletes a Notification.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> delete_notification(notification)
+      {:ok, %Notification{}}
+
+      iex> delete_notification(notification)
+      {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}}
+
+  """
+  def delete_notification(%Notification{} = notification) do
+    Repo.delete(notification)
+  end
+
+  @doc """
+  Returns an `%Ecto.Changeset{}` for tracking notification changes.
+
+  ## Examples
+
+      iex> change_notification(notification)
+      %Ecto.Changeset{source: %Notification{}}
+
+  """
+  def change_notification(%Notification{} = notification) do
+    Notification.changeset(notification, %{})
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/philomena/notifications/notification.ex b/lib/philomena/notifications/notification.ex
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..15632554
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/philomena/notifications/notification.ex
@@ -0,0 +1,23 @@
+defmodule Philomena.Notifications.Notification do
+  use Ecto.Schema
+  import Ecto.Changeset
+
+  schema "notifications" do
+    field :action, :string
+
+    # fixme: rails polymorphic relation
+    field :actor_id, :integer
+    field :actor_type, :string
+    field :actor_child_id, :integer
+    field :actor_child_type, :string
+
+    timestamps(inserted_at: :created_at)
+  end
+
+  @doc false
+  def changeset(notification, attrs) do
+    notification
+    |> cast(attrs, [])
+    |> validate_required([])
+  end
+end
diff --git a/test/philomena/notifications_test.exs b/test/philomena/notifications_test.exs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..07124be6
--- /dev/null
+++ b/test/philomena/notifications_test.exs
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+defmodule Philomena.NotificationsTest do
+  use Philomena.DataCase
+
+  alias Philomena.Notifications
+
+  describe "notifications" do
+    alias Philomena.Notifications.Notification
+
+    @valid_attrs %{}
+    @update_attrs %{}
+    @invalid_attrs %{}
+
+    def notification_fixture(attrs \\ %{}) do
+      {:ok, notification} =
+        attrs
+        |> Enum.into(@valid_attrs)
+        |> Notifications.create_notification()
+
+      notification
+    end
+
+    test "list_notifications/0 returns all notifications" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert Notifications.list_notifications() == [notification]
+    end
+
+    test "get_notification!/1 returns the notification with given id" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert Notifications.get_notification!(notification.id) == notification
+    end
+
+    test "create_notification/1 with valid data creates a notification" do
+      assert {:ok, %Notification{} = notification} = Notifications.create_notification(@valid_attrs)
+    end
+
+    test "create_notification/1 with invalid data returns error changeset" do
+      assert {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}} = Notifications.create_notification(@invalid_attrs)
+    end
+
+    test "update_notification/2 with valid data updates the notification" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert {:ok, %Notification{} = notification} = Notifications.update_notification(notification, @update_attrs)
+    end
+
+    test "update_notification/2 with invalid data returns error changeset" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert {:error, %Ecto.Changeset{}} = Notifications.update_notification(notification, @invalid_attrs)
+      assert notification == Notifications.get_notification!(notification.id)
+    end
+
+    test "delete_notification/1 deletes the notification" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert {:ok, %Notification{}} = Notifications.delete_notification(notification)
+      assert_raise Ecto.NoResultsError, fn -> Notifications.get_notification!(notification.id) end
+    end
+
+    test "change_notification/1 returns a notification changeset" do
+      notification = notification_fixture()
+      assert %Ecto.Changeset{} = Notifications.change_notification(notification)
+    end
+  end
+end